Rating:
Genre:
Latin
Release Date: 10/28/2003
Anyone who makes a living from
Latin music can tell you that the
Latin market isn't just one monolithic market; it's actually a lot of different markets and different niches -- markets like the regional Mexican market (
norteño,
banda,
mariachi,
ranchera,
tejano), the
tropical market (
salsa,
merengue, and
cumbia), the Spanish
flamenco market, and the Brazilian market (which includes a seemingly endless list of Brazilian styles). Artists with a Mexican orientation are well aware of the fact that there's a fortune to be made from the regional Mexican market alone; it's doubtful that
los Tigres del Norte are losing any sleep over the fact that they're selling more CDs in East L.A. than in Miami's Little Havana section (where Cuban listeners are more likely to be into
salsa). But at the same time,
Fonovisa no doubt likes the fact Mexican superstar
Marco Antonio Solis has been able to transcend the regional Mexican market and cross over to other Spanish-speaking listeners. It would be a mistake to think of this best-of collection as a release for the Mexican market alone; boasting many of
Solis' major solo hits,
La Historia Continúa is an album of romantic
Latin pop that aims for an across-the-board appeal in the
Latin world. Yes, you'll hear an occasional touch of
mariachi here and a wee bit of
Tex-Mex there, but ultimately,
Solis' smooth, polished material has much more in common with
Julio Iglesias,
José José, or
Rocio Dúrcal than it does with a typical
Rieleros del Norte disc.
La Historia Continúa is
Latin adult contemporary, pure and simple -- and even though
Solis can be quite predictable, he's great at what he does. This 2003 release isn't the last word on
Solis'
Fonovisa output, but if you're looking to explore his solo hits for the first time, it's a logical starting point.
~Alex Henderson, All Music Guide