This Latin Pop Star Knows How to Get Inside Your Head

Laughing at Ricky Martin is a little too easy at this point in the Latin pop game. A grown man who makes a living singing about shakin’ his bon-bon and livin’ la vida loca is asking . . . no, demanding to be mocked. And the silly “She Bangs,” which opens the Puerto Rican singer’s latest record, is no exception.

But some of the other tracks in this over-the-top, bilingual collection tell a different story. Anybody who has ever fallen for the concept of pop music as grand, superficial entertainment will find plenty of delights in the opulent “Saint Tropez.” Composed by key Martin producer-collaborator Robi Rosa, the tune has a delectable ‘80s feel about it, a passionate trumpet solo and a hook to die for.

This is not the first time Rosa and Martin have come up with potent stuff. In 1998, the Spanish-only “Vuelve” was one of the best Latin albums of the year, if only because it made no pretense about its intentions, and offered the goods it promised in generous measure.

Of course, none of this makes for deep, life-changing listening. Utterly shallow, but downright infectious, “Sound Loaded” puts Martin back on top of the Latin pop genre. With Rosa behind him, the singer is virtually invincible.

Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor) to four four stars (excellent).