by Alex Henderson
In the 1980s, Menudo was the Latin pop equivalent of the Osmonds more than the Jackson 5 -- that is, pure bubblegum rather than bubblegum combined with some grit. As one of the lead singers of that Puerto Rican group, Ricky Martin was a superstar in Latin music. Martin's music matured when he went solo, but he continued to appeal to a young, largely female audience -- and he was still about as commercial as it gets. The CD isn't without its pleasures, including the dramatic ballad &Entre El Amor Y Los Halagos,& athe urban contemporary-flavored &Ayudame& and &Que Dia Es Hoy (Self Control),& a Spanish-language translation of Laura Branigan's haunting 1984 hit &Self Control.& But on the whole, Me Amaras (Spanish for &You Will Love Me&) is too glossy, too calculated and much too contrived for its own good. Few chances are taken on this by-the-book release, which seldom fails to sound like a product of the corporate music machine.