Celestial

Description

If nothing else, co-ed pop group RBD is hard-working. Or label execs want to milk this cash cow absolutely dry. Or maybe they're photogenic robots. Whatever the case, the seemingly inexhaustible parade of products continues with Celestial, RBD's sixth effort in less than two years and a precursor to the inevitable English-language album. It would be nice to compliment the group's maturity, but there's almost none on this plastic collection of pop pastries. If anything, the group's vocals seem even more limited--particularly the boys--maybe because they haven't had a break since RBD-mania hit. Dulce Maria's delivery still squeals with all the weight of a helium balloon, and the lyrics--passable for most able-voiced pop singers--overflow in their corniness. A prime example: "Tu Dulce Voz," a cover of Hilary Duff's chirpy cheerleader anthem "Little Voice." In Duff's modest hands, it was a flirty tween treat. Here, even with six little voices, it's a lump of coal. Single "Ser o Parecer" skips by on a percolating beat, but the English-language previews included here prove that sugar-coated mediocrity is the same in any language. --Joey Guerra