Sound Loaded

Performer: Ricky Martin
Distributor: Sony Music Distribution (

Notes: Personnel includes: Ricky Martin (vocals); Michael Landau, Rusty Anderson (electric guitar); Charlie Bisharat, Eve Butler (violin); Michael Migliore (alto saxophone); Tony Concepion, James Hacker (trumpet); Dana Teboe (trombone); Randall Barlow, George Nariega (keyboards); Paquito Hechevarria, Hector Garrido (piano); Hugh McDonal (bass); Abraham Laboriel, Jr. (drums); Daniel Lopez (percussion); Illyak Negroni, Robbie Nevil, Will Lee, Maurice Lauchner, Ron Grant, Larry Loftin, Chris Willis, KC Porter, Tommy Anthony (background vocals). Producers include: Walter Afanasieff, Randy Barlow, Emilio Estefan, Jr., Steve Morales, George Noriega. Engineers: Dave Reitzas, Robi Rosa, Rob Eaton. "She Bangs" was nominated for the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. "Nobody Wants To Be Lonely" was nominated for the 2002 Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals. This is a Super Audio CD playable only on Super Audio CD players. Personnel includes: Ricky Martin (vocals); Michael Landau, Rusty Anderson (electric guitar); Charlie Bisharat, Eve Butler (violin); Michael Migliore (alto saxophone); Tony Concepion, James Hacker (trumpet); Dana Teboe (trombone); Randall Barlow, George Nariega (keyboards); Paquito Hechevarria, Hector Garrido (piano); Hugh McDonal (bass); Abraham Laboriel, Jr. (drums); Daniel Lopez (percussion); Illyak Negroni, Robbie Nevil, Will Lee, Maurice Lauchner, Ron Grant, Larry Loftin, Chris Willis, KC Porter, Tommy Anthony (background vocals). Producers include: Walter Afanasieff, Randy Barlow, Emilio Estefan, Jr., Steve Morales, George Noriega. Engineers: Dave Reitzas, Robi Rosa, Rob Eaton. "She Bangs" was nominated for the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. "Nobody Wants To Be Lonely" was nominated for the 2002 Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals. Ricky Martin's second English-language album Sound Loaded did not fare nearly as well as its earth-shattering predecessor, even though the quality of the material is probably one notch higher. Several reasons could be given for this, but the most obvious is lousy marketing. First, the album's lead-off single, the electrifying (and terribly titled) "She Bangs" (arguably one of the best songs of 2000), which failed to make the U.S. Top Ten, wasn't even released as a commercial single. Second, the album's follow-up, "Nobody Wants to Be Lonely," was remixed and refashioned into a duet with red-hot Anglo-Latina vixen Christina Aguilera -- the album version is solo Ricky, and features largely acoustic accompaniment, as opposed to the remix's more bombastic instrumentation. Unbelievably, the version with Christina Aguilera wasn't released as a commercial single. Instead, the album was re-released with a single of the song clumsily attached to it (with a rubber band, no less). In other words, most of Ricky's fans, who had already bought the album, would have had to purchase it all over again in order to have the hit version of the song. And thirdly, the set's final single, "Loaded" (which was actually released commercially, indicating a base level of intelligence on the label's part), bore more than a striking resemblance to his breakthrough hit "Livin' la Vida Loca," but, by the time of its release, the magic had petered off. Those factors aside, the album is a lushly produced set, with more Latin-flavored dance cuts, such as the fun, Santana-ish "Amor," the smoldering, string-enhanced "Jezabel," the endearing "If You Ever Saw Her," and the sizzling Spanish-language track "Cambia La Piel." The ballads, however, tend to weigh the album down, such as the unmemorable "Come to Me" and "The Touch." And, finally, Latin loverman clich�s abound, which bring down otherwise fine tracks such as "Saint Tropez" and the gypsy-tinged, slightly bizarre "One Night Man." Infinitely better marketing and less reliance on clich�s will hopefully translate into better sales for Ricky Martin's future English-language albums, but, for the time being, Sound Loaded, an otherwise fine album (and exquisitely produced), will go down in history as something of an undeserved flop. ~ Jose F. Promis Ricky Martin jump-started the early 21st century Latin pop explosion in early 1999 with his spirited, hip shaking appearance on the Grammy Awards. On SOUND LOADED, Martin's music has progressed and improved, while maintaining the vitality and rhythmic diversity of its predecessor. The album is a mix of party anthems, straight-ahead, hook-laden pop tunes, and tender, emotional ballads. Martin here has spared no expense in creating an album to satisfy his legions of fans. "She Bangs" is the sequel to "Livin' La Vida Loca," a sexy, exciting, catchy song about a free and intense angel. "Saint Tropez," with its trumpets and strings, is a smooth, tropical groove. "Come To Me" could be Martin's best ballad yet, a tender tune with background vocals arranged by Jon Secada. "Loaded" rocks out with blaring horns, while "Nobody Wants to Be Lonely" and "The Touch" are both logical singles that show Ricky's softer side. Ricky doubts a woman's intentions in "Are You in it For Love" ("are you in it for kicks, private jets and Armani, and when the ride's over, will you even bother to call me?"), while "Cambia La Piel" is a Latin party rocker that ends the album in swinging style.

Rolling Stone (12/21/00, p.172) - 3.5 stars out of 5 - "...Relentlessly likeable and danceable...plunging listeners into [his] hothouse world, with its lush evocations of exotic climes, Spanglish salsa-club blowouts and voodoo hussies..." Q (1/01, p.112) - 3 out of 5 stars - "...Excellent: and if Ricky Martin continues to devote his career to refining his moment of joyous immortality [Livin' La Vida Loca] there will be no losers." NME (Magazine) (11/18/00, p.43) - 7 out of 10 - "...Martin's combination of crazed Latin rhythms, preposterous rock stylings and bon-bon shaking exuberance genuinely kicks pop arse. Bland? Please..."

Getting his start as part of teenyboppers Menudo in the '80s, and staying in the public's eye as an actor on General Hospital, Ricky Martin launched his own solo career by the late-'90s. Nobody could have predicted Martin's meteoric rise, topping the charts and selling out arenas on the strength of his monster Latin dance hit "Livin' La Vida Loca."

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