En Soledad

When the mid-2000s arrived, the Mexican music scene was moving in many different directions. There were artists who went the traditional route (mariachi, ranchera, banda or norteño), rock en español artists (who ranged from post-grunge to emo to alt metal), rappers and — of course — a long list of singers specializing in slick, commercial Latin pop. En Soledad, the second album by Mexico City native Jimena, isn't overly challenging — and as far as Latin pop goes, this 2005 release isn't quite in a class with the best ear candy that Ana Bárbara, Thalía and Lucía Méndez have to offer. But it's still a decent, noteworthy sophomore effort from Jimena, who has an impressive vocal range and is generally well served by the album's executive producer: Emilio Estefan, Jr. Under Estefan's direction, Jimena delivers an enjoyably diverse CD that ranges from sentimental ballads like the title track and "Te Esperaré" (which Gloria Estefan co-wrote) to the exuberant, vallenato-ish "Amarraditos" to the country-tinged "Pasan los Días" (which manages to bridge the gap between Latin pop and country-pop singers like Shania Twain, Faith Hill and Jessica Andrews). Adding to the diversity are two remixes of the title song: a norteño-flavored remix featuring los Huracanes del Norte and a high-tech Euro-dance version. But whether a song is incorporating cumbia, vallenato, norteño, country or club/dance music, there is no getting around the fact that Jimena is a Latin pop singer first and foremost — Latin pop is her stomping ground, and she's good at what she does. En Soledad isn't rocket science, but for anyone who has spent a lot of time listening to Mariana, Jennifer Peña or Pilar Montenegro, it's a likable (if a tad uneven) disc that's worth checking out.