Shakira- She Wolf

Over the course of her relatively short career, Shakira has held a few identities, including Latin music star and “exotic” belly-shaking chanteuse. On “She Wolf,” Shakira distills all her personalities into one, re-emerging as a dance disco queen with a fresh, up-to-the-minute sound.

“She Wolf” (Epic) is delicious and enjoyable and – as it should go without saying for her – achingly sexy. One might be tempted to worry about how this album unfolds after realizing it starts with the sultry “She Wolf,” the video for which strikes a delicate position between shocking, daring, innocent and erotic. But yes, back to the song: It’s a stellar, bouncy, disco exploration of a woman’s inner freak, and it’s the kind of splendid first single often used to tempt people into buying an otherwise bad album. No. She follows that right up with “Did It Again,” the first of a few tracks containing beats supplied by Hampton Roads’ own Neptunes. They’re on fire again, and Shakira is, too, taking her voice from high to low in quick loops not unlike those incredible moves she does with her hips. “Long Time,” another Neptunes track, borrows the Latin kick from reggaeton, but the Neptunes truly kill it with “Why Wait,” which mixes the warm electro synth chords that made them innovators with Arabian-styled horns and strings; it’s stunningly fabulous and totally appropriate for Shakira.

The album isn’t perfect; it buckles midway with a few bland pop tracks, but regains its traction with the mid-tempo ballad “Gypsy” and then the terrific rock-styled “Mon Amour.” There, Shakira plays the part of the jealous, scorned lover who hopes the French vacation her ex is taking with his new squeeze is full of horrible service, smelly rooms and airport drama. It’s this kind of varied and often wild range of emotions she pulls off well throughout. And while she’s sometimes comically extreme, she never hits melodrama. Superb beats and enviable singing are a plus.