Solo Faltas Tu (CD - 2008)

Though Sólo Faltas Tú, the 29th album to date by Dominican singer Milly Quezada, widely considered the Queen of Merengue, doesn't offer many surprises for longtime fans, it's a strong effort with a variety of styles, a few guest stars, and a couple really great songs. Anyone who is either familiar with Quezada or contemporary merengue knows what to expect on Sólo Faltas Tú. She's been releasing first-rate pop-merengue albums like this for years, and while some are better and fresher than others, most are strong efforts. Sólo Faltas Tú is indeed one of her stronger efforts, in part because she sounds enthused to be recording for a new record label after her switch from Sony to Universal and in part because three years passed since her last album, MQ (2005). Like MQ, which found Quezada collaborating with Hector el Bambino on the reggaeton song "La Mala Palabra," and covering Bonnie Tyler's 1983 pop smash "Total Eclipse of the Heart," Sólo Faltas Tú finds Quezada performing a variety of styles besides merengue over the course of the album, generally interspersing the other styles -- a bolero ("Ni Lo Intentes"), a salsa ("Lo Que Paso"), and three bachatas ("Si Te Olvidara," "Quiero Hacerte al Amor," "Dame una Razón") -- every few tracks. Moreover, she also keeps the proceedings interesting by singing a few of the songs as duets: Miguel Vázquez and Frank Ceara join her on the bachatas "Si Te Olvidara" and "Quiero Hacerte el Amor," respectively, while her longtime rival for the merengue crown, Olga Tañon, joins her for "Vamos a Tomarnos un Café." The highlights of Sólo Faltas Tú include the first two songs -- "Yo Te Olvido" and "Cheque al Portador," which get the album off to a rousing start -- along with the Víctor Víctor-penned bachata duet "Si Te Olvidara." ~ Jason Birchmeier minimize