Ricky Martin is back and trying desperately to shed his bon-bon shaking image with Life, an album that attempts to draw upon many cultural influences but leaves Martin looking like an awkward mess.
Life marks Martin's return to English language albums after taking a five-year hiatus following the release of Sound Loaded in 2000. Since then, the artist best known for his 1999 crossover hit "Livin' La Vida Loca," has taken some time to travel the world and even founded the Ricky Martin Foundation, a humanitarian effort advocating for the welfare of children across the globe, with special attention being paid to their health and education, as well as the growing child-trafficking problem.
Having experienced cultures spanning from Brazil to India, Martin encompasses multiple ethnic influences on Life, blending pop, Reggaeton and Middle Eastern musical devices to achieve a diverse compilation of songs. While Martin has the best of intentions, the sounds and image sought through the album come across as an odd fit for the man who gave listeners "She Bangs" and "Shake Your Bon-Bon."
Most illustrative of this point is the album's first single, "I Don't Care," which features Fat Joe and Amerie. Produced by Scott Storch, who has worked with rap royalty such as Snoop Dogg and Busta Rhymes as well as destiny's favorite child, Beyonce, on "Naughty Girl," the track features Martin attempting a set of punchy rap-influenced lyrics set against a heavy bass line. The ridiculous nature of the song is even more obvious in its music video format, where an unshaven Martin can be seen in one "bad ass" vest, rocking out in front of a graffiti wall and later on a bench next to a payphone. The pop star looks even more out of place as he is eventually seen awkwardly bobbing his head next to his hip-hop collaborators.
On the Reggaeton track "Drop It On Me," Martin enlists the help of urban Latin star, Daddy Yankee, an artist achieving international success with the song "Gasolina." Unfortunately, the song sounds like a rip-off version of the well-known hit, with a few more claps and "hey heys" thrown in for good measure. Perhaps even worse, the catchy beat almost instantly gets stuck in the minds of listeners and can be hard to shake.
The album's title track, "Life," draws on Martin's old pop influences, with the added bonus of a tribal sounding chant, as it attempts to spread the uplifting message that people should live their lives to the fullest and "it's easier to dream than it is to cry." Heartwarming or not, this song becomes redundant as Martin crescendos the name of each family member as he belts "Tell your mother, beg your father/ Respect your sister, talk to your brother," in each chorus.
Another installment in the worldwide journey of the album, opening song "Til I Get to You," details all of the places Martin is willing to travel to find his "one and only temptation." Set to a Middle Eastern sounding melody, complete with chants and an eerie string compilation, Martin ambitiously declares that not only will he swim the mountains and climb the sea but he is also willing to surf the fields to find that special someone.
True to his humanitarian spirit, Martin tries to please everyone on this new album, but sadly fails. Although he helped co-write many of the tracks and enlisted the help of some of the biggest names in the music industry, his attempt to gain a harder edge succeeds only at making Martin look foolish. If Martin truly cares about people as much as his world travels and relief efforts imply, perhaps he should show the same acts of goodwill to the music industry — and quit.
Grade: D
