A Decent Album Ruled By Electronic Dance Tunes!!!
Talk That Talk (2011)
1. "You Da One"
"You Da One" is a cute, if I could describe it. It's Rihanna singing about the love and joy that comes from being so smitten by someone. The beat is nice and the lyrics are decent enough. A cool opening track for the album.
(B)
"You Da One" is a cute, if I could describe it. It's Rihanna singing about the love and joy that comes from being so smitten by someone. The beat is nice and the lyrics are decent enough. A cool opening track for the album.
(B)
2. "Where Have You Been"
"Where Have You Been" is electronic/EDM heaven if you ask me. A single that was perfect for the clubs and that beat is pretty insane. The lyrics are rather limited but for dance-pop, this is euphoric bliss at it's finest. Surely it's one of the best song in it's genre and will get your body moving immediately.
(A-)
"Where Have You Been" is electronic/EDM heaven if you ask me. A single that was perfect for the clubs and that beat is pretty insane. The lyrics are rather limited but for dance-pop, this is euphoric bliss at it's finest. Surely it's one of the best song in it's genre and will get your body moving immediately.
(A-)
3. "We Found Love" Featuring Calvin Harris
Becoming a #1 smash hit around the world, especially in the US for #10 consecutive weeks, "We Found Love" was pretty inescapable in the clubs in the fall of '11. I remember is fondly and enjoying the hell out of it. "We Found Love" is almost a cautionary tale of love having dangerous consequences like drug addiction, abuse, alcoholism, etc. Or at least, that's what the video heavily implies. Anyway, "We Found Love" is another great song for it's genre that set the dance floors on fire and is remembered for it's unforgettable melody and hook.
(A)
Becoming a #1 smash hit around the world, especially in the US for #10 consecutive weeks, "We Found Love" was pretty inescapable in the clubs in the fall of '11. I remember is fondly and enjoying the hell out of it. "We Found Love" is almost a cautionary tale of love having dangerous consequences like drug addiction, abuse, alcoholism, etc. Or at least, that's what the video heavily implies. Anyway, "We Found Love" is another great song for it's genre that set the dance floors on fire and is remembered for it's unforgettable melody and hook.
(A)
4. "Talk That Talk"
This title track sees Rihanna team-up from Roc A Fella/hip hop vet Jay-Z and it makes for a pretty good track. The beat is good, the lyrics have Rihanna singing about a man she wants to confidently talk to her in manner that will win her heart. Jay-Z's verse is okay, if not serviceable and could have been better. It's an otherwise harmless track that makes for a decent song.
(B-)
This title track sees Rihanna team-up from Roc A Fella/hip hop vet Jay-Z and it makes for a pretty good track. The beat is good, the lyrics have Rihanna singing about a man she wants to confidently talk to her in manner that will win her heart. Jay-Z's verse is okay, if not serviceable and could have been better. It's an otherwise harmless track that makes for a decent song.
(B-)
5. "Cockiness (Love It)"
Lol, oh this song! It's not really a song as it's more like a musical porno if anything. I mean with lyrics like "Suck my cockiness/like my persuasion", it's not that hard to figure out what Rihanna is talking about. For God sakes she even chants "I love it when you eat it" over a beat that has a guy saying "blow job". "Cockiness (Love It)" could have been a clever sex track if written MUCH better but it's all kind of laughable.
(D+)
Lol, oh this song! It's not really a song as it's more like a musical porno if anything. I mean with lyrics like "Suck my cockiness/like my persuasion", it's not that hard to figure out what Rihanna is talking about. For God sakes she even chants "I love it when you eat it" over a beat that has a guy saying "blow job". "Cockiness (Love It)" could have been a clever sex track if written MUCH better but it's all kind of laughable.
(D+)
6. "Birthday Cake"
More an interlude than a song, "Birthday Cake"...is just there. A part of me is glad it's not a song (even though an extended version was made with Chris Brown of all people) Like "Cockiness", I felt it would have been mediocre at best. Next track!
More an interlude than a song, "Birthday Cake"...is just there. A part of me is glad it's not a song (even though an extended version was made with Chris Brown of all people) Like "Cockiness", I felt it would have been mediocre at best. Next track!
7. "We All Want Love"
Wow, a song will actual substance again!? Well who knew Rihanna was such an advocate for utopic love...but it's kinda moving. I like this song for that reason cause bluntly sexual Rihanna isn't much fun, so I'd gladly take this Rihanna, thank you!
(B)
Wow, a song will actual substance again!? Well who knew Rihanna was such an advocate for utopic love...but it's kinda moving. I like this song for that reason cause bluntly sexual Rihanna isn't much fun, so I'd gladly take this Rihanna, thank you!
(B)
8. "Drunk On Love"
Not to be confused with Beyoncé's "Drunk In Love", "Drunk On Love" sees Rihanna singing about her insatiable thirst for being in enamored with her lover. Once again, it's surprising seeing this love sick side of Rihanna. What happened to all that sex talk?! Another nice break from that Riri.
(B-)
Not to be confused with Beyoncé's "Drunk In Love", "Drunk On Love" sees Rihanna singing about her insatiable thirst for being in enamored with her lover. Once again, it's surprising seeing this love sick side of Rihanna. What happened to all that sex talk?! Another nice break from that Riri.
(B-)
9. "Roc Me Out"
Well, Rihanna's back to her horny self as she sings for her man to "rock her out left and forth". I guess this time the song is catchy enough and isn't so blunt about its sexual nature. Overall it's okay.
(C)
Well, Rihanna's back to her horny self as she sings for her man to "rock her out left and forth". I guess this time the song is catchy enough and isn't so blunt about its sexual nature. Overall it's okay.
(C)
10. "Watch n' Learn"
"Watch n' Learn" is more "fun under the sheets" type of music but at least this time it's catchier than the last song and has a melody that's ear candy for me. For a song about having sex multiple times every way and anywhere it's surprisingly pleasant.
(B-)
"Watch n' Learn" is more "fun under the sheets" type of music but at least this time it's catchier than the last song and has a melody that's ear candy for me. For a song about having sex multiple times every way and anywhere it's surprisingly pleasant.
(B-)
11. "Farwell"
"Farwell" is a nice ender to the album. I like at least better than "The Last Song" cause it tells a story of a person saying goodbye. It at least gives me more emotional resonance as well, so not bad.
(C+)
"Farwell" is a nice ender to the album. I like at least better than "The Last Song" cause it tells a story of a person saying goodbye. It at least gives me more emotional resonance as well, so not bad.
(C+)
12. "Red Lipstick"
This deluxe track is a electronic R&B/Hip Hop song that sees Rihanna so fascinated by red lipstick. It's kind of dull and boring, which makes me realize why it was left off the main album. It's kind of pointless.
(D+)
This deluxe track is a electronic R&B/Hip Hop song that sees Rihanna so fascinated by red lipstick. It's kind of dull and boring, which makes me realize why it was left off the main album. It's kind of pointless.
(D+)
13. "Do Ya Thing"
Hmmm, I like the old school pop/R&B feel of "Do Ya Thing". "Do Ya Thing" has a good message of two people in a relationship have other attractions to other people but still respecting each other. It's interesting take on being in a possibly polyamorous relationship and just having your fun but still being down for you significant other. A pretty good song all things considered.
(C+)
Hmmm, I like the old school pop/R&B feel of "Do Ya Thing". "Do Ya Thing" has a good message of two people in a relationship have other attractions to other people but still respecting each other. It's interesting take on being in a possibly polyamorous relationship and just having your fun but still being down for you significant other. A pretty good song all things considered.
(C+)
14. "Fool in Love"
Ending things off for the album is this pop/rock track with Rihanna painfully admitting she is a "fool in love". I like the instrumentation, especially the guitar solo towards the end. The lyrics and melody are decent as well as Rihanna's vocals, so this is a nice end to the album.
(B)
Ending things off for the album is this pop/rock track with Rihanna painfully admitting she is a "fool in love". I like the instrumentation, especially the guitar solo towards the end. The lyrics and melody are decent as well as Rihanna's vocals, so this is a nice end to the album.
(B)
It was hard for Rihanna to follow an album like "Loud" anyway. It was so successful, had numerous hits and nominated for several Grammys. "Talk That Talk" isn't bad by any means, it's just a tad bit above average for me. Apparently, "Talk That Talk" was originally going to be a reisusse of "Loud" with just some bonus tracks but so much material was made for the reissue with fellow collaborators Calvin Harris, Alex Da Kid, Stargate, No I.D. and Chase & Status that a full length new album was made in the process. The album mimics the same hard hitting techno-pop with moments of rhythmic R&B and rambunctious hip hop. The album begins with the mellow groove of "You Da One", a smooth starter that goes for full on EDM/techno-pop for the majority of the album with such hits off of it like the worldwide smash, "We Found Love" and the tribal trance music of "Where Have You Been". Other highlights include the reggae ride of "Watch N' Learn" and sweet finish with "Fool In Love".....but then you have songs like "Cockiness (Love It)" that feel excessively explicit and overtly silly. "Talk That Talk" is quick but quality driven R&B/Hip Hip mash up with Jay-Z and "We All Want Love" is a substance and style done quite well. The album does feels as cohesive as it should because of the uneven quality at times but this is leagues better than her next album which I like to call "Embarrassment" -_- While the album would go on to sell 5.5 million copies worldwide, some critics would go on to find the album not great in terms of it's themes. Seems to be the same old hat with love, sex, etc. But I wish it was presented in more unique and inventive ways. Sometimes I feel like Rihanna can really push herself as an artist but she chooses for the most part to give mixed results with a few moments of greatness here and there. Oh well.
"An album that conflicts with itself; ranging from irresistible dance-pop to forgettable raunchiness, "Talk That Talk" is an overall pretty decent album that sometimes tries too hard to impress when songs like "We Found Love" and "Where Have You Been" show the Barbadian beauty at her best!"
(C+)
"An album that conflicts with itself; ranging from irresistible dance-pop to forgettable raunchiness, "Talk That Talk" is an overall pretty decent album that sometimes tries too hard to impress when songs like "We Found Love" and "Where Have You Been" show the Barbadian beauty at her best!"
(C+)
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