HardReviews 5
by Martin Popoff

Richie Kotzen - Change
(Frontiers)

Kotzen is known equally as a solo artist and for his brief stays with Poison and Mr. Big. Change is a close, intimate return that kicks off like Audioslave before settling down for crunchy yet often acoustic pop, the sort of music hair guys do when they are trying to show "honesty." All told, it's a combination of the lighter-foisting acoustic interludes you might get at live shows from say, Styx, Night Ranger, Bon Jovi, Paul Gilbert, Eric Martin, John Waite and Tesla. Warning: there is one heavy song on this, opener Forever One, with the rest being capable, poignant, buoyant pop rock with those deep-meaning vocal melodies designed to make you all wistful. And it ain't nearly as funky as past records.
Rating 6.5