Talk That Talk leaves the dark, hazy sounds of Loud and Rated R for dancefloors soaked in neon lights, and sexy, flirtatious R&B/pop tunes. After exercising her demons on Rated R and discovering her sexual ethos on Loud, Rihanna finds comfort in her own skin and a more carefree approach to her sound.
Arguably her most relaxed record to date, Talk That Talk toys with dubstep, hip-hop and trance, the latter on the Calvin Harris produced "Where Have You Been" and lead single "We Found Love." RiRi stays rooted in R&B and dance-pop while smoothing out some her previous efforts rougher edges.
The carefree sound of flirtation on "Watch n' Learn" and the infatuation of "You Da One" are refreshing against the tougher "Roc Me Out" or raunchy "Cockiness (Love It)" but comes at a time when Rihanna fatigue is starting to set in. Rihanna maintains her status as a pop powerhouse but back pedals covering familiar pop territory that mines few gems, ultimately making Talk That Talk an enjoyable yet lackluster record given Loud's sonic soundscape, and Rated R's gritty aesthetics.
Essential Tracks: "Watch n' Learn" and "Where Have You Been"
No comments:
Post a Comment