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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Relax! A Salsa Disc Is Coming..., July 17, 2004
Singer Marc Anthony's latest LP "Amar Sin Mentiras (To Love Without Lies)" debuted at the summit of the Billboard Latin albums chart, and for good reason. Easily his best album yet, it is his first album of pop songs in Spanish. He is currently recording a salsa album to be released later this summer as a sequel to "Amar Sin Mentiras," which is the reason his Nada Personal tour has been postponed until November.
Whether it is on sweeping ballads or hot uptempo tracks, Anthony's passionate, crystal-clear vocals remain pure as the waters of Caribbean. The material perfectly showcases it from the start of the opening track and lead single "Ahora Quien (Now Who)" to the very conclusion of the disc with the title track. The former, which reached #1 on Billboard's Hot Latin singles chart, features the collective talent of the London Symphony Orchestra and is a perfect introduction to Anthony's vocal prowess. A full-blown confessional ballad full of pain and longing, it is quite obvious from the onset of the album that Anthony demands attention and puts the material he sings across with great skill, regardless if you understand Spanish or not.
The title song, interestingly, comes across as extremely personal to Anthony, even though nearly the entire album was penned by the incredible Latin hitmaker Estefaño. He sings about trying to pick up the pieces of who he is and find love before time runs out, proclaiming that he wants to live and love with honesty. His ex-wife, former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres, would certainly agree that he needs brushing up in this department, and his new wife Jennifer Lopez should hope for her sake that he does. Meanwhile, she happily duets with him on "Escapemonos (Let's Escape)" from the upcoming film "Shall We Dance" which she costars in with Richard Gere. Man and wife sound excellent together, the results of natural talent and studio magic, respectively. Various highlights include the yearning "Se Esfuma Tu Amor (Your Love Dissapears)," where the love he had once suddenly disappears with nothing left in its place, and the mystic "Volando Entre Tus Brazos," (Flying Between Your Arms) which would could very well go on to become a staple Latin wedding song. "Valió la Pena" (??? The Pain) and "Nada Personal" (Nothing Personal) also beckon the back button for repeated lessons.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Not what I was expecting---instead, it was great!!, February 4, 2005
Perhaps my fascination and admiration for the much-maligned "Amar Sin Mentiras" stems from the fact that my usual Latin musical diet consists of angst-ridden ballads by the sensual, ringlet-crowned Spaniard David Bisbal, or the fiery Italian Tiziano Ferro in his quieter moments. Sure, I've listened to and loved Marc Anthony's sizzling salsa persona for years, but there was something deliciously rewarding about "Amar Sin Mentiras" that I wasn't expecting based on the numerous negative critical reviews that dismissed the salsa god's first pop album as lightweight and limited.
The album opens with "Ahora Quien," an urgent, melancholy ode to the traces of a lost relationship. The melody is carried delicately by a piano and the soft sweep of strings. Next up is the much-criticized duet "Escapémos" with the new Mrs. Marc Anthony, Jennifer Lopez. The song has an old-fashioned feel and reminded me of old Mexican ballads (think Chavela Vargas or Lola Beltran). Latin guitar flits throughout, and gentle bongos and light percussion and strings add flavour without overwhelming. "Se Esfuma Tu Amor" adds elements of R&B with the layered chorus and rhythms, and Anthony's voice takes on a raw edge that sends shivers up my spine.
"Valio La Pena" makes use of R&B with the layered vocals, a mix of Latin guitar and rhythms that border on reggaeton (a genre of Puerto Rican music that blends reggae, hip hop and Puerto Rican rhythms). This is one of the more uptempo, high-energy tracks on the album. "Tu Amor Me Hace Bien" enchants with bells, guitars, and panpipes, a deliciously Peruvian ballad sung by a hoarsely passionate Anthony-you can practically see the stars in the man's eyes. This is one of my favourite tracks on the album.
"Tan Solo Palabras" verges on R&B, with its rapid-fire delivery and sensual rhythms. "Volando Entre Tus Brazos" opens with an unexpected cedar flute. Anthony's voice sounds uncannily like David Bisbal here. The chorus is layered again, slow, gentle, and dreamy. "Nada Personal" (Nothing Personal) is the most pop-radio-friendly, the chorus bringing to mind Anthony's earlier success "You Sang To Me." This song has the most "modern" sounding backing of electric guitar and synth in place of piano, acoustic guitar and strings.
"Amigo" opens with a Santanaesque electric guitar solo, and balances between the pull of strings and electric guitar. The album closes with the powerful "Amar Sin Mentiras," which sounds eerily like a Tiziano Ferro song, with its Hammond organ, piano, and a gospel choir.
The entire production is surprisingly low-key, with slower tempos, piano and strings, and dreamy Latin guitar. It does clock in on the short side, with only ten songs. In an effort to appeal to his fan base, Anthony released a salsa version of "Amar Sin Mentiras" under the title "Valio La Pena," but oddly, the blend of pop, R&B and salsa seems to work better on "Amar Sin Mentiras." This is an unexpected pleasure; romantic, passionate, and undeniably Latin.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
We Lost Marc as soon as he signed wioth Sony, June 20, 2004
By A Customer
Everything this man touched turned to gold until he signed with Sony. Then he started whining, shreiking, and turning out garbage like the rest of the talentless musicians of the time. When I first heard Contra La Corriente, I was blown away. Then I got more into his older stuff and continued to love his music even more-I mean is ther a better song than Nadie Como Ella?After his first release "Marc Anthony" woith Sony, it was clear Marc was interested in only $$ and clearly had forgotten his roots and how he got to where he is. Granted Contra is impossible to top or even replicate, however this ballad laden CD full of whiny romantic mush is an absolute embarassment coming from the "King of Salsa". Fresh off of perhaps the biggest dissappointment in my Salsa life, "Libre", this one is even worse! Face facts, Hector Lavoe will ALWAYS be the king of salsa. I never heard of Mr. Lavoe putting out garbage like this when he was alive.
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