Released less than a year after Rated R (which debuted at No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard 200 Charts and is her third consecutive platinum album), Rihanna dropped her latest collection of songs, Loud.
The album gives Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream a run for its money with its sex-driven, pulsating dance beats, starting right off the bat with “S&M.” In fact, I don’t really keep up with the gossip-end of things so I’m not sure if Rihanna is still dating Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp, but “Skin” is enough to give any gal fantasies about the rugged baseball player!
Huge club beats surround Loud, living up to its name and it is typical Rihanna … But therein lies the problem. Though the songs are definitely dance-tastic and bring out the slut in everyone when they meander to the dance floor, the album is “okay” at best, not really showing any growth from the pop-tartlet. I guess that’s what happens when you only wait a year.
At its worst, we have “California King Bed,” an acoustic break from dance beats that turns into a rock song about a distance. Buy a smaller bed? Another disappointment is “Love the Way You Lie (Part II),” a continuation on Eminem’s single featuring Rihanna, “Love the Way You Lie.” This version consists of only Rihanna at first but Eminem comes in and angry’s it all up again. Do we really need these two versions? It was perfectly tolerable with Rihanna by herself.
This new release just proves how pop-dance music has taken over the radio to allow people to have dance parties in their cars during their morning commutes. Full of huge beats and reggae influences (has her accent sounded this strong any other time?), Loud is a mediocre addition to Rihanna’s catalog but hey, at least it’ll get you to dance!
Buy the album at our record store on Amazon
Were you into this page? Check out some more from EnterTheShell.com:
- Album Review – Teenage Dream by Katy Perry
- Covers Revue – The Bird and the Bee covers Rihanna
- Album Review – Recovery by Eminem
- Editorial – Chris Brown: Man Up Please!
- Album Review – The Blueprint 3 by Jay-Z
I couldn’t agree more with you! And it doesn’t help that she’s also trying to be a Gaga with the weird outfits and that obnoxious red mop on her head!