Album- Sex and Love
(International Edition)
Artist- Enrique
Iglesias
Singer songwriter Enrique Iglesias has been one of the kings
of the pop scene for many years, delighting audiences with his sensual vocal
ability and ear for a catchy hook. 2014 finds the star delivering audiences his
tenth studio album Sex and Love, which, if the title is any indication, will be
is most sensual album to date. But does Iglesias still have what it takes to
charm audiences, or should he maybe call it a day?
Track 1- I’m A Freak
(featuring Pitbull)
Album opener I’m A Freak finds Iglesias teaming up with
regular collaborator Pitbull for a up tempo, dance pop and electro house track
that is all about the two artists being slaves to the power of women and
apparently being freaks when it comes to what they want. The lyrics edge into
clichéd territory with statements like ‘but I’m addicted to her chemicals’, but
Iglesias works his vocal charm well with the quirky delivery of the chorus,
making the song addictively catchy. The bubbly dance beats and synth rhythms
create a light and slightly summery sound to the track that just puts you in a
good mood, whilst Pitbull provides his typical slick rap style for the middle
section. It is a song that follows a well-trodden formula from the pair, and
maybe shouldn’t work, but somehow these guys manage to fool you into thinking
this is actually quite fun.
3.5/5
Track 2- There Goes
My Baby (featuring Flo Rida)
With the stomping bass and reggae vibe of the production,
There Goes My Baby is immediately positioned as a potential summer hit. The
song finds Iglesias telling us of how his girl is great and he just wants her
to come back to him. The song follows the formula of detailing this volatile
relationship where love is the key, and lyrically just sounds like a clichéd
mess of statements that lack any form of sincerity. Iglesias is vocally smooth
but doesn’t sell the song, although the chorus is made stronger by the use of
crowd like background vocals. Flo Rida’s featured role is another rap feature
just for the sake of commercial appeal, and the only real selling point of the
track is the slight laid back but groovy feel of the production. It might well
be a summer single success in the future, but it doesn’t deserve to be one.
2.5/5
Track 3- Bailando
(featuring Descemer Bueno & Gente de Zona)
Bailando finds Iglesias sticking to his Spanish music roots
and delivering us the only Spanish language based song of the record. As such I
am not going to pretend that I have any idea what the lyrics of the song might
actually be saying, but either way, it really is a pleasure to hear Iglesias
sing in Spanish, whilst guest artists Bueno and Zona are strong supporting
players. The track utilises a clattering guitar riff and snappy beats for a
typical Spanish dance style that is infectious to hear, and if anything this song
just will work as a nice slice of music to appease the singer’s loyal fans who
like his bilingual work.
3.5/5
Track 4- Beautiful
(with Kylie Minogue)
Also featuring on Kylie’s twelfth studio album Kiss Me Once,
Beautiful is positioned as a sweet love song from the pair in which both
artists tell the other of how they are beautiful, and they will be with them
always. The lyrics edge towards cliché but manage to stay in the realms of
sincere, whilst the soft style of the production with the nice piano melody and
subtle electro undertone makes for a strong sound to the track. The only
problem is that the vocals are so processed, both of these artists come across
as robotic lovers rather than emotive human beings. It could have been quite a
powerful duet between the pair, but because of the way that the vocals are
produced, the song more prominently becomes mildly irritating.
2.5/5
Track 5- Heart Attack
Flying solo on the record for the first time, Heart Attack
finds Iglesias changing tact emotionally and lyrically, as he sings of feeling
the loss of love since this girl has left him, and realising that he cannot
live without her. Lyrically it is not the best, as things are quite repetitive
and sparse, but with his stuttering falsetto and slightly languid delivery,
Iglesias manages to make the song feel emotive and still quite catchy. The
Cataracs to a good job with the production, infusing the typical electro pop
style with some dubstep breakdowns, making the song interesting and forceful
and capturing the intensity of the lyrics, whilst the use of dubstep also works
well in that it doesn’t just sound like a way of gaining commercial success,
but works as a natural extension of the track.
3.5/5
Track 6- Let Me Be
Your Lover (featuring Pitbull)
Pairing with Pitbull for the second time on the album, Let
Me Be Your Lover is another party song that finds the pair focusing on sex and
women. Here we find Iglesias telling this girl to let him be her lover, because
he would do anything for her. Lyrically the track just comes across as
egotistical and bland, with the ‘na na na na na na’ hook sounding like sloppy
song crafting. The way that Iglesias uses his vocals is sort of nice in terms
of the falsetto led chorus, but his charming style isn’t enough to hide the
songs egotism, and Pitbull just brings a typical rap that finds him also at his
egotistical best. The use of a looping guitar riff in the production is strong,
and the rumbling beats create a nice dance vibe for the song, but overall this
is slightly overproduced dance pop at its bland best.
2.5/5
Track 7- You and I
After the egotistical qualities of the previous track, You
and I finds Iglesias veering back to his charming self. The song finds the
singer telling his girl of how they should just run off together and live off
their love, because the two of them are great together and in this way are unstoppable.
Whilst the lyrics are stronger than previous offerings, the ‘oh oh oh’ hook is
another slice of poor craftsmanship. However, the song is made slightly more
appealing with Iglesias’ simple vocal delivery, with the soft tone of the vocal
making things feel quite sincere. Production wise, the dance pop production is
also made catchier and more powerful through the added input of production team
Swedish House Mafia, with the build-up of the beats creating a euphoric style
that builds in pressure and might work as a future single, as it commands you
to listen in a subtle but strong way.
3.5/5
Track 8- Still Your
King
With the weird, high pitched vocal opening, Still Your King
doesn’t have the most promising of starts. And on the whole the song just
delivers a safe dance pop vibe that finds the singer using typical lines
centred on sex. The song finds Iglesias reminiscing of the past with his girl
and telling her that he is still her king, and whilst the ‘I’m still your king’
line is catchy, the processed vocals and quirky high pitched vocal that over
layers Iglesias’ just sound terrible. The production also does little to satisfy
the listener, just moving along a typical guitar riff and rumbling dance beats
that sound like they were produced so easily it was boring, and really the
songs only asset is the uncredited rap section that is actually quite catchy.
2/5
Track 9- Only a Woman
Turning away from the dance pop heaviness for a minute, Only
a Woman finds Iglesias channelling his ballad best. The song focuses on
Iglesias telling the listener of how there are things that only a woman can do,
with the singer also reflecting on this relationship where he hasn’t realised
what he had till it is gone. Once again the lyrics suffer from some poor use of
cliché, but keeping the production away from dance territory allows for
Iglesias to vocally shine and make the song feel more emotive. The singer’s
vocal performance warbles in the right places and finds Iglesias showing off
the power of his voice for once, and to good effect. The way that the
production builds from the simple piano line to include the thumping bass and
nice string arrangement makes for a powerful sound to the ballad, and finally
we get to see Iglesias at a more vulnerable, stripped back state that doesn’t
sound annoying.
3.5/5
Track 10- Physical
(featuring Jennifer Lopez)
With a title like Physical, this Jennifer Lopez assisted
number wouldn’t be anything but a really upbeat dance pop number designed to
get you on the dance floor. The song finds the two artists playing lovers who
are going all the way tonight and just losing themselves in the music and each
other. Lyrically it is a catchy tune that benefits from the playful vocal
exchange from Iglesias and Lopez. Both artists are vocally charming and suit
this dance pop style really well, whilst the clattering beats and up tempo
rhythm is quite simple but effective in its ability to make you want to dance.
It might be a bit paint by numbers in a way, but overall Physical is just a fun
song that wouldn’t actually be that bad a choice of a single in the future.
3.5/5
Track 11- Turn the
Night Up
Final track Turn the Night Up is another electro and dance
pop number that is all about women and partying. Stemming from a phrase that
the singer uses with his girlfriend, the lyrics of the track focus on Iglesias
telling his girl of how her body satisfies him and how together they can ‘turn
the night up’. The track just follows a too stereotypical formula for Iglesias,
with the use of the ‘one love, one love’ line from his 2010 hit ‘I Like It’
just making it seem like he isn’t even trying anymore. Vocally Iglesias just
comes across as going through the emotions, whilst the synths and the post
chorus section make for a sound that doesn’t excite you in any way and feels
very anti climatic. All in all this song needed some serious work, and I cannot
understand why it was actually the records lead single.
1.5/5
Final Review
Whilst it is a stellar feat for any artist to be putting out
a 10th studio album, Sex and Love is definitely a poor offering from
Iglesias. Overall the album suffers from a very formulaic approach, with
Iglesias just fitting comfortably but blandly into this dance pop orientated
style that makes it seem like he isn’t even trying anymore. Too many clichés
overpower the music, and it is a shame that Iglesias vocally can’t charm the
way that he used to. Aside from the odd tune, Sex and Love isn’t an album that
you want to invest in, and Iglesias should perhaps just hang up his music days
now.
3.5/10
Best Track- Physical
(featuring Jennifer Lopez)
Worst Track- Turn the
Night Up
