Customer Reviews

Rated R

5 star:		(61)
4 star:		(32)
3 star:		(16)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Wow! I bought this CD on a whim after reading a review by Mike Ragogna on the Huffington Post. He said this was the album Rihanna needed to make, not an album the record label would have necessarily chosen for her to make. It almost sounds like it could have been recorded in 1980's Eastern Europe with so many heavy techno beats and crunchy synths and simmering industrial arrangements. Apparently Rihanna's Caribbean accent is more present on this album than her previous work. I'd never been drawn to Rihanna's earlier work so I can't qualify that assertion, but I think her accent works for her and I hope she continues to brandish it in her future work. If you are a fan of blended musical genres and artist experimentation and still enjoy popular music, this CD is a goldmine. Not a single dud track and it flows nicely. It may take a while for people to realize it, but this is going to end up being a landmark CD for Rihanna. It's an amazing piece of work by a young person so early in their career. I can't wait to see where she goes next in her sound. This is a young woman firmly in control of her music and her life.

After a couple of years, the lovely Rihanna returns with a new album (not just a re-release--THANK GOODNESS!!!). After going through the domestic violence case this past year, she claims in interviews that she has grown a lot, and has transferred it into her work. And how did that turn out? Read on for the Track by Track Review.

1. Mad House - Nice Intro..dark tone and setting for the rest of the album (I'm not going to rate this track, though)
2. Wait Your Turn - Very reggae-feeling with Rihanna's voice. Not the normal RiRi that we all grew to know and love on GGGB. The minute I heard the F bomb I was really shocked (I don't really like vulgarity in music that much). The chorus is the best part for sure. 3.5/5
3. Hard (featuring Jeezy) - The beginning is a little awkward. But after that, it only gets better. The chorus, once again, is probably the most memorable part, along with the verses by Jeezy. Stellar production makes this a solid track that is definitely one of the better of the "new-Rihanna" tracks. At first listen, you may not like it (like I didn't enjoy it when I first heard it), but give it a second listen and you might like it. 4/5
4. Stupid In Love - Whew. Now that the gangsta-tracks are over, we hear a ballad by Rihanna. This track, aided greatly by a piano background, is a stand out track. I believe that this track exemplifies the emotions of Rihanna greatly. 4/5
5. Rockstar 101 (featuring Slash!!) - Back to rocker Rihanna. Something just seems to be missing from this track to make it epic. Oh well. Another example of the edgier Rihanna that everyone is talking about...and I'm not a huge fan. But another good track (where you should probably give it a second chance after you hear it for the first time). 3/5
6. Russian Roulette - Lead Single. Two words--simply spectacular. The dark, scary background piano gives this ballad an edge that truly, in my personal opinion, sums up her experiences from the past year. Oh, and just a SIDENOTE..the vocals are AMAZING. 5/5
7. Fire Bomb - A mid tempo song, the title of the song actually deceived me. I thought that it was going to be yet again another song about being a rocker, bad*ss, blah blah blah. But it's not this way, and this song is all about the lower registers of Rihanna's voice that are rarely heard in her music. "The lovers need to clear the road"...I really liked this song. The sirens and crackling fire at the end of the song topped the cake. 4/5
8. Rude Boy - With significant sexual innuendo throughout the song, the production give it almost a Jamaican vibe, most likely inspired from Rihanna's small island roots. A little repetitive, but still a nice track. 3.5/5
9. Photographs (featuring will.i.am) - A slower paced/mid tempo track, this is one of the better songs of the album. The auto-tuned track contributed by will.i.am truly makes it much more memorable. 4.5/5
10. G4L (Gangsta for Life) - Another "gangsta" track, this one gets very very repetitive. One of the weaker tracks on the album. But still enjoyable! 3/5
11. Te Amo - Just to preface/explain this song first. This song was written by a man from a man's point of view, and Rihanna decided to sing it. So this should clear any confusion...hopefully. The story of the song follows one of Rihanna's friends who has deep feelings for her (loves Rihanna), and Rihanna likes her as a friend, but as nothing more. On to the track. This song was leaked a while back in June, and its Latin influences are apparent. This is one of the best songs on the album. (and one of my personal favorites!!) 5/5
12. Cold Case Love - Starts out with old style, organ-like pipes. This is a rather lengthy song for Rihanna, but then again the whole album is about "breaking the rules" in a way. Very minimal backing track at the beginning of the song gives it a cool feel. At 1:30 or so, the backing leads way to quite gorgeous instrumentals and snaps. At around 3:45 then, production really takes over. A REALLY nice track!!! One of my personal favorites. 4.5/5
13 - Appropriately titles with giant vocals. This really just serves some more emotions from Rihanna. A solid track, but overall just an OK way to end an awesome album. 3.5/5

Overall -

Although not as consistent as GGGB, this album is probably stronger overall. It is really about breaking the status quo and using music as a platform for emotional expression (which i thought was the original purpose of music in the first place!!) A great effort from Rihanna. A MUST buy.

This is an album that grows on you. Upon first listening to it, I definitely felt somewhat let down by 'Rated R'. The music is not as catchy; nothing leaps out as a Billboard hit like her signature songs "S.O.S" or "Umbrella". In fact, Rihanna ditches the pop/dance track and takes on a hip-hop/rock vibe instead. 'Rated R' is a page turner in Rihanna's career; just like the title, this isn't something for kids. There's cursing, there's violence and in many songs it feels as if this is Rihanna's therapy album, featuring moments of the old, sweet, and innocent pop star being hushed and silenced by a vulnerable, angry woman.

The Good: After a few listens, 'Rated R' is definitely not a bad album. I heard (like many) the preview samples and clips. Those did nothing for many of these songs. After being able to slip in this disc and listen to each song in its entirety, I can say there's a lot more depth and personality in this than in Good Girl Gone Bad or in Music of the Sun. Considering how much Rihanna has been through over the past year personally, I felt like the 'Rated R' tracks were far more realistic and authentic than her previous hits. There's a lot of variety here and defintely an experimentation with genres and music that hasn't happened before with Rihanna; "Wait Your Turn" felt like Rihanna's first foray into the hip-hop realm; there's cursing, the beat is driven more so by the beat than the singing but still has elements of a good pop song with a catchy chorus; "Hard" was Rihnna's attempt at ditching her pop star image for something more hardcore and coarse; "Fire Bomb" is a violent situation tucked away in a ballad. Not at all what you'd expect from the title. It's very pop and addictive even though it's about revenge. Interesting blend of urban/hip-hop and some hints of 80s music with synths. On many tracks, I could see where life came to influence the music but rather than something whiny and melodramatic, Rihanna dished out some really hard-hitting, unapologetic songs.

The Bad: The only real bad thing about 'Rated R' is how starkly different it is from the Rihanna we've come to know up to this point. The album is heavy; it's darker, it's expressively angrier and moodier, it has her cursing and at points being very sexually provocative. It is in many ways ab album about, "a good girl gone bad." The change in the image and style was something of a turn-off. While the new image and personality shines through on songs like "Stupid in Love" and "Rude Boy", I felt she was trying way too hard to be as far from good and pop star-like on tracks such as "Rock Star" and "Russian Roulette". There is some imbalance at play on 'Rated R' that takes it from being entertaining and and interesting revealing of her damaged psyche from being either dull or over-the-top. Certain tracks just felt uninteresting after a few listens including "G4L", "Cold Case Love" and "Te Amo".

In all, 'Rated R' is good. There are some weak points to it and a vibe that she was trying a bit too hard to be different from the Rihanna everyone knew and praised before the Chris Brown situation, but the change did her music some good and leaves her at an interesting situation as an artist. 'Rated R' will probably divide the fans; some are really going to like it because it's very different (musically) from anything Rihanna's done before and the chances taken pays off in positive and big ways on some tracks. Some are going to listen to 'Rated R' and want the pop star back who sang sweet and innocent songs like "Take a Bow" or "Unfaithful" because that Rihanna is definitely scaled back on this album. I though liked the end product. Not flawless or perfect but it's good. Give 'Rated R' a chance.

Listen to These: "Rude Boy", "Fire Bomb", "Hard"

I'm going to be a "truth tella", as Rihanna suggests that she is on "Hard": I listened to half of this album under the influence of Jack Daniels and Seagram's gin, so when I woke up this morning and listened to the rest of it, I made sure I went back and listened to the other tracks while sober and I feel the same way I did when I was drunk: What the hell? Rihanna is on some Thriller/goth/suicide type stuff on this album. She totally threw me off guard because I was expecting a sensational LP and got disappointed. It's a known fact that artists create their best music when they have gone through trying times, but the opposite has happened with Rihanna; she has created her worst work to date.

I guess I should have gotten the context clues about how this album was going to be when I first heard "Russian Roulette" online, because it DOES set the tone for the entire album. "Rated R" is largely comprised of dark, haunting tracks with angry lyrics. In fact, "Rude Boy" is the only escape into normalcy. I like "Rude Boy" because it brought me back to planet Earth for about four minutes. Emotional abuse is touched on in "Stupid in Love." Rihanna emotionally sings lines like, "I may be dumb but I'm not stupid" and "My new name is idiot." Powerful and personal. One thing I can say about this album is that Rihanna definitely took us inside her mind, into some of her innermost thoughts and it shows in the lyrics. You can tell that they're very personal, certain lyrics stick out like a sore thumb.

I do like Rihanna as an entertainer, but she misses the mark with "Rated R." If you are looking for Rihanna's best work, turn to "Good Girl Gone Bad." "Rated R" is a conceptual album, but I did not enjoy it overall.

P.S. Did you know that "Hard" samples The Jacksons' "Can You Feel It" and Kanye West's "Diamonds?"

Mikeisha's Top 5
1. "Hard"
2. "Rude Boy"
3. "Russian Roulette"
4. "Stupid in Love"
5. "G4L"

Rihanna started out as a protégé of Jay-Z but now it looks like she's doing her own thing (Jigga isn't on this album at all; probably because he isn't on Def Jam anymore). And she does just that on Rated R, her first album to break the string of releasing one album per year.

Looking at the album title as well as a certain sticker on the cover of the album, it should be clear that Ms. Fenty is trying to come harder with this album (especially with the single "Hard"). But there are two issues with that: 1) as often is the case, there isn't quite enough profanity after all to warrant the EXPLICIT CONTENT label, and 2) I'm not sure she's 100% believable as a ghetto girl (it's kind of like when you saw Bianca Lawson playing a ghetto girl in Save the Last Dance). Okay, maybe that's not exactly fair, but songs like "Rockstar 101" and "G4L" (Gangster 4 Life) don't really do anything for me.

There ARE some good songs on here though, like the last song, fittingly titled "The Last Song". The will.i.am-assisted "Photographs" is okay, but I wonder if that song is really supposed to refer to photographs of HER after a certain incident; speaking of that, a song that works better along those same lines is "Cold Case Love". "Te Amo" is a decent track although that's what probably started the bisexual rumors; and even though I realize "Russian Roulette" is a metaphor, I'm having a hard time understanding what it's a metaphor FOR (by the way, why did MTV have no problem showing the title to this song but they blocked out the phrase in Lady Gaga's "Poker Face"?).

There's also "Stupid in Love", which is pretty good until you get to the uninteresting chorus of: "This is stupid/I'm not stupid/Don't talk to me like I'm stupid". The sexual "Rude Boy" is dope as well except for that "I wa-wa-want what you wa-wa-want" part. And just to clarify, although I also gave her other three albums three-and-a-half stars, those were those kind of 3-1/2 star "it's okay; nothing else to it" albums whereas THIS is good with a few missteps. Rihanna has never been the most amazing singer and her new image might be a little hard to swallow for some, but Rated R is still a pretty solid album.

Anthony Rupert

First let me say, I have NEVER posted a review but felt compelled to do so. I must say that I agree to disagree most times but people who are saying this CD is lackluster couldn't be more wrong. Meesh "magentamindship", you in particular I disagree with the most. People need to understand that domestic abuse does not define Rihanna nor was it the sole basis for this CD. Most of the songs weren't even written by her. So, the fact that people believe this CD has to do with her being battered is just incomprehensible for me. This woman is from Barbados and anyone who knows any West Indian or Caribbean women already know that they have a certain fire about them. This CD certainly captures that fire in Rihanna.

Now on to my review....first let me say I am a huge fan of Rihanna's last 2 CDs. I particularly loved the gritty edge on Good Girl Gone Bad. Rihanna just turned 21 years old and I believe this was her coming out CD--where she wanted to address some hot topics and she does so in the most METAPHORICALLY TERRIFIC way! She touches on lost love, taking back her feminine power, turning down lesbian advances and a whole lot more. This CD tells stories like none other!

No dance grooves?? Says who? Almost every song on the CD has a nice groove tempo, particulary Rude Boy which is one of my favs. No ballads?? Cold Case Love, Russian Roulette, The Last Song and Stupid in Love satisfy this need for me in a major way. These songs tell a story, no not necessarily a mushy love story but HER STORY or at least what she portrays...and for me it's very believable. Cold Case Love, in my opinion, is one of the hottest tracks on the CD! Listen to the CD...I mean REALLY LISTEN and hear her words and her passion and I know you will appreciate it for the great piece of work it is.


Other great tracks: Rockstar 101, Photographs, Te Amo

I was pleasantly surprised by this album. Being a newer Rihanna fan who hasn't consistently listened to GGGB in its entirety- I didn't quite know what to expect when "Rated R'was constantly hailed as "darker". Sometimes it's best when you don't have anything to directly compare a project to, since it allows the art to be somewhat isolated.

I had already heard "Wait your turn" and loved it. It hits very hard at first, showcasing Rihanna's accent in a rap like cadence. Then the chorus comes in with beautiful melodies - a real delight. Very balanced and unique, usually female artists have to enlist the help of a male hip hop artist to create this sound - Rihanna stood her ground by creating the sound solo. I also loved the message behind the "Wait your turn" lyrics - the phrase "sometimes it takes a thousand tries to win" really spoke to me and my own attempts at my goals. This song is one of my absolute favorites - a stunning declaration of strength and perserverance wrapped in a hard beat and flowing lyrical delivery.

"Hard" featuring young Jeezy is infectious - I am admittedly not "hard" myself, but find myself rockin' with puffed up bravado when listening to this track. Harnessing my inner "hard" chick. Russian Roulette is dark yet beautiful - another gem that drew me to buy the album. Beautiful vocals and interesting metaphor that is not lost on those of us who do not take art as strictly literal.

I enjoy "Rock star" quite a bit, being a black woman who has always loved rock music - the fact that Rih blends genres truly speaks to that part of me. It's a fun and lighthearted song - with an egotistical rocker twist of course.

"Firebomb" - wow... this song is so atmospheric and the vocals are quite lovely. "The lovers need to clear the road" - this is one of those songs that transcends beyond whether you like Rihanna or not. The lyrics are solid, and musically it is classic - edgy soft rock at its best.

"Photographs" - I really love this song - will i am did his thing on this one. Rihanna uses a higher pitched sing-song voice that makes the song poppy - a welcome anecdote to the sad break-up nature of the lyrics. It makes me want to dance - and how often do nostalgic break-up songs do that?

"Te amo" is just lovely with it's Latin rhythm and Rihanna once again showcasing her beautiful accent. The subject matter is also very appropriate for the times we live in - with Rihanna gently spurning the affections of a woman who wants to be more than her friend. Very sensual yet sophisticated song.

"Cold Case Love" is very haunting and beautiful. The parallel between a murder investigation and a perilous relationship is a unique one. Talk of crime scene photographs allude to Rihanna's own disturbing photograph taken after she suffered domestic abuse. Good song.

Now for the bad - I am not a fan of gratuitous cursing or vulgarity, therefore G4L did not appeal to me at all. I could forgive the cursing in other songs, as I really like those songs a lot and did not find it overwhelming. However, artistically, I believe Rihanna deserved to express the aggressive/angry part of her, especially with all that has occurred in the past year. I mean, I did buy the explicit version after all - hence the five star rating in spite of...

In closing, "Rated R" is a smart album that has continuity and depth. I, for one, am glad that Rihanna kept it real regarding her artistic evolution, and did not try to reproduce the same album twice. I am also impressed that she did not appear to try to prove to everyone that she is "okay, peachy keen" - but allowed her pain to morph into real, honest, and delightful music. I look forward to what is to come from her over the next several years. She strikes me as genuine and strong as steel - a great combo for any musical artist.

Rihanna certainly returns to the R&B scene with an 'unexpected bang'. Rated R is by far Rihanna's edgiest album and her most distinct album of her four previous releases. Gone is the clean, tween fun of Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded [CD/DVD] which was nominated for multiple Grammy-awards, winning one for "Umbrella". 'Rated R' delves Rihanna into her most aggressive work yet, rebelling against her 'good-girl' image in favor of a darker, bad-girl image. Clearly a product of her environment, the listener quickly infers this new turn from Def Jam's golden girl is a result of her highly-publicized assault by R&B singer Chris Brown. One then must question was Brown's assault the true reason such an album by Rihanna materialized, or did Rihanna use that even simply as a springboard to evolve as an artist. My guess is it is a mixture and it is one that is both shocking though also brilliant. While I question Rihanna's adoption of the 'parental advisory' symbol given her 'tween' fans, when I purchased my copy of 'Rated R', there were plenty of [clean] versions, making me wonder if Def Jam were thinking the same was as I about the marketing of such an agressive album by a star purchased by so many youth. Conjecturing aside, 'Rated R' is as solid as 'Good Girl Gone Bad' if in a slightly edgier, darker, and more bewildering way.

The introductory track "Mad House" alerts the listener that this is like nothing else Rihanna has released. Gone are the tropical leanings that helped to build up Rihanna on her 2005 debut Music of the Sun or 2006's A Girl Like Me. Dark, brooding, almost frightening, "Mad House" serves as an appropriate lead in into 'Rated R.' The catchy, if dark-sounding "Wait Your Turn" is a fantastic opening track. "Wait Your Turn" finds Rihanna asserting that she's "such a f**king lady", something she or Def Jam would've never dreamed of including on her previous studio albums. The production work is exceptional and Rihanna vocally sounds the most commanding she's ever sounded. "Wait Your Turn" is certainly not "Umbrella", but it bodes well in Rihanna's favor and keeps the 'rated R' theme of the album at the forefront.

"Hard" featuring ubiquitous rapper Young Jeezy (who goes by just 'Jeezy' here) is produced by production team standout The-Dream (Terius Nash) and "Tricky" (Christopher Stewart). An excellent choice for a second single following the darker, more somber "Russian Roulette", this track serves as the first to showcase the more overtly 'bad-girl' Rihanna to fans who have yet to purchase the new album. Rihanna sounds good, even when she trash talks here ("That Rihanna Rain just won't let up".. "I'm gonna rock this s**t like fashion, etc.). Jeezy continues to evolve as a rapper with another solid collaboration here. Surprising and equally shocking, "Hard" is just another chapter in Rihanna's evolution... if that's what you want to call it.

"Stupid in Love" is dark in it's own way, favoring more somber production and 'colder' sounds (think 2006's "Unfaithful" or "Russian Roulette"). Well written, "Stupid In Love" finds Rihanna belting for perhaps the first time in her career, with the production placing her voices at the forefront as opposed to the background. She sounds fantastic here and perhaps among the most inspired of her career. "Stupid in Love" is as potent as anything else. The Slash featuring "Rockstar 101" is killer, finding Rihanna possessing the most swagger that I've heard her ever possess. With one liners like "Got My Middle finger up, I don't really give a f**k", one instantly sees that Rihanna has turned to the dark side - at least for 'Rated R'. "Rockstar 101" is easily a favorite.

"Russian Roulette" is quite a valedictory performance, perhaps one of the best of her entire career. Surprisingly written by the more adult-contemporary-leaning Ne-Yo, "Russian Roulette" is incredibly dark, without using the dark synths of "Wait Your Turn" or "Rockstar 101". There is something that is unquestionably creepy, edgy, and chilling about this Rihanna performance. It screams 'Grammy nomination next year'. "Fire Bomb" is edgy as everything else, pinning Rihanna against more rock-leaning production work. While it isn't my personal favorite, it is still a worthwhile performance by all means. "Rude Boy" proves to be another standout, with strong production work consisting of animated drums and synths, and a fine vocal performance from Rihanna.

"Photographs" featuring will.i.am provides slight relief from the edgier moments of this album, without taking away from the extravagant heights Rihanna takes to make her point. Enjoyable as everything else. "G4L" returns Rihanna back to spacey, dark, edgy production work. "G4L" is definitely one of the more disturbing tracks from 'Rated R' finding Rihanna once again lacing strings of profanities together with great facility (can you believe this is "S.O.S." Rihanna?). A standout, if shocking. "Te Amo", produced by Stargate given the slightly lighter sound, still doesn't shed the minor key quality that has predominated this album. Even if it slightly less satisfying than more overt numbers like "Rockstar 101", it is still above par by all means.

Penultimate track "Cold Case Love" opens up with a distant organ sound, with spare synth lines entering in. Rihanna sounds incredibly pained here, singing alone aside from the organ and the eventual addition of drums, piano, and strings. Beautiful, minimalist and unique in comparison to her past songs, "Cold Case Love" is exceptional by all means. The album closes with the strong "The Last Song", a more restrained number (initially).

Essentially, 'Rated R' is quite a capable album. I'd even go as far to say it is one of 2009's best releases. Even if some consider that an overstatement, it at least ties 'Good Girl Gone Bad' for Rihanna's best album. Vocally, this album shows quite a great bit of vocal maturation from the Barbados superstar. 4 stars, easily. I highly recommend 'Rated R'.

An artist's best work often derives from their personal experiences, providing an opportunity for them to channel their emotions into something constructive. It is unfortunate that the best albums tend to come out of a painful event. For Rihanna, the domestic violence incident brought about the creation of what is easily her best album to date, and one that she will be unlikely to ever top. Although she had toyed with darker styles on Good Girl Gone Bad, it wasn't until Rated R that this sound was fully explored. The album thus appears to be a natural progression from its predecessor, while also giving Rihanna room to air her feelings. It remains unclear whether this album would have come about had the incident not occurred, as several of the tracks appear to address it directly. Some have also questioned the authenticity of the songs, instead suggesting that the album was a mere attempt to capitalize on the drama of her case. However, Rihanna appears as a co-writer, albeit listed last, on more songs here than on any of her previous albums. What remains clear, no matter how this album came about, is that it is a powerful batch of songs and Rihanna has never sounded better.

The intro "Mad House" immediately establishes the darker tone of the album, with gothic instrumentation and a man's voice, welcoming listeners to the madhouse. Rihanna's vocalizations over the rest of the short track show hints of improvement since her earlier albums. Her voice has clearly improved, and appropriately so for the confidence that the tracks here require. "Wait Your Turn" is one such track which has Rihanna showing the first signs of her tough girl persona. While Rihanna's never really seemed shy, this track brings her attitude to the forefront and again showcases the improvements to her vocals. The bridge in particular is strong. This is an excellent way to start the album, although it is far from the best it has to offer. "Hard" takes the bravado even further, again emphasizing an assertive vocal delivery. Some have criticized this track for being an act; however the performance here comes across as genuine. The song seems to be about nothing more than asserting Rihanna's confidence. This may not be the strongest lyrical concept, yet somehow it works. The only real problem is Young Jeezy's rap, which is ultimately irrelevant as it neither helps nor hinders the track.

"Stupid In Love" is a personal favourite that tends to receive very mixed reviews from fans. This is the first track which could be addressing the Chris Brown incident, with Rihanna delivering one of the most vulnerable performances of her career. Fans tend to criticize the chorus for being weak or repetitive, however in the context of the song it fits well. The verses, on the other hand, are strong and seem very personal. As the first slower-paced track on the album, it is also the first true glimpse at just how much Rihanna's voice has improved. This is definitely an underrated gem. "Rockstar 101" unfortunately is one the weaker songs, which suffers from being placed between two of the best. In itself, it is not terrible but seems out of place with the rest of the album. The best explanation for its inclusion, aside from having a few more fun songs to balance out the emotional material, is that it contributes to Rihanna's confident, aggressive persona. "Russian Roulette" is again an underrated track that received very mixed responses as a lead single. This is easily the darkest song the album has to offer, but also the one which best showcases the improvements to Rihanna's voice. Many fans complained of the track being too depressing or too dark. This is by far the most passionate performance of Rihanna's career, making the song one of the strongest she's ever crafted (and also one of the best Ne-yo's ever written).

"Fire Bomb" is another album highlight, and a fan favourite. This is yet another track which showcases Rihanna's vocal improvements, with more flexibility and range than listeners have heard before. Unlike Rihanna's earlier material, this is a more rock-tinged track which again shows a little more versatility as an artist. Many fans fumed that this track was passed over as a single, only serving to demonstrate its popularity. "Rude Boy", on the other hand, was selected as a single and quickly became a hit. Like "Rockstar", this seems to be another track to lighten the mood a little in an otherwise very dark album. For many, this track seems to be a favourite because it is more reminiscent of Rihanna's earlier material. Despite being overplayed, this is quite a strong song that suffers mostly from being out of place amongst the rest of the tracks here. "Photographs" is another track that fans favoured as a missed opportunity for a single. It is not really the most memorable track, despite it being quite a solid offering in its own right. It is a rather nostalgic song about reminiscing about a past relationship where there is now nothing left but the photographs. Will.i.am provides a rather mediocre rap, although his background vocals do suit the track.

"G4L" is another track that has been criticized for being insincere, as Rihanna calls herself a "gangster for life". Regardless, Rihanna's voice sounds quite good here although there is very little else of interest with the song. The bridge is a rare moment in the track which actually does something to break the monotony, and definitely serves to improve it. "Te Amo" is a Latin-tinged offering in which another woman is in love Rihanna, and is hurt when she is rejected. Rihanna gets credit here for tackling subject matter which is virtually unexplored in mainstream music. She captures the mood of the track brilliantly. Some have criticized the track as boring, however the convincing delivery keeps it from being truly dull. "Cold Case Love" is another track which seems to more directly address the Chris Brown incident, and does so in a stunning way. This is a lengthy track, which builds from very subdued, bare-bones production and steadily climbs toward a dramatic ending. Rihanna again sounds more vulnerable, which once more demonstrates the improvements to her voice. It may be slightly too long, but just when it begins to sound monotonous, the bridge kicks in recapturing interest immediately. Finally, "The Last Song" ends the album quite strongly, although it also appears to be one of the less memorable tracks judging by fan comments. At the end of such a dark album, this track feels like an appropriate climax, particularly the bridge, bringing the entire set to an excellent close.

Overall Mark: 4/5

An album this powerful will be difficult for Rihanna to top with any of her future offerings. Given all the emotion behind this album, it is fitting that it contains Rihanna's best vocal and lyrical deliveries. As a co-writer, Rihanna contributed more to this album than on any of her previous work. The improvements to her voice are evident throughout, beginning immediately with the intro. Her voice has lost much of its nasal quality and instead sounds clear and strong. Like most artists, she shines best on the tracks that are most personal to her, although her aggressive persona is quite convincing as well. Unfortunately, this album also seems likely to be misunderstood by her fans, as some will find it too dark and depressing. Popularity aside, this album contains much of Rihanna's best material from her entire career thus far, although it is unlikely she will ever go this route again. An album that derives out of a very painful, very personal situation tends to be one of a kind in an artist's career. For Rihanna, this album is a career highlight that may never be surpassed.

I'm totally `Team Rihanna' and have been a fan of hers since her debut album. She has always delivered catchy pop music with an edge and cultural flare that has kept me entertained and kept her `current'. With recent happenings between her and that ex of hers (utter his name I shall not) her new album carries a much darker aura, and she fuses new and old influences to give us something different.

It works, in parts.

While genre bending all over every track, Rihanna suffers from untrained focus and actually serves up some stale (and sloppy) tracks amidst an interesting sea of intriguing and complex diversions. Songs like `Cold Case Love' and `Russian Roulette', while not perfect, are excellent examples of Rihanna thinking outside of the box and delivering something different and exciting. Songs like `Wait Your Turn' and `Fire Bomb', on the other hand, seem either overly textured, or simply too simple.

It's a little disappointing when the best track on this `departure' is actually the one that hits closest to Rihanna's comfort zone (`Hard').

I'll get my disappointment out of the way first.

My least favorite tracks on this album are unquestionably `Wait Your Turn' and `Te Amo'. I'll start with `Wait Your Turn', the albums opener. The verse structure and vocal styling used here is excellent, but the chorus is so bland and uneventful that I quickly grow tired of that track as a whole. I have no problem with Rihanna throwing around four-letter words, so that isn't an issue. Seriously though, she sounds almost bored delivering the chorus (and that whole "it's just the way the game is played" part is off-putting and awkward. That said, the way she sings the second verse in particular is stellar. `Te Amo' is just plain bad. It feels cheap. She tries to insert Latin influence, but it's beyond bland. Even the Spanish guitar work seems standard and nothing special or exciting.

There is some good to be found in `Fire Bomb', `Photographs' and `The Last Song', but these tracks fall flat in areas as well. `Fire Bomb' has a nice idea to it, and I like the alternative rock feel to it, but she fails to elevate it in the chorus, delivering another seemingly lazy vocal. `Photographs' has a great structure and a great lyrical message and it has Will.i.am, so it should be awesome, but the use of auto-tune is disgusting and it gives the song an awful Kanye West feel that just is SO WRONG. `The Last Song' is a good song, but sadly that's really all there is to say about it. It's nice, but it isn't special. It's forgettable, but when listening to it you will easily enjoy it.

`Rockstar 101' does seem to try too hard, but it's well constructed and fun to listen to. This is the edgy, dark and pained Rihanna, and this song kind of nails that. She's aggressive and in your face, and Slash helps out in making that statement for her. The lyrical content is a little, 101, but it's forgivable. Speaking of `trying too hard', `G4L' is one of those songs that is oddly entertaining. Listening to Rihanna spit about being all gangsta' and killing people and stuff is a little strange, but she actually comes off convincing, sort of.

`Russian Roulette' has grown on me. I didn't like it at all when I first heard it, but I think that may have to do with the fact that I first heard it when the video was premiered, and the video was so consuming it took away from the song for me. Listening to it separated from the video it starts to make a deeper impact. Her vocals are forced in areas, but it works with the flow and direction of the album and shows promise in Rihanna's decision to switch things up. `Cold Case Love' is far too long, but it is probably the most stunning of all the songs when placed in context. When you consider what she was trying to do with this album, this song instantly captures that with unflinching realism and emotional honesty. Sure, it doesn't work on all fronts (that whole "I needed a witness" part is kind of...corny) but it does more than a lot of the other tracks can lay claim to.

For me, the best tracks here are easily `Hard' and `Stupid in Love'. `Hard' is just that, a hard hitting hip-hop influenced track that identifies Rihanna's new `edge' but allows her to slink around in her comfort zone, lacing up the track with her ethnic vocals and booming club beats. `Stupid in Love' is the stark opposite, tender and fragile and effortlessly moving. Rihanna sounds impeccable here, and that adds to the strength of this beautifully haunting track.

And then there is the tacky awesomeness of `Rude Boy' (Beany, I didn't know Rihanna wrote a song about me!). Straight out of the islands, this jam recalls Rihanna's first album yet with the mature (well, more adult themed) lyrical content that comes with age in this industry. It's shameless, but it's a whole lot of fun.

In the end this is a work in progress. I commend Rihanna for trying something so far out of the norm for her, but she still has some more bugs to work out in order to make this work for her.