Adios Amor says "hello, and welcome back" to modern merengue's most unmistakable voice,
Joseph Fonseca. This fiery tenor manages to impress from the very first note of the title cut. His fourth release with the Karen label,
Adios Amor is a straight-down-the-middle, rollicking fiesta.
Fonseca's commitment to the genre, as evidenced by his long career serving up no-frills merengue, both as a group member and on his own, is clearly evidenced by track after track of confident, unswerving horn-driven rhythm.
Fonseca shies away from the lush, poppy production heard on so many contemporary releases. The horn and percussion section is as tight as any in the business, and thankfully, it can be heard. The acoustic purity of
Adios Amor is a welcome change for any tropical music fan who has grown weary of the plastic timbre of sequencers that have mournfully become so common. The amazing range of
Fonseca's pure and cutting voice captivates and commands attention. Though the similarities in tempo and key from track to track can create a sense of sameness, the musical excellence of both the instrumental and vocal performance keeps interest. After five years with the popular
los Sabrosos del Merengue and three successful solo albums, the Latin/tropical music listening world knows what to expect from
Fonseca.
Adios Amor is yet another chapter in his book of stylistic purity and excellence.