Lionel Richie

Though already established thanks to his work with the Commodores, Can't Slow Down, his second solo album, catapulted Lionel Richie into 1980s pop superstardom. Five of these tracks became major, chart-topping hits, boosted by memorable videos on MTV. Includes "All Night Long," "Hello," and "Stuck On You."

Lionel Richie exemplifies the spirit of Motown today. He's not an original talent like Stevie
Wonder or a historical emblem like Diana Ross or a sensational performer like Michael
Jackson. Instead, he's chairman of the board of corporate pop-soul, masterfully
synthesizing everything we love about Motown, a label whose style–past and present–is
itself a canny blend of post-rock & roll pop styles. Until very recently, Richie has... More >

Given Richie's well-established appeal to white people, this surprisingly solid album bids fair to turn into a mini-Thriller, and good for him--it's a real advance. In the years since he became a ballad writer he's learned how to sing them--"Hello" is nowhere near as magical a song as "Easy," but the grain of Richie's delivery gives you something to sink your ears into. And where the Commodores' funk often sounded a little forced, his jumpy international dance-pop comes to him naturally even when he's putting on that stupid West Indian accent. (Grade - B+)