I have been a long-time fan of Lionel Richie. I am an African-American female from Philadelphia and was there from the beginning when The Commodores appeared on "The Georgie Woods Show" and performed "Machine Gun"!. I was a teenager then and I am 43 years old now so, I've had plenty of time to watch Lionel grow and evolve as an artist. I also own everything "the man" has ever done. We all know that Lionel was on a winning streak that just wouldn't quite until the mid-80's when his personal life erupted into something very ugly as a result of a "triangular mess" involing him, his now ex-wife, and his then girlfriend/now wife (and I will say no more). When he returned to the studio after a long hiatus and finally released "Louder Than Words" in 1996, I was very glad to hear from him again. The CD received much publicity and as an added treat, he was the opening act on one of the award shows that year, which gave him the opportunity to perform the first single from the CD. I immediately went out and purchased that CD and was not disappointed. It was the same Lionel I had come to know and love. A short time later in 1998, he released "Time" and again, he hit a home run with me. Now its 2001, and we have heard from Lionel again via "Renaissance". Where I have remained a devoted fan of Lionel's throughout the years, I fear than many have abandoned and forgotten him. The radio stations seem to be confused as to what format "the man" would suit him these days. Because of this, most people were totally oblivious (or just plain didn't care anymore) when "Louder Than Words" and "Time" were released. I fear that the same will hold true for "Renaissance". In my opinion, this suituation has put Lionel in the position of "searching for an audience". As a result, this latest CD will appeal to anybody who is a fan of Ricky Martin, Marc Anthony, Emilio Iglesia, Jennifer Lopez, etc. Don't get me wrong, I have all of their CDs too because I am very open-minded when it comes to music. But in my opinion, this latest CD is not really Lionel. I see it as an attempt on his part to find a "new" fan base but, I do not blame him for his plight. He's just trying to make a living and do what he does best...sing! I hold the music industry and radio stations responsible for this tragedy. Lionel's personal problems may have lead to his star "flickering out" for a time but, he proved several years ago with the release of "Louder Than Words" that he was back and ready to shine again. The problem is, the fan base he once had (with the exception of me, of course) forgot about him and he was never really given the chance to shine again via radio, etc. because his "comback CDs" were being ignored. In conclusion, my comments about "Renaissance" are as follows: If you are a devoted Lionel Richie fan like me, buy it because there will always be something on his CDs that you will like; however, if you are looking for the old Lionel (but don't want to go back quite as far as the Commodores or his early solo efforts), I would recommend picking up "Louder Than Words" or "Time". In comparing those two CDs to "Renaissance", you will note the difference and my comments will make more sense to you. Personal Note to Lionel: Don't worry about gaining "newer", "younger" fans...just continue to be who you have always been and concentrate on those who have been with you from the beginning, like me. We'll still love you, no matter what you sing because we've got a a whole lot of time and memories invested in you. I will look forward to your next release sounding more like "you".

I have to disagree with the reviews thus far, especially the one from Philidelphia who gives it a poor review without even mentioning a single song. That was classic. Anyway, this is a solid collection. "Angel" is garnering a good amount of air-play in many formats. This song is a strong opener and is as soulful as a dance song can be nowadays. The production is very crisp on this cut especially. "Tender Heart" and "How Long" rank up there with such classic Richie ballads as "Hello" and "Stuck On You." "Dance The Night Away" is a melodic ballad/mid-tempo song with some nice latin undertones and a very catchy chorus. There are however, a few lack-luster tracks. The two tracks produced by Rodney and Fred Jerkins ("Tonight", "Wasted Time") are way out of place. These producers are huge in the industry, but the music is very hip-hop like, and is more suited for someone like Destiny's Child. Other than those two cuts, the album is quite good. Richie's voice is as good, if not better than it was 15 years ago. All in all, a very strong collection.

Sometimes, rather than losing it, a great singer gets even better as he ages. I always thought that the Frank Sinatra of the mid to late 1960s (remember "Stranger in the Night?") was better than the Sinatra of the 40s. So too, the great Lionel Richie is better than he's ever been. This cd is really well done, It's the same wonderful Lionel Richie style but it's much more than just rehashed stuff. There are tinges of hip hop and other innovations. However, these innovations are tastefully blended in and do not overshadow the tried and true Lionel Richie style. For example, the opening song, "Angel," has a hip hop beat superimposed over a chord progression played by the rhythm section that is straight out of the 1950s to early 60s. This progression is basically the "Duke of Earl" melody and was used in lterally hundreds of oldies 40 or so years ago. There are songs with an acoustic, almost folk like quality, such as "Piece of My Heart" (no. it's not even close to Janis Joplin's song of that title). There is a great mix of ballads and upbeat cuts. The songs are all good ... there are very few weaknesses to this cd. Lionel Richie has remained true to himself by incorporating a little bit of the contemporary while basically expanding on his style rather than trendishly trying to copy someone else's. I highly recommend this cd.

I love this record! The song called Angel is a great upbeat, dance song and there are some incredible ballads too. I recommend it highly.

I have been listening to Lionel since I was a child and am a big fan of all types of music except country music. My favorite forms of music are Hip Hop (Not. BIG and Tupac), Latin (Gypsy Kings), Dance, 80's and some Pop (U2 and Sting for ex.). While I believe Back to Front to be his best album for personal reasons (songs Like Destiny and All Night Long and Do It To Me), Renaissance has made a jump for Richie and his comeback is complete. This album reminds me of Janet Jackson's Velvet Rope in a way. He has a few Latin songs, and hip hoppy tracks that capture his voice, while bringing his old school strong and soulful voice into the new millenium. The album starts off and ends a little cheesy, as I am not a fan of Angel(1) or Here is My Heart(11) (But big Pop fans will be). But, Cinderella(3) is pretty good with some Latin beats. Tender Heart(3) and How Long(6) and Piece of My Heart(9) are like his old school slow songs like Hello, Endless Love etc. Dance the Night Away(3) and Wasted Time(8) are great fast tracks like All Night Long was. Don't Stop the Music(12) has a 70's beat and is a good dance tune. If you are Lionel fans, he is back and the critics need to recognize.