No Molestar

Album review

It is safe to say that few Latin singers have been marketed more effectively than Marco Antonio Solís, who has long since acquired a reputation for being one of the top go-to guys for romantic Latin pop. Solís has been marketed primarily as a Latin pop vocalist rather than as a regional Mexican vocalist, which is why he has no problem selling out large venues in Spanish-speaking cities that aren't known for buying a lot of regional Mexican music. But at the same time, there are regional Mexican influences in some of his Latin pop -- and countless norteño, banda, and duranguense artists who do cater to the regional Mexican market specifically have recorded his songs. Further, Solís has the type of ultra-devoted followers who automatically acquire his albums the minute they come out -- followers who want his essential releases as well as his less than essential releases. No Molestar falls into the "not quite essential" category, although the material is consistently enjoyable. Different influences assert themselves on this 37-minute CD, ranging from Afro-Cuban-style bolero on the title track to Mexican ranchera on "Hasta Cuando," "Quien Sabe Tú," and "Te Lo Puedo Asegurar." Cumbia is an influence on "Luna Llena," while "Tú Otra Vez" has both a ranchera influence and hints of Afro-Cuban bolero. But whatever the influences, romantic Latin pop is the album's primary ingredient; that is Solís' forte, and it has made him a superstar in a long list of Spanish-speaking countries. People who aren't seasoned Solís listeners would be better off using Fonovisa's La Historia Continúa... collections as best-of introductions to his work (there were three of them as of late 2008), but the die-hard aficionados automatically obtaining No Molestar simply because it is a Marco Antonio Solís album will find all of the songs to be worthwhile.

© Alex Henderson /TiVo