New York (AP) — At any given moment, it is hard to imagine anyone on earth having as much fun as Pitbull.
The Grammy Award-winning rapper, singer-songwriter and actor, so synonymous with his hometown of Miami that he’s referred to as Mr. 305, the city’s area code — as well as Mr. Worldwide for his global popularity — is known for his ceaseless, motivational enthusiasm. It imbues all of his biggest singles, like the 12-times platinum “Timber,” 11-times platinum “Give Me Everything,” “No Lo Trates,” and “Time of Our Lives,” to just scratch the surface. And it carries through to his public persona and live show.
“Pitcoin,” his latest album, continues that legacy. But it doesn’t evolve it. Across 24 tracks, “Pitcoin” is brimming with joy — songs to soundtrack a commute, a cafe, a quinceañera, a Friday night, a waiting room, a beach bar, anywhere really — as long as the party does not quit. But it lacks the huge singles Pitbull fans have come to know him for.
To put it another way: There is fire, but no “Fireball.”
It may be because “Pitcoin” overflows with collaborations spanning genre, generation and language. Here’s a sampling: KISS, Bon Jovi, Enrique Iglesias, Lil Jon, Jason Derulo, Akon, Wiz Khalifa, Ne-Yo, Afrojack, Gente de Zona, Jowell & Randy, Anthony Ramos, Zion and Lenier. Lil Jon appears on three tracks; Iglesias on two.
The KISS collaboration opens the record — the aptly titled “Reach for the Stars,” which lifts heavily from “Rock and Roll All Nite” but doesn’t improve upon it — and the song with Bon Jovi, “Now or Never,” directly samples the band’s 2000 rock anthem, “It’s My Life.”
On a scale of 1 to 10, the nostalgic energy is set to 100. But so is much of Pitbull’s discography, and unfortunately, the good time “Pitcoin,” for all its charms, doesn’t rise to the level of, say, 2015’s “Dale.” Those hoping to recapture that spirit would be wise to skip ahead to the arena-sized anthem “Me Paraste El Corazón” or to “Gringa Repartera.” On the latter, Pitbull explores the Cuban genre reparto for the first time with some help from Gente de Zona and a sample of the classic “La Tuba” by Elvis Manuel.
Despite its bloated runtime, “Pitcoin” is straightforward in its aims. Here, like in all his work, Pitbull is dedicated to keeping his audience dancing.
Take it from Mr. Worldwide himself, who described his own anthems as “there for when you’re feeling a certain way in life. It can help pick you up or it can take you to the next level,” as he told The Associated Press last year. “When I’m making those records, that’s what it’s about. I make sure that the beats are something that I know people could dance to. I know that it’s not complicated.”
On “Pitcoin,” as in the whole of his discography, that’s clearly the point. But he has other albums, and songs, that deliver on the premise with more precision.
Two and a half stars out of five
On repeat: “Me Paraste El Corazón,” “Damn I Love Miami”
Skip it: “Reach for the Stars,” “Now or Never”
For fans of: Las Vegas, shots, simple pleasures and late nights
