Track Listing

1. Ciaega, sordomuda
2. Si te vas
3. Moscas en la casa
4. No creo
5. Inevitable
6. Octavo dia
7. Que vuelvas
8. Tu
9. Donde estan los ladrones?
10. Sombra de ti
11. Ojos asi
12. Estoy aqui
13. Ojos asi (single version)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #19833 in Music
• Released on: 2004-05-17
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .23 pounds

From Amazon.com
Rock-pop dance queen Shakira from Colombia is back with a sophomore album that pretty much mines the same field as her debut, with predictably similar sounds. "Ciega, Sordamuda" has the same urgent dance beat reminiscent of "Estoy Aquí," the monster club hit from her debut, Pies Descalzos. The singer/songwriter, whose whispery, quavering vocals sound like a cross between Alanis Morrisette and Dolores O'Riordan of the Cranberries, wrote or cowrote all 11 tracks. Surprisingly, considering that noted producer ace Emilio Estefan is at the helm here, there is very little variance here from her debut. The tunes are mostly either rock-edged dance numbers or reflective melancholy ballads; the best include the echoey "Tú" and the meandering "Sombra de Ti." --Ramiro Burr

CD Description
Latin pop innovator Shakira represents the kind of eventuality for which Alanis Morissette, Bob Dylan and Beck are all precedents. Eventually, all parallel lines intersect, or so that particular mathematical theory suggests, and so it is with separate but co-existing styles. In the world of contemporary music, fusion is an inevitability. Thus, DONDE ESTAN LOS LADRONES. This album finds the charismatic songstress combining traditional Latin roots (represented by the occasional acoustic touches) with post-Alanis angry-young-woman sensibilities, Sheryl Crow-esque pop eclecticism and an electrifying rock & roll rhythm. Those expecting polite recreations of Latin styles past will be sorely disappointed, but listeners for whom crossover is the norm will find a wealth of satisfaction in DONDE ESTAN LOS LADRONES, whether or not they understand the words.

Customer Reviews

Poor Jennifer Lopez doesn't have a Latin prayer.
Right. Lets get this straight. This album is bleedin' fantastic. Released less than 6 years ago, it's the kind of pop music you'd kill to see on the radio these days, especially when we're subjected to boring mediocrity like Black Eyed Peas, Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera. From the quirky cathiness of "Ciego Sordomuda" and the sweet balladry of "Moscas En La Casa" to the gonzo pop perfection of "Ojos Asi". I can't even begin to tell you just how lively this record is. Shakira's music is eccentric and colourful like Bjork and yet at the same time glossy and accessible like Michael Jackson or Britney Spears. The combination of these two traits results in one of the most pleasurable dance-pop albums I've ever heard. Make no mistake, this is right up there with Madonna's best work. It's just so frustrating how the completely talentless and boring Jennifer Lopez has proved to be a much greater latin crossover success. Are people really that bothered that the lyrics are in Spanish? If they are then it's their loss.

Shakira's finest moment by far.
Listening to this album makes me despair at the timidity of mainstream British radio and music television. By outright refusing to play anything in any other language than English, they have missed out on a real treat.

Shakira may be best known here in the UK for her English language hits "Whenever Wherever", "Underneath Your Clothes", "Hips Don't Lie" etc., but it is when she sings in her native Spanish that she really shines as an artist. The lyrics that frequently sound awkward in English sound poetic in Spanish, and her delivery is generally stronger and more confident.

Dónde Están los Ladrones (Where are the Thieves) is probably Shakira's finest moment yet - I say probably as I haven't heard Pies Descalzos or her impossible-to-find earlier material yet. But it is musically superior and more interesting than either of her English language albums, and it outshines Fijación Oral too.

Highlights of the album include the powerful, guitar-driven ballad "Inevitable", the title track, "No Creo (I Don't Believe)", "Ciega, Sordomuda (Deaf, Dumb and Blind)" and "Moscas En La Casa (Flies in the House)".

This release includes two bonus tracks - Shakira's early hit "Estoy Aquí (I Am Here)" (a slightly different version to that found on her greatest hits), and a remix of the single "Ojos Así (Eyes Like Those)". Although these are a pleasant addition to the album, they do not justify buying it again if you already have the version without bonus tracks, as the remixes are very similar to the original versions.

If you really enjoy this album, it may be worth considering buying Shakira's MTV Unplugged album too - she performs every song from this album with the exception of "Que Vuelvas". The performances on the unplugged album often vary quite widely from the versions here, so it is a fresh take on the same material.

An album not to be dismissed!
I know what you are thinking, and I was sceptical too.
I like 'Laundry Service', and happen to think that 'Suerte' the Spanish version of the hit single 'Whenever, Wherever' is way better than the version in English. On the other hand I think 'Objection (Tango)' is magnificent!
I don't speak Spanish, and therefore wondered if a whole album might be too much. I bought 'Donde Estan Los Ladrones' anyway, and I'm very glad I did!
Please let me digress for a moment. Shakira has often been compared to Britney in the popular press, but that is unfair to both of them. Britney sings songs written for her, and usually does so well.
Skakira writes her own lyrics and music, so she can set her own musical agenda, and her albums therefore comprise many influences without seeming disconnected. Without the added distraction of two languages, this is perhaps more obvious on 'Dónde Están Los Ladrones'. It may seem a strange comparison, but it is the same sort of accomplishment that Dido achieved with 'No Angel'. Both are brilliant, but not directly comparable!
My favourite tracks on the album? Dónde Están Los Ladrones (up-beat, as summer beckons), and the bitter 'Inevitable'! Both made me reach for a Spanish-English dictionary. My least favourite is 'Ojos así' which appears in two versions on this album, and again in English as 'Eyes like yours' on the album 'Laundry Service'.