Customer Reviews

Border Girl

5 star:		(65)
4 star:		(29)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(20)

 

 

Paulina Rubio is the newest Latin face to set place in the United States with an English album. A plus for this album is the fact that this disc is full of hits. This CD is dance friendly just like that of Kylie Minogue's album yet still it has traditional Latin flavor tracks like that of Thalia's latest album. The down fall of this album is that Paulina didn't write any of the songs but you can't hold it against her, look at Britney Spears, and plus Paulina makes up for it with the hot dance beats and her sexy voice. This album is extremely sexy with dance, rock, R&B, and mariachi beats behind her provocative accent.

Track Highlights

1.) Don't Say Goodbye - This is the first single from Paulina Rubio and its full of phat beats that go well in any club.

2.) Casanova - This song has a great Latin dance beat to it, but the lyrics aren't that strong, I do not think this song would hold up as a single but its still pretty fun to listen to.

3.) Border Girl - Words couldn't describe how fantastic this track is. This song has a strong meaning with just the idea of a "Border Girl" but the essence of it goes even deeper as it becomes a metaphor to love.

4.) The One You Love - The chorus to this song is very catchy and the beat consists of rock, dance, and Latin flares.

5.) Not That Kind Of Girl - This track is somewhat of a mid-tempo rock ballad with a catchy chorus.

6.) Undeniable - This is a slow ballad that is UNDENIABLY beautiful and Paullina's sexy accent sounds as if it were made for this song.

7.) The Last Goodbye - This track is by far my favorite and has much potential in the US because it defies all English music. This song has a strong Mariachi beat which is unheard of in English music and this track would definitely get attention from fans. Paulina's sexy accent flows so well over the beat that it almost sounds like she is singing in Spanish.

8.) Stereo - This song is another hot track that has classic R&B/dance beats with lyrics that flow so well and smooth over this hot beat.

9.) I'll Be Right Here (Sexual Lover) - This is the English version of her first Spanish single off this Album called Y Yo Sigo Agui. Trust me this song is hot, this track has everything a hit song consists of. This track is another highlight of this album, it has a great beat, great and catchy lyrics, and it is overall a fun song.

10.) Fire (Sexy Dance) - This song is one of those fierce beat dance tracks that make you go all wild when your in a club. This track consist of everything a club track has to offer, such as the reiterated lyrics and a ferocious beat.

11.) I Was Made For Lovin' You - This is probably the most rocked out song on the album but it is still very danceable. Paulina's sexy voice sounds confident and strong in this song.

12.) Si Tu Te Vas - This is the Spanish version of "Don't Say Goodbye" which is just as hot as the English version, check it out.

13.) Baila Casanova - This is the Spanish version of "Casanova" and I personally think it sounds a lot better in Spanish than it does in English.

14.) Todo Mi Amor - Spanish version of "The One You Love" which sounds equally as good as the English version.

15.) Libre - This is the only Spanish song on the album that there is no English adaptation to but lucky to that because its an original in its own.

16.) Y Yo Sigo Agui - This track was the first Spanish single off this album which I must say is very impressive, the English version has single potential as well.

There you go, 16 tracks that you can't say goodbye to, so what are you waiting for. Check this very impressive debut English album from Paulina Rubio as soon as possible. Cross your border and give this album a try. Now "Don't Say Goodbye" say hello to an opportunity to spice up your life with this hot disc.

Although it was only a minor hit album, Paulina Rubio's "Border Girl," which would debut and peak at #11 on Billboard's Top 200 albums chart and ultimately sell just north of 600,000 copies in the US, is a bonafide pop music dream. The disc is overstuffed from beginning to end with sing-a-long choruses that are simply unshakeable, while maintaining splendid production throughout that doesn't obscure Rubio's vocals or unique appeal, but instead helps the singer and her Latin roots shine in the sunlight.

Although the first track and lead single "Don't Say Goodbye" only peaked at #41 on the Billboard Hot 100, it is nevertheless an urgent, pulsing club jam that Rubio delivers splendidly. The sharp video for the track, which was shot at an infamous $1,000,000 budget, is also candy for the eyes. The only problems with the track are the gloom it creates - it is, after all, about broken love - and its Euro-pop styled production, which both combined to make it an unfavorable choice for a summer single.

A much better choice for the lead single would have been "I'll Be Right Here (Sexual Lover)." An English translation of 2001's major hit "Y Yo Sigo Aqui (And I Continue Here)," which happens to be recycled at the end of "Border Girl," has instantly palatable lyrics and a catchy, summer-ready groove that does not let go of the listener, and long after the song has ended. The epitome of irresistible, if it had been the lead single "Border Girl" would have had much better chances of success. "Casanova," which contains other optimal lead single ingredients; sizzling percussion, blaring Latin horns and eyebrow-raising lyrics, also would have yielded the same results.

"Dark sexy skin, my passion begins/You're the center of my obsession/Watching you dance in your leather pants/My eyes see a true perfection/And I'm hypnotized by the rhythm of your hips/It's so hard to hide and I can't resist."

Further along, there is the monumental confection that is "The Last Goodbye." A perfect, completely kick-ass track that settles into a fine mid-tempo groove, the track blends hip-hop and ranchera sounds flawlessly; something that has not been otherwise done in pop music. The track is an adaptation of her 2000 single "El Ultimo Adios," which was a worldwide hit.

Rubio truly shines on "The One You Love," which was the set's second single. A true head-scratcher that it only peaked at #97 on Billboard's Hot 100, the track has an irrepressible chorus, sparkling Spanish guitars and is the epitome of a perfect mid-tempo pop single. The funky "Stereo," featuring an excellent guest appearance by rapper Chilly Willy, already sounds dated for being only 3 years old, but is still an extremely entertaining listen with its quirky lyrics and frothy, trance-like production.

"Don't wanna be too bizarre/But you're the key to my car/You're my electric guitar/Sounds like it's ringing on the stereo/It's very clear to me, just like it's in 3D/Total telepathy/Sounds like it's ringing on the stereo/I'm bouncing off the wall/The way you turn me on/I think I like this song/Sounds like it's ringing on the stereo."

Also, "Fire" is a fast-paced club jam that pleads to be your companion on dancefloors and treadmills. With Rubio's vocals soaring high and incessant production, including intermittence of her heavy breathing, this adaptation-gone-wild of her 2001 single "Sexi Dance" is made to raise heart rates as well as entertain.

The most shining track on the disc, however, is the underrated title track. An edgy, slow-danceable ballad, the lyrics are superb, and Rubio's performance is full of passion and sincerity.

"I am a border girl/Crossing oceans in the name of love/And I have been searching for this all of my life/My heart knows when it's wrong and when it's right."

The rest of the English tracks include her sex-kitten cover of Kiss' "I Was Made For Lovin' You," "Undeniable," a quiet ballad, and "Not that Kind of Girl," a high-energy girl-power anthem in the vain of Destiny's Child that is an adaptation of her 2001 smash "Yo No Soy Esa Mujer."

The disc switches over into Spanish in its latter half. "Si Tu Te Vas," "Todo Mi Amor" and "Baila Casanova" are counterparts for "Don't Say Goodbye," "The One You Love" and "Casanova" respectively. Although the lyrics falter a bit in the translation, which is par for the course, her vocals only pick up momentum. Last but not least is "Libre (Free)," another well-executed Latin pride anthem tailor made for dancefloors.

Overall, "Border Girl" is the essence of what pop music should be, especially with Latin flourishes. Although she was robbed of the success that she deserved with this album, Rubio still greatly outsold her arch rival Thalia's English-language debut, and most appropriately.

Those who have passed over this album should give it another chance.

I remember when I first heard the lead off single 'Don't Say Goodbye.' It sounded great. It is a good dance-pop song. However, this album is a patchy collection of songs that vary in styles, from hip-hop, ranchera, dance, and guitar pop. There are some good songs on here. 'Border Girl' is an anthem-like pop/rock song for anyone in love. 'Stereo' sounds like someone tried to make Paulina Rubio sound like Vanity 6, although I could do without the lackluster rap in the middle. 'The Last Goodbye' is a great crossover song. Originally 'El Ultimo Adios' off her 'Paulina' album, the English translation recieves a edgier, hip-hop sound. 'Sexual Lover' is the best song on this album, but sounds a lot better in Spanish 'Y Yo Sigo Aqui.' Overall, this CD dissapointed me. I was expecting stellar pop hooks, but I found songs that failed to reach anything good or lasting. If she would have spent more time with writers and producers on the album, she would have a great album. But she only ends up short of the border she wants to cross.

Paulina Rubios Border Girl proved to me that I should not buy an album after loving only one song. When Don't Say Goodbye came out, I instantly fell in love with it. I figured, the whole album has got to be incredible. I was wrong. The rest of the album is so boring, so overproduced I immediately regretted buying it and wished I bought the CD single. Paulina does have a unique voice and she has excellent presence in her videos, but I wish she had chosen better material. It's like her producers wanted her to be the next Britney Spears so they thew together a bunch of bad pop songs to get her noticed in the US. What she should have done is gone the Shakira route or even the Christina Aguilera route and gotten some good writers and producers and put together an outstanding album that would have proven to the world Paulina Rubio has arrived. Unfortunately, Border Girl will be forgotten and we may never hear from her again.

Great album, nice lyrics, Two languages and a beautiful singer, what else can you ask for?.
Paulina shows us that she is the queen of crossover (Shakira may have called everybodies attention but Paulina Rubio has a better quality without question, better lyrics, better sound and better voice, but i can't say that Shakira's work was poor).
Border girl has everything like: pop, rock, rap, dance and ranchera style.
I hope that Paulina makes a good impression in the US and her album becomes one of the top realeses of the year because she deserves it.
The album has songs in english from her #1 hit album "Paulina" wich sold over 4 million copies around the world and became multi-platinum in the US and it's still on the charts after two years of its realese, the songs are: "The last goodbye" (el ultimo adios), "Im not that kind of girl" (yo no soy esa mujer), "Sexual lover" (y yo sigo aqui) and "Fire" (sexy dance) wich i think that it wasn't necessary to add but...i'd had added "Lo hare por ti" (if somebody has the album "Paulina" i think that would agree with me).
I love the first single "Don't say goodbye" and i think that the socond single should be "Stereo"...she also made a cover with "I was made for loving you" and she does it very good, all the songs are very good, my favorites are: "Don't say goodbye", "Border girl", "I'm not that kind of girl", "Undeniable" and "The last goodbye".
I love this album, but the only thing that i don't like about it is that it doesn't have lyrics on the credits book.

I'm writing this review after just one listen to Border Girl. I must first confess that I'm a big fan of Paulina Rubio's work. She's been a superstar among hispanic gay audiences for almost a decade now, thanks to all the dance beats and a sexy and rebellious attitude. God, she looks gorgeous!!!

I think first single Don't say goodbye is a smash hit, I cannot get tired of listening to it. It's the first thing I listen to every morning. Other highlights are Border girl and The one you love. I was especially surprised by The last goodbye, the English version of her global #1 hit El ultimo adios. She is able to update the song but keeping the original idea of mixing the Mexican beats with a modern sound. As a result, she invented the mex-hop.

Like many other reviewers I didn't like much the idea of having four of her Spanish hits translated into English, but I think it's fair to give these great songs another chance, now with the American audience.

The new spanish tracks are great, I really liked Baila Casanova, which English version (Casanova) I didn't enjoy that much. And the other songs are great.

I give Border girl 4 stars because I think that I still need it to grow in me, I know it will, but first impression was very good.

Love you Pau. Cannot wait to see you live again. Come back to Costa Rica soon! We love you! Te amo.

Paulina is an Icon in the Latin Pop music world, debuting in 1992 and has become a favourite of both straight & bi/gay music lovers ever since. I agree her singing here is not the best but remember English is NOT her first language. If you were a singer & your label told you that you must make a Spanish-langauge album to crossover to the Latin-Pop world, you wouldn't be perfect on your first try, would you? Her English needs work work, but it's listenable. I've been a lover of Latin-Pop since a little boy growing up in the city. So, my foldness of Paulina's music comes naturally. The majority of English-adapatation songs are no different from the Spanish hits! It's not perfect, but it's far from the worst album I've exprienced. I really like every song on the CD. Note: You must already be a lover of Dance-Pop music or Club/Dance music in order to fully appreciate this album for what it is.
Here are some chart stats:
"Border Girl" peaked at #11 on the Billboard 200.

"Don't Say Goodbye" peaked at #41 on the Billboard Hot 100 & peaked at #6 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play. It peaked at #5 on the Latin Pop Airplay.

"The One You Love" became a massive #1 hit on the Latin-Pop charts & stayed in the Top 10 for weeks! It only managed an aniemic #97 on the Billboard Hot 100 because there wasn't any commerical push for it.

Well, she did create a English-language fanbase for herself with this album (mostly Club/Dance music lovers I assume) becasue her "Pau-Latina" album which went to #1 on the Top Latin Albums chart, peaked #105 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, dispite zero English-language radio airplay. It didn't think it would chart at all. Well, that's no surprise to me because lots of English speakers like me listen to Spanish-language radio. Learn about the singer before you buy this album. Hope my review was helpful.

This is the best album that she has had, Is a great mix of dance, pop, and love songs, I also love the Spanish tracks. My favorite tracks are: Baila Casanova, Don't Say Good Bye, and The One you Love.

Buy this cd! I'm telling you, I'm a huge fan of Paulina, but I always get a little nervous when artists cross over -- but really, Paulina Rubio's first english cd is pretty good, even if most of the songs are recycled spanish ones. Believe it or not, the translation of "The Last Goodbye" ("El Ultimo Adios") and "Not that Kind of Girl" ("Yo no soy esa mujer") is pretty good, and the songs are awesome. "Sexual Lover" thankfully appears in it's original form as "Y Yo Sigo Aqui" -- which is one of the best songs i have ever heard hands down. Now onto the new stuff -- "Don't Say Goodbye" is dance pop genius. "The One You Love" is a very good song with great lyrics, and Paulina pulls off a dynamite cover of KISS's "I was made for loving you" which is actually one of the highlights of the cd. Everyone who buys this cd should make a point to pick up Paulina's spanish work.

This album is not so good when comparing it to her previous cd in spanish. It seems as a rushed effort into getting something out to the English market to capitalize on her spanish album success. A few of the song are catchy though.