With the release of her 7th album (in 7 years!) Rihanna has finally hit #1 on the Billboard album charts with "Unapologetic". While she has ascended the heights of the Billboard singles charts on many occasions and all her other albums have made the top ten, none has managed to go higher than number two. To say she has reached a zeitgeist moment is an understatement. Through the power of marketing, touring, tabloid headlines and catchy songs she has managed to maintain her position at the top of the pop/dance heap since she hit the scene in 2005 with "Pon De Replay" (a number 2 pop hit in 2005). Though many could argue she really took off the next year when she used the music from Soft Cell's "Tainted Love" as the base for her first #1 hit "S.O.S." But lets face it, she isn't the best singer out there, I mean she's not Adele, Alicia Keys or even Christina Aguilera. But then again, she isn't a Britney Spears or Jennifer Lopez thin voiced chanteuse. I'd say she's more along the Katy Perry line, ok singer who has benefited from a strong core of hit songwriters and producers who overproduce and churn out hit catchy hit singles for them. And even though she's taken a lot of flack for continuing to ho around with that douche bag who will not be named, people still enjoy and buy her music as her latest single, "Diamonds", has also hit number along with the new album. Alas even I have fallen prey to her tuneful dance-ish ways. Girl just puts some catchy sh*t out there! Plus Amazon had the regular edition on MP3 sale for $5.99 so why not. Herewith then is my rundown of the songs on her latest disc.
"Phresh Out the Runway"--ugh--hate it with a passion--it's rap meets dubsteppy-ness--what a terrible way to start out an album. Take note Rihanna, if Taylor Swift is going to try dubstep then the moment has passed and so should you.
"Diamonds"--I'm surprised it's such a big hit, though it does grow on you after you listen a few times. It's a slow grower and builds but seems to not reach a peak. Could benefit from an upbeat remix because the 2 remixes of it on the deluxe edition don't add much.
"Numb"--standard girl sings boy raps--nothing special as she repeats "I'm going numb" over and over and over and over. I guess Eminem owed her a favor since she sang on his "Love the Way You Lie", propelling it to #1 a few years ago.
"Pour It Up"--another slow groover with some handclaps and singing about money--ohhwahhohhwahh--not very catchy.
"Loveeeeeee Song"--the slow groove R&B jam featuring Future (he's very auto-tuned). Not exactly Barry White, more like new school seduction music--skipped.
"Jump"--okay so she's using a riff from Ginuwine's "Pony" and ugh, dubstep again, I thought we covered this Rihanna. I'm sure it will be a single and probably be a big hit just to spite me.
"Right Now"--thank God--back to dance with David Guetta this time--I like her dance stuff and I will have this on repeat, better be a single.
"What Now"--it's the see I can really sing song, except for the drum beat in back, it's pretty standard. I can see it being sung as an audition song on American Idol/The Voice/X Factor next year.
"Stay"--featuring Mikky Ekko (?)--it's her Adele song but as a duet. All piano, kind of different, not bad.
"Nobody's Business"--another duet with --he who shall not be named. Sighhhh...it's an old school R&B jam and I hate myself for liking this. It's very late 70's early 80's, probably best thing on the album. WHYYYY!!!
"Love Without Tragedy/Mother Mary"--first thought that comes to mind odd title but catchy cute song, very poppy, one of the better songs to me. Though it has a weird break to the Mother Mary part, like the dj didn't forgot the other song was ending and didn't mix them together, still....
"Get It Over With"--another R&B slow jam, yawn.
"No Love Allowed"--little bit of her Barbados meets Jamaica roots showing here with a slight reggae backbeat, sort of Bob Marley meets...well...Rihanna.
"Lost In Paradise"--kind of a slow techno-house groove thing--sounds a little like something Adam Lambert might have had on his last album. It's okay if a bit out of place.
BONUS TRACK--"Half of Me"---I sprung for the bonus track on Amazon since it was only .99cents making my whole purchase price $6.98 for 15 songs. It's another slow build to nowhere song but decent, so if you are getting the rest you may as well get this one.
When you have a cd with this many songs not all are going to be winners and some will feel like filler, but when you buy it on sale I'd say there are more than enough re-listenable tunes on here to make it worth your wile, especially if you are a fan of the dance/pop stuff. Just don't tell anyone that you really like the duet with he who shall not be named as it will kill a bit of your soul each time you do. The things we music lovers put up with.
"Phresh Out the Runway"--ugh--hate it with a passion--it's rap meets dubsteppy-ness--what a terrible way to start out an album. Take note Rihanna, if Taylor Swift is going to try dubstep then the moment has passed and so should you.
"Diamonds"--I'm surprised it's such a big hit, though it does grow on you after you listen a few times. It's a slow grower and builds but seems to not reach a peak. Could benefit from an upbeat remix because the 2 remixes of it on the deluxe edition don't add much.
"Numb"--standard girl sings boy raps--nothing special as she repeats "I'm going numb" over and over and over and over. I guess Eminem owed her a favor since she sang on his "Love the Way You Lie", propelling it to #1 a few years ago.
"Pour It Up"--another slow groover with some handclaps and singing about money--ohhwahhohhwahh--not very catchy.
"Loveeeeeee Song"--the slow groove R&B jam featuring Future (he's very auto-tuned). Not exactly Barry White, more like new school seduction music--skipped.
"Jump"--okay so she's using a riff from Ginuwine's "Pony" and ugh, dubstep again, I thought we covered this Rihanna. I'm sure it will be a single and probably be a big hit just to spite me.
"Right Now"--thank God--back to dance with David Guetta this time--I like her dance stuff and I will have this on repeat, better be a single.
"What Now"--it's the see I can really sing song, except for the drum beat in back, it's pretty standard. I can see it being sung as an audition song on American Idol/The Voice/X Factor next year.
"Stay"--featuring Mikky Ekko (?)--it's her Adele song but as a duet. All piano, kind of different, not bad.
"Nobody's Business"--another duet with --he who shall not be named. Sighhhh...it's an old school R&B jam and I hate myself for liking this. It's very late 70's early 80's, probably best thing on the album. WHYYYY!!!
"Love Without Tragedy/Mother Mary"--first thought that comes to mind odd title but catchy cute song, very poppy, one of the better songs to me. Though it has a weird break to the Mother Mary part, like the dj didn't forgot the other song was ending and didn't mix them together, still....
"Get It Over With"--another R&B slow jam, yawn.
"No Love Allowed"--little bit of her Barbados meets Jamaica roots showing here with a slight reggae backbeat, sort of Bob Marley meets...well...Rihanna.
"Lost In Paradise"--kind of a slow techno-house groove thing--sounds a little like something Adam Lambert might have had on his last album. It's okay if a bit out of place.
BONUS TRACK--"Half of Me"---I sprung for the bonus track on Amazon since it was only .99cents making my whole purchase price $6.98 for 15 songs. It's another slow build to nowhere song but decent, so if you are getting the rest you may as well get this one.
When you have a cd with this many songs not all are going to be winners and some will feel like filler, but when you buy it on sale I'd say there are more than enough re-listenable tunes on here to make it worth your wile, especially if you are a fan of the dance/pop stuff. Just don't tell anyone that you really like the duet with he who shall not be named as it will kill a bit of your soul each time you do. The things we music lovers put up with.
Greetings, is this exact blog is your sole blog or you personally own others?
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