Rihanna – Rated R
ALBUM REVIEW: Rihanna – Rated R
words: Jamie Milton — originally scribed for MusicOMH
The buzz around decade-defining hit Umbrella has petered out and it’s due time that post-assault, a hardened Rihanna comes out fighting in dominatrix attire and an added aura of vulnerability. Hundreds of producers and songwriters (most notably Chase and Status) have worked with the Barbados-born superstar to make her most adult work to date in ‘Rated R’.
There has been a drastic progression from lollipop-licking pop princess to a damaged good in the image and sound of Rihanna. A Def Jam release, ‘Rated R’ always has the intention of being a provocative work of pop, disguising its accessibility in sharp guitar licks and plentiful use of expletives. It’s fuelled by controversy and kiss-and-tell and it thrives in it’s position as an album that was always going to be interesting and talked-about after the Chris Brown scandal.
And in that was an opportunity for Rihanna to come out fighting with real venom, a “get back up again” determination – ‘Rated R’ could have been all dark corners and in-your-face temper. Then, we might have had a classic on our hands. But instead this is an album that opts to cater for the variety of fans that flock to this artist in support of her talent and her troubles. It’s a diverse work and this so happens to be the biggest set-back.
There’s also a dubious inclusion of Guns ‘n Roses guitarist Slash in Rockstar 101 which adds bulk to the odd choice of putting guitar self-indulgence at the very heart of the record. But where this record really stumbles is in its dithering indecision – a lack of cohesive direction. From squeaky, regret-ridden ballads Stupid In Love and contrastingly doom-laden Russian Roulette, we move onto the monotonous, beat heavy Rockstar 101 and Fire Bomb. And when a decent vibe is mustered up by dance grooves in Rude Boy, the pace is then instantly set back to default with acoustic slow-burner Photographs in which Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am takes centre stage.
Obviously the advantage of moving from something as dark as G4L onto the immaculately innofensive latino number Te Amo is that it gives Rihanna a healthy position when it comes to releasing singles. And there’s many a potential hit in this album; Rude Boy in particular, a song that borrows Cut Copy dance jolts and adds them onto an infectious shout-out-loud chorus. Wherever the tide of public opinion turns over the next 12 months, it’s likely that ‘Rated R’ will be able to unleash a suitable single accordingly.
Whilst the context surrounding this much-awaited album is dealt with in the gloomy outlook amidst the look and feel of the majority of what’s here, the ultimate damage that came to this woman isn’t used to give this record a handicap. Yes, it’s more than touched upon over the course of ‘Rated R’ but not to the point in which Rihanna demands the sympathy vote. It’s an album that can stand on it’s own two feet and makes a point of showing so – it’s more defiant than defeated.
‘Rated R’ feels like that push of upper body strength to lift Rihanna up from the ground and back into the realms of where she belongs. Quite significantly, it even manages to at times allow a celebrated artist back into prime position with exemplary displays of catchy pop. Nevertheless, you can’t help but feel that this is an artist still growing and maturing in opposition to a frightening event that could have forced a star into wanting out of the public eye.
MFM @ HYPEM
