Razón de Sobra / Razon de Sobra

Those who aren't heavily into Latin music tend to think of adult contemporary as primarily an English-language phenomenon, but truth be told, there is also a huge market for what is essentially Latin adult contemporary. Just as rock en español has its Spanish-speaking equivalents of Creed or Gwen Stefani, romantic Latin pop serves as adult contemporary for Spain and Latin America. And Marco Antonio Solís — like José José, Julio Iglesias, Rocío Dúrcal, Juan Gabriel and Joan Sebastian — has reigned supreme in the world of romantic Latin pop. Solís has maintained an enormous following, who won't be disappointed by Razón de Sobra. This 2004 release doesn't break any new ground for the veteran singer; anyone who has been following Solís for a long time will realize that smooth, polished offerings like "Nuestra Confesión," "De Haber Sabido" and the single "Mi Mayor Sacrificio" don't point him in any new directions. But if Razón de Sobra is predictable, it is enjoyably predictable. Solís isn't merely good at what he does; he's great at it, and Razón de Sobra underscores his consistent nature. The CD also underscores Solís' ability to incorporate Mexican elements without concentrating on the regional Mexican market exclusively. There are hints and traces of Mexican ranchera and mariachi in his work, but that's all they are — hints and traces. Solís is a Latin pop singer first and foremost, which is why he has no problem selling out a concert in Mexico one minute and Argentina or Peru the next. Razón de Sobra falls short of essential, but Solís' hardcore followers will find it to be a solid, if somewhat formulaic, addition to his sizable catalog.