lucky that...

Record Of The Week: 22 April

Whenever, Wherever: Shakira

Already a huge star in her native Colombia, Shakira has made an English language record to try and break the international barrier. With a pliant star, a huge promotional budget, a willing record label, and a video that evokes a cross between Ms Spears and Ms Aguilera, things are promising. Yet all this promotion would count for naught were the record not some cop.

Thankfully, the record *is* some cop. It's an addictive little pop-funk number, not as good as the Cherion production that wrote the rulebook for pop production a few years ago, but still darned decent. The lyrics (written by prodgious Latin hitmaker Gloria Estefan) have come in for some comment - "Lucky that my lips can only mumble so you can kiss me better / Lucky that my breasts are small and humble so you don't confuse them with mountains." They don't look good written down, and they're not much better on record.

It's the infectious nature of the track that gets me. It has levels - the beat, the singalong chorus, the confusing verse, the use of pan pipes in the middle of the track.

By no means is this the best track on the album - forthcoming second single Underneath Your Clothes should be an absolute barnstormer. But it's almost certainly going to be the record for which Shakira is remembered. If Pop Idle had never happened, Shakira would have been #1 seller in stores for four weeks, and only dipped out of the top two after eight weeks on release. The Young / Gates axis has dominated the sales listings, denying our heroine the chart-topper she richly deserves, but make no mistake. This is a massive record that - alongside Nickelback's and Enrique's - will go down as the definitive sound of the early part of 2002.

The album Laundry Service has been on release for some weeks.