Woof!
If there's a soft spot in my heart (and I'm not 100% sure that there is), it's got to be for sexy latinas. In my opinion, there is nothing in the world as enticing as a lusciously sultry and curvaceous latin woman. I'd even turn down free beer for the chance to go out with one!
Ah, latin women. What a wonderous world to have such women in it! And in my very humble opinion, they don't come much hotter than Paulina Rubio.
Aside from the obvious physical beauty, she's an amazing talent with a dynamic singing voice and the uncanny ability to craft
intelligent pop anthems. Seems like a contradiction, doesn't it? Usually it is, but not necessarily so with Paulina. Her stuff is witty, its smart, its streetwise, its hip, its catchy, and its utterly
irresistable!
Well,
usually I find Paulina irresistable. I didn't have much of a problem avoiding her english-language cross-over album,
Border Girl, like the plague I find most cross-overs to be. But I was very glad when I heard that Paulina's new album would a powerhouse, pure spanish, all latin pop disc destined to blow away everything else currently on the charts. "Stick to what you do best," that's always been my motto. And what Paulina does best is solid pop, which is exactly the sweet spot her current album is aiming for.
And so I snagged on a copy of her "hot off the press" new release,
Pau-latina...and I am pleased.
If you're a die-hard Paulina fan, you'll probably think I'm a heretic or something, but I actually find
Pau-latina to be just as strong as as her previous highwater mark, the self-titled
Paulina from four years ago. Yep. This disc really is
THAT good. It's got a couple surefire hits, several
very strong dance tracks that could easily turn into chart-toppers, a couple slow-moving love songs that I can take or leave, and a handful of fascinating and unique tracks that throw a few curveballs with their surprising fusional elements that spotlight Paulina's talent for innovation and creativity.
Let's spin her up and see what we're hearing...
Who Let the Dogs Out?
The disc kicks off with the high-energy, no-brainer chart-buster that's pura Paulina,
Algo Tienes. This is the kind of "feel good" pop anthem that we've all come to expect of the ex-Timbiriche golden girl. While it's the kind of song that a rock purist could easily dismiss for its simplistic directness, its also a song that plays to the club crowd, with its droning dance beat and its simplistic lyrics. Simplicity has its virtues though, and this song is a clean, straight-ahead, unapologetic feel-good dance hit.
So
Algo Tienes is destined to be Paulina's next, and maybe biggest, hit off this CD, but the radio stations are (at least for now) picking up on
Te Quise Tanto more than any other track.
Te Quise Tanto is pretty cool too -- thoroughly imbued with Rubio's trademark pulsing beat and her straightforward good time lyrics. Sure,
Te Quise Tanto is pure pop, but that's why its currently sitting at the top of Billboard's Hot Latin Tracks list.
What makes this album interesting to me is that it's not just mindless pop pablum. It's got an undercurrent of intelligence that shows a careful blending of elements, big and small, taken from a lot of unusual corners of the musical world. Perhaps I shouldn't
ever be surprised to hear mariachi strains in any work from any Mexican artist, but it does strike me as very unexpected on this disc. Unexpected, but definitely not unwelcome since it brings a complexity to the songs in which it appears and it brings an authentic sounding element of place and tradition. It's a glue that pulls everything else in the track together.
The mariachi influence works wonders on the softer, mellower track
Ojala, but the place that I think it really shines is in
Dame Otra Tequila. I love a good drinking song, and
Dame Otra Tequila hits me as a great song to play on the cantina jukebox while slugging down a few shots with the hombres. The strumming guitars and gritos just go hand in hand with the lyrics of drink to create a mood that's palpable. When I hear this song, I can just picture the dim lights, the smoky haze, and I can feel the scent of stale beer spilled all over the rough concrete floor.
"No matter how good lookin' a woman is, somebody, somewhere is sick of her sh*t." - S. Diorio
In the battle of the sexes, I'm not sure who puts up with more, the guys who have to deal with nagging women who can't even be bothered to put the toilet seat back up when they're done, or women who have to deal with all us good-lookin', well-mannered men. I guess we all see things a little differently.
In Paulina's world, men are a bunch of dirty dogs (thank you!) who should try actually being a little more like dogs, as in loyal and trustworthy and not going out whenever you turn your back. Such is my 2 peso translation of the song
Perros, which is a tongue-in-cheek, somewhat deprecating shot in the battle of the sexes. It's nuthin' serious....just fun. For a fun song though, it still manages to pull in some interesting influences
Bottom Line...
There's a lot to like with
Pau-latina. Pop fans will find irresistable pulsating techno dance tracks, while more cerebral music fans will find plenty of tracks that show complex arrangements and fusions with influences drawn from everything from mariachi to jazz. I really like the mix of sounds I heard on this disc. Strong tunes, a good mix of sounds, high production quality -- yep, this one's a keeper. Snag it!!
Trackin' Tracks...
14 tracks of not-too-lightweight latin pop...
1. Algo Tienes
2. My Friend, Mi Amigo
3. Te Quise Tanto
4. Baila Que Baila
5. Ojala
6. Perros
7. Quiero Cambiarme
8. Mia
9. Alma en Libertad
10. Adiosito Corazon
11. Amor Secreto
12. Volveras
13. Dame Otro Tequila
14. Algo Tienes (instrumental)
Like This Review?
Here are a few other reviews of latin pop albums that might also be up your alley...
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Paulina - Paulina Rubio
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Arrasando - Thalia
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Amor a la Mexicana - Thalia
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Vuelve - Ricky Martin
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La Historia - Ricky Martin
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- Azul Azul
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Laundry Service - Shakira
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De Noche en la Ciudad - Alek Syntek
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Hijas del Tomate - Las Ketchup
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