Notes & Personnel Info |  | Personnel includes: Jennifer Lopez (vocals); Ja Rule (rap vocals); Troy Oliver (various instruments, programming); Mario Winans (various instruments, background vocals); Rodney Jerkins (various instruments); Rene Toledo (electric & 12-string guitars); Frankie Romano (guitar); Ed Calle, Dana Teboe, Tony Concepcion, Angel Fernandez, Raul Agraz, Ozzie Melendez (horns); Nelson Jaime (piano); Jimmy Greco (keyboards, programming); Archie Pena, Mark Quinones, Bobby Allende (percussion); Cory Rooney, Jose Sanchez (programming); Jeannie Cruz, Lena Perez, Manny Benito, Ramiro Yehran, LaShawn "Big Shiz" Daniels, Karen Anderson, Nora Payne, Shalene Thomas (background vocals). | | Producers include: Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, Sean "Puffy" Combs, Ric Wake, Soulshock, Karlin. | | Engineers include: J.C. Ulboa, David Swope, Robert Williams. | | This is a multi-channel/stereo Super Audio CD playable only on Super Audio CD players. | | This is a Super Audio CD playable only on Super Audio CD players. | | Personnel: Jennifer Lopez (vocals); Corey Rooney (vocals, keyboard programming, drum programming, background vocals); Lena P?rez, Jeannie Cruz, Manny Benito (vocals, background vocals); Terry Bag (vocals); Rene Toledo (guitar, 12-string guitar); Paul Pesco (guitar); Mario Gonzalez (acoustic guitar); Angel Fernandez (12-string guitar, trumpet, horns); Ozzie Melendez (trombone, horns); Ed Calle, Dana Taboe, Tony Concepcion (brass); Raul Agraz (horns); Ricky Gonzalez (piano, background vocals); Nelson Gasu Jaime (piano); Jimmy Greco (keyboards, keyboard programming, drum programming); Erben Perez (5-string bass); Richie Jones (drums, percussion, programming); Markes Domingo Qui¤ones, Archie Pena, Bobby Allende (percussion); Jos? R. Sanchez, Troy Oliver (programming, keyboard programming, drum programming); Dan Shea, Greg Lawson (programming); Christina Milian, William Duval, Kandice Love, Karen Anderson, Michelle Bell, Nora Payne, Shelene Thomas, Yanko (background vocals). | | Audio Mixers: David Swope; Dan Hetzel; Irv Gotti; Jean-Marie Horvat; Michael Patterson ; Richie Jones; Tony Maserati; Brian Springer; Cesar Sogbe. | | Recording information: Blue Sky Studios; Cove City Sound Studios, Long Island, NY; Crackhouse Studios, New York, NY; Crescent Moon Studios; Crescent Moon Studios, Miami, FL; Criteria Studios, Miami, FL; Daddy's House Recording Studio, New York, NY; Daddy's House Recording Studios, New York, NY; Darkchild Studios; Lobo Recording Studios, Long Island, NY; Murlyn Studios, Stockholm, Sweden; Record Plant Recording Studios, Hollywood, CA; Sony Music Studios, New York, NY; The Hit Factory, New York, NY. | | Photographer: Michael Hart Thompson . | | Arrangers: Corey Rooney; Jimmy Greco; Manny Benito; Angel Fernandez; Ray Contreras; Rick Wake; Richie Jones; Greg Lawson. | | Jennifer Lopez' sophomore effort is anything but sophomoric. With J-LO the actress/singer conquers the jinx to create a catchy array of R&B, salsa, and dance music. With her hand deep in the cookie jar this time around, Lopez, along with Cory Rooney, co-writes and co-produces every track. | | The first single, "Love Don't Cost a Thing," burned up the urban radio stations with its smooth and catchy hooks. Steering clear of the obvious loops and samples, most tracks are original, save the Sean "Puffy" Combs produced "Walking on Sunshine," which employs the '80s tune made famous by Katrina & The Waves. Lopez runs the spectrum of lyrical subjects, covering love, in the aforementioned "Love Don't Cost a Thing," dance, with "Play," and trying to make the best out of confusing romantic situations, in "We Gotta Talk." | | Most snickered when Jennifer Lopez made her pop move in 1999, figuring that it was no more than a one-off vanity project. As it turns out, she was as serious about her pop career as she was about acting, and even if she didn't possess a particularly distinguished voice, she was earnest and had some good mainstream pop singles, delivered with some seriously sexy videos. On the Six was big enough of a success to raise expectations for its sequel, J-Lo, the first self-styled blockbuster of 2001. Essentially, this is the same album as On the Six, only a little longer with a little less focus and not as many memorable songs. This lack of winning singles becomes a drag, since at over an hour, the record meanders much longer than it should. Yet, meander isn't really the right word, because the album sets its tone from the start, with the ingratiating "Love Don't Cost a Thing." From that point on, the tinny, skittering drum machines, smooth mid-range, and alluringly thin vocals remain the same from song to song, with the occasional Latin cut thrown in to vary the rhythm somewhat. Since both the production and Lopez play it cool, not hot, and there's not that many hooks, it all tends to blend together. Those that have hooks need a couple of spins before they catch hold, whether it's the aforementioned lead single "Love Don't Cost a Thing," "I'm Real," "Play," or "We Gotta Talk." Lopez's strong suit remains dance tunes, not ballads, which tend to disappear in this reserved production and mannered vocals (no more so than "Secretly," which never seems to gel). So, J-Lo winds up as musically a mixed bag. Its longer running time makes it a little less appealing than its predecessor, yet it has just about the same number of strong songs, all of which sounding of a piece with On the Six, which makes it a success on a certain level. Still, there's this certain feeling of staid complacency and ordinariness that makes J-Lo feel less fun than her debut. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine | | Most snickered when Jennifer Lopez made her pop move in 1999, figuring that it was no more than a one-off vanity project. As it turns out, she was as serious about her pop career as she was about acting, and even if she didn't possess a particularly distinguished voice, she was earnest and had some good mainstream pop singles, delivered with some seriously sexy videos. On the 6 was big enough of a success to raise expectations for its sequel, J.Lo, the first self-styled blockbuster of 2001. Essentially, this is the same album as On the 6, only a little longer with a little less focus and not as many memorable songs. This lack of winning singles becomes a drag, since at over an hour, the record meanders much longer than it should. Yet, meander isn't really the right word, because the album sets its tone from the start, with the ingratiating "Love Don't Cost a Thing." From that point on, the tinny, skittering drum machines, and the smooth mid-range, and alluringly thin vocals remain the same from song to song, with the occasional Latin pop cut thrown in to vary the rhythm somewhat. Since both the production and Lopez play it cool, not hot, and there aren't that many hooks, it all tends to blend together. Those that have hooks need a couple of spins before they catch hold, whether it's the aforementioned lead single "Love Don't Cost a Thing," "I'm Real," "Play," or "We Gotta Talk." Lopez's strong suit remains dance tunes, not ballads, which tend to disappear in this reserved production and mannered vocals (no more so than "Secretly," which never seems to gel). So, J.Lo winds up as a musically mixed bag. Its longer running time makes it a little less appealing than its predecessor, yet it has just about the same number of strong songs, all of which sound of a piece with On the 6, which makes it a success on a certain level. Still, there's this certain feeling of staid complacency and ordinariness that makes J.Lo feel less fun than her debut. [This is the "clean" version of the album and includes one bonus track.] ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine |
Musical Guests | | Ja Rule |
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