Pros: Catchy, radio-friendly fare --- for the most part.
Cons: Silly lyrics that'll make you want to bust out laughing.
The Bottom Line: The songs you'll hear from him on the radio are a good sampling of the other stuff you'll hear on Escape. If you like those songs, you'll like the others.
Normally, I wouldn't admit to owning an Enrique CD; it's not exactly something I'd brag about --- that's why I feel compelled to preface my thoughts on Escape with this little story:
My best friend scored tickets to Enrique's tour in Toronto way back in March. What would you do if you were offered a free ticket? You go and you scream your lungs out like you've gone completely insane when he finally shows up on stage --- 45 minutes late and with the world's worst sound system backing him up.
Nevermind the fact that row 30 felt more like the 30th floor of a skyscraper; nevermind the fact that I was surrounded by hysterical women dressed up like hookers; nevermind the fact that Enrique cannot dance and that halfway through the set, he pulled on this old man sweater. It was still kind of cool. (What's cooler is that we scored free tickets to his make-up concert next month 'cause we had the good sense to complain afterwards. This time, we'll be close enough to rush the stage and paw at his legs if the desire should strike us.)
It only makes sense to get the CD, right? To remember the night?
Okay, so it's kind of hard to take him seriously as an artist that's presenting us with something new and different --- but you know what? I confess: I find his songs catchy.
If you've managed to make it this long without hearing the songs "Escape", "Hero" and "Don't Turn Off the Lights", I congratulate you. For those of us who actually like pop, all I have to say is: That Enrique sure knows how to make radio-friendly music.
What I like about this album is that there's a faster, more up-beat tempo to most of the songs in comparison to his first album, "Enrique", which had more ballads and attempted to inject a bit of that edgy, dark Latin lover mystique into it. (Okay --- so sue me: I own both albums. Get off my back already!)
Songs like "Escape", "Don't Turn Off The Lights", "Love 4 Fun" and "If The World Crashes Down" aren't exactly the kind of songs inducive to dancing, but there's an infectious beat that'll get your head bobbing and foot swinging. But then again, almost all of the 13 tracks are upbeat, bouncy songs --- except for "Hero", of course, which has been overplayed to death.
"Hero", the requisite, uber-romantic track that's intended to showcase Enrique's sensitive soul, is also the song I like the least. I can handle the sloppy lyrical content in most of the songs because the up-tempo beat drags your attention away from it, but in a slow song, it's almost impossible to ignore.
Enrique has often said in interviews that he writes his songs based on real-life experience. I don't know if I'd be telling people that if I were him.
In "Love To See You Cry", he wails, "I don't know WHYYYYY, WHYYYYY, but I love to see you cry." And when he squeals, "Don't Turn Off The Lights (insert unintelligible cry)", I can't help but burst out laughing.
The lyrics to most of the songs are simplistic and silly. Here is a sampling from some of the songs:
1. Escape
"I'm not gonna beg you to stay" YET "You can run, you can hide, but you can't escape my love." Sort of sounds like a scary stalker. I love the music for this track, though.
2. Don't Turn Off The Lights
Sort of sounds like he's afraid of the dark especially when he howls, "I don't wanna be alone in the dark".
3. Love To See You Cry
4. Hero
Ugh. Awful, trite, overdramatic warbling.
5. I Will Survive
No. This isn't a Gloria Gaynor cover. Makes me giggle, though. "Don't see the ways you made a fool of me," he croons, all injured-like.
6. Love 4 Fun
Couldn't get this song out of my head after hearing him sing this live. This is where he comes out from behind this big curtain and everyone goes wild. Suffer from partial hearing loss as a result afterwards. Fun song.
7. Maybe
8. One Night Stand
9. She Be The One
10. If the World Crashes
11. Escape (Spanish version)
12. Don't Turn Off the Lights (Spanish version)
13. Hero (Spanish version)
All ragging aside, I still enjoy this album. It's mindless radio pop that's fun to listen to while you're driving in a car.
My guess is that if you're the type of person who's into Britney Spears, N Sync and the Backstreet Boys, chances are you'll like Enrique, too. And you know what? This album isn't half bad.
It s a tough call who makes women swoon more: Enrique or his father Julio Iglesias? But Enrique has broken the mold with his own brand of sexy music t...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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