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Album: Shakira: Fijacion Oral Vol. 1
Street Date: June 7, 2005
Length: 43:25
Rating: 
Reviewed by: Joey
Shakira hasn't been on the pop music scene since 2001, when she broke out with her hit album "Laundry Service". She spawned hits like "Whenever, Wherever" and "Underneath Your Clothes". I was just recently asking someone, "What happened to Shakira?" I went home, got on her website, and was surprised to find that she had an album coming out very soon. Her first single "La Tortura" was a hit on the Latin charts and on TRL even. Here is the track by track review of "Fijacion Oral Vol. 1" (which translates to "Oral Fixation Volume 1", the whole album is in Spanish).
1. En Tus Pupilas - This is a really relaxing track. It's kind of a slow song. Not the best way to start off a CD, but the song is a really good song. Shakira's voice sounds very good. She has a great, unique voice. The chorus is really catchy. The acoustic guitar is good and this is an enjoyable song that will get stuck into your head.
2. La Pared - The song starts off with bouncy synths and turns into a fun, bouncy song that took a few listens to get used to. Once I got used to it, I liked it a lot and tried to learn the lyrics. I speak very minimal Spanish, so thats's one of the barriers of this album. It almost sounds like Colday, her voice sounds really good. One of the best songs on the album once you get used to it.
3. La Tortura ft. Alejandro Sanz - You've probably heard or heard of this song. The video is really hot and the song is pretty hot as well. At first, I didn't like Sanz, but his voice is actually pretty flowing. Shakira and him sound good together. This is a good choice for first single. The chorus is hot (even though, like the rest of the album, I am lost as to what they are saying).
4. Obtener Un Si - This is a kind of strange song. It's a pretty song that almost reminds me of Mandy Moore's "Secret Love". It starts off with Shakira and strings, and then the horns come in. Eventually the whole orchestra (which is really cool) strikes in and the song is a really cool song, but it doesn't seem to fit in with the rest of the songs.
5. Dia Especial - This is a pretty upbeat track. It's not one of the more memorable songs. Shakira's voice isn't particularly strong, but she doesn't sound bad. She is barely helped by Gustavo Cerati on the chorus. It sounds like a Spanish Michelle Branch almost. It's a good song, but not a highlight of the album.
6. Escondite Ingles - This is a really cool, fun rock song. It's not hard rock, it's more Rock n Rool. It sounds like a mix between The Donnas and Mandy Moore with Spanish lyrics. When Shakira releases an English version of Fijacion Oral later this year, this song is going to kick major ass. The bouncy chorus is really fun and I can't wait to memorize the English version of the song.
7. No - I know what "no" means in Spanish! Haha. The guitar riff isn't particularly enchanting, and this song is kind of boring until the drums break in 3 and a half minutes in. Her voice sounds really raw, and that's the best part of the song. This is the longest song on the album at 4:45, also featuring Gustavo Crati. The ending is good, but o verall the song is a dreamy, dreary song that should've been cut short.
8. Las De La Intuicion - The song opens up with a bouncy synth and Shakira's voice sounds sexy singing words I don't understand. The chorus sounds really tencho-y. It's a good electronica song though. Shakira's lyrics aren't specifically strong, but you'll find yourself bobbing your head. The bridge is cool and the song is fun to listen to.
9. Dia De Enero - I though Enero was money... then I realized that that was Dinera. Does that give you an idea of how much Spanish I know? This is a short song that sticks to Shakira's Latin roots. It almost sounds country at times. This is one of the best songs on the album. Shakira's voice sounds great and the production is wonderful. Short, sweet, and to the point.
10. Lo Imprescindible - This is a good, upbeat song. The intro is hot and it doesn't stop from there. The production is a little rough, but the song is pretty cool. It's not a waste of four minutes. Shakira's voice sounds good and the synth is, again, wicked awesome. They utilize the synthesizer in this song.
11. La Pared (Version Acustica) - This is the acoustic version of "La Pared", the bouncy pop song that is the second track. I don't think I like the acoustic version, which is totally piano/vocal, better. It kind of gets boring, but the piano sounds really cool.
12. La Tortura (Shaketon Remix) - This is the remix of the first single off of the album. It's 23 seconds shorter. It's not as Latin-sounding, and is not nearly as good as the original. Not my favorite remix ever. It kind of sounds weird and left me bitter at the end of the album. They really take off a lot of the smoothness of the chorus.
Final thoughts :
It's kind of a turn-off when you can't undertsand a word she's saying. The music is really good, but I'm just really missing something. I will definately buy the English version later this year. I'm sure it will be a much better experience. I don't have many really bad things to say about the CD. It wasn't as Latin Pop as I was hoping, but the electronica sound was cool. The English version will probably get 3.5/4 from me. The Spanish thing was that big of a turnoff. Unless you speak Spanish, wait for the English version.
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