Panthera's 'Unapologetic' Review

1.
Phresh Out the Runway
A track that showcases Rihanna in a way we've never seen or heard her before. I guess the closest you can compare it to is her remixed version of Birthday Cake, but she has never served a rap like this before. Spitting these verses over a FIERY URBAN David Guetta track makes for quite a fusion; and it works. Serving Azealia tea over a futuristic Hoodrat beat.
8/10

2.
Diamonds
Flawless already. Though I admit apart from Stay and Love With Tragedy, it doesn't really fit in with the rest of the album. You can tell it was a last minute addition.
9/10

3.
Numb
This snippet is interesting; I have a feeling we haven't even heard the major parts of the song and people have been judging it prematurely. The Trap sound its serving is something Top 40 has yet to hear, and I can't wait for Rihanna to enlighten them. It takes me back to Ancient Egypt in parts, then skyrockets me to the year 2200. Something new and incredibly daring. Eminem will surely only improve it.
9/10

4.
Pour It Up
A combination of Hard and Bandz a make her Dance. The production is perhaps higher then any other Urban track she's done. It's an interesting track and I can see where most of ATRL will hate it. Most of Rihanna's Urban songs still cater to pop; Hard, Birthday Cake, Cockiness etc. But Pour It Up just embraces its roots and Rihanna goes hardcore ratchet Badbitch on it. No pop to be heard. Yet its one of the best Urban tracks a woman has put it out in the past few years.
8/10

5.
Loveeeeeeee Song
One of my least favorites on the album, yet I can still see myself bopping to it. Rihanna's verses remind me of a fusion of Skin + WMN, yet it doesn't have the star quality either of those tracks do. I still have no idea why Future is on the album, he offers absolute nothing to the album, except maybe a Burn Victim's impression of T-Payne. He ruins the track for me, which is sad because it had potential to be a decent Single.
5/10

6.
Jump
Rihanna offers what may be her biggest song in 7 years. The first part of the snippet is serving laid back R&B teas straight from the 90's. Urban fans will most likely love the "Pony" sample. That is until the MASSIVE skrillex-esque Dubstep breakdown ***** right on their hopes and dreams. I've never heard a track like this before. It mixes such polar opposites, that it really makes the track that much better. Easily one of the best on the album.
9/10

7.
Right Now
Easily my favorite track on the album. Not just because of the fact that David Guetta and Nicky Romero produced it, but for the fact that it standouts from the rest of the tracks. Rihanna is known for her dance tracks, especially the evolution she's shown with them throughout the years. After going from Don't Stop The Music to Only Girl to We Found Love, its hard to create a track that showcases something new. But Right Now does just that. It'll have people thinking she's in Dubstep overload, but in fact she'll be serving them extreme EDM. Will me huge when released.
10/10

8.
What Now
Rihanna serves her best vocals on the Eighth track, which can be compared to fellow Power song, Complicated. Yet after belting out the title of the track, Rihanna takes you into her own little fairy tale and pours out her soul to you. She goes from loud and mournful to soft and innocent in a matter of seconds. It's something she's done before, yet it takes it to a new level. We've never heard Rihanna sound quite so quiet and innocent before, yet strong and confident.
9/10

9.
Stay
I had high expectations for this track, with all the hype surrounding Mikky Ekko. It is one of her best ballads out of the past few albums, yet it doesn't offer anything new or different. I do like the combination of Rihanna and Mikky's voices, (I wasn't expecting him to sing, which was a nice surprise). Its beautiful for what it is, a sad Piano Ballad, but past that it's nothing to awfully special.
7/10

10.
Nobody's Business
I had already made my mind up about this track before I heard it, since I found out Chris Brown was on it. I thought Rihanna was just pushing the limit again, trying to gain controversy just like the remixes earlier this year. Yet when I heard the track, my mind immediately changed. They take you back to the Era of Michael Jackson, while serving up something we haven't heard from either before. Perhaps the best part about the track is the fact that its not sexual, its just two artists creating an amazing song. Perfect choice for a future single.
9/10

11.
Love Without Tragedy/Mother Mary
I cried when I heard this. Easily the 2nd best track on the album apart from Right Now, although it definitely is a close battle. Rihanna takes us back to the 80's Era of Guitar ballads, and combines it with her mournful vocals. The best part of the song is the lyrics; unlike past tracks, Rihanna actually sounds like she's telling us a story and painting a picture for the listener. She's telling us her own story, in a whole new way.
10/10

12.
Get It Over With
Rihanna recorded this when she was cruising in Port Au Prince and drinking with her friends. Its the perfect laid back track to just chill and connect with, the euphoric feel of the soft production and her vocals really make you just feel relaxed. It may not compare to most of the other tracks on Unapologetic, but Get It Over With is just Rihanna stripped down and singing. Without her vocals the track would be nothing.
7/10

13.
No Love Allowed
I'm the first to admit I'm not a huge fan of reggae, but I've always loved what Rihanna offers. NLA is the son of Man Down that was recorded with HUGE inspiration from Rihanna's idol Bob Marly. It's nothing modern or anything that's being played on the radios today, yet its the perfect Reggae song for Rihanna.
8/10

14.
Lost In Paradise
One of the most surprising tracks on the album, Lost In Paradise was quite a surprise. By the title I expected a deep Ballad of some sorts, but what I received was a Dubstep/Rock song with heart-wrenching vocals. The fusion of genres once again is what makes this song so perfect, no one else could have brought such a track together. Definitely one of my favorites out of the last 4 albums.
10/10

15.
Half Of Me
The Perfect song for Robyn Fenty; not Rihanna. The track written by Emili Sande is catered directly to her, and is about showing the other half of the person you see on the TV. She belts out the idea of what most people think of her, and tells them that's not even the half of it. While it may not be anything incredibly new, it is a Ballad with elements of Dubstep, and I can't help but feel as if it'll become one of the fan favorites from the album.
8/10

Overall its my favorite Rihanna album yet, and takes you on quite a journey. From futuristic rap, to Dubstep R&B to straight out EDM Rave music to Heart Wrenching 80's guitar and then back to Rihanna's Reggae Roots; Unapologetic is her most daring album yet.

And it pays off.