
RIHANNA : GOOD GIRL GONE REALLY GOOD, ACTUALLY
OK. I have to do this album review because I'm just so damn satisfied with Rihanna at the moment. Apart from looking scrumptious with her jet black bob hairdo (Naomi take note!), Rihanna has quite effectively made a bumper of a record. Of cos, I don't have to mention the hum-in-your-sleep single, UMBRELLA-ELLA-ELLA-EH-EH cos that has already went to No.1 in most countries in the planet as we speak. The tracks following that in the album are bound to be massive. The new single, Shut Up and Drive is well, highway cruise-tastic! She ain't talking about her car here, if you know what I mean. Can't wait for the raunchy video! And if you think that Rihanna is all R&B and Hip-Hop, think again. Most of her songs in this album are a mixture of funk, pop and rock. Thanks heaploads to her producers, Stargate, Rogers & Sturken, C. 'Tricky' Stewart, Ne-Yo and Timbaland. While the Timbaland tracks are A-OK, check out the Stargate-produced Don't Stop The Music. This funky toe-tapper of a monster track samples Michael Jackson's 'Wanna Be Startin' Somethin''s mamasey-mamasa-mamakoosa tribal chant and bits of Jackson's wailing 'Hee Hee'. I'm listening to this as we speak and I'm completely taken over, ie. I'm swaying and bouncing like a mad barking tree! This album has quite a few samples going on. Apart from Mr. Jackson, Lionel Ritchie's Running With The Night is sampled on Push Up On Me and New Order's Blue Monday is used for Shut Up and Drive. Another track that blew me away is Breaking Dishes. What an original title! It's Rihanna being pissed off with her man and breaking dishes and won't stop til she sees the police lights! Oo-er. Do not mess with this missy when she is having a hissy. So if you like thumping beats, here's your album. But if you like your Rihanna when she's Unfaithful, you'll be happy with 'Cry' - a tender ballad not unlike her last hit, but then it's only available as a bonus track in the UK and Japan. Nevermind that because Question Existing, her mental note on her existence in life (heavy, eh?) will knock your ballad socks off.. Miss Beyonce Knowles. Get packing cos your time is up.
I'm giving this fab album 5 stars out of 5. Check out the limited edition album that comes with remixes of tracks from the album + SOS (Digital Dog Remix) thrown in for good measure! She rocks!! Yay!