Border Girl

by Jose F. PromisJust like her blockbuster album Paulina (the biggest Latin album of 2001), Border Girl, Paulina Rubio's first foray into English-language musical territory, is a winning combination of different musical styles, successfully bridging pop, dance, hip-hop, rock, ballads, Latin, and even ranchera into one delicious package. The album opens with the first single, "Don't Say Goodbye," a feverish bit of Top 40 dance-pop, then quickly delves into the Latin rhythms of "Casanova," which is followed by the funky and melodic "Border Girl," whose underlying hip-hop beats only serve to make the song even more appealing. The album's true gem, however, is "The Last Goodbye," which bridges ranchera with a hip-hop beat and features one of the most memorable sing-song choruses in years. "The Last Goodbye" was one of the biggest hits from Paulina (originally titled "El Ultimo Adios"). Other hits from Paulina which are here in English versions include the rock ballads "The One You Love" and "Not That Kind of Girl" and the Hi-NRG dance ditties "I'll Be Right Here (Sexual Lover)" and "Fire (Sexy Dance)." Highlights include the gorgeous and breathy ballad "Undeniable," the funky and soulful "Stereo" (which features a rap), and, almost unbelievably, her version of the Kiss classic "I Was Made for Lovin' You." No matter how pop this album may lean, Paulina Rubio injects these songs with an undeniable and irresistible earthiness (and one heck of a sexy accent) and, in turn, makes Border Girl one of the most interesting and international pop albums of 2002. As a final note, the album closes with two new Spanish-language tracks, those being "Libre" and "Todo Mi Amor," as well as Spanish versions of "Don't Say Goodbye" and "Casanova" and the original version of "I'll Be Right Here" ("Y Yo Sigo Aqui").