Review: Jennifer Lopez, On the 6

            First shooting to fame as an actress, Jennifer Lopez transitioned to singer seamlessly when she joined Marc Anthony and Ricky Martin in the Latin music boom of the late 1990s. Lopez privided a female perspective to the growing genre, adding further flare and style to Latin soul.

Her debut effort On The 6 remains firmly rooted in her Hispanic heritage, taking the sounds of salsa and rustic guitars but does something interesting by melding it with R&B elements. The opening track, “If You Had My Love,” is a glorious piece of late-‘90s pop with an infectious chorus and features Lopez stretching herself vocally. Likewise, “Feelin’ So Good” is an airy ass-shaker that borrows its flavour from hip-hop, making it one of the catchier songs on the album. However, it is the two more heavily influenced Latin dance songs that stand strongest. The Gloria Estefan-penned “Let’s Get Loud” has a beautifully layered and brassy arrangement with horns, piano and pulsating beats, whipping everything into a frenzy of epic proportions. Lopez attacks the track in a way that only the fiercest of divas can. With its strumming guitar and pounding rhythm, “Waiting for Tonight” is a dance anthem with a seductive Lopez purring on the track, leaving no room to wonder why it has become Lopez’s signature song. In addition to its dance songs, On The 6 also lays it on heavy with ballads. They are honest and introspective, featuring pared down vocals by Lopez giving her an air of vulnerability. Unfortunately, their arrangements lack personality and some come across as tragically dated. While “Should’ve Never,” “Could This Be Love” and “Promise Me You’ll Try” suffer from their ho-hum productions, “Talk About Us” serves as a strong R&B ballad with heartfelt lyrics and sway potential. The Marc Anthony duet “No Me Ames” is another powerful track with impeccable vocals on Anthony’s part and sees Lopez pushing herself. This emotional Spanish-language lament achieves its moving full potential in the sweeping ballad version towards the end of the album versus the ridiculously celebratory tropical remix that precedes “Waiting for Tonight.”

For a debut effort, On The 6 is admirable especially since Lopez served as a writer on many of its tracks. It is consistent in its content and sound. It also introduces the world to the two sides of Jennifer Lopez – the dance queen and the introspective romantic. Aside from the generic Latin pop songs and so-so ballads, the other songs on the album are stellar but it would be remiss to say the filler content doesn’t drag the album down. Yes, it’s not perfect but no one expected Lopez to achieve musical perfection on her first go out the gate.

Recommended Listening: “If You Had My Love,” “Feelin’ So Good,” “Let’s Get Loud,” “Waiting for Tonight,” “Talk About Us,” “No Me Ames (Ballad Version)”

Grade: C+