Amar sin mentiras

1	Ahora Quien 5:05
2	Escapémonos / Jennifer Lopez 4:45
3	Se Esfuma Tu Amor 3:52
4	Valió la Pena 3:42
5	Tu Amor Me Hace Bien 4:36
6	Tan Solo Palabras 3:41
7	Volando Entre Tus Brazos 4:25
8	Nada Personal 4:39
9	Amigo 3:42
10	Amar Sin Mentiras 4:49

Barnes & Noble

Of all the contemporary Latin music stars seeking successful careers singing in English (a field that includes the Iglesias padre and hijo, Christian singer Jaci Velasquez, and Mexican media queen Thalía), few match the versatility of Spanish Harlem's Marc Anthony. The salsa star has already proved his crossover talent with English-language urban pop, and on Amar sin mentiras he adds another layer to his musical personality. The album is slick, Spanish-language international pop, not demonstratively different from his English work. But Anthony has enlisted Latin pop's hitmen to make sure his international gambit pays off. Producer Estéfano has had his mitts in every Latin pop success from Enrique Iglesias and Thalía to Chayanne and Alexandre Pires. The result is a pop sound that seems to have jettisoned what's left of Anthony's urban persona in favor of a romantic, guitar-kissed Mediterranean vibe that's the aural equivalent of a glossy Emporio Armani magazine ad. From the title on -- it translates to "loving without lying" -- the album is confessional in tone, and it benefits from the juicy celeb news surrounding its release. Just three days prior to Amar's hitting the stores, Anthony wed Jennifer Lopez, and J.Lo's vocals appear, appropriately, on "Escapémonos" (Let's Escape) and the title track. The former will, of course, be read as a barely coded testimonial to their offstage romance, as Anthony hastily divorced his wife, former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres, to marry Lopez. The public has long been personal with Lopez -- witness the pledges of undying love to Ben Affleck that littered her This Is Me...Then album, and the pair have recorded together ("Sway" appears on the soundtrack to Shall We Dance). In sum, the combination of chisme and charm should make Amar sin mentiras irresistible to the segment of Anthony's fan base that prefers pop. His salsa fans will simply have to take a number. Mark Schwartz

All Music Guide

Delivering an album like Amar sin Mentiras shows that Marc Anthony isn't concerned right now with grabbing new fans. Instead he's focused on those who swoon and scream whenever he "brings it down a little." Urgent, passionate, and very limited, this is Anthony's Latin pop album, not a pop album nor a salsa album. If you were unaware that he was being so strict with the motifs, you're not alone, but it's an easy way to steer away anyone expecting something fiery or light. The album is heavy, heavy with passion and heavy with heartbreak with barely any percussion. The light beats of "Valió la Pena" and "Tan Solo Palabras" break things up just a little, but Anthony gets breathy just to make sure dancing doesn't overtake swooning. He's in fine voice throughout, the arrangements are lush without being drippy, and the melodies are solid. There's also the ballad with new "not-talkin'-about-it" bride Jennifer Lopez which will give fans plenty to discuss but just adds to the single-mindedness of the album. Can you fault Anthony for recording an album that a certain faction of his fans will devour? Not when he's so good at it. To paraphrase a cliché, the little, teen, middle-aged, and golden-aged girls will understand and the rest should just stay out of their way. David Jeffries