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RICKY MARTIN

The most successful of ex-Menudo members, Ricky Martin delivered a worldwide hit with the club favorite "Maria" (you know, the "un, dos, tres, Maria!" song), and here he follows up with more urgent, catchy pop tunes with emphasis again on danceable rhythms. Solid-impact tunes include the terrific and upbeat "Marcia Baila" and the percussion- and horn-driven opener "Por Arriba, por Abajo," complete with African chants. Occasional soft tunes like the samba-flavored "La Bomba" and the melancholy "Casi un Bolero" only serve as time-outs from the dance fever evoked on tunes like the finger-snapping "Lola, Lola" and the rhythmic title track. Weak is "No Importa la Distancia," a bland cover of Michael Bolton's "Hercules." --Ramiro Burr