Here's a link to the album on Grooveshark in case you can't find anywhere else to listen to it.
For me, this was the most anticipated album of the year, except for maybe Born This Way, and it finally came out today, so I just had to review it. Rihanna has slowly crept her way to the top of my favorite artists, and she also grabbed the top spot in my Pop Music Fantasy Draft this summer, so clearly this was not an album to be missed.
The question is, though, how does Talk That Talk stack up against her previous two releases, Rated R and Loud? It would have to be mighty good to reach those two, since they're some of my favorite albums of the last five years. In short, I'd say this one comes very close to being as good as those two, but it suffers from its lack of a true knockout "pantheon" song, like "Rude Boy" or "Only Girl." But it may produce a couple candidates, so let's break it down song by song:
"You Da One": Already reviewed this one. The short version: the verses got me excited that it could be a truly catchy standout, but the chorus is weak and doesn't deliver on the buildup given to it by the verses. Overall: 7/10
"Where Have You Been": Starts off by ripping off that song from the hotel commercial.* Builds up nicely, to the point where I'm expecting an epic beat drop. Then it delivers a sparse, totally out-there instrumental. It's seems out-of-place, but it kept me tapping my toe, so I can't knock it too hard. But again, this song sets everything up nicely then disappoints at the big moment. Overall: 7.5/10
"We Found Love": Not only have I already reviewed this one, but it's gone to #1 on the Billboard charts. Pretty much an established commodity by now. But it bears repeating that this is one of the best songs on the album, and it's grown on me quite a bit since its release. Calvin Harris knows what he's doing in the studio. Overall: 8.5/10
"Talk That Talk (feat. Jay-Z)": The title track, and one of Rihanna's only "urban" songs on the album, this midtempo jam features everyone's favorite rap mogul. He delivers a somewhat uninspiring verse, but then Rihanna takes over for the rest of the song, and it really gets going. This is probably the best song on the album, and thus the best bet to join her Greatest Hits. Overall: 9/10
"Cockiness": This is a truly pathetic gimmick song. At least Katy Perry's "Peacock" was catchy. This is just dumb. It's only 2:58, but trust me, you do not need to listen to the whole song to get a good feel for it. Skip this one. Overall: 4/10
"Birthday Cake": This one's only 1:18...so I'm not really sure what its point is. I would intentionally NOT buy the whole album, just so I could avoid songs like this one. Maybe if it was a full-length song, or even a skit or an interlude, I'd understand its inclusion a little more, but as it is, it makes no sense. It cuts out after only 78 seconds! What's going on here? Is this a glitch? Whatever. Skip it. Overall: 2.5/10
"We All Want Love": And with that, the album takes an abrupt turn toward emotional ballads. I guess nobody buys whole albums anymore, because this maneuver has just zero flow. Anyway, this song is sort of forgettable, but it's definitely more positive than negative. It'll never be a single, but it's a solid album track. Overall: 6.5/10
"Drunk On Love": Three songs with "Love" as the last word in the title? Probably just a strange coincidence, but worth mentioning nonetheless. This song samples the beat from "Intro" by The XX, who are some hipster band your weird friend is probably always raving about. Surprisingly, though, the beat is one of the most quintessential Rihanna beats on the album. It sounds a lot like "Te Amo" in my opinion, which is a very good thing. This is a solid song, but it's not one of the best on the album. Overall: 7/10
"Roc Me Out": Aaand here's the "Rude Boy" sound-alike. And it's pretty damn successful. Big-time mid-tempo jam right here. I definitely recommend picking this one up. Really no complaints about this one; I hope it gets released as a single at some point. Overall: 9/10
"Watch n' Learn": "Just because I can't kiss back, doesn't mean you can't kiss that..." Geez, Rihanna, you're making me blush! Seriously, that's a hell of a line to drop into the bridge of a song. Sadly, it's the most memorable part of this track. Which isn't to say it's a bad song, but it's not one of my favorites. Certainly not gonna disabuse anyone of the notion that Rihanna likes to get freaky, though...like, a lot. Overall: 6/5/10
"Farewell": This is a real slow, thoughtful ballad about a friend/lover leaving forever. It would be a great song if it was sung by, say, Avril Lavigne, but it sounds a little weird coming from dedicated sexpot Rihanna, especially on the heels of the how-to guide "Watch n' Learn." Her quality vocals save the song from obscurity, though. Overall: 7/10
"Red Lipstick": This is 2011, so every major pop album must have its obligatory dubstep-flavored electro jam. This is appears to be an ode to some sort of drug-fueled backroom VIP chill sesh/sex romp, complete with, I guess, red lipstick. Obviously, Rihanna's got pretty much the highest production value of anyone out there, so this sounds pretty awesome. But it's certainly not earth-shattering. It does a great job of setting a mood, though. Probably a great night-time driving song. Overall: 8/10.
"Do Ya Thang": And just like that, we jump back to upbeat mid-tempo pop songs. This is a completely forgettable song, unfortunately. But it's Rihanna, so at least it's a good forgettable song. Overall: 5.5/10
"Fool In Love": I don't know if people doubt Rihanna as a vocalist, or if she just never gets mentioned as a heavy hitter in that category. Well, judging from this song, it seems like she's desperate to be considered a real singer. And, in my opinion, she knocks it out of the park. I love her voice on this track. I actually just love this track in general. It's a bit slow, but it's definitely memorable, and much more personal than most of the others on the album, as she addresses her parents and asks if they're ashamed of who she's become. I always thought Rihanna had her lyrics written for her, but here, maybe she's finally getting some creative control. If so, she should be given more! Overall: 9/10
Well, there you have it. Talk That Talk. Some filler, some crap, but a few definite standouts. Not unlike her last few albums, really. My guess is it delivers three or four solid singles (you can probably guess which ones I want them to be), and hopefully it goes platinum. If you're not going to buy the whole album, here are the tracks I recommend: "Where Have You Been," "We Found Love," "Talk That Talk," "Roc Me Out," and "Fool In Love." Those are the only ones I bought, actually.
And the album as a whole: 7.5/10. As I said, just a shade below Loud and Rated R, but still a pretty great album start to finish.
*Which, upon further review, is revealed to be "I've Been Everywhere" by Johnny Cash. Probably should have known that...
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