Customer Reviews

Fijacion Oral vol. 1

5 star:		(102)
4 star:		(28)
3 star:		(18)
2 star:		(12)
1 star:		(20)

 

 

As you know by now, Shakira is back with her first all-Spanish album since "Donde Estan Los Ladrones" (not counting MTV Unplugged) and it's terrific.

On first listen, you'll get carried away by her voice. It is unique, powerful and versatile. But we sorta knew that going in.

On subsequent spins, if you take away her vocals, this may be her most "American" sounding album yet. Perhaps that is due to the influence of executive producer Rick Rubin.

The opener, "En Tus Pupilas" is a soft-rock, emotional ballad that we fans will recognize and welcome instantly.

It is followed by "La Pared", which proves she has been listening to Coldplay, as the music to the chorus is a total homage to "Clocks." It's not subtle at all, and it sounds great.

Much has been made about the first single, "La Tortura" and it's reggaeton elements, but if you recall the album "Pies Descalzos" (an album given to me by my cousin when I was visiting my family in Barranquilla years ago), you'll know Shakira has been doing this sort of stuff for a long, long time. Actually, I think the majority of the song has a huge Police sound to it during the verses, slipping into the more obviously reggaeton-like mode during Sanz' chorus.

"Obtener Un Si" is the surprising stunner on the album. It's an exquisite, retro-pop tune with vintage ice-skating-rink organ, sweet string sections and lovely, delicate melodies. This really demonstrates that her range simply is limitless.

"Dia Especial" is a fairly generic midtempo pop-rocker, and the hubbub about "Escondite Ingles" being "punk" is laughable. It's not. It's an obvious nod to The B-52's (check out the cheesy organ), but it's more like the pogoing power pop of New Wave. It's multiple time changes recall, in a good way, Green Day's recent efforts, and I loved the thrashy, messy ending.

"No" is another one of those Shakira songs that build from a mostly acoustic, introspective piece into a widescreen, dramatic epic like "Tu" and "Inevitable". It's not quite up to those standards, but it works just fine.

Who knew she could be Kylie Minogue? She does just that, in her own style of course, on "Las De La Intuicion", down to the disco-pop sounds and whispered back-ups.

"Dia De Enero" is a gorgeous folk-rock song and "La Imprescindible" is a noisy, percussive, synthesizer-filled 80's-like song that still somehow manages to work.

The extra tracks are an acoustic "La Pared" and a remixed "La Tortura".

The single best thing about this album has to be her voice. What an instrument! She moves confidently across genres, maintaining her unique mannerisms but becoming so rich and full (Dia De Enero) or soft and cute (Obtener Un Si) depending on what it takes to best serve the song.

Each song here is well crafted, lovingly produced and performed.

This may not reach the dizzying heights of "Donde Estan Los Ladrones", but this one just might age better.

This is really good stuff...I cannot WAIT for Volume 2, which I understand is all new songs, all in English...should be interesting, no?

We have to admit that with a title like Fijacion Oral one expects to listen nothing but a bunch of loud beats and uncalled nonsense. But what a great surprise when, past the contagious notes of lead single "La tortura", fears disolve in front of a bouquet of melodies and emotions not exactly a trademark of the colombian singer's previous releases. It is true that we won't hear her singing about looking for a lover in her purse or in Botero's paintings (circa Pies Descalzos), but there is still a candid approach to the lyrics that has made her songs both appealing and puzzling. In Fijacion oral we come face to face with a Shakira that shares her passion and the sense of emptiness a love she has already experienced may bring once it's gone, as opossed to the longing for an unknown feeling that we tasted in the other two albums. It shows a more mature approach to life, love and music in general. The definite highlight is "La pared" (track that appears in two versions), with its grasping chorus and a performance so beautifully delivered that it can only be compared to the classic "Antologia". It is precisely in this harmonious voice that Fijacion oral finds its anchor, among a collection of rhythms that go from the poppy "Las de la intuicion" (the only song in this album to remind us of earlier times), to bossa nova ("Obtener un si"), to the perfect composition of "Dia especial", which she co-wrote and performed with latin legend Gustavo Ceratti, that otherwise would be a complete chaos.
Toward the end we face the flaw that she might as well skipped: "Lo imprescindible" sounds indeed quite innovative with the rapid switch of tempo, but fails to close an album that could arguably be Shakira's masterpiece.
Absolutely brethtaking moments and still a lot of fun, Fijacion oral is a delight not destines to please anyone but those who believed Shakira can go beyond mud crawling and hip shaking.

This CD is amazing! This CD it's the best Shakira album after Donde Estan Los Ladrones? but of course, it's not the typical Shakira album, this one is , as she said, her most echlectical album. The album stars with 'En tus pupilas' a beautiful ballad that stars with Shakira singing in frech, the guitars sound like Chriss Isaak's 'Wicked Game' or Shakira's 'Sombra De Ti' and in the chorus she resembles a little bit to Mexican singer/composer Julieta Venegas. The next one 'La Pared' a strong and electronic song that you can see it like the spanish version of Coldplay's "Clocks" but still it's completely different in lyrics and Shakira's singin. "La Tortura" seems to be out of place in this album. "Obtener Un Si" sounds like those songs from the early 50's and it's a great bossa nova beat. "Dia Especial" a good song and the first one Shakira doesn't wrote. The music is made by Shakira but the lyrics it's from the legend of spanish rock, Gustavo Cerati. "Escondite Ingles" the strongest song in the album, it's very charmed and punk. "No" a sad but great ballad with Cerati's accompaining her on the guitars and some vocals. This one wil be the next single out of Fijacion Oral. "Las De La Intuicion", this one is the pop song on the album, it has a brit eltectronic pop beat in it, and an incredible catchy chorus. "Dia De Enero" the song that Shakira wrote for his boyfriend Antonio De La Rua, Shakira sounds funny and girlish on this one, and the chorus it's full of romaticism and feeling. "Lo Imprescindible" it's very dark at the beginning, starting with Shakira's singing in German, then the song become lighter but still strong on the chorus. The acoustic version of "La Pared" seems to be better than the original one, it's very simple and Shakira's vocal are great. And last but not least, it's "La tortura" Shaketon remix, this one it's darker than the original, still great but not better than the original one. Shakira has done an excellent album, a more mature work, fresh and one that will be remembered very well for everyone.

Even though I was a little put off by her first single "La Tortura" and feared her selling out to new reggeaton fad, like every other performer in Latin America I decided to give this a try, and was somewhat shocked and completely pleased. I won't call this her masterpiece until I listen to the second upcoming album, but this is really quite amazing.
Shakira's Fijacion Oral is a profound exploration on life, love, anger and pop. Her vocals are as beautiful as ever, her lyrics are more poetic, deeper, and much more refined than her past efforts. I am also amazed at how melancholic this album is. Seldom do latin artist made sad records, for fear of losing public and this is exactly what it is. I wouldn't be surprised if younger audiences who jumped on this album for "la tortura" would completely ignore the rest of the songs.
Expect slow to mid tempo'ed songs, some electronic elements a la "Si" by Julieta Venegas. There are references to Britpop, Streisand, chessy 70's pop rock, french pop rock (Emilie Simons), and some synth/goth pop ("lo imprescindible'), and maybe a little New Wave (Escondite Ingles). Gustavo Cerati's collaboration can be felt in the chorus of Un Dia Especial (if you've never heard Gustavo Cerati, check out his solo and Soda Stereo work) and track "No" is moving enough in melody and lyrics to bring anyone to tears.
The production on this is also amazing, even though songs vary greatly in style it manages to sound cohesive and fluid (unlike Madonna's Bedtime Stories).
Not only does Shakira prove she's not trying to be Britney but that actually has a vast musical language and that she feels comfortable in any music style, but that she is a real artist that still has much much more to sing about, and even more importantly, that we will want to listen to what she sings.

This is an amazing and beautiful album. This is by far, Shakira's most mature work. The album has very diverse type of songs. There is La Tortura with reggaeton influences, the bossonova tune Obtener Un Si, the electronic La Pared with a beautiful acoustic version included as well, and the alt-rock song La Imprescindible. This album shows off Shakira's love of mixing styles to come up with unique songs all her own. As always, Shakira's beautiful and unusual lyrics can be found throughout the CD. I would highly reccomend this album for fans of Shakira's other works and for music fans in general.

This album is another prove of why shakira is without any doubts the most talented female singer in the latin music spectrum.
This record shows shakira experimening with different styles of music, including intelligent pop, rock and bossa nova, and that's more and most exiting than the music that is being made any other female star in the spanish music market.
Very recommended are tracks 5 - "No" & 7 - "Un Dia especial", in wich Gustavo Cerati sounds more like Soda Stereo than in any of his own albums. Track 11 "La Pared (acosutic)" its a joy to listen to and shows the very best of Shakiras voice.
So, this is an album that everyone should listen, both spanish and english listeners, because its full of surprises and they are all good, enjoy this album and wait until november for Vol 2.

Since her third album "Pies Delcalzos" i've been a true follower from her music, she have this powerful voice combined with her deep and lovely lyrics. When i heard the single "La tortura" i said to myself "this a great sound! it's powerful, it's catchy, it's tropical sound but at the same time is rock!!!" and as always i was expecting a great CD from Shakira, but now when i have the oportunity of listen the whole album i will assure to everybody that this is probably her best album to the date. Song by song this album takes you from sadly-deep melodies to energetic fun songs... Its an adventure through a lot of new and old rythms.

"La pared"... wow... this song!... both vesions are plain perfect, its hard to choose one, the background of the electronic version reminds me in some parts to the electrosound of new order and depeche mode but the one with the piano is just marvelous, its a deep-felt version of the song. She tried to explore a lot of rythms in this album, "Obtener un si" have a relaxing bossa-nova sound, "Dia de Enero" reminds me a great spanish band from the nineties named Cristina y Los Subterraneos, she have a very sweet-tone voice in this romantic song. Another song that caught my attention is "Escondite Ingles", about the popular kids game "Hide and Seek", a very catchy and fun song probably influenced by Blondie or the roots of No Doubt. Two songs she decided to share the credits with co-producer of the album and probably one of the biggest latin rock star Gustavo Cerati, vocalist of Soda Stereo... "No" is a slow rock song with Gustavo backing the chorus and in charge of the Guitar and "Dia Especial" is more a pop song with a very marked Cerati-Soda style. The other three songs are good and have a lot from her "Pies Descalzos" and "Donde estan los ladrones" albums.

This is a fresh new album with a shakira already recognized worldwide for her supercommercial album "Laundry service" and trying to bet on her music and not the publicity.

If you like Shakira for Pies Descalzos and Donde you might love this album in a different explosive way. This isn't a Laundry Service prototype (the one that was marked for pop beat up songs and soft rock ballads) that all we know. This album is composed by more mature sound and even ellegant if we comparte to previous records.

1. En Tus Pupilas - 10/10 This is a lovely love song with incrustation of soft rock and ellegance weird lyric. En Tus Pupilas reflect the powerful lyrical that Shakira lost in her Laundry chapter. Deepness get over it.

2. La Pared 10/10 - Metaphoric song with rock heavy way out in the back and grunge vocals, the song is pretty interesting until you hear the back sound on the chorus and feel so overwhelmed this song is plenty great but the fact it's almost an incomplete message with almost unfinished lyric. You minght not get the song if you think it once.

3. La Tortura - 10/10 Official 1st single and maybe the only one who would be considered commercial type on it. It's a mix of flamenco style and soft vallenato. Shows a very weak lyric and sassy moves on the video. Though the sound is excited and her voice matches on Alejandro's it's not part of the album. It's totally different from the album but still keep the hotness!

4. Obtener Un Si - 10/10 Judy Garland meets Bossa Nova. The song is a filter of Shakira's strong voice and material of true artist. The song is kind of funny and lyrical simple but still fits with the rest of the songs perfectly.

5. Dia Especial - 10/10 Considered the 2nd single but it was only airplay on South America Radios for 1 week until the record decided to change the single to No. This song is truly a hit single and provides more mature singing and lyric. Totally evolution-

6. Escondite Ingles - 10/10 Might be kind of punk but made a hugh strong song. This song is fun and lyrically poor but keep the joint and emotion in all the song.

7. No - 10/10 2nd official single and flopped on radios and charts! Maybe it wasn't the most indicated single to be released but it's a A+ SONG.

8. Las de la Intuicion - 10/10 Amazing superchick power on it! Reference to gils as intuited kind. The most surprise on the song it's the keep on strong part of the song.

9. Dia de Enero - 10/10 Weak but still gettin' some original touch. Another filter of Shaki's voice and keeping lyrically strong dedicated to sweetheart's Antonio.

10. Lo Imprescindible -10/10 Provides the high light on this album and bring dark sound to the album underground style.

11. La Pared (Piano Versions)10/10 Better than regular version

12. La Tortura (Reggeaton Remix) * 5/10 The weak on this album. Sound phunny and stupid. Don't like this one should be on a single not on this album.

After being a little hesistant about buying this cd (a lot of people lot negative reviews about it), I'm glad I did. It doesn't sound like any of her previous works, but it still mesmerizes. I love almost all of the songs. The ones she did with Gustavo Cerrati are great tunes. I especially love "Las de la Intuición", "Lo imprescindible", "No", "La Pared", "Dia Especial" and "En tus pupilas". If I don't give it a five star, is because she could have included more songs (not two remixes, although they're good) and the song "Obtener un Si" doesn't quite do it for me. If you like Shakira, I recommend to buy this cd. If you're waiting for another "Pies Descalzos", "Donde están los ladrones?" or, specially, "Laundry Service", you will be dissapointed.

Shakira is back, and with avengence! This brand new album is red hot. It's so nice to hear from Shakira again after five years, and boy did she deliver on this record. If you haven't gotten a chance to hear it yet, I strongly recommend that you do, as it's quite an excellent CD.