Valio la Pena

by Marc Anthony

Product Description:

Personnel include: Marc Anthony (vocals); Jennifer Lopez (vocals); Bernd Schoenhart (acoustic guitar); Luis Aquino (trumpet); Sergio George (piano, keyboards, background vocals); Alex Duque (bass instrument); Diego Gale (congas, bongos, bata); Robert Vilera (bata, timbales); Kevin Ricard (bata).

Recording information: Record One, Los Angeles, CA; Ocean Way, Los Angeles, California; Sound On Sound Studios, New York, New York.

Throughout his career, Marc Anthony has moved between his love for salsa and his passion for romantic pop. His first 2004 release, AMAR SIN MENTIRAS, drifted distinctly to the lighter side of Anthony's aesthetic, as he filled the air around him with deeply seductive torch songs. For a follow-up, released only months later, Anthony takes the title of the most salsa-fied tune from AMAR SIN MENTIRAS, "Valio Lo Pena," and reinvents six more songs from that album with a swifter beat, adding an eighth song--the slower, traditional "Lamento Boricano."

The result is a short, spirited record, completely different from its predecessor. The biggest change comes on the duet "Escapemonos" (performed with Jennifer Lopez), where Anthony augments the former ballad with horns and a funky Latin beat. Anthony has always been a Renaissance man, juggling an acting career with his multifaceted recording legacy, but, on VALIO LA PENA, he truly reveals his inventive nature.