Oral Fixation Vol. 2 - Dark Publications

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Editorial Reviews:

Amazon.com
The English-language Oral Fixation Vol. 2 finds Shakira reclaiming some of the bite she showcased on 1998's smashing Donde Estan Los Ladrones? The Colombian rock goddess is making up for lost time: this is her second disc of new material in 2005. It's quite a feat, considering the four-year gap since Laundry Service, her scattershot, English-language debut album. Oral Fixation Vol. 2 is more mature and better focused than the spin-cycle pop of that 2001 disc. Kick-off track "How Do You Do" starts with a haunting reading of "The Lord's Prayer" before launching into a risky questioning of faith and religion. Shakira touches on the highs and lows of celebrity on a trio of tracks--the bittersweet "Your Embrace," the guitar-driven "Costume Makes the Clown," and the disco-fied, politically charged "Timor." Selfish men and failed relationships--two oft-mentioned topics of interest--anchor much of Oral Fixation Vol. 2. First single "Don't Bother" is a bitter ode to strength, jealousy, and survival; "Dreams for Plans" is a wistful collage of relationship memories; and Carlos Santana slides a sexy guitar riff under soulful standout track "Illegal." The purple haze of Prince hangs over "Animal City," one of the disc's most inventive moments. It's a free-wheeling melange of rock riffs, electronic accents, mariachi horns and confident vocals. Two songs from Fijacion Oral Vol. 1 make appearances--the somber "Something" and "The Day and the Time," which improves greatly upon its Spanish counterpart. Vol. 1, while at times enjoyable, was a portrait of a gifted artist struggling to keep her footing and retain her confidence. Oral Fixation Vol. 2 finds Shakira embracing the eclectic beauty within. It's a wonderful sound. --Joey Guerra

Customer Reviews: Read 77 more reviews...

2 out of 5 stars

If You Did It Right The First Time... April 23, 2006
65 out of 92 found this review helpful

...then there would be no need to "re-release" this cd with extra songs. The fact of the matter is the first Oral Fixation Vol.2 was not selling, so Shakira and her label came up with a marketing ploy to get fans to buy this album by adding "Hips Don't Lie" with W.Jean. HDL is an awesome song and shows growth from Sharika. But the rest of the songs, except for "How Do You Do", "Illegal" and "Timor" (although corny, but with an excellent message) are boring and bland. This is the thing I don't understand...she has one of the greatest producers of all time, Rick Rubin only serving as her executive producer....WHY?! Part of the reason why this cd is so flat is because Shakira produces everything by herself and you can tell the pressure got to her. While I respect the fact that this woman is in control of her career, it is clear she is not ready to produce ALL songs by herself. "Hips Don't Lie" is saving this album because she WORKED with someone on that song. In time, Shakira will become a great producer but right now she needs help. Vocally, she sounds great and her writing is excellent. I hope Shakira learned a valuable lesson and that is...its okay to seek help from others because it will only make you stronger and better in the end.

4 out of 5 stars

above average pop/rock for the present day April 8, 2006
44 out of 53 found this review helpful

from the opening chant of "Our Father" through to the reprise of "La Tortura", which was obviously added to boost sales (as it was the biggest Spanish-language song since Los Lobos' "La Bamba" in 1987), Shakira takes us on a musical journey of many different styles and does a great job.

Track by track:
How Do You Do - part of it sounds almost too Avril Lavigne/Kelly Clarkson like, but the addition of religious imagery and various languages makes it a good track.

Illegal - the made-for-AC-radio ballad includes some fierce guitar playing by Carlos Santana. Very pretty and almost sounds like something from the 1980's

Hips Don't Lie - just added to the album... Shakira successfully did what the likes of J. Lo and Mariah have always failed to do when collaborated, she made Wyclef Jean assimilate to HER style of music, as opposed to her doing a hip hop number. A Latin-sounding booty-shaking fun track that is climbing the charts.

Animal City - one of the two most rocking tracks on the album, Shakira sings about celebrity and the way people change around her and become greedy.

The Day And The Time - a beautiful track about hope and redemption

Dreams For Plans - meloncholy but beautiful, with just a hint of Portishead trip-hop to the mix

Hey You - this sounds almost like something No Doubt would do, very fun song that you will tap your toes and sing along to, a potential single IMO.

Your Embrace - one of the saddest songs on the record, but another pretty melodic ballad

Costume Makes The Clown - instead of being the cheated... Shakira is the unfaithful one and she's trying to apologize to her boyfriend, a rocker

Something - Shakira sings in French and gives us another ballad, albeit more alternative sounding than the other tracks

Timor - this is the dance track, sounds a bit like a Madonna track. Shakira is singing about the oppressed and the government... even though she's singing about South America, I think Shakira's gay fanbase can definately adopt this track because it applies to them too... definately remix-worthy

La Tortura - this was one of the big hits last summer, added on the reissue to help boost sales (much like Hips Don't Lie), this is an alternate Spanglish mix with a little English thrown in

Not an award-worthy album and not a life-changer, but Shakira's album is still a very worthy listen and the second wind it's catching is well worth it and I hope this album holds on well. There's a little something for everyone, there are a few too many ballads, but the slow songs all work and are some of the best tracks here. Definate thumbs up.

4 out of 5 stars

Got The Fixation! April 2, 2006
8 out of 9 found this review helpful

Re-packaging her previous released and including extra-tracks that must have been in her original released. But well, Shakira's oral fixation Vol. 1 is compared to a more sweet jazzy groove sound that mixed with potential songs can be really good to hear in between of trashy pop we all hear on spanish radios. Oral Fixation Vol. 2 was a rock attempt to latin Diva tryin' to dig in her music likes and look for a very 80's rock grunge voice sound and actually sound very like that.

Don't Bother 1st single was actually one proof that Shakira was trying to go into the rock area but the song though very lyric interenst content and catchy sounds didn't manage to get over La Tortura hit single and just flopped to get into radio as her hit before. Don't Bother is one of her strong songs in the album but it's not the best one. How Do You Do deals with questions to God and was the song that was deleted off in many countries. Shakira goes into a very dark heavy choir sound and then do a very light rock song. Along with it comes Hey You, a very jazz funk mixed song that develops some fun into. Dreams for Plans is one of her best songs along with good lyric and a very deep sound.

Other songs that keeps the formula of Shakira's old ballads is Illegal which is almost a very much clone of Underneath Your Clothes and a childy song called Your Embrace which is a potential single. Dance political song Timor got the only big dance song on the album which does the set more interest. Obviously some songs just don't fit, Costume Makes The Clown is a heavy rock attempt but failed to bring a Shakira's vibe to the song and Animal City though is a great song just doesn't shine as well as the other songs. In this album extra-tracks version include heavily rythmitic Hips Don't Lie which was what her Vol. 2 needed to become a more Shakira album. The single is based on the sample of Amores Como El Nuestro and vocals of Wyclef Jean gives some exotic to it. A great vibe dancing song and La Tortura gives another dance vibe song but don't get whythey include that. No other song added thought they could do a big effort.

This extra-tracks idea comes from the low sales Shakira's been fronting for lack of promotion and no single types on Oral Fixation Vol. 2. Nice album. Get this one instead of the original package.

5 out of 5 stars

JUST WHAT YOU NEED April 3, 2006
8 out of 11 found this review helpful

OK, as somebody said before, this CD before the new bonus tracks was a Grammy winner, but now it's just improved to sell. According to her official site, "La Tortura" included here is an alternate version, maybe is the spanglish version available but obviously in HIGH quality. If I had the money, I'd buy it with no hesitation, but money is an issue right now and I already have it (someone gave it to me back in december), but if I could, I'd do it, and so you do.

You just need to buy this, you will have a 100% artistic album including 2 new danceable songs... just buy it... and spread the voice!

5 out of 5 stars

Oral Fixation was good but now its AWESOME! March 29, 2006
7 out of 9 found this review helpful

Do not worried about the extra tracks here if you already purchased OF2, using your copy you can download for FREE the extra tracks. People who wants to make drama out of this just wants to be irritating. Hips dont lie is a perfect song for this record. La tortura is already a hit all around the world. Add that to the songs already recorded in OF2 and you get an awesome record. OF2 was good as it was, but I always felt something was missing. I know now what was it: Shakiras unique latino flavour! Hips dont lie adds a whole new dimension to this record. This isnt Mimi's effort to get more money out of her fans. Shakira is a unique star, not a diva, just a musician, singer and a excellent performer. 5 stars from me to OF2 with the extra tracks!

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