Me Amaras

Looking like a young Lorenzo Lamas on the cover with a sweeping thatch of hair and poised rather elegantly at a cafe table, the 1993-model Ricky Martin of Me Amaras is the post-boy-group pipsqueak and pre-General Hospital stud yet to become Ricky "Livin' la Vida Loca" Martin. All suave crooning and lite-jazz overkill, this Spanish-language album won't make the listener wish to shake her bon bon but rather curl up in the strong arms of a Latin Fabio who'll whisper "Te amo" and sound like he means it. Me Amaras is quite dated by sticky-sweet arrangements and hyperslick production. All the same, this guilty pleasure documents a stop on the path of one of the late '90s' biggest crossover superstars and runs right up the alley of Kenny G and Iglesias (father and son) fans. --Paige La Grone