Rihanna’s gone and done it again, embracing our ears with her 7th studio album ‘Unapologetic’. Having listened to a fair few times, I can definitely say it is her most urban album to date. If you’re looking for the pop hits of ‘We Found Love’ and ‘Only Girl in the World’, then this probably isn’t for you. Let’s get started…
1. Fresh Off The Runway
The Bajan diva opens with this sorta underground-dirty beat, proving Miss RiRi is a little bit of a rapper. This is the sorta song that will have you and your friends doing a catwalk in the club.
Stand out lyrics:
Some more raw fun, I’m rolling like rock stars
I got 50 month of f*ckers in my watch with my bentz down.
2. Diamonds
I don’t really need to say anymore about this track since we’ve all heard it. This is probably the stand out song on the album to me, but I don’t think it fits somehow in tone with the other songs?
Stand out lyrics:
You’re a shooting star I see
A vision of ecstasy
When you hold me, I’m alive
We’re like diamonds in the sky
3. Numb featuring Eminem
I don’t know if you could really call this a collaboration, Eminem is barely in it for more than 20 seconds, I guess he owed Rihanna a favour from ‘The Love Way You Lie’ days. I actually love this song after a good few listens!
Stand out lyrics:
Ecstasy in the air
I don’t care
Can’t tell me nothing
I’m impaired
The worst to wear
4. Pour It Up
Rihanna has been spending an awful lot of time in strip clubs lately? Evidently she has made a song detailing her experience…
Stand out lyrics:
Patron shots, can I get a refill
I still got my money
Strippers going up and down that pole
And I still got my money
5. Loveeeeeee Song
Don’t really know what to say about this song, it’s one of those album R&B tracks that should have beeeeeeeeen cut…
6. Jump
Sampling Ginuwine’s ‘Pony’, a bit of dub step, and some sexy lyrics, this will have fans going wild on her Diamond’s World Tour next year.
7. Right Now (Produced by David Guetta)
If this album had the equivalent of ‘We Found Love’, this would probably be it, David Guetta really knows how to churn out his pop hits. I do like this song, but I feel like I’ve heard it a million times this year, with lyrics like ‘We young right now”, seems like another YOLO movement…
8. What Now
I like the beat and direction this song is going in, after a few more listens, I’m sure I’ll be hooked.
9. Stay featuring Mikky Ekko
Other than ‘Diamonds’, this is probably my favourite song on the album, there’s something beautiful about a voice laid bare with only a piano to accompany it.
10. Nobody’s Business featuring Chris Brown
Rihanna and Chris Brown’s relationship will always be under great scrutiny, but no one can deny they make great music together. This has a real old school disco feel to it, think late 80s/90s Prince, I can predict this being a very big hit!
11. Love Without Tragedy / Mother Mary
At first, the lyrics reminded me a little of Miss Lana Del Rey song, “Red lipstick, rose petals”, with a reggae beat. It seems like Rihanna and her producers spent a lot more time on songwriting this time round, whereas Talk that Talk was more dance hit after hit.
12. Get It Over With
Another slow R&B song…?
13. No Love Allowed
Finally some reggae, Rihanna has gone back to her Caribbean roots and storytelling. ‘No Love Allowed’ is definitely this album’s ‘Man Down’.
14. Lost In Paradise
Haven’t really listened to this much, but I can tell you there’s a lot of dub step! Finally!
Overall, I do like the fact that Rihanna hasn’t done that typical ‘pop’ album, this album stands out from it’s predecessor ‘Talk that Talk’, focusing more on lyrics. After a few more listens, I’m sure I’ll get used to it, but for now, I’ll give it 3 out of 5.
Char xo
Please note: The images used in this post have been sourced in Google images and do not belong to me. They are just to reference the content in this post.
adiek84 says
Reblogged this on Adiek84's Blog and commented:
I wanted to do my own review, but I mostly agree with Bright like a Diamond’s one. The album is definitely more interesting and experimental than “Talk that Talk” which is a positive thing, because I really got tired of Rihanna’s last album after only a few weeks. I can’t agree with the rating yet, because I haven’t listened to the record that much, but so far outstanding for me (after 2 listens) are “Jump”, “Diamonds”, “What now”.
adiek84 says
I agree. The albums come out too fast. It’s not a surprise though when you consider that she isn’t really involved in the creation of the songs. While she’s out touring, producers and songwriters are getting the album ready so that she just records the tracks. That definitely saves some time.