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Famous is the sixth solo album from singer/actor Marques Houston. The project will be released on Silent Partner Entertainment/Shanachie Entertainment. Famous clocks in just under 44 minutes and contains several strong mid-tempo tracks and ballads. The D’Angeloesque “Leaving My Girl” is definitely a contender for the “lay back and vibe” award, as it does a great job at eliciting that particularly pensive mood. The track allows Marques to run through a couple of vocal registers and highlights a nice roundness on the low end.

“Lifetime” is a well-crafted and memorable melodic ballad. I anticipate that it will become a fan favorite from this project and sounds well-suited for a romantic theme in a cine-play. Famous opens with a nod to Marvin Gaye on the track “Only You”. In fact Marques describes Famous as an opportunity to take his artistry to the next level with a sensual, evocative Marvin Gaye meets D’Angelo feel.

What I hoped to hear more of on the project was some of the more earthy/organic sounds that Marvin and D’Angelo are known for. I understand that it’s not always practical, both from an economic standpoint as well as sometimes time constraints to have a completely live rhythm section, augmented by horns and strings but that’s often the place that my ear goes when I think of those particular Soul Men. Also, probably in my heightened sense of the organic, I found the use of a certain vocal effect just a bit too much in the overall presentation. Whereas we can strive for absolute perfection from a technical standpoint, sometimes the beauty of an emotive vocal that is vulnerable can be missed.

Make sure you checkout Famous from Marques Houston out August 27th(tomorrow) on Silent Partner Entertainment/Shanachie Entertainment.