When the Tony Rich Project (aka Tony Rich) came out with Words in 1995, Rich got lumped in with the faces of new, grown-up soul: along with Erykah Badu, Maxwell, and D'Angelo, he was supposed to usher in a new level of groove balladry. However, while his comrades (except maybe D'Angelo, who also has a lot riding on his sophomore album) have gone on to bigger and better branding, Rich remains relatively unrecognized. Having the most Babyface-like of his songs ("Nobody Knows" and "Leavin’," for example) get short releases and play on 'Beverly Hills 90210' hasn’t helped, and it’s unlikely his latest release, Birdseye, will either.
It’s not that Birdseye is a bad album; in fact, Rich may win some soul-lite fans if one of his singles manages to get any airplay. These are quieter, breezier songs than the ones on Words, and the smooth sounds get more infectious with each listen. Rich himself recently said, "If I could describe [the album] in colors, I'd say this one is brighter-colored." Indeed, Birdseye feels less like music for the city streets than for an Arizona highway. The unfortunate aspect of this lighter hue is that some songs end up being toothless retreads of old territory (boy, does "Thoughts of Leavin’" sound familiar) or get marred by ridiculous lyrics. You may be able to get past the words of "Silly Man" and "My Stomach Hurts" to enjoy the mellifluous music itself, but not before a few replays and numerous winces.
It’s worth the diligence, though. Rich has a gift for seamless harmonies and contemplative songs that enjoy a phrasing and rhythm slightly removed from his soul ballad compatriots. The title track is a boppy, soaring tune about—what else?—love; "Blue Butterfly" and "Bed of My Heart" achieve similar paeans to bittersweet emotion. He also avoids the Babyface trap of instrumental myopia, working with slide guitars and keyboards that may not work consistently, but always demonstrate Rich’s dedication to the individual song. It’s mainly when he tries to tackle heavier stuff, as in the fear-of-mortality lark "No Time Soon," that you’ll wish he hadn’t bothered.
It’s not as surprising as it might seem that classic rock icon Eric Clapton fits right into the mix here, adding guitar to three of the tracks. Clapton was never any edgier than Rich, but has gone in the same cloying direction both musically and lyrically. The results for both artists are mixed, but it’s a softening that Rich can’t afford right now. Without the sexiness of Maxwell or the snap of Erykah or D’Angelo, Birdseye is destined to become an easy-listening pleasure for some and an unknown, unpurchased bargain CD for most.