They may have tied the knot in secret, but Marc Anthony and his bride, Jennifer Lopez, give a very public display of affection on the mushy duet "Escapémonos" (translation: Let's Escape), off this, Anthony's first Spanish-language pop album. As far as romantic gestures go, it beats picking up a set of his-and-hers towels. Still, their tepid musical union—which follows a previous pairing on "No Me Ames," off J.Lo's 1999 debut On the 6—inspires about as much confidence in the future of this power couple as Gigli did for Bennifer. Nor does Amar Sin Mentiras (Love Without Lies) engender much faith in Anthony as an artist. It lacks the caliente spark of his salsa discs, such as 2001's excellent Libre, while favoring the bland pop arrangements of his English crossover work. Anthony remains a first-rate singer, bringing passion to even the most banal boleros (ballads), like the first single "Ahora Quien" (And Now Who). But he needs to spice up his material, as he does on the flamenco-flavored "Tu Amor Me Hace Bien" (Your Love Does Me Good).
LATIN-POP
