The sound of Spanish pop star Alejandro Sanz [1]'s new studio set, "Paraiso Express," is more melodic and commercial than his past two, more ruminative efforts-and this is a good thing. Sanz wrote most of the new songs at the piano, and it shows on tracks like "Sin Que Se Note," which conjures vintage Elton John [2] in its big choruses and melodies. Sanz's quirky, inventive side is heard on the reggae-tinged "Mala," with its punctuated guitars-a mix of flamenco and rock-and on the moody "Lola Soledad," a kind of vampy tango imbued with melancholia and awash in a multiplicity of surprising arrangements. The songs on "Paraiso Express" veer in many directions, from solo piano to walls of electric guitar to a predilection for the Hammond B-3 organ. The least surprising track is the bilingual single "Looking for Paradise," which features Alicia Keys [3]. Take it as the light sorbet that cleanses the palate before a gourmet meal. -Leila Cobo