Music Review: Amusing by Chris Rice

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: "When Did You Fall?"

Cons: Most of the rest of the CD, but especially "Breakfast Table."

The Bottom Line:

Focus on love songs

Loses the charm of other

Chris Rice releases

Only Mildly Amusing

After his best album to date, 2003's "Run the Earth...Watch the Sky," Chris Rice left Rocketown to help start another imprint, eb+flo records. Two years later, he returned with Amusing, which doesn't live up to his normal outstanding output.

Instead of going with his normal man to God themes, Chris decides to tackle human relationships this time around. He does still look at them through his normal themes of eternity and uncertainly. While that gives us the fun song "Lemonade," it also gives us the horribly sad song "Breakfast Table." Even "The Final Move" seems melancholy in its uplifting message.

The other problem is the lyrics. Many of them feel unoriginal and uninspired. "Tick-Tock" was done better in "Life Means so Much." While the message of "Love Like Crazy" is wonderful, it doesn't have the zing that his past lyrics have had. And the idea behind "I See the Moon" has been done better before by others as well.

Having said all this, there are two tracks that really stand out. "When Did You Fall" is a wonderfully funny look at a love relationship between old friends just starting out. This is Chris at his best and by far the best song on here. The other great song is "The Best Song Ever," which talks about how music can and ultimately will unite everyone together forever.

All artists hit slumps. Seems like each of my favorites has one project I don't listen to as much as their others. Hopefully this is the case with Amusing and it's not a sign of things to come.