The Main Idea:
In early 2001, Jennifer Lopez released her highly anticipated sophomore record, simple entitled J. Lo. J. Lo is the perfect dance record and encompasses Latin, hip-hop, pop, and even a little bit of techno thrown in here and there. It's far better than her debut, as it's more upbeat and creative. J. Lo does put a little too much emphasis on its production, though, and comes off as sounding rather contrived and mindless instead of being a really artistic album. Of course, this isn't always a bad thing, since Jennifer really knows how to make her up-tempo, R&B-spiced brand of bubblegum pop work for her advantage. Still, I would have liked to have seen more from Miss Lopez artistically. Dancing is good, but it can get you only so far.

Song-By-Song Breakdown:
1. LOVE DON'T COST A THING - I'm sure everyone is familiar with this infectious pop hit by now, so not much needs to be said about it. This song is about as close to rapping as Jennifer ever gets as she delivers the verses rather quickly, though they do lack emotion. The production is excellent; it's very danceable and has just the right amount of synthesizers. A well-chosen first single because it's very radio-friendly and one of the poppiest songs on the record - 4/5

2. I'M REAL - I much prefer this bubbly original version to the remix. It's disgustingly catchy - "I'm real/What you get is what you see/What you tryin' to do to me/You wanna say you're mine/Be with me all the time..." - and the vocals are well-arranged and suit the tinkly production very well. Jennifer especially sounds really innocent and sweet. FYI: Mariah Carey says Jennifer stole her idea for "Loverboy" and used it on this song. If you listen to the opening notes in "I'm Real," they do kind of sound like those in "Loverboy," but I think Mariah was just mad that "Loverboy" sucked and "I'm Real" didn't - 5/5

3. PLAY - This synth-heavy dance hit was co-written by Samantha Milian, who also sings background vocals, and is a throwback to the 80's. It's very infectious, but a bit too electronic and overproduced for my tastes. The cursing is kind of annoying too; I hate when people take a deep breath before they curse because it makes it sound planned and cheesy. A great up-tempo song nonetheless with excellent beats that are great for any party or club. It's just not one of my favorites - 3/5

4. WALKING ON SUNSHINE - This next dance jingle carries over the synthesizer/techno-tinged sound of the previous tune, therefore making the two songs sound a lot alike. I don't like the echoing background vocals that start off this track, but, other than that, it's stellar. The lyrics are simple, catchy, and a bit nonsensical and sung in an equally understated way, which is good because it puts the emphasis on the futuristic production, courtesy of then boyfriend Sean Combs and partner Mario Winans - 4/5

5. AIN'T IT FUNNY - This decidedly Latin-infused track features some excellent guitar playing and cleverly written lyrics that talk about being scared to fall in love again: "Ain't it funny how some feelings you just can't deny/And you can't move on even though you try/Ain't it strange when your feeling things you shouldn't feel/Oh, I wish this could be real." Jennifer delivers some great ad-libs and sings with real strength and emotion; the background vocals are good as well. A great Latin dance tune - 5/5

6. CARINO - Pure, unadulterated Latin pop, and I love it. This is easily one of the most infectious songs on the record; the moment you hear it, you wanna grab someone and shake your booty (even if it isn't as big as J. Lo's). The lyrics are in the usual corny I'm-so-in-love-and-I-wanna-be-around-you-all-the-time mold, but that's actually okay this time. Jennifer's vocals are pretty good on this track, though she's occasionally drowned out by the background vocalists. The production is a little busy at times, but it still works - 4/5

7. COME OVER - This is easily the worst track on the album. It's supposed to be a sensual-sounding ballad, but it comes off as sounding really cheesy and contrived. The guitar is nice, but the whispery vocals and try-to-sound-erotic lyrics are just too much. This song sounds really out of place on this record and doesn't suit Jennifer's voice (or lack thereof) well at all. I don't know what Jennifer was thinking when she recorded this track, especially the fake moaning parts at the end. Hey Jen - never fake an orgasm because you suck at it - 2/5

8. WE GOTTA TALK - This upbeat hybrid of hip-hop, pop, and Latin music is a great dance song. In the lyrics, Jennifer tells her man that they're having problems and need to talk: "The way you tricked me/You know that wasn't right/You tried to fix it/But all we did was fight/Because I gave you everything I had to give/If you know it's worth the fight/We gotta compromise." I like the production, as it's very unique. The background vocalists overpower Jennifer once again, but that's okay - 4/5

9. THAT'S NOT ME - This track is more mid-tempo than most of the other requisite dance cuts and features some spacey, dramatic production that speeds up and increases with intensity near the end. Jennifer's vocals also gradually get more emotional as she talks about how her man wants to change her into something she's not. It's a very intense song and quite possibly one of Jennifer's most convincing deliveries yet. It's a pretty healthy departure from the rest of the album - 5/5

10. DANCE WITH ME - Though not one of my favorite songs, this is nonetheless another great dance cut with excellent production from P. Diddy and Mario Winans. The lyrics are kind of like those from "Play" or "Feelin' So Good": "Dance the night away/Party till the sun comes up/Go grab a friend, get on the floor/Come on and dance, dance, dance with me/DJ if you please." The vocals aren't the best they could be, though. Of course, there's also that hint of Latin flavor; production-wise, this song resembles "Carino" - 3/5

11. SECRETLY - Once again, not one of my favorites, but I admire Jennifer for trying something different on this jazzy, peaceful tune. It's very simply arranged with some cool fingersnaps, piano, guitar, and waterfall sounds. Even Jennifer's vocals are better than usual; she sounds full of longing, even during the speaking parts. This track is really artistic, but sounds a bit out of place and would have fit in better on Jennifer's following record. Still, very beautiful and unique - 5/5

12. I'M GONNA BE ALRIGHT - Another case in which the original version is better than the remix. This version is more danceable and has more Latin influences than the remix and always makes me wanna get up and dance. It's a little overproduced, and the background vocals overshadow Jennifer yet again, but it's still a very fun song that Jennifer delivers very convincingly. Sometimes, however, it's hard to distinguish it from the rest of the dance songs on the album. A good tune nevertheless - 4/5

13. THAT'S THE WAY - Jennifer hooks up with Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins (producer of her breakthrough hit, "If You Had My Love") for a unique blend of Latin and hip-hop that has a fresh new sound. It's another dance track with great instrumentals and catchy, cocky lyrics: "Baby, I can give you anything/If you promise to be with me/I promise I can make you happy/That's the way our love should be..." One of the best cuts on the album, mostly because of the blatant Latin flavor and excellent vocal performance - 5/5

14. DAME (TOUCH ME) - This is your typical lively Latin song, entirely in Spanish, and features ubiquitous Latin music star Chayanne. I think duetting with Chayanne on this track was a good idea because his voice blends well with Jennifer's. The instrumentals are really what shine through on this tune; there are some very prominent horns, percussion, and guitar, which make the song infectiously danceable. I like the chorus the most though; it sounds like they're saying "Dammit, dammit dammit!" Only with a Spanish accent, of course - 4/5

15. SI YA SE ACABO - Another Spanish cut that isn't much different from the previous one. I can't speak Spanish, so I can't tell you anything about the lyrics, but I do know that this track is upbeat and has still more well-arranged instrumentals and vocals to boot. I'm really starting to like Latin music; it's very fun and up-tempo. Anyway, Jennifer gives a surprisingly powerful delivery, though the production is a little too busy and drowns her out quite a bit - 4/5

16. I'M REAL (MURDER REMIX) (bonus track) - Ah, who doesn't know this overplayed hip-hop smash by now? Surely you've memorized every lyric and can instantly recognize the first few strains of Irv Gotti's mediocre production by now? I'm not a fan of Ja Rule or Murder Inc. - they are quite possibly the most overrated record label in the history of music - so I'm not a fan of this song. It puts too much focus on Ja Rule and sounds too contrived and radio-friendly. This just proves that, if it ain't broke, you shouldn't fix it - 3/5

The Big Picture:
J. Lo is a dance record, plain and simple. It's not meant to be very artistic or innovative. It lacks any real substance or depth and doesn't show a whole lot of maturity or intellectuality. But you know what? It still rocks. Sometimes artists get so caught up in making a statement or trying to change society that they forget to have some good old fun, and, fortunately, Jennifer Lopez isn't one of those artists. J. Lo was created for the sole purpose of making you forget your troubles and get on the floor and boogie, and sometimes - no, a lot of times - the world needs that. I'm sure Jennifer knows she's not the most substance-associated artist in the music industry, and she doesn't pretend to be. J. Lo is fun, bubbly, upbeat, and all that other good stuff. It's one of my favorite dance records and a great way to forget all of you worries.

So, all of you "serious" music fans who think J. Lo is too mainstream and too bubblegum teeny bopper pop for you, give it a rest and lighten up. What's wrong with dancing and having a little fun now and then? J. Lo is an excellently crafted, well put-together album that more than fulfills its lighthearted purpose. It's a bit overproduced in spots and some of the lyrics are almost too nonsensical and contrived (not to mention the fact that Jennifer can't sing), but these points are few and far between. Even though Jennifer is trying too hard to gain "street cred" by attempting some more urban beats and giving herself a silly nickname, it's all in good fun. J. Lo is the perfect pop record, full of feel-good grooves and catchy lyrics. Jennifer didn't do anything to establish herself as a real artist or musician, but that's okay. As long as she keeps making fun music, I don't really care what kind of artist she becomes or doesn't become.

Final Notes:
Average Song Rating: 4.0
Best Song(s): "I'm Real," "That's The Way," and "Secretly"
Worst Song(s): "Come Over"

How Would I Rate This Record's...
Vocals? 2 stars
Lyrics? 1 star
Production? 5 stars
Timelessness? 1 star
Artistry? 0 stars

Also Recommended:
Thalia - Thalia (English)
Craig David - Slicker Than Your Average
Janet Jackson - All For You

Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Getting ready to go out