Perennial party-starter Pitbull continues his crusade to set the club -- and Earth -- aflame with his tenth album, Climate Change. The collection followed 2015's Grammy-winning, Spanish-language Dale but finds Mr. 305 reaching back to 2014's Globalization in terms of creating his trademark radio-friendly pop gems. His charisma, confidence, and indomitable energy remain the primary draw to the Pitbull brand, coursing like a mainline injection of Red Bull and vodka over 12 tracks designed to help listeners forget about their worries and tear up the dancefloor. That propulsive Hakuna Matata spirit flows through highlights like the Pat Benatar-sampling, Kiesza-featuring "We Are Strong"; the Floridian triple-threat "Greenlight" with the state's other celebration king, Flo Rida, and smooth R&B singer LunchMoney Lewis; the sexy come-hither "Educate Ya" with Jason Derulo; and "Freedom," an empowering synth-heavy standout that rides a sample of Soup Dragons' own Rolling Stones-sampling "I'm Free." That encouraging spirit tempers Climate Change and prevents the album from devolving into a completely hedonistic exercise. Between his typical flirtations and bragging, Pit just wants listeners to know that -- with perseverance and hard work -- money, girls, and success are all within reach. Endearing album closer "Can't Have" is another effective example of his two sides. Featuring R&B crooner Steven A. Clark and electronic producer Ape Drums, the tropical house number finds Pitbull strutting down memory lane and pining after a girl who got away. Aside from the minor heartbreak, "Can't Have" includes one of Mr. Worldwide's best verses, when he goes from representing the 305 to taking a stand for all those from distant shores. "First we shine the shoes/Then we own the shoe shop/First we make the sandwich/Then we own the restaurant/First we clean the house/Then we own every house on the block/Not bad for immigrants!" It's a fine way to end the album, injecting Climate Change with a timely and relevant message for 2017. Elsewhere, with the impressive roster of high-profile guests, Pitbull effortlessly lobs hit after potential hit with the help of collaborative combinations as disparate as the head-scratching union of Robin Thicke, Aerosmith's Joe Perry, and blink-182's Travis Barker on the rollicking "Bad Man" to returning favorites and familiar faces like Jennifer Lopez ("Sexy Body") and Enrique Iglesias ("Messin' Around"). Surprisingly, they all work. For an entertainer who has managed to form a career as an extended study on Will Smith's 1997 hit single, Pitbull manages to provide enough variety on Climate Change to at least maintain his position as one of the globe's most enduring peddlers of positive vibes. If the world is going to end, Pitbull will be there to make sure Earth's inhabitants go out with smiles on their faces and an infectious beat thumping in their hearts.
© Neil Z. Yeung /TiVo