Gloria Estefan is known for the vibrancy of her music and for real swinging numbers like “Party Time”. In this album, she attempts to capture the magic and rhythm of the Caribbean.
The album begins on a soulful note with “Por un Beso” and Estefan sounds in fine fettle. But from then on, the album plays on the nerves. The music gets very repetitive and even the alternating between slow and fast numbers gets predictable and dreary. There are a few good numbers, though, like “Me Voy”; and the two versions of “Tango Que Decirte Algo” which wind up the album, are quite good and suited for dance floors.
Estefan tries to uplift the music with her own talent, but somewhere down the line, she too seems to have lost interest. The music on most of the songs feels decidedly un-Caribbean and instead reminds you of Estefan’s earlier works, especially considering she sings only in Spanish. All in all, this album is suggested only if you are a terribly intense fan of Estefan or are having a moonlit barbecue near a beach.
This article was first published on 24 Jul 2000.