Marques Houston Makes Us Love ‘Famous’ [Album REVIEW]

As an Immature fan since the 90s, I’ve been anticipating Marques Houston’s sixth studio album 'Famous', for a while now. The man formerly-known-as Batman has a career spanning over 20 years long (in my head, we go way back like lawn chairs and spinal cords). That being said, what he offers on 'Famous' will take you back: back to sangin’ and romance. The veteran crooner told Singersroom earlier on that the sound will have a Marvin Gaye/D’Angelo and touch on all things love; instantly, that’s the vibe you get once you press play.

In a dozen tracks, Marques gets his grown-and sexy on, beginning with “Only You,” a track with not-so-subtle nuances of Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On,” revamped on an updated track. A tinge of the D’Angelo-esque vibes he speaks of comes into play on “The Way Love Is” and “Leaving My Girl,” both which will take you to secular church in the name of love. In comparison to his previous LP Mattress Music, this offering is less about bumpin’ and grindin’, rather it's more about wining and dining per se. But the set isn’t without its bedroom tracks; both the title cut “Famous” and “Make It Last Forever” get intimate. The ballad “Lifetime” is fitting to play in gratitude for redemption after a stint in the doghouse, and the set closes with the modern, moody track “Fly Away.” All the cuts stay on a mid to slow-tempo, and Houston makes use of his soaring falsetto on pretty much every song, which will please those who find it impressive when male vocalists step out of their vocal range.

On Famous, Houston offers classic MH, a pure R&B album wrapped in romance. It’s a combination of the oozing romantic feeling you felt when hearing him sing as a pre-teen in Immature — singing “Baby Please Don’t Go” and the Houston of recent years showing adult growth, all the while staying true to the genre.

Look out on August 27th for MH's tender offering Famous.