Review: Jennifer Lopez, J to tha L-O

Capitalizing on Jenny Lo’s re-ignited music career, Epic has issued J to tha L-O, a collection of new and previously unavailable remixes.

Jennifer Lopez, J to tha L-OCapitalizing on Jenny Lo’s re-ignited music career (the “I’m Real” remix, featuring Ja Rule, became Lopez’s second chart-topper and pushed J. Lo past the three million mark), Epic has issued J to tha L-O, a collection of new and previously unavailable remixes. While the edgy, often sexy remix of “I’m Real” was a significant departure from the retro-hued album version, the collection’s lead single, a remix of “Ain’t it Funny” (which also features Ja Rule), isn’t even thematically similar to its original counterpart. The track effectively recaptures the flavor of “I’m Real” but fails to tread any new ground for Lopez. P. Diddy delivers a new remix of the feel-good “Feelin’ So Good,” a track from Lopez’s debut On the 6, while Grammy winner Hex Hector offers up his comparatively dark remix of the Top 10 hit “Waiting For Tonight.” Aside from Hector’s mix, however, a new remix of last year’s “Walking on Sunshine” is the only track that pumps up the BPMs. Courtesy of the team behind Cher’s “Believe,” the Metro Remix of “Sunshine” layers acoustic guitars with enough club-happy thump to reach Billboard’s dance chart summit. In several cases, the refurbished remixes improve on what was originally less than stellar (the Dark Child remix of “If You Had My Love” includes a delectable, uncredited interpolation of Michael Jackson’s “Liberian Girl”). The album’s biggest surprise, though, is “Alive,” a sweet, string-laden ballad co-written by Lopez and hubby Cris Judd for the upcoming film Enough.

Score: 
 Label: Epic  Release Date: February 1, 2002  Buy: Amazon

Sal Cinquemani

Sal Cinquemani is the co-founder and co-editor of Slant Magazine. His writing has appeared in Rolling Stone, Billboard, The Village Voice, and others. He is also an award-winning screenwriter/director and festival programmer.

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