"S.O.S.", "Rompe (Remix)", and "Hips Don't Lie"

“S.O.S.”, Rihanna

As the saying goes, some girls have all the luck.  This former beauty queen was plucked out of Barbados and made a star.  Rihanna’s sophomore effort has proved to be extremely strong from the start.  I was able to catch Rihanna in concert last month, and was very impressed with the number of fans who packed into Reston Town Center to hear her sing.

S.O.S. features a fast beat, an improved-upon sample of Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love”, an oft-repeated chorus (“S.O.S., please someone help me”), and a couple impressive vocal breakouts from this young diva.  

Readers of this blog also like her second single off of A Girl Like Me, the haunting piano ballad “Unfaithful.”

“Rompe (Remix)”, Daddy Yankee, Lloyd Banks, Young Buck

Daddy Yankee is the Jay-Z of reggaeton.  Bringing G-Unit stars Lloyd Banks and Young Buck into the mix was a wise move, making this mix of reggaeton and hip-hop one of the best club tracks of the year.  I don’t understand a lot of what Daddy Yankee says, but I loved “Gasolina”, and I love “Rompe” even more.

“Hips Don’t Lie”, Shakira

My initial reaction to this song was “Hips Don’t Lie?  Shakira, come on!”  After a few more listens, I discovered the greatness of this track and completely understand what the fuss is all about.  The music on this track (them crazy mariachi-style horns) gives it a unique sound and a great background beat makes it extremely danceable.

This is a great “comeback” for Wyclef, who belongs at the top of the charts, not off of them.  His raps fill out the track perfectly, my favorite line being “refugees own the seas ‘cause we own our own boats.”

My only complaint is that this track isn’t even available for purchase on Napster or Wal-Mart.  However, if you absolutely must hear it online, shoot over to Shakira.com for a low-quality stream.