Rihanna - Good Girl Gone Bad
01 - Umbrella (featuring Jay-Z) - I made an oath to myself: "never like Rihanna." I, however, could not resist this song! In fact, it's been on repeat for weeks now. Everything about it is right--well, except for the incessant repeating of "eh, eh, eh, eh". Lyrically, it's no masterpiece and, for that matter, neither is it vocally. However, the instrumentation is what makes this song pulse forward. Rating: 4/5
02 - Push Up On Me - Everyone is taking a page from Ciara's dance handbook. The dance beat makes song! So very catchy, this song is! Instrumentally, the synthesizer and clap track are straight out of the eighties. If she's smart, this would be her next single! Rating: 4/5
03 - Don't Stop The Music - This should be titled, "Don't Stop the HOUSE Music." This song is set, fit, and ready for the club, remix free. Highly danceable and very catchy. Rating: 3.5/5
04 - Breakin' Dishes - Okay, this is her "Ring The Alarm" (Beyonce) but it's far catchier and much more danceable than "Ring The Alarm." Vocally, this chick is nothing to write home about, and whoever wrote for this album could stand to not quit their day job, but the instrumentalists and producers are working wonders for her. This is actually a decent track. Rating: 3.5/5
05 - Shut Up And Drive - Okay, with the guitar I was half expecting Maroon 5 to come on in! She's overpowered by the background and she falls into oblivion. It sounds like a remake, but I can't remember if it is or not. Nevertheless, it's a filler track. Rating: 2/5
06 - Hate That I Love You (featuring Ne-Yo) - Lyrically, it's no gem. Instrumentally, it's the second coming of "Irreplaceable" (Beyonce). Vocally, Ne-yo is clearly the superior vocalist on the song. The song itself is nothing special. Bland and lifeless. Rating: 2/5
07 - Say It - Another filler track. Rating: 1.5/5
08 - Sell Me Candy - Why can I hear Beyonce all over this track? Probably because of songs like "Apple Pie a la Mode" and lines like, "I'ma be like a Jolly Rancher that you get from the corner store." Where as it works for Beyonce, it falls flat here. Her weak voice is clearly displayed here as the music overpowers it at every turn. It would be a decent song on a superior singer. Rating: 2.5/5
09 - Lemme Get That - Danceable in a "Oops, Oh My" (Tweet) kinda way. The talk-singing that she does here actually works for the song. Lyrically, again it's blah and materialistic. This, however, is sure to be a club anthem. Rating: 3/5
10 - Rehab - I wasn't looking forward to her trying to do any real singing after the sham she made of "Unfaithful." Her attempts at AC ballads never work for me. In my opinion, AC ballads require some type of a voice and she has none. This song simply bored me. Rating: 2/5
11 - Question Existing - This song is not for a PG-13 crowd. It's sultry and sexy and surprisingly enough, Rihanna brings it on this song. There are places, however, where it falls flat. The verses and her delivery on the verses are probably the strongest parts of the song. It has a very "Oh Yes" (Whitney Houston) feel to it. Rating: 3/5
12 - Good Girl Gone Bad - Catchy, but not catchy enough to be the title track. Again, this is in the same vein as "Irreplaceable" (Beyonce) instrumentally. Lyrically, it's a tad contrived. Her delivery is not convincing, but it's somehow catchy and listenable. Rating: 2.75/5
Overall Album Review:
She definitely has problems with pitch and sustaining notes. She goes flat quite often or she'll sing a note right under the one she's supposed to be singing. To anyone with a musical ear, it drives you nuts! To others, you may not even hear it. The first half of the album is the strongest part. You'd be much better off downloading the first few tracks and leaving the rest alone. It's not a bad album, but it is not something I can see playing regularly.
Overall Album Rating: 3/5
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