Enrique

Enrique Iglesias' Interscope debut Enrique was designed to be a massive crossover success, breaking him to the pop audience that devoured Ricky Martin and "Livin' la Vida Loca." So, the Latin roots were pushed to the background and the record leaned heavily on mainstream dance-pop and adult contemporary ballads. Iglesias and Andres Restrepo served as executive producers, overseeing a number of producers whose work all sounds fairly cohesive. That may be because each specialized in a certain area: dancefloor numbers or slow-burners. It's all impeccably crafted and appealing, the way a big-budget record like this should be. Song wise, there are a couple of stretches that are a little rote but not unappealing, and for the most part, the tunes are endearing; as a matter of fact, the first breakthrough hit, "Bailamos," pales in comparison with much of the first half of the album, including "Rhythm Divine," "I Have Always Loved You," and "Oyeme." If Enrique doesn't pack a knock-out punch, it's because it wasn't structured that way. It was made to be a sturdy and satisfying mainstream crossover effort, and that's exactly what it is. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine