Track-by-Track: Shakira - She Wolf

Shakira hasn't disappointed me yet, and her winning streak continues with her new album, out this month. It's not the electro-dance masterpiece it could have been, but there's still plenty to love.

1. She Wolf - What to say about this song that hasn't been said already? It was a ballsy choice for a single, high on quirkiness and riding a disco beat that sounds like nothing else on American radio right now. I'm glad to see that the gamble paid off. This will be remembered as one of her signature moments. 10/10

2. Did It Again - At times this is more a series of grunts than an actual song, but the disparate elements do come together quite nicely. On first listen I didn't like it so much, and it's not nearly as strong or memorable as She Wolf, but I like it now. Very catchy. 8/10

3. Long Time - This is back to the Hips Don't Lie sound, and it's not really anything special or different, but it is fun, uptempo Shakira. 7/10

4. Why Wait - This one mixes sounds from tracks one and three, covering all of the bases. It's a strong album track, but definitely not single potential. It sounds more like the dance album Shakira had professed interest in making. 8/10

5. Good Stuff - A slower track with a strong melody in the chorus and more of a chanting verse. The middle eight is especially cool, here, and I love the instrumentation in the chorus. 9/10

6. Men In This Town - Along with the title track, this is definitely the pinnacle of the album. Pure electropop cheese with a brilliant melody and hooks upon hooks. This should definitely be a single. It feels very different than what people might expect from Shakira. 10/10

7. Gypsy - Another strong midtempo track. The lyrics and melody fit her perfectly. This song does a 180 from the last one, which makes it stand out in the context of the album. 9/10

8. Spy (ft. Wyclef Jean) - I don't know what to think about this one. Parts are very annoying, but the beat is quite good and the melody's pretty strong, too. It's an interesting experiment, but gets kind of old as it chugs along. 7/10

9. Mon Amour - This feels very much like it doesn't fit with the rest of the album. It's way rockier than anything else, though in a decidedly new wave/80's way. I feel like the production could be stronger, but the chorus is very nice and I love the hand claps. 8/10

10-12. Spanish versions of album tracks, so I won't review.

Album Grade: 8.4/10