Elvis Crespo

Yes, the chief is back, but he's not exactly at the top of his game. Oh, Crespo's voice is still incomparable: unusual, ringing, and in control. The guy could sing the National Enquirer and you'd be tempted to dance. But the merengue here never revs up to full speed -- at its best, merengue goes for the jugular and doesn't let go -- and occasionally it sounds tinny and doesn't really swing the way it should. Crespo himself sounds a little trapped -- or dampened -- by the lackluster production. After a three-year silence, we welcome anything Crespo has to offer, but it would have been nice to feel a little more instrumental fire here.