Album Review: Rihanna- Loud

Track Listing:

1. "S&M" - 4.04
2. "What's My Name" feat. Drake - 4.23
3. "Cheers (Drink To That)" - 4.22
4. "Fading" - 3:20
5. "Only Girl In The World" - 3:55
6. "California King Bed" - 4:12
7. "Man Down" - 4:27
8. "Raining Men" feat. Nicki Minaj - 3:45
9. "Complicated" - 4.18
10. "Skin" - 5:04
11. "Love The Way You Lie" feat. Eminem - 4:56

Oh Naaa Naaa Whats my name!?

The album is crazy good right? At first when I heard Rihanna was releasing another album I was a little hesitate...apathetic. Cause I mean she just released Rated R November 20th, 2009. Im like dang girl can you give us a break, you starting to act like Beyonce. HOWEVER! I must say after I heard the first single, Only Girl in the World i was persuaded to see what Ri Ri was doing. I mean Rated R was cool but a little toooo dark for me.

Loud is overflowing with potential singles, and frankly brilliant pop music, “Only Girl (In The World)” is quite simply mammoth. Had this track dropped in August Rihanna would have become the queen of Ibiza. Elsewhere Rihanna steps away from the dance floor for the silky sex rhymes of “What’s My Name”; where Drake is reduced to a brief forgettable cameo next to Rihanna’s carefully judged combination of subdued hooks and heartfelt verses.

While a consistently high across is maintained throughout Loud there are some noticeable missteps. “California King Bed” is a tired an unnecessary ballad. It feels instantly dated with it’s muted guitar acoustic guitar backing and it’s quiet-loud dynamic. It’s the kind of track that artists like Rihanna, Beyonce and even Britney seem to have placed arbitrarily on all of their LPs. At its best it’s generic, at its worst it’s tiresome and overwrought. It’s the kind of track that Gaga would never write; "California King Bed" limp, predictable and cliché ridden, the kind of track the best pop records avoid. “Complicated” is less offensive, but sees Rihanna playing the role of Matt Bellamy with long straining vocals, it’s certainly engaging, but it cannot escape from a distinct feeling of mediocrity.

Again Rihanna fails to top the Billboard 200 with a #1 album. This is her biggest opening week to date in her whole career.Loud hit the charts at #3

I give this album ★★★★☆