MTV Unplugged

1	Intro/Octavo Día 6:19
2	Si Te Vas 3:40
3	Dónde Están los Ladrones 3:30
4	Moscas en la Casa 3:52
5	Ciega, Sordomuda 4:09
6	Inevitable 3:39
7	Estoy Aquí 4:58
8	Tú 5:22
9	Sombra de Ti 4:07
10	No Creo 4:08
11	Ojos Así 6:50

Barnes & Noble

Colombian pop star Shakira has been tagged the Latin American Alanis Morrissette since she appeared on the international scene with her bestselling PIES DESCALZOS, thanks as much to the signature catch in her strident vocals as to her sultry looks. And Shakira doesn't put much distance between herself and Alanis with an "acoustic" album from her MTV appearance that echoes ALANIS UNPLUGGED. But compared to most of the manufactured stars of the farandula -- as the vast Spanish-speaking entertainment zone from Miami to Buenos Aires is known -- there are worse contemporaries for Shakira to be lumped in with. Writing all her own material, she takes charge on strummy Natalie Merchant-style pop rock like "Inevitable" as well as on the rare Latin number "Ciega, Sordomuda" (featuring guest mariachis Los Mora Arriaga). MTV UNPLUGGED's 11 tracks draw heavily - a full 8 songs - from her big hit DONDE ESTAN LOS LADRONES, and the lavish orchestrations are not technically acoustic (there's enough Hammond organ and amplified guitar). But with tasteful violin, piano, and accordion accompaniment, the subdued sound gives Shakira plenty of room to stretch out her considerable pipes. Fans will certainly appreciate this consummate performance, and those who want to catch the next Latin star before her breakthrough English-language album are advised to plug into Shakira. Mark Schwartz

All Music Guide

The acoustic-oriented performances one hears on the show MTV Unplugged have a nice way of separating the men from the boys and the women from the girls. When artists go acoustic -- or at least semi-acoustic -- on that program, they can't hide behind decibels and amps or try to win you over with volume for the sake of volume. They become exposed and vulnerable, which is a good thing if they have solid material, strong vocals, and genuine talent to offer -- although it isn't so good if they are lacking in those areas. Shakira, not surprisingly, emerged triumphant when she appeared on MTV Unplugged, and this 2000 release is a fine document of that appearance. Mainly performing songs from 1999's Dónde Están los Ladrones?, Shakira demonstrates that she doesn't need studio gloss to sound great. Are her studio albums full of slickness and studio gloss? Absolutely. But ultimately, the thing that does the most to enrich Dónde Están los Ladrones? and 2001's Laundry Service isn't the albums' shiny, attractive production -- it is great vocals and great songwriting. "Si Te Vas," "Moscas en la Casa," "No Creo," and other Latin pop/rock gems lose nothing when Shakira unplugs; in fact, the Columbian vocalist really shines in an intimate, acoustic-oriented live setting. This more intimate environment tends to isolate the lyrics, which is certainly a plus when Shakira is performing something as poetic as the Arabic-influenced "Ojos Así." Of course, those who don't speak Spanish won't be discussing the lyrics of "Ojos Así" or any of the other tracks; this CD preceded Shakira's first English-language effort, Laundry Service, and came at a time when she was still recording in Spanish exclusively. But regardless of whether or not one understands Spanish, MTV Unplugged is an excellent live album. Alex Henderson