Loud is on the same level as Michael Jackson‘s “Thriller”! It’s the next step in the evolution of Rihanna, packed with tracks that are sassy, fun, flirty and energetic! Rest assured, this isn’t a generic pop record that Ke$ha, Lady Gaga or Katy Perry could do! Every song on the album was tailor-made for Rihanna, as if she were literally the “Only Girl (In The World)” who could perform them!
Aside from a bit of paraphrasing, that’s an accurate representation of the pre-release hype for Rihanna’s Loud, including several quotes from the artist herself. Does the final product deliver on any of these promises? Absolutely not. But does that necessarily mean it’s a bad album? Nope, it’s far from it.
The set opens with alleged third single “S&M”, a raucous club track which proudly proclaims “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but chains and whips excite me”. Somehow, it’s the sequel to both “Disturbia” and “Only Girl”, exploring a darker theme with a balls-to-the-wall Euro sound. Perhaps one could even call it a balls-chained-to-the-wall sound?
Things get stranger on the album’s third track “Cheers (Drink To That)”. The song interpolates a sample of Avril Lavigne‘s hit single “I’m With You” for a carefree, drunken anthem for the weekend. The lyrics are packed with references to Coyote Ugly, Jameson Irish whiskey and Ray Ban shades. Here’s hoping the last two brands paid for the mention…
Of all the things we were promised on Loud, the biggest offense lies in the title alone. It suggests an adrenaline-packed dancefloor energy, from start to finish. Instead, we get a handful of mid-tempo tracks like “Fading”, “California King Bed”, “Complicated” and “Skin”. While they’re all decent in their own right, they wind up dragging the project down as a whole. Sure, there’s something to be said for Loud, but we’re still left wishing that Rihanna would turn up the volume.
– Dewitt
To listen to select songs from this album, follow the JUMP:
ONLY GIRL (IN THE WORLD):
WHAT’S MY NAME?:
S&M:
LOVE THE WAY YOU LIE (PART II):
Ugh! Seriously wish Rihanna would go away…
The Pretty Reckless do a much better version of “Love The Way You Lie”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvAGqQecMUM
No thank you. Rihanna is way overrated in my opinion. She can’t sell a song without a famous person doing a duet on it. Just my opinion though.
Highly disappointed by this new album. I thought Only Girl will take her back to the Good Girl Gone Bad type of music she made, but all those ballads just make the record boring. I still believe some of these tracks can be redeemed by remixes.
sucks
in other words…repetative and shit!
S&M sounds EXACTLY like Sexy Chick Akon and Davind Guetta – not good.
If you think Lady Gaga produces generic pop records, then I’m not sure what you’ve been listening to. I guess you are entitled to your opinion, but your inability to recognize Lady Gaga’s artistry negates anything else you may have to say. In fact, that’s where I stopped reading as I realized that you have no clue what you are talking about.
i really liked S&M from the second i heard it – its just meaningless pop but its good fun. whoever said it was like “sexy bitch” up there – i agree, the sound is similar but it really needs to be acknowledged that DJs have been making these sounds for years before guetta busted it into the mainstream.
“love the way you lie part 2” is nice because, to me, it’s how the song should be (told from the victim’s point of view, not the abuser’s). it could do with a travis barker remix though!
Rihanna is like Deborah Cox, her songs are nice enough as they are, but are a lot better when remixed
This particular album is garbage…but you wouldn’t know a good piece of music if it bit you on the ass Dewitt. =)
The album is hot. It has a mix of top 40, dance, hip hop, reggae, and pop; something for everybody, if you like that sort of thing. Kudos to Riri and the Def Jam marketing team. I’ve been blasting it all day.
Plus what’s with her new hair? She looks like one of the Black Irish Lesbians… rare but they exist.
I like Only Girl and I heard an up tempo version of S&M that I LOVE much more than the slow version on the album. Here it is.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoomLpcYrmo
I LOVE RIHANNA but i do wish she choose some other tracks for the album. Fav tracks: Cheers(one of her best songs ever), Whats my name, Only Girl in the World, California King Bed, Complicated, Skin, Love the way you Lie part 2.
Cheers is a good song. Not much else tho. But I just simply don’t like her music. What’s My Name is growing on me, Only Girl is just okay, but I still don’t get why they both went to No. 1. Keep in mind the album has only 10 tracks + 1 bonus/remix. Out of those 10, like half are ballads and only 2 are dance/club singles. They can squeeze about 4 hits from this album, 2 of which have already been released. She should’ve tried harder. At least Ke$ha’s Cannibal is about a thousand times more hit-worthy. It’ll probably sell better too. The strangest part? Ke$ha’s Cannibal is actually better than this.
ha! you clearly didn’t even listen to the whole album. “complicated” is “mid tempo”?? no, sir. if you actually listened all the way through you’d know it’s a club thumper.