Tracks1. "Pon de Replay" -
Distinctive voice or not, we all know Rihanna was not a (very) good singer for the first few albums. That's this excellent club song's only flaw. 6 years later and it's still banging.
2. "Here I Go Again" -
Rihanna's style was really old-fashioned for the longest time. This song could easily have been released in '96. Again, her voice is strained and she can't climb up to the task of delivering. But it's a very pleasent song.
3. "If It's Lovin' That You Want" -
Also very 90's-tastic. But this is probably one of her best vocal performances on the album. And one of the catchiest songs on the CD.
4. "You Don't Love Me (No, No, No)" -
One of the slightly more modern songs on the album. At least at the beginning and the sections where the beat picks up / increases speed. Another relaxed vocal performance, Rihanna's best mode in the early part of her career.
5. "That La, La, La" -
If this album is like a historic tour of reggae-inspired trends in rnb / hip-hop from the 90's to 2005, than this song takes us into the future to around 2001. Second most modern-sounding song after "Pon de Replay." The production and Rihanna find a comfortable middle ground, I think she pulls this one off. Of course, it's also kind of dead-ended after it gets maybe half-way through.
6. "The Last Time" -
A decent ballad, except for Rihanna's monotone. Beautiful chorus and would be potentially heartbreaking if you could find any emotion in the singing.
7. "Willing to Wait" -
I think this song may be trying to rewind us back to the 80's. And influence-wise, we're in major Jackson territory. Somewhere between Michael's
Thriller and Janet's "Let's Wait Awhile." Very unoriginal but pretty nonetheless. Good beat.
8. "Music of the Sun" -
Good beat but, apart from that, this song kinda sucks. You have "The Last Time"s guitar and... that's it.
9. "Let Me" -
Now, we're somewhere in the early 90's. Prime Janet '93 territory and the song sounds a perfect hybrid of "If" and "You Want This." The music is flawless (so an instrumental would be the best way to hear this) but Rihanna is no good here. Neither are the lyrics.
10. "Rush" -
Nothing special but it's effective.
11. "There's a Thug in My Life" -
Back to the mid-90's. Sort of a groove ballad, sort of a mushy love-song. Perfectly awful either way.
12. "Now I Know" -
Piano ballad. Why?
13. "Pon de Replay (Remix)" -
Mostly the same version of the earlier song but with terrible added raps in bad places. I cannot stress
terrible enough.
In ConclusionStarts off very well, with generally above-average reggae-inspired rnb but begins tanking halfway through until it just crashes and burns in the last 3 tracks. Ouch.
Overall Album RatingTracks Worth Purchasing (via-Digital Music Downloads):
"Pon de Replay"
"If It's Lovin' That You Want"
Tracks1. "SOS" -
With a song this good, it's hard to do it justice with words. I'll just say Rihanna's bookending "la la la"s are likely the only flaw.
2. "Kisses Don't Lie" -
This song highlights one of my favorite things about Rihanna- she likes to experiment with genres. At least from this album 'til
Talk That That, every album shows her doing kinds of music you just wouldn't expect from an rnb vocalist. And the rock band backing wasn't even done in the interest of making this a single.
3. "Unfaithful" -
A song that probably should have generated some controversy along with criticism of the story she's telling here. The music is stellar. It's even downright catchy for such a downbeat, tragically sappy song. The lyrics are interestingly morbid- another thing you might not have expected from a teenaged rnb singer who at the time had barely cracked public consciousness but if she'd registered as a presence, it would have been as a frosty techno-club pop goddess thanks to "SOS." The story here has a bit of a hole in it: we only have her side of it and we have to trust that the man she's singing about really would fall to pieces if she... well, the song doesn't exactly tell us how far things have gone. He "knows very well" according to her that she's cheating and he can't take it. So, he's already become suicidal? Needs more exposition.
4. "We Ride" -
Terrible chorus. But the rest of the production is flawless and Rihanna doesn't sound so bad. Very pleasent to the ears.
5. "Dem Haters" -
Just so we don't forget what kind of album
Music of the Sun was, this song is the missing link. The chorus is pretty but nothing else about it is the slightest bit special. Her guest singer should probably be singing the bulk of this.
6. "Final Goodbye" -
Also a bit reminiscent of the guitar-driven ballads from
Music of the Sun but Rihanna's singing here is greatly improved. The beat kick-up and band backing in the second half of the song makes it a better all-around formula than the last album's sappier offerings. The fact that it's only 3-minutes long is also likely helpful.
7. "Break It Off" -
The most modern song on both of her first albums. The production is literally perfect. Insanely catchy. And I don't like Sean Paul but he's okay here. She's the only problem. And for her album, she has no verses. Not a one.
8. "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" -
Good companion piece for "If It's Lovin' That You Want." Phenomenal chorus. Rihanna is still a little off, vocally.
9. "Selfish Girl" -
Another pointless "haven't I heard this done better somewhere else?", only with horns. Skip this and whip out the Xscape instead.
10. "P.S. (I'm Still Not Over You)" -
Bad ballad. Just... bad.
11. "A Girl Like Me" -
Finally, a ballad in this never-ending chain that actually has a little oomph to it. A lot, actually. This could work with a better singer and maybe ditch the guitar.
12. "A Million Miles Away" -
Okay, if Rihanna were a better singer- this would be a perfect song. That's redundant to say by this point. But this song is just that good.
13. "If It's Lovin' That You Want (Part 2)" -
An interestingly ominous interpretation of one of the better songs on
Music of the Sun. Kinda pointless, other than the rap guest star who actually takes a section of the song since none of the music here is recgonizable. But this is really interesting. Why would someone think to do a remix of an ultra sunny song like "Lovin'" only to turn it into this. It's not seductive or erotic. It's downright weird.
In ConclusionEasily superior to Rihanna's first album,
A Girl Like Me has some go-then-stop problems but since everything is pretty much buy songs individually now, it's worth saying this provides a better selection.
Overall Album RatingTracks Worth Purchasing (via-Digital Music Downloads):
"SOS"
"Crazy Little Thing Called Love"
Tracks to Consider Purchasing"Kisses Don't Lie"
"Final Goodbye"
"Break It Off"
Tracks1. "Umbrella" -
Musical masterpiece. One of the all-time greatest fusions of hip-hop / rnb and rock ever. Killer drums. Incredible lyrics. And Rihanna can sing this time.
2. "Push Up on Me" -
Compared to "Umbrella," this is a huge comedown. But... still, it's just plain catchy. Nearly impossible not to move or crank the volume up for.
3. "Don't Stop the Music" -
So close to being a club masterpiece on a level worthy of following up "Umbrella" but... oh,
HELL NO: it doesn't just sample Michael Jackson's "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'," it uses it as the actual background at several points. There are few words that can describe how hard it is to stay in the mood of the song's opening after you hear the producers here literally raping one of the most important forces in dance / pop music. Rihanna and company should have more respect.
4. "Breakin' Dishes" -
Nobody likes a fiery, angry woman anthem more than me and complete with domestic chaos imagery, this should have produced better returns. Maybe even a grinding metal guitar solo? I don't know, I think it could have worked here. Anyway, the lyrics just aren't good enough and, of course, the curse word curbing (censoring) is disappointing. It's good but not good enough.
5. "Shut Up and Drive" -
Most of Rihanna's rock tracks after "Umbrella" are rather sludgy. But this one is perky and rousing enough to continue holding the album's light weight up. I just find that I used to love this song (it was one of my top 3 favorites by Rihanna) and I don't anymore.
6. "I Hate That I Love You" -
It's okay. More background music than anything else. Ballads are usually not Rihanna's strongpoint and the more guitar infused lovey-dovey her rnb is, the more warm milky it is. Who likes warm milk?
7. "Say It" -
Another one of those unexpected surprises. Not album-shaking but grows more likable upon each re-listening.
8. "Sell Me Candy" -
Loud. Irritating. Stupid. Bad.
9. "Lemme Get That" -
Basically, this is what "Sell Me Candy" should have been. The catchiest non-single album track. Technically, it would irritate most people on the same level as Fergie / Black Eyed Peas but I think it's a lot of fun.
10. "Rehab" -
Slightly better than "Hate That I Love You." But has just about zero replay value.
11. "Question Existing" -
One of Rihanna's weaker vocal performances on this album but the music is moody and the lyrics are smart. There's a little depth here.
12. "Good Girl Gone Bad" -
Too close to being an exact replica of "Hate That I Love You." The subject matter is a little close to "G4L" from her next album,
Rated R. And that song is easily superior to this one. Would be better if they dropped the guitar altogether.
13. "Disturbia" -
Auto-tune and curse word censoring hurt this slightly. As does the fact that the chorus just isn't very good. But it's catchy. And I do love the "release me from this curse I'm in" section. This is actually very similar to "S&M" from
Loud, and again isn't quite as good.
14. "Take a Bow" -
Rihanna is a big fan of Madonna, I hear. Which is why it's worth mentioning that this is the first song where I noticed she was copying a title from her ("Skin" from
Loud is another egregious steal). Anyway, fantastic song. And another atypically pretty darn good performance by Rihanna.
In ConclusionOne bad cheap hip-hip track and some ultra-sappy rock-lite rnb hybrids bring the album down but the rest of it is pretty sturdy and ages well. Cohesively her strongest early effort.
Overall Album Rating(Not counting "If I Never See Your Face Again" since it's Maroon 5's song and she just guest'd on it)
Tracks Worth Purchasing (via-Digital Music Downloads):
"Umbrella"
"Take a Bow"
Tracks to Consider Purchasing"Push Up on Me"
"Shut Up and Drive"
"Say It"
"Question Existing"
"Disturbia"
Tracks1. "Madhouse" -
Short and sweet intro. The only disappointment is that the awesome groove doesn't extend beyond her "na na na"s. This would make a fantastic instrumental with just the revving groove.
2. "Wait Your Turn" -
Talk about maturity as an artist! Her voice is almost tough enough to slash someone's tires with a single whip of her tongue. There's definitely a backbone here which previous songs like "Shut Up and Drive" didn't have. The football analogy for love or just making an effort here is almost awkward but she pulls it off with her very strong attitude. The beat and production are just incredible, up and down.
3. "Hard" -
Can Rihanna get any tougher after "Wait Your Turn"? Well, she comes pretty close. She really pulls off her sing-rapping here and her verses are excellent. But her guest star, Jeezy, cannot keep up. His pudding verse is a signifcant flaw in the track ("like Obama
nil"?!).
4. "Stupid in Love" -
This really comes close to working. I mean, it's obviously very personal but, sitting next to songs like "G4L," "Russian Roulette," and "Fire Bomb"... it's just weak. Especially the lyrics. "This is stupid / I'm not stupid / don't talk to me like I'm stupid"? Um... convenient way to get out trying to rhyme? Needs a re-write. But the music is quite good.
5. "Rockstar 101" -
Might need a little tinkering, lyrically, but musically and vocally- WOW! The rock is moody as hell and this presents competition for Rihanna to step up to the plate and prove herself moodier than the lowkey wasteland-esque arena atmosphere. She's the biggest thing here and,
man does she kill that "I'm rockin' out" section!
6. "Russian Roulette" -
I don't have any problems with this song. I just find, even though it's perhaps her single strongest ballad, it has an extremely low replay value. Whenever I see it's about to come up on the disc, I usually press the skip button.
7. "Fire Bomb" -
Now, here's what "Stupid in Love" should have been. A deeply personal, deeply heartfelt hate turn for a love song. The kind of thing almost no mainstream pop artist has ever attempted or would even think to try. Imagine "Breakin' Dishes" only with cars and the outcome is not "fighting" a man, it's killing him. The lyrics are probably Rihanna's best. And her singing is strong again. She definitely means most of what she's saying and you feel it. Is there a flaw? Not really. It's just not a song you can replay unless you're pretty damn mad.
8. "Rude Boy" -
Along with "Umbrella," I believe this is Rihanna's best song. Period. Now, people can speculate what is up with all the positive / seeking references to rough sex on here and
Loud's "S&M" but who's to say she wasn't into that before she hooked up with Chris? And who's to say being beaten up in a car and against a wall has anything to do with sex? A bad relationship is a bad relationship, there's no need to ruin sex for her just because this guy didn't treat her right in other ways. Too many people just don't get s&m. Either way, whether this is actually about hair-pulling, spanking roughplay or just a call for guys to deliver on their dirty street-shout pick-up lines, this song just plain works. And it works well!
9. "Photographs" -
I wish I had nicer things to say about this one. It's lovely but entirely inconsequential. It's pretty obvious that this is the "Question Existing" winding down point in the more club oriented era of Rihanna's career and "Question Existing" is just a lot better. Good beat and pretty chorus but that's pretty much it.
10. "G4L" -
Obviously, it's highly questionable that Rihanna can pull off gangsta comparisons. But, if you take the song as a role call for women to arm themselves for protection against men or attackers, etc(.), it works. And, in fact, for being so frozen and hard and even violent, it's worth noting that this is just a beautiful song. Full of heart, even though it's apt to come off as unnecessarily cold-blooded or survivalistic.
11. "Te Amo" -
Really telegraphs what
Loud became, musically. So, it fits in better on that album. Here, it falls into "Unfaithful" territory: why is she so obsessed with Rihanna that she cries desperately and can't breathe when she leaves? Why does she even love her, how did this relationship come to this point? Did these women just meet on the dancefloor? And if Rihanna is upset that she crossed the line and has to remind her to stop grabbing her (etc.), why did she follow her to the beach? Why do all the lovers in Rihanna's devotion songs find themselves so smitten with her that they break down just at the thought of her not returning their affections? These questions need some form of addressing. But in the meantime, it's a catchy song and Rihanna's singing is pretty good.
12. "Cold Case Love" -
Clearly an experiment for Rihanna. And so it has likely a lot of personal relevance to her. But I find these kinds of songs are hard for me or many others to relate to. It's too long. And it's slow and doesn't really come to anything you can feel. Not even when the beat finally kicks in (3 and a half minutes in). There are some strings at the end- maybe they should have been brought up front for the start of the song. And the human beatbox is too low and soft. The song has no oomph.
13. "The Last Song" -
A replay of "Cold Case Love"?? Well, it has a much better start and Rihanna wakes up. Her singing is pure powerhouse here. So, even though it's too slow, it's easy enough to stay with her.
In ConclusionObviously, this is Rihanna's strongest album. And probably her only album where she made a serious effort to pack every song with feeling and meaning. This is also, get ready for a shock, one of only 2 albums to her name where she takes some creative credit for writing. Unfortunately,
Talk That Talk is the other. This is one of maybe 2 albums that make any kind of argument that Rihanna is a true artist and not just a girl singing along to songs that other people have crafted for her. That's kind of sad. Because she was really onto something here. No one wants abuse and heartbreak to be an artist's claim to fame, but I don't see why one bad relationship had to be the only thing that could inspire her to do such good damn work.
Overall Album RatingTracks Worth Purchasing (via-Digital Music Downloads):
"Wait Your Turn"
"Hard"
"Rockstar 101"
"Russian Roulette"
"Fire Bomb"
"Rude Boy"
"G4L"
Tracks to Consider Purchasing"The Last Song"
Tracks1. "S&M" -
Critics have pounced on Rihanna from all directions for this one. Why? Probably because, on the surface, it appears to be a loving tribute to sex with whips and chains. The video on the other hand tells us that that is so not what this is really about. When considered instead as a highly observant commentary on the relationship between media sensation and the media itself, all things questionable about the song fall into place. No, there isn't much to the lyrics but people still assume the song is about Rihanna getting whipped and beaten during sex by a lover. If you think of it about her volunteering to be abused by the media, even the "c'mon on, c'mon"s, "na-na-na"s, and "I like it, like it"s feel less lazy than they should. Besides, what sort of things would you say while you were being whipped? Would you recite the Gettysburg Address? I doubt it. The song is both kinky and subversive. And, musically, it's not just catchy- it hooks into your brain and you'll never forget it. I can still actually sit through it 4 times in a row, no problem.
2. "What's My Name?" -
What kind of song is this, exactly? Not a very convincing love song. The music is this really striking techno-floral thing and the perfect ode to her then-new hairstyle. But the lyrics and vocals don't quite deliver. Well, Rihanna is singing well but there's no connection between the singing and the music. Not to mention... well, this is just
too Loud. It's downright monstrous. Turn it down - which it begs to be - and you'll start losing lyrics, etc. Likely, what this song needs is some more studio tinkering. Fix the levels. Almost works though. However, I give the star credit where it's due. Everyone is performing well but the balance / sound mixer.
3. "Cheers (Drink to That)" -
No getting around it: weak song. Weak single. Weak video. It's a little catchy and comes close to being well-produced. But it serves one purpose and I don't believe it's that important anyway. Sort of like the really, really skunky version of Foster the People's "Pumped Up Kicks." If this is a road trip / travel song like the video suggests, I fear for the people directly in front and behind Rihanna and her crew of party pals. (Another superior drinking crowd song: Leona Naess's "Leave Your Boyfriends Behind".)
4. "Fading" -
Another ultra-noisy song. But, unlike "What's My Name?," there's nothing here. Vocally, lyrically- it's just noise. Well, okay- the one moment where she goes "be gone, ta ta, so long" was adorable as all hell. But this is likely the album's weakest moment.
5. "Only Girl (in the World)" -
I'm not sure all the lyrics make all that much sense, but... who cares?! This song, while not Rihanna's best, is crack for the ears. Even Lady Gaga will have trouble matching this in terms of the rip-your-ear-off to-get-it-out variety of club stomper. Rihanna's catchiest song. Period.
6. "California King Bed" -
Another "Why?" for Rihanna. This thing is dangerously close to being Deep Blue Something 90's acoustic. It's very wimpy. And the lyrics need help, big time. What is "California Wishing" exactly? I had to spend some time thinking myself of an alternate lyric that would make a better fit and I admit it's hard. But this song's problems run deeper than that. Also, I feel like Rihanna's screaming choruses were building to a much bigger end that she delivered. I give it a 3 because it is a bit catchy. But, I doubt it's been hard for anyone to forget it when it does pop up.
7. "Man Down" -
"Fire Bomb" and "G4L" are probably the only serious subject songs where it really feels like Rihanna gave you enough explanation to know what you need to know. This is close to ending up another "Unfaithful" but, musically, it is the most powerful and dramatic song on the album if you're looking for another
Rated R gem.
8. "Raining Men" -
Half another painfully loud and "what am I hearing" song, half catchy verse-whipping rap song along the lines of "Hard" with a little of "Rude Boy"s firehouse shooting. Nicki Minaj proves one of Rihanna's best guests. It's a real toss-up track. If you're in the mood for it, it's good in the background. But it feels like Rihanna's attempt to make her own "Video Phone" and... well, even with Nicki in tow, there's no way she can match that song's bass blasting or its' duo's full force showstopping.
9. "Complicated" -
I think this song's a little underrated. Not only is it one of the best tracks on the album, but it's even marginally better than
Rated R's "Photographs." And, hey, Rihanna's screaming completely arrests the listener unlike on "California King Bed" and the music doesn't try to drown her out like it did on "Fading" and "What's My Name?"
10. "Skin" -
Needs work, lyrically, but... HOLY FRICK: this is an amazing song in every other regard. Another perfect mix of music and vocals. And furthermore, who produced this?! They're geniuses / a genius! Feels very 80's. But cinematic 80's. The closest artist / band I could think to compare it to is Duran Duran. But I've heard this compared to Sade and that's fair. Although, I'm not sure Sade had ever cultivated a tough or violent image at any point before doing one of her sexier songs. The best guitar work in a Rihanna song probably ever.
11. "Love the Way You Lie (Part II)" -
I never caught Part I but, except for the chorus, this sucks. God is Eminem overrated!
In ConclusionNot a quality follow-up to
Rated R. In many ways, it's a sizable fall. However, there are 2 really good filler songs and 3 fantastic singles. So, if we're back to regarding Rihanna as a pusher of digital downloads,
Loud is a success. About as successful as
Good Girl Gone Bad and
A Girl Like Me were.
Overall Album RatingTracks Worth Purchasing (via-Digital Music Downloads):
"S&M"
"Only Girl (in the World)"
"Man Down"
"Skin"
Tracks to Consider Purchasing"Complicated"
Tracks1. "You Da One" -
I think it's fair to say Rihanna has a new style. For the most part, it can be described as less original and unique to her actual talents. "You Da One" will be easily the most successful result of the genre switch. It's catchy. Very. And you'll be singing it shortly after first pressing play. But, what the
HELL does "so I make sure I behave" mean? Is she starting to regret showing her harder side? Because it did a lot for her. And a lot of people supported her through those times, which weren't an easy ride with critics.
2. "Where Have You Been" -
I hate to say it, but, given how dramatic this song is in tone... what is driving this album forward? We know what
Rated R and
Loud were about. You could easily see this entire song performed with tear-stained face. But as the song titles will note, this album could be about love. Not love that's over but one that's either starting or started. And, of course, there's the drug-fueled orgy that is "We Found Love"s music video. Anyway, the song is well produced but disconnected. Nothing fits together. And the choice to try and stick these things together was a mistake. The song is entirely unglued.
3. "We Found Love" -
Back to Rihanna's new style: I don't really like it. It's like techno but techno that won't commit. So, for this song, I guess you could say Rihanna found something good in a genre she had no hope of mastering.
4. "Talk That Talk" -
Just what Rihanna needed: a weak replay of an already weak song ("Raining Men"). Jay-Z's verse sucks. Rihanna's chorus sucks. And her verses aren't much better. The music is an intriguingly stripped down version of "What's My Name?" with a little minimalist energy in it (and a little "Rude Boy"). It had promise but if the vocalists can't deliver, why bother?
5. "Cockiness (Love It)" -
Now we've fully transitioned from not very good techno into terrible party rap. A track like this would embarrass The Black Eyed Peas. It sounds like a reject from Christina Aguilera's
Bionic (and wow did that album already have enough weak material on it). One pro, however (unless you count the fact that this gives me an insane hunger for Chinese food as a plus): this is some of Rihanna's best rapping. Her and Ke$ha really need to hook up. Or, moreover, perhaps Rihanna could borrow some of her producers. If anyone needs a
Cannibal makeover right now, it's Rihanna. This isn't hip. It's just bad.
6. "Birthday Cake" -
It's 1-minute long. That should tell you something. Anyone who thought they suffered through "S&M"s minimal lyrics aren't tough enough to sit through 1 minute of "cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake." If they say otherwise, they're lying.
7. "We All Want Love" -
Another cruddy attempt at an acousticy ballad. I thought "Hate That I Love You" was bland. I thought "California King Bed" was wimpy. This song nearly clears both of all these charges. Terrible.
8. "Drunk on Love" -
Back to techno territory, and, did I ever miss it. This is one of the salvageable songs on the album. But, again, it's so damn dramatic. What's up with Rihanna? I don't have a clue what she's going through right now. Of one thing, however, I am sure: she should have taken a few more months to fix this mess of an album. And even though this is one of the best songs on it, it would actually be better served sliced into pieces and stuffed into the shallow spots of
Loud's "What's My Name?"
9. "Roc Me Out" -
Boring. It has a little power to it but I'm sure the listener will do more work sitting through it than anyone did producing it.
10. "Watch n' Learn" -
About a week ago, all the tracks from
Talk That Talk leaked onto YouTube. Some of them were sped up versions. The sped-up version "Watch n' Learn" in particular is better than this much slower version. However, it is a thoughtfully made song with an interesting performance by Rihanna. At least compared to most of the garbage on this album. "Raining Men" comes to mind again. And that would make this superior to that. Another good example of a blending that should have happened back when
Loud was still under construction.
11. "Farewell" -
Techno ballad? Think a cross between "All the Things She Said" (better than this) and "Return to Innocence" (better) only with the lame, saccharine sentiment of Spice Girls' "Goodbye" (easily better) and Vitamin C's "Graduation" song. (And, yes, even that song is better than this.) Whatever Rihanna is saying goodbye to in this song, let's hope it involves the inspiration for this album.
Deluxe Bonus Tracks12. "Red Lipstick" -
Almost impossible to describe. And not much more pleasent to listen to. Rihanna drowns in bad middle-eastern flavored techno "pop." It sort of sounds like her trying to blend "Mad House" together with
A Girl Like Me's slithery freakmix of "If It's Lovin' That You Want." But it's not sexy or defiant. Just off and yucky. And padded with some more of the strange "Cockiness" vulgar Lil' Kim-isms.
13. "Do Ya Thang" -
Now, this one has some promise. Vocally, it's a bit messy. But it's different. And that can't be bad, considering how bad the main album is. It's easily the best rock experiment on the album. It's also one of the better love themed songs. You just like Rihanna as a character more here. It's a bit cold so I don't know how catchy it'll be with listeners. But it's easy for me to groove to. Should've been on the main album.
14. "Fool in Love" -
Very interesting. It still has the same tonal identity crisis as the main album's "Drunk on Love" and "Where Have You Been." But if this is bad, it's the most upfront and honest about how bad it is. Rihanna just walks on top of the music before it's done anything, almost ignoring that this is meant to be a song rather than a confessional, and starts quivering. Her singing is terrible but she's letting it show so she can make her feelings clear. As a song, it's at least far superior to "Farewell." But, yes, the lyrics are so personal that they're confusing. She can't possibly still be singing about Chris. And, since she addresses her parents several times, is this another song about her public image? Again: what does she have to apologize for? One of the big problems with this album is that I'm not sure anyone will know what inspired it. Unless I'm just really out of the loop and she had another disastrous relationship that I wasn't aware of.
In ConclusionA terrible album. Easily Rihanna's worst moments in music not involving remixes. The wait was
SO not worth it.
Overall Album RatingStandard 11-track Version:
Deluxe 14-track Version:
Tracks Worth Purchasing (via-Digital Music Downloads):
"You Da One"
Tracks to Consider Purchasing"We Found Love"
"Watch n' Learn"
"Do Ya Thang"