The hundreds of discount Latin compilations littering the shelves of many record stores are capable of making buyers think that the music is either worthless or of less value than other genres. (Of course, that's a reflection of the labels and marketing firms, not the artists themselves.) There's no chance of getting that impression from this compilation, however, which treats listeners to a superb collection of bolerisimo music by some of the most popular Latin artists of the late 20th century. Great selections are included from
José José ("No Me Platiques Más"),
Emmanuel ("Amanecí en Tus Brazos"),
Ana Belén ("La Mentira"),
Marco Antonio Muñiz ("La Puerta"), and
Estela Nuñez ("Odiame [Te Lo Ruego]"), while the length (60 minutes) exceeds that of the vast majority of Latin compilations. Although contemporary Latin music can sound slick and over-polished, the vocal performances make the difference here. ~ John Bush