She Wolf

Upbeat and Dancable but is it still Shikira? (2010-06-25) : 3/5
I loved Shikira's early work. It was the perfect blend of Latin, World Beat and at times Hip Hop. This is not a bad Cd, in fact it is one of my favorite workout CD's. What is missing is the uniqueness that is/was Shikira. I first heard the cut "Gypsy" live on YouTube accompanied by Arabic instruments. I liked it much better than the album version. I'm from New Orleans and what has happened to her is the same thing that happens to many of our local artists who sign with major record companies. The big guys just can't lay off the "vanilla button" and everything they touch sounds the same. Gone are the producers like the legendary Tom Dowd who actually listened to what an artist had to say and knew how to bring out THEIR best. I guess the best we can hope for at this point is a live acoustic Cd recorded in a less controlled environment like Austin City Limits.
Not sure what to make of this album yet (2010-05-29) : 3/5
Let me start off by saying that I'm not the "typical" Shakira fan. I say this because I don't particularly listen to pop music. Primarily, I listen to Death Metal and old-school Gangsta Rap. Bands like Autopsy, Blood Freak, and Incantation. Rappers like Brotha Lynch Hung, Three Six Mafia (their old stuff), and Celly Cel. br /br /So why am I reviewing this album by Shakira, you ask? br /br /I was absolutely infatuated with her voice when I first heard some songs on Laundry Service. I purchased that album, and loved every song on it but 1. I appreciated the album because it came out in a time when mainstream pop was REALLY taking off, and it was nothing like it. Yes, it did have a few dance numbers on it, but it stood out as rather unique and coupled with Shakira's amazing voice. Laundry Service had a genuine feel to it in the sense that you could tell Shakira put her heart and soul into making it. There was a great mix of multi-cultural vibes, and often very well written lyrics. br /br /Listening to Laundry Service today in the car, I decided to stop by the music store and see what else she put out lately. I debated either purchasing Oral Fixation Vol. 2 or She Wolf. I opted to go with She Wolf because (to my knowledge) it's her newest album. I thought it would be a good purchase to compare from where she was in 2001's Laundry Service to today's album. br /br /I'm still not sure what to make of this. It seems like a lot of that "genuine" heart and soul is missing, and has been replaced by synth dance beats and even at times, *GASP*, an almost hip-hop vibe. I had to do a double take at times just to make sure I didn't accidently pick up a Lady Gaga album. That should say quite a bit in the sense that this album is very dance/club heavy in its production. br /br /The addition of a few rappers like Lil' Wayne and Kid Cudi is puzzling. They don't add anything to this album, and actually detract from what a talented singer like Shakira should be doing...SINGING. There's a few instances where Shakira almost sounds like she's trying to rap. I have a sneaky suspicion that the corporate influence has gotten to her with She Wolf. br /br /I haven't listened to this album that much since I just got it today, so I'm going to reserve final judgment at this point and give the album 3 stars. I'm just worried that a talent such as Shakira is going to continue to go down this road...we don't need anymore dance/club artists, especially when Shakira's original product was so great as it was! Summing this up, Shakira doesn't need a makeover...but I really feel like most music listeners are the ones that need the makeover if every legit talent needs to make club and dance tracks to be successful these days.
I feel cheated, she could do much better (2010-05-21) : 1/5
This was the absolute WORST most UNINSPIRED album of hers EVER! Tracks too short, no pizzazz to them; too mellow, I kept waiting for the tunes to get better as they went along and they either ended too quickly, or it never happened. Seems she just "hurried" to put an album together and it lacks EVERYTHING I'm used to from Shakira. The only track that was half way decent was "Give it up to me" with Li'l Wayne. She is great live, though. I hope her next one is much better. This one really disappointed me!
AMAZING ALBUM! (2010-05-16) : 5/5
I really don't understand people. First they write negative reviews for the phenomenal Oral Fixation album for being too soft and laying down the ballads and not giving them enough "Hips Don't Lie". And now, they bash her here for being too dance oriented and for not taking a reflective acoustic direction on this new album. br /br /Seriously people??? What is wrong with you? Make up your minds!!br /br /This album nonetheless is phenomenal dance music with extremely intelligent lyrics. I can't stop singing it and playing it all day. Shakira really out did her self with this extremely underappreciated album. No wonder critics went crazy over it. It really is worth all the hype.br /br /If you want pop music with meaning then you should get this album. Shakira knows how to craft a song with amazing lyricism and she shines brilliantly with her great melodies and the sick beats in the background.br /br /Beyoncé should just retire cause she's already got Lady Gaga outracing her in her short 2 years, and now she has Shakira making a mainstream album that's consistent all the way through and that's extremely well crafted. br /br /Bravo Shakira!!br /br /My Top 5br /br /1. She Wolfbr /2. Mon Amourbr /3. Gypsybr /4. Long Timebr /5. Men In This Townbr /br /If you're a person who just likes a good beat and catchy melodies, This album is for you.br /If you're a person who loves amazingly written lyrics with intelligent meanings. This album is for you.br /And If you love both for the price of one. This album is for you.br /br /SHE WOLF IS A MUST LISTEN!!br /br /
A great new direction for Shakira. Catchy, unique beats with substance. (2010-05-09) : 5/5
Shakira's career really began when she was an 18-year-old pop-rocker with folk ifluences from her native Colombia. This Shakira wrote about love, society, and even politics in Pies Descalzos, the album that made her famous across Latin America and Spain. The next step in her career was Donde Estan Los Ladrones, another pop-rock album that was similar to Pies Descalzos but more vibrant and bold. Then came a major turning point: Laundry Service, Shakira's crossover album. She entered the American and worldwide markets with an album that was more influenced by mainstream pop. This was a new side to Shakira, complete with a new image as a hip-shaking Latina crooner. Many fans resented this new style, but if they had looked closer, they would've seen the same substance that was in her Spanish music; it was just hidden under catchier beats. This new style was maintained in two more albums, the Spanish Fijacion Oral Volume 1 and the English Oral Fixation Volume 2. br /br /With She Wolf, Shakira's music has taken yet another new direction. The electro-influenced dance beats of her latest album got Shakira even more criticism from some lifelong fans, who implied that she had sold out her individual style to sell more records. However, I emplore these people to look a little deeper into the music of She Wolf. They'll find Shakira's same old writing style, unique voice, and Latin, Middle Eastern, and rock influences; these essential elements of Shakira's music are merely accompanied by pulsing, danceable beats. And, to be honest, She Wolf's track list contains some of Shakira's best songs ever.br /br /Frankly, She Wolf is an excellent album. However, it seems like it hasn't sold as well as Shakira's previous albums. My theory is that this is due to bad timing on the part of her record company; the album was released months after its successful main single, which doesn't seem logical at all. Hopefully, the latest single, Gypsy (a fabulous song) will help sales pick up in America. Because She Wolf deserves to be at number 1 on the charts.br /br /P.S. I can't wait for Shakira's 2010-2011 world tour!