Life : Ricky Martin : Review : Rolling Stone

Remember that brief moment between Ricky Martin's showstopping 1999 Grammy performance of "The Cup of Life" and the first few hundred spins of "Livin' La Vida Loca" when he put his past in Menudo behind him once and for all? Ushering in a Latin crossover trend that soon became overcommercialized, Martin went for mindless catchphrases on cringe-inducing follow-ups like "She Bangs." Following 2003's slick attempt to appease his Latin fan base with Almas del Silencio, Martin's first English-language album in five years aims to update the singer's hyperactive pop with trendy reggaeton rhythms, but the result is a scattered mess that spews indiscriminate polish and calculated grit over hackneyed material. Initial single "I Don't Care" may feature Fat Joe and Amerie, but a minuscule melody renders Martin nearly irrelevant on his own record. Mixing bombastic rock, cornball dance cuts and crocodile-tears-dripping ballads, Life seems destined for a speedy death.