Shakira

[dhwilkin]

Disclaimer: This is a POP review. So if that gives you the willies, feel free to stop reading right now, wussies!

Shakira is a beautiful, no gorgeous, 24 year-old Colombian lady, w/ parents of Colombian and Lebanese descent. Like many pop artists, she's been singing and dancing from a very early age. However, she's not your average pop star: She actually writes all her own songs! Now, nobody's going to mistake her lyrics for Jann Arden's or Shawn Colvin's, but they're more thought-out than your average pop lyrics.

The music is where it gets interesting. What do you get when you combine American pop-rock beats w/ Latin rhythms? One of the most melodic, catchy pop albums I've ever heard! That album would be 'Laundry Service', her English debut album. She already has three other albums out in Spanish. There's a good mix of electronic and acoustic instruments present, along w/ many different styles, including tangos, slow ballads, and others. There are a variety of influences, including American rock and Middle Easten.

It's awfully difficult for me to pick out songs, because I really think the whole album is strong. Right now, my favorites happen to be 'Objection', 'Whenever, Wherever', and 'Eyes Like Yours'. And, the album is a pretty decent recording, so good equipment will really bring out the musical richness in this album. Good stuff!

 

[Locke]

I agree with almost all of what you said, except that I don't know if I would classify Shakira as "pop", I consider her more of a rock artist overall.

People should definitely pick up her Spanish language albums if they like her English album at all. Her MTV Unplugged is particularly good, whether you speak Spanish or not. It's good to see her getting real recognition in the US, finally a crossover artist worth listening to

 

[Vertigo-1]

Damn, and here I was going to walk out the door right now to go buy it...until you said "rock".

I think I did get to audition Shakira at the local Tower Records, and reason I didn't get it...cause it sounded like rock to me.

 

[KR...]

I saw her newest video (part of it), it sounded and looked like pop to me.

 

[dhwilkin]

Well, there are songs w/ a rock influence in their sound, but the base of the sound is pop, IMHO... thus my disclaimer.

Did you audition 'Laundry Service', Vert? The whole album, or just a few songs?

KR..., which song is used on her newest video? Only one I've seen is the video to 'Whenever, Wherever', which is drool-worthy, BTW.

 

[KR...]

I have no clue, remember I'm the Metal/Classical/Opera guy

Anyway, it was in spanish. There was a line about her breast, I think she was wearing blue.

 

[dhwilkin]

LOL, true, I guess there were better things to pay attention to at the time.

 

[tktran]

i've just downloaded the first 3 tracks off her laundry service album.

is that enough of sampler?

whenever wherever is quite catchy... definitely pop though.

 

[neil]

I thought she was just something that Pepsi invented for a commercial, but apparently, this thread proves otherwise.

 

[Locke]

I guess my opinion that Shakira is a rock artist could use some clarification before everyone decides that I'm crazy. I'm not disagreeing that she does pop stuff, Whenever, Wherever is definitely pop. She's generally been classified as a rock artist in Latin America, and I just think that on the whole, that's the most accurate description. But dhwilkin is right that she has lots of different styles and influences, so it's pretty hard to put her into one category. Anyway, if you want a taste of some of her more rock oriented material, try a few of these:

From Laundry Service: Poem to a Horse, Fool, The One

Spanish songs (available in studio and Unplugged form): Inevitable, Si Te Vas, Donde Estan Los Ladrones

 

[Vertigo-1]

Hmm, admittedly I did only listen to the first track or two and I deemed her as a rocker (and I'm not into rock, or there's very little in the rock world that strikes my fancy, too used to softie stuff like sweet sounding vocals and new age music

) , and stopped listening from there.

 

[BenG]

Take a look at this page I saw at ICQ in Instyle.com:

A complete analysis of her makeup, hair, and clothes for the "Whenever, Wherever" video
http://www.instyle.com/instyle/read/...183270,00.html

I just hope Beagle doesn't say anything about this thread.

 

[dhwilkin]

Quote:

Locke said... I guess my opinion that Shakira is a rock artist could use some clarification before everyone decides that I'm crazy.

Nah, I don't think you're crazy. I took one more listen, and I can definitely hear where you're coming from. Maybe we can compromise and call it pop-rock? It really is hard to say the whole album is one genre or another, from all the different influences.
Quote:

Vertigo-1 said... Hmm, admittedly I did only listen to the first track or two and I deemed her as a rocker

Try a few songs from the middle and end of the album if you happen to be in that store again, especially Track 3 (Whenever, Wherever), Track 10 (Que Me Quedes Tu) and Track 11 (Eyes Like Yours). Your opinion might not change, but at least you'll have a more solid base for calling her a rocker.

Quote:

BenG said... I just hope Beagle doesn't say anything about this thread.

Again, that's what the disclaimer is for. I really don't want to go back into this whole debate, but I think it's just common courtesy not to crap on somebody else's thread, much like the policy in the For Sale forum. And if he does... well, I'm not going anywhere.

 

[john5220]

I love this girl

 

[monolith]

She is without a doubt my least favourite musical artist. I can't imagine anyone with a worse voice than her.

To be watched on mute at all times. I've even actively discouraged customers from buying her music.