Personnel includes: Ricky Martin (vocals); Michael Landau, Rusty Anderson (electric guitar); Charlie Bisharat, Eve Butler (violin); Michael Migliore (alto saxophone); Tony Concepion, James Hacker (trumpet); Dana Teboe (trombone); Randall Barlow, George Nariega (keyboards); Paquito Hechevarria, Hector Garrido (piano); Hugh McDonal (bass); Abraham Laboriel, Jr. (drums); Daniel Lopez (percussion); Illyak Negroni, Robbie Nevil, Will Lee, Maurice Lauchner, Ron Grant, Larry Loftin, Chris Willis, KC Porter, Tommy Anthony (background vocals).
Producers include: Walter Afanasieff, Randy Barlow, Emilio Estefan, Jr., Steve Morales, George Noriega.
Engineers: Dave Reitzas, Robi Rosa, Rob Eaton.
"She Bangs" was nominated for the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.
"Nobody Wants To Be Lonely" was nominated for the 2002 Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals.
This is a Super Audio CD playable only on Super Audio CD players.
Personnel includes: Ricky Martin (vocals); Michael Landau, Rusty Anderson (electric guitar); Charlie Bisharat, Eve Butler (violin); Michael Migliore (alto saxophone); Tony Concepion, James Hacker (trumpet); Dana Teboe (trombone); Randall Barlow, George Nariega (keyboards); Paquito Hechevarria, Hector Garrido (piano); Hugh McDonal (bass); Abraham Laboriel, Jr. (drums); Daniel Lopez (percussion); Illyak Negroni, Robbie Nevil, Will Lee, Maurice Lauchner, Ron Grant, Larry Loftin, Chris Willis, KC Porter, Tommy Anthony (background vocals).
Producers include: Walter Afanasieff, Randy Barlow, Emilio Estefan, Jr., Steve Morales, George Noriega.
Engineers: Dave Reitzas, Robi Rosa, Rob Eaton.
"She Bangs" was nominated for the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.
"Nobody Wants To Be Lonely" was nominated for the 2002 Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals.
Features one additional track.
Ricky Martin jump-started the early 21st century Latin pop explosion in early 1999 with his spirited, hip shaking appearance on the Grammy Awards. On SOUND LOADED, Martin's music has progressed and improved, while maintaining the vitality and rhythmic diversity of its predecessor. The album is a mix of party anthems, straight-ahead, hook-laden pop tunes, and tender, emotional ballads. Martin here has spared no expense in creating an album to satisfy his legions of fans.
"She Bangs" is the sequel to "Livin' La Vida Loca," a sexy, exciting, catchy song about a free and intense angel. "Saint Tropez," with its trumpets and strings, is a smooth, tropical groove. "Come To Me" could be Martin's best ballad yet, a tender tune with background vocals arranged by Jon Secada. "Loaded" rocks out with blaring horns, while "Nobody Wants to Be Lonely" and "The Touch" are both logical singles that show Ricky's softer side. Ricky doubts a woman's intentions in "Are You in it For Love" ("are you in it for kicks, private jets and Armani, and when the ride's over, will you even bother to call me?"), while "Cambia La Piel" is a Latin party rocker that ends the album in swinging style.
Professional Reviews
Rolling Stone (12/21/00, p.172) - 3.5 stars out of 5 - "...Relentlessly likeable and danceable...plunging listeners into [his] hothouse world, with its lush evocations of exotic climes, Spanglish salsa-club blowouts and voodoo hussies..."
Q (1/01, p.112) - 3 out of 5 stars - "...Excellent: and if Ricky Martin continues to devote his career to refining his moment of joyous immortality [Livin' La Vida Loca] there will be no losers."
NME (Magazine) (11/18/00, p.43) - 7 out of 10 - "...Martin's combination of crazed Latin rhythms, preposterous rock stylings and bon-bon shaking exuberance genuinely kicks pop arse. Bland? Please..."
