Disco de Ricky Martin: “Vuelve”

More than slightly superior to his current English release, Ricky Martin's Grammy-winning, 1998 release "Vuelve" exemplifies what a delectable dish can be made with the right combo of artist, producers & authentic Latin ingredients. Can we get seconds to go, please??

Unlike his current debut in the English-speaking market (your basic American power-pop with Latin frosting), "Vuelve" finds Martin in a more passionate musical rendevous, digging deeper into his newly-rediscovered Latin roots. Star-making producer/songwriters K.C. Porter, Robi Rosa & Luis Gomez Escolar take top honors for knowing what Ricky wants to say, and creating vehicles that show his talent in it's most flattering light. The samba-soaked, "Por Arriba, Por Abajo" and "La Bomba" make sitting still out of the question, while "Lola, Lola" makes The Girl From Ipanema sound like your kindergarten teacher. The Desmond Child influence felt on the 1998 World Cup theme song "La Copa de La Vida" only works here because thanks to Rosa & Porter, the tune so blatantly echoes Martin's hugely successful 1995 hit, "Maria". Without the seasonings by that dynamic duo, Child would have Martin as just a screaming, Bon Jovi sound-alike out in the middle of a soccer field.

For the romantics, plenty of palpitations are to be found in the gospel-infused title song by Venezuela's Franco da Vita; the dreamy, drifting "Perdido Sin Ti", and the melodically exquisite "Hagamos el Amor", the frank lyrics of which appear to mark a deliberate turn in the singer's public image from teen superstar to adult artist.

This masterpiece was the vehicle that put Ricky on the pinnacle of credibility from where he was able to swoop down and slay the Goliath American pop market. Let's hope Porter, Rosa, et. al. will be waiting to point the way back once the dance with Desmond has ground to a halt.

It's difficult, if not impossible, to separate Ricky Martin the cultural phenomenon from Ricky Martin the artist. Few contemporary performers are surrounded by so much hype and rumor. But ignore the media frenzy, put aside your prejudices, and listen to "Vuelve." This album is a masterpiece of contemporary Latin music.

Ricky and his producers have put together a superb collection of Spanish-language songs, and have assembled musicians and backup singers that put all their heart into the project. The songs are a marvelously diverse bunch that includes fast, tropical-flavored numbers, introspective love songs, and dramatic ballads.

Whatever the song, Ricky is at the top of his form. I have often read criticisms that imply that Ricky's success is based more on his electrifying body gyrations and drool-inducing good looks than his actual vocal talents. Have these critics actually listened to "Vuelve"? On this album Ricky's voice is supple and seductive, moving with ease between the different moods and tempos of each selection. His pronunciation of the album's Spanish lyrics is fluid but delicate--a joy to listen to. On the best tracks, he really brings out the emotional potential of the lyrics.

This is one of those great albums that doesn't have a single weak cut. If your only exposure to Ricky Martin is through his English-language songs, try "Vuelve." If you don't know Spanish, listening to this album may inspire you to learn a little!

To start off with, this is a Latin album, not just a pop album. Ricky's earlier CDs were simply pop sung in Spanish, but this is really Latin. This is evident in the powerful opener, Por Arriba, Por Abajo (Up Above, Down Below), which is jam packed with horns and percussion, which also show up later in Lola Lola, La Bomba, La Copa De La Vida and Marcia Baila. Once the impact of bon bon shaking dance party rhythms has sunk in, Ricky shows his impressive skills as a balladeer with soaring power ballads like Corazonado and Vuelve. There are lighter ballads also, the melodic Casi Un Bolero, which has really nice percussion, and my fave, the beautiful pop ballad Perdido Sin Ti (Lost without you). There are a few lightweight, urban pop sounds, Asi Es La Vida and Gracias Por Pensar En Mi. I especially like Gracias, it's carefree, and you don't have to worry about anything while you're listening to it. One track that is a bit different: Hagamos El Amor. The instruments consist of a piano, backed by a string orchestra. It's sort of moody, eerie and dark. If a video was ever made for this song, I imagine it would have to be dark at night, and probably in black and white. Lastly, some versions of this album contain the Spanglish versions of The Cup of Life and Maria, which provide a slick, stylish, but still Latin end to the CD.

Overall, I think that Vuelve is Ricky's best CD to date. His voice is lighter and less strained that his English CDs, and his music has a lot more flair and crediblity in Spanish. The thing that stands this album above the rest is not that there are some outstanding songs on it, but that you like every song. The Grammy for best Latin album was well deserved, this CD is timeless.

This CD came out before the Livin La Vida Loca Craziness of 1999. It was truly his best CD. All the songs whether low key ballads, or crazy up tempo dance tracks all have one thing in common, they are great. There is a song for every mood and Ricky himself has a beautiful voice. I hope that he one day will make another album like this.

The key tracks are: Vuelve, La Bomba, Por Arriba, Por Abajo, La Copa De La Vida, and Marcia Baila.

Although I purchased the two follow-ups to this release, I still find "Vuelve" to be a more enjoyable album. Martin appears to vocally emote better in his native Spanish than he does in English.

There must be some truth in the saying that "it loses something in the translation".