RS: Anti is not a masterpiece + failed to match Lemonade
Quote:
It's tempting to reduce the first half of 2016 to one album. Nothing else targeted the sweet spot between radio-friendly urban pop and pointed statements on race, sex and politics quite like Beyoncé's Lemonade, a whirlwind of romantic tumult and feminist pride. But Rihanna's Anti certainly tried, at least when it comes to ambition. Anti won quite a few fans with a mishmash of woozy alt-R&B tropes, arena power ballads, Motown-styled backbeats and, most enigmatically, a note-for-note cover of Tame Impala's "New Person, Same Ol' Mistakes." Her sonic shifts don't quite add up into the masterpiece she's aiming for, but she maintains a terrifically magnetic presence throughout.
$24M+ was invested into the era, it's obvious that they expected more.
However, considering the rough start, Rihanna really turned this round and I think it has actually helped her brand. Even though the album sales aren't stellar, this era has had more people listening to the album rather than just the singles.
Eh, Anti was not trying to be anything it wasn't. Where on the album does Rih address issues related to race/politics? The album is purely about sex/love/identity.
Ridiculous & intellectually dishonest; Rolling Stone is becoming so tragic
