"Repeat Offender" is the second album by rock superstar Richard Marx. Already having delivered four top ten hits, and having reached number two on the charts, the album could be one of the top sellers of 1990. One can see the close ties this album has with Marx's self-titled debut album. The first cut off "Repeat Offender," titled "Satisfied," plays like "Should've Known Better," a song from the debut album. Likewise, his "Right Here Waiting," a song that spent an impressive three weeks at the top of the charts, has shades of "Hold on to the Nights," also off his first album. The other two releases, "Angelia" and "Too Late to Say Goodbye," hit number four and ten, respectively.

Fortunately, however, the album continues to grow off Marx's past success. His newest release, "Children of the Night," is a slow, heart-felt song that displays genuine emotion rarely heard in music today. "Nothing You Can Do About It," the best song on the album by far, proves that Marx can combine the up-beat tempo of "Satisfied" with the voice control and range of "Children of the Night."

On the flip side, his songs "If You Don't Want My Love," and "Wait for the Sunrise," both very similar in mechanics and tone, are more the generic brand of rock that is so common. While they are not disappointing, they do not show the same breakthrough that most of his other songs have shown. The only truly disappointing song is "Real World," a song that Marx doesn't even seem to enjoy singing.

On the whole, "Repeat Offender" is a genuinely fun album. Marx's blend of aloofness and emotion make this tape a necessity for any rock lover. n