Medio Vivir
A Medio Viviris Ricky Martin's stylistic leap from the swoony crooning ofMe Amarastoward Top 40 stardom. While still an essentially romantic recording, this collection dips into rock, gospel, and Latin soul, forming the foundation of the artist's meteoric rise on the charts. Beginning with the sound of ocean waves,A Media Vivirgets going strong with the wailing sax, chorded piano, and gospel-choir backing on the superlative title cut through to the electrified rock of "Bombom de Azucar." Martin's vocals by this point have become more expressive, bombastic, and, handily, manly--the mother of all romance languages catching in his throat in a strangely appealing fashion. Adventurous in its genre hopping,Viviris uneven, but a welcome departure and expansion from his days ofMenudoand languid Latin love songs and a harbinger of what's to come. And if Martin busting a move in the midst of a ring of fire on national television is the listener's speed, thenA Media Vivirin all its ragged enthusiasm is just the thing.--Paige La Grone