| Birdseye | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1998 | |||
| Genre | R&B | |||
| Label | LaFace, Arista [1] | |||
| Producer | Tony Rich | |||
| Tony Rich chronology | ||||
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Birdseye is the second album by the American musician Tony Rich (credited to the Tony Rich Project), released in 1998. [2] [3] "Silly Man" was the album's first single. [4]
The album's songs were written by Tony Rich. [5] It was produced by Rich, with additional production by Babyface and L.A. Reid. [6] [7] Rich played all of the instruments, aside from some uncredited guitar parts played by Eric Clapton. [8]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [9] |
| The Atlanta Journal-Constitution | B+ [10] |
| Calgary Herald | [5] |
| Robert Christgau |  [11] |
| Los Angeles Times |  [7] |
| USA Today | [4] |
The Washington Post noted that "Rich downplays drums and hard beats in favor of insinuating melodies, replaces the contemporary emphasis on lust with old-fashioned romantic notions, and sings softly in a lithe, silky tenor reminiscent of his friend (and co-executive producer) Babyface." [12] The New York Times called the album "a soundtrack for seducers who can't stop thinking about the awkwardness of the morning after." [13]
The Los Angeles Times concluded that "after a while, this procession of soothing, slow-to mid-tempo numbers can seem a bit staid and monotonous." [7] Newsday deemed the album "a short, thin recording that feels like a rush job." [14] The Atlanta Journal-Constitution called it "a beautiful testament to Rich's musical and lyrical growth." [10] The Chicago Tribune opined that "Rich's greatest virtue is his understatedness; he makes mood music that is more spiritual than sexual ... But though his silky melodies are insinuating and his lyrics well-intentioned, Rich is still grasping for identity." [15]
AllMusic wrote that "Birdseye remains a remarkably romantic record, one of the rare albums whose seduction feels genuine, not prepackaged." [9]