Lopez album fails to impress

By Alicia Swan
Staff Writer

Jennifer Lopez, a dozen producers, 30 songwriters and a vocal consultant couldn't salvage the dreaded "J. Lo," Lopez's sophomore attempt at having a musical career.

Of the 15 tracks on the highly digitized, well-mastered album, Lopez helped to write the lyrics to a skimpy seven.

According to Sony/Epic Records, Lopez is the first artist to have the top ranking movie and album at the same time

Despite its immediate leap into the top spot in the Billboard Top 100, the album symbolizes all that has gone wrong with the music industry.

"J. Lo" is a sad attempt at an album aimed toward pleasing the masses that inadvertently failed to please this reviewer.

The techno beats are weak and uninspired, her angelic voice fails to convey sufficient emotion and the Latin guitars on some of the tracks seems awkward and too strategically placed. The album seems as if it was hastily thrown together because they knew it would be a chart climber simply because of the name on the front of the CD.

The album further disappoints because it brings nothing to the table. If Paula Abdul were to make an album in 2001, it would sound like this. If Britney Spears were a bit older, her next album would sound sickeningly similar. It's a desperate attempt to stay popular.

In addition, each track feels the same. "Walking on Sunshine" claims the overstated, "Our love will stand the test of time." The song "Come Over" features a sensual Lopez purring into the microphone, begging that certain someone to come to her. The track sounds weak and insincere. "Dame Touch Me (a duet with Cheyanne)" sounds eerily similar to elevator music.

"My Love Don't Cost a Thing" is the sole enjoyable track on the entire album. While other artists verse about how much money they have or what a player they are, Lopez cleverly retorts that those things are unimportant to her.

"J. Lo" needed time to blossom. Lopez was in dire need of being involved in the development of each and every song. Greatness is not achieved in a day, let alone the three months it took her to throw this together.

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