Simply a brilliant songwriter, easily recognized voice, and Grammy winner, Richard Marx is a lyrical conjurer and has amassed quite a library of chart-topping hits, such as “Right Here Waiting For You.” Truly one of the most talented singer-songwriters of the last forty years, he also holds a remarkable record of over 30 million albums sold worldwide and continues to find exciting ways to express his passion for music. In fact, on January 16, 2026, Richard Marx released a new album titled After Hours, an artistic salute to songs that have stood the test of time and the test of time’s pulse, with the inner fire of immortality.
For his latest musical project, he flipped the overhead light switch and pored over the sacred pages of the Evergreen Favorites Songbook, handpicked a selection of songs that resonated with emotional depth. He then rolled up his sleeves and set to work. After a rigorous bout of trusting the process and an enthusiastic thumbs-up approval by the anchor of his world, Daisy Fuentes, it was finally time to test the digital waters. In the blink of an eye, the textual reinterpretations sent melodic ripples through the digital turnstile, leading to the continuum of time and countless heads turning in surprise. Fans are in for a treat this year- he is getting ready to dust off his boogie shoes and perform on tour in April.
The question remains: what distinguishes Richard Marx’s After Hours from every other sonic tome revival that sweeps by majestically down the polished halls of sonorous echoes? Well, it is the jazzy, textured, reconstructed instrumentals that sinuously wrap around vocals like ivy on trellises. This chalice of echoes is chock-full of tunes that are not only effervescent but also diffuse through any room, leaving an aural fragrance behind. For this album, Marx experiments with unique vocal pairings- timbre of voices that at first glance do not seem to blend to form a cohesive melodic flow. As a master craftsman, he achieved the seemingly impossible, delighting fans worldwide.
A lot to enjoy, a shimmering old-school duet with Rod Stewart, “Young at Heart,” stands tall in this collection. This duet is like a swirl of ambrosia delicately poised on the taste buds of memory. The intertwined melodies landed like a soft caress carried along by a gentle breeze. Furthermore, the conversational ambiance takes one on a reverie, where age is merely a mirror reflection that peels away to reveal a youthful spirit beneath that time will never extinguish. One can easily visualize them dancing onstage in top hats and tap shoes, strolling the streets of New York.
Beyond this, one destined to be a favorite is “Days of You,” which opens slowly and steadily, interspersed with soft, dreamy vocals and hip-swaying, jazzy instrumentation. The piano is the ideal accompaniment, enhancing the piece’s emotional vibrancy. It is like sitting down to enjoy a favorite bottle of reserved wine and reminiscing about days long ago.
Then you have “Big Band Boogie,” which is true to its name. This track restores the buoyancy of the music that characterized the Big Band Era. The big brass sound, along with the energetic vocal delivery, makes this an unforgettable track. It is an open invitation to get your boogie shoes on and dance. This is one upbeat Jazz number that will definitely reinvigorate the soul.
The rest of After Hours rolls along effortlessly, like flipping through a favorite family photo album. The musical snippets of time fall into place in this album. The DNA of these musical pieces is unfurled and spliced together with all of Richard Marx’s vibes. Put together with care, he makes sure that there is always a musical punctuation mark that tugs at a sentimental heartstring that engages one- a past-current mindset in these tracks- a longing note, a whispered word shrouded in mystery. With the blink of an eye, you are transported to another time and place, and that is why Cryptic Rock gives After Hours 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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