Six albums in as many years is impressive by anyone’s standards - but how does Rihanna's seventh effort hold up?
Like Hurricane Sandy and Honey Boo Boo, Brand Rihanna is unstoppable.
With daily updates on the state of her hair (do we like the bob?), her deeply troubling relationship with both Chris Brown (why?) and her tattoo artist (why?), we are obsessed. But as our interest in her grows, the quality of her albums has been slowly shrinking.
Six albums in as many years is impressive by anyone’s standards, but her last, 2011’s Talk That Talk, was erratic and uneven. Back then, she sounded a bit bored, as if she’d rather be at home curled up on the sofa watching a box set of Downton Abbey and leafing through Chat magazine. So how does album number seven hold up?
Well, in the spirit of 2010’s Loud, she’s gone for the everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach.
Stately mid-tempo single Diamonds aside, the first half of Unapologetic finds Rihanna mining the winning, morning-after-the-night-before formula of her former musical partner Drake.
The ridiculously voweled Loveeeeeee Song even features co-vocalist Future evoking Drizzy’s regretful tone, while the excellent Chase & Status co-production Jump picks up the noirish Dubstep baton of last year’s Red Lipstick.
If this run of tracks has a darkly hued brilliance to it, the second half of the album finds Ri-Ri flipping through more styles than Lady Gaga at a sample sale. There’s Reggaeton (No Love Allowed), 8-bit synth (Get It Over With) and the inevitable David Guetta-assisted banger (Right Now), all executed with varying degrees of success. Tellingly she sounds most alive on the Chris Brown duet Nobody’s Business.
Taken as a whole, Unapologetic is a mixed bag. With a distinct lack of classic songs – there’s no We Found Love, let alone an Umbrella – she’s delivered just enough to keep Brand Rihanna chugging along.
at a Bey stan lurking the Unapologetic thread and posting this tabloid review. It's still leaps and bounds above 4gotten. Rihanna seems to keep the Bey stans bothered due to her superior musical abilities and material. Bring on the WP
Really? You've probably mistaken me with someone else.
No, you lurk every thread about Rihanna, vote against her in every poll, do whatever you can because its obvious she has you bothered. Do you really feel Rihanna is a threat to Bey? They cater to completely different audiences. Rihanna caters to the mainstream while Beyonce caters to the urban crowd.
Rihanna caters to the mainstream while Beyonce caters to the urban crowd.
You may be the dumbest member of the Navy, and believe me that's quite an achievement. Wasn't the first comment out of your mouth in the "Backlash" thread about Beyonce? So you can't call anybody obsessed since you seem more concerned with proving a point to Beyonce stans than enjoying Rihanna's music and success for yourself.
You may be the dumbest member of the Navy, and believe me that's quite an achievement. Wasn't the first comment out of your mouth in the "Backlash" about Beyonce? So you can't call anybody obsessed since you seem more concerned with proving a point to Beyonce stans than enjoying Rihanna's music and success for yourself.
Tell that to my college degree. And in that thread, I chose the option I believed would face the most backlash. By the way, I've purchased all of my faves albums. no one is gonna stop me from enjoying them and Princess RiRi's success.
at a Bey stan lurking the Unapologetic thread and posting this tabloid review. It's still leaps and bounds above 4gotten. Rihanna seems to keep the Bey stans bothered due to her superior musical abilities and material. Bring on the WP 
This article is not my opinion but UK newpaper's.
, I think the only credible publications in the UK are The Guardian, The Times and The Telegraph (Independent too?)
I agree
Tell that to my college degree. And in that thread, I chose the option I believed would face the most backlash. By the way, I've purchased all of my faves albums. no one is gonna stop me from enjoying them and Princess RiRi's success. 
