I still remember the exact moment when I heard Estoy aqui for the very first time: I was in my bedroom, studying for midterms and as the chorus ended I thought "wow, that's a voice". Only after I saw the video did I realize she was roughly my age and full of potential. Shakira's career took off with such impulse that a single trip around the earth would not be enough to make her fuel run out.

Fourteen years later and five albums under the arm the story seems to be the same. Or almost, at least. She Wolf finds her at a point in her life where everything has fallen finally into place, but maybe this has not quite sparked the flame to create an outstanding record. To put it simply, not even her last song in English (that sexy duet with Beyonce) could have prompted me to think twice whether to continue listening or turn off the stereo.

There are many factors that contribute to make Shewolf an utter disappointment for any true fan. First, she cannot convey in English what she transmits when she sings in Spanish. That has been a fact with very few exceptions (Hips don't lie and Underneath your clothes) that no matter how much we try to defend, has no escaping. Her voice finds a wall every time she delivers her verses in a foreign language and, in this case, the added synthesizers and dance beats help no further.

Second, she has allowed individual producers to slaughter her unique style hoping to obtain a more universal appeal. Unfortunately, that gamble results in a lifeless performance that any Britney could replicate.

Third, Shakira has never needed to prove herself to anyone, but in She Wolf she sounds as if every note was written to do so. Otherwise it cannot be understood why her identity is lost at the hands of merciless producers that make her tracks disappear amidst cliches and unexplainable arrangements, or why she seems to navigate aimlessly in creatively chopped paths.

Not everything deserves the waste basket here. Ironically, the six bonus tracks included in the U.S. release of the album (not in the original pressing released in the rest of America) contradict and improve everything that she has offered in the first ten tracks. Thus, Lo hecho esta hecho and Anos Luz, the Spanish versions of Did it again and Long time soar when she imbues them with her soulful native tongue, and acquire a new dimension when she words the meaning of her delectable prose.

I am positive that in a matter of months she will surprise us with a fantastic record in Spanish. She has to. The point of her music was never to gain millions of fans, but to touch them and embrace them, to make them one in all, and with this erratic attempt she has obviously lost that vision. The talent remains, but the form has betrayed her and us, hopefully momentarily.

and fortunatley not only do you get to listen to hear new album (with bonus tracks) you get to see her on the included dvd. I'm not trying to obejctitfy her but she is very beautiful, and I am just an honest healthy male, but that wouldn't matter if she didn't have the talent needed for me to buy the cd. I can always find pictures of her lol, but for me it's about the music, and she definitely is talented in that area. and her dance moves could put even britney to shame (though I am tired of people comparing her to britney, they are totally different people) One thing I do not like (and this isn't aimed at Shakira) is the trend to release a cd and then shortly afterwards come out with a deluxe edition. With this album I actually learned to wait. I knew there would be a deluxe edition, just like with Pink. I now know to wait.It's getting so that a person can't enjoy an album on the first day of release, if we buy it we'll get burned, so we have to wait, if artists/music labels were smart they would release them on the same day. i'd rather pay a few more dollars to buy the deluxe edition than pay for the initial release only to find there is a better version coming out. i feel that record copanies are trying to cheat me out of hard earned money. But, that aside, Sharkira is worth the price of this cd/dvd combo. You can't go wrong with this purchase. Though I just want to add, what is her obsession with Matt Damon? First Ben now Shakira. I'd definitely recommend this purchase. I am very happy with mine (I also collect cds, so this is a welcome addition to my collection, I want to someday pass on my collection, after I'm gone, and to me my record collection will represent me as a person, both what kind of person I am as well as the kind of music I loved...and in the end it's the music that matters, so if you love music, then I recommend you buying this.

If you have the chance to buy this version with DVD, do it. It includes an interview, live performances and the video, all presented in HQ and it plays fine in WMP (Windows XP) and any DVD player.

Shakira has made a very fun and upbeat album. I really like it because of the beats. My favorite song is Men in this Town.

**Originally posted on "#1 Hits From Another Planet" - 10/14/09**

Shakira hasn't disappointed me yet, and her winning streak continues with her new album, out this month. It's not the electro-dance masterpiece it could have been, but there's still plenty to love.

1. She Wolf - What to say about this song that hasn't been said already? It was a ballsy choice for a single, high on quirkiness and riding a disco beat that sounds like nothing else on American radio right now. I'm glad to see that the gamble paid off. This will be remembered as one of her signature moments. 10/10

2. Did It Again - At times this is more a series of grunts than an actual song, but the disparate elements do come together quite nicely. On first listen I didn't like it so much, and it's not nearly as strong or memorable as She Wolf, but I like it now. Very catchy. 8/10

3. Long Time - This is back to the Hips Don't Lie sound, and it's not really anything special or different, but it is fun, uptempo Shakira. 7/10

4. Why Wait - This one mixes sounds from tracks one and three, covering all of the bases. It's a strong album track, but definitely not single potential. It sounds more like the dance album Shakira had professed interest in making. 8/10

5. Good Stuff - A slower track with a strong melody in the chorus and more of a chanting verse. The middle eight is especially cool, here, and I love the instrumentation in the chorus. 9/10

6. Men In This Town - Along with the title track, this is definitely the pinnacle of the album. Pure electropop cheese with a brilliant melody and hooks upon hooks. This should definitely be a single. It feels very different than what people might expect from Shakira. 10/10

7. Gypsy - Another strong midtempo track. The lyrics and melody fit her perfectly. This song does a 180 from the last one, which makes it stand out in the context of the album. 9/10

8. Spy (ft. Wyclef Jean) - I don't know what to think about this one. Parts are very annoying, but the beat is quite good and the melody's pretty strong, too. It's an interesting experiment, but gets kind of old as it chugs along. 7/10

9. Mon Amour - This feels very much like it doesn't fit with the rest of the album. It's way rockier than anything else, though in a decidedly new wave/80's way. I feel like the production could be stronger, but the chorus is very nice and I love the hand claps. 8/10

10-12. Spanish versions of album tracks, so I won't review.

Album Grade: 8.4/10