Album Review by @EddieJSays, Contributing Writer
Likes: James Joint, Kiss it Better
Dislikes: Woo, Pose, U Needed Me
Overall: Writer's block in album form
Rihanna should've listened to the old saying: “Never count your chickens before they hatch” or rather, don't publicly place such high expectations for yourself. ANTI, Rihanna's 8th album release, was set on so many direct and indirect promises of artistry, soulfulness, a new sound and direction over the last year. I can commend Rihanna or any pop singer for deciding to put a little more time and effort into a project for the sake of artistry and quality; however, after listening, I felt short-changed. *Channels 3LW* I'm getting a little tired of Rih's broken promithes, promithes. Was the album “different” for her? Kind of, not really. Was it artistic? It doesn't hold a candle to Rated R. I won't acknowledge any claims of soulfulness, because...you already know the answer to that inquiry.
ANTI's positive attribute is that it's extremely cohesive. The production on each song is dark and the lyrics all come from a similar vantage point: a strong, sometimes feeble woman in or out of a rugged, abusive relationship. The vocal showcase is pretty solid as well. We hear Rihanna's highs and lows, and various textures, with occasional harmonic layering. Even auto-tune is less utilized as a sound effect. Now, here comes the big “but”...nothing about this record is moving, interesting or exciting. It's like a calm lake: there's a unified and definitive body, but nothing's really happening. Starting with production, I'll just say it: it was cheap. High-end engineers notwithstanding, the effects and equalizer leveling were all over the place. Certain songs (ex. “Higher” and “Woo”) peaked in volume at various times and seemed unfinished. There was no dynamic contrast or musicality, trading in instruments for random noises and nonsensical synth chords, solely depending on the thumping sub-bass to fill in gaps or distract from the lack. Worse, there were no bridges or climaxes, aside from the only cover on the album, Tame Impala's “Same Ol' Mistakes." Tracks seemed to be comprised of 2 repetitive loops; 1 for the verse and chorus each. Those that showed potential only proved to be makeshift interludes, lasting roughly a minute or two (“James Joint,” “Yeah I Said It,”“Higher”). Most didn't have the enticing "oomph" that Rihanna's material usually has at bare minimum, regardless of content value. “Kiss It Better” was a standout, giving the feel of an 80's-early 90s rock-ballad that would have a stadium filled with lighters by its chorus. Sadly, it's the only song that contains an attainable melody, much less achieves the “timeless” vibe Rihanna claimed she was aiming for. “Woo” played like a 3 year old banging on a piano to a pseudo-trap beat, while the amateur demo-like “Work” left much to be desired with a lot of empty space between the beat and Rihanna's vocals. Conversely, the vocal production was nearly flawless.
Rihanna is heralded for her distinct tone more so than technique, power or pitch perfection. This hasn't changed, as she generally stuck to her signature talk-singy nature and overshadowed sultry moments with
throaty performances. Her Christina Aguilera-like screaming on “Higher” is cringe worthy and will probably never be performed live successfully. The cut should've been extended and then handed to Jazmine Sullivan, Brandy or even Aguilera herself. Nonetheless, Rihanna still has the ability to emote with believability and bring whatever she's singing to life. The helplessness she conveys in “Close To You” will almost make you forget about the pot-hole infested road you took to get to the end of the standard edition. Though I believed her, I didn't understand her for most of the record. Taking a page from Ariana Grande's diction book, phrases were mumbled or under-enunciated. To fully follow where she's trying to go, lyrics will have to be nearby.
Likes: James Joint, Kiss it Better
Dislikes: Woo, Pose, U Needed Me
Overall: Writer's block in album form
Rihanna should've listened to the old saying: “Never count your chickens before they hatch” or rather, don't publicly place such high expectations for yourself. ANTI, Rihanna's 8th album release, was set on so many direct and indirect promises of artistry, soulfulness, a new sound and direction over the last year. I can commend Rihanna or any pop singer for deciding to put a little more time and effort into a project for the sake of artistry and quality; however, after listening, I felt short-changed. *Channels 3LW* I'm getting a little tired of Rih's broken promithes, promithes. Was the album “different” for her? Kind of, not really. Was it artistic? It doesn't hold a candle to Rated R. I won't acknowledge any claims of soulfulness, because...you already know the answer to that inquiry.
ANTI's positive attribute is that it's extremely cohesive. The production on each song is dark and the lyrics all come from a similar vantage point: a strong, sometimes feeble woman in or out of a rugged, abusive relationship. The vocal showcase is pretty solid as well. We hear Rihanna's highs and lows, and various textures, with occasional harmonic layering. Even auto-tune is less utilized as a sound effect. Now, here comes the big “but”...nothing about this record is moving, interesting or exciting. It's like a calm lake: there's a unified and definitive body, but nothing's really happening. Starting with production, I'll just say it: it was cheap. High-end engineers notwithstanding, the effects and equalizer leveling were all over the place. Certain songs (ex. “Higher” and “Woo”) peaked in volume at various times and seemed unfinished. There was no dynamic contrast or musicality, trading in instruments for random noises and nonsensical synth chords, solely depending on the thumping sub-bass to fill in gaps or distract from the lack. Worse, there were no bridges or climaxes, aside from the only cover on the album, Tame Impala's “Same Ol' Mistakes." Tracks seemed to be comprised of 2 repetitive loops; 1 for the verse and chorus each. Those that showed potential only proved to be makeshift interludes, lasting roughly a minute or two (“James Joint,” “Yeah I Said It,”“Higher”). Most didn't have the enticing "oomph" that Rihanna's material usually has at bare minimum, regardless of content value. “Kiss It Better” was a standout, giving the feel of an 80's-early 90s rock-ballad that would have a stadium filled with lighters by its chorus. Sadly, it's the only song that contains an attainable melody, much less achieves the “timeless” vibe Rihanna claimed she was aiming for. “Woo” played like a 3 year old banging on a piano to a pseudo-trap beat, while the amateur demo-like “Work” left much to be desired with a lot of empty space between the beat and Rihanna's vocals. Conversely, the vocal production was nearly flawless.
Rihanna is heralded for her distinct tone more so than technique, power or pitch perfection. This hasn't changed, as she generally stuck to her signature talk-singy nature and overshadowed sultry moments with
throaty performances. Her Christina Aguilera-like screaming on “Higher” is cringe worthy and will probably never be performed live successfully. The cut should've been extended and then handed to Jazmine Sullivan, Brandy or even Aguilera herself. Nonetheless, Rihanna still has the ability to emote with believability and bring whatever she's singing to life. The helplessness she conveys in “Close To You” will almost make you forget about the pot-hole infested road you took to get to the end of the standard edition. Though I believed her, I didn't understand her for most of the record. Taking a page from Ariana Grande's diction book, phrases were mumbled or under-enunciated. To fully follow where she's trying to go, lyrics will have to be nearby.
Speaking of lyrics, ANTI doesn't explore any new territory, which is surprising since Rihanna's last release was 3 years ago. It's the same old stuff: Wanting a man, having sex with said man, the man isn't good for her, she leaves the man, and now misses the man. An artist can go for years singing about the same topics; the art lies in how those topics are depicted. These songs were like writer's block personified; nothing intriguing or even “late-night-in-my-feelings-on-Twitter-so-I'll-tweet-these-ambiguous-lyrics” worthy. “Needed Me” has probably one of the most rushed choruses ever (spoiler alert: Rihanna still can't do intricate runs, or intermediate ones). Beyond that, many simply end as if the writers gave up on further developing their ideas. The average length is 2 minutes, 58 seconds, and it's audible with the nonexistent lyrical effort.
ANTI is simply unimaginative and there is no cause, purpose or driving force to propel it forward. 2 extra years past Rihanna's typical release duration, and it still sounds hurried. If the point was to be anti-anything that makes sense or anti- quality, then she definitely succeeded. Even the cover “Same Ol' Mistakes” was uninspired: instead of recreating it in a way that would fit the style of the record or show some type of interpretation, she replicated the exact same vocal arrangement and instrumental as Tame Impala. Her entire brand has been built on being “anti” or not caring what people think, but I fear nothing good can come from an artist who lets their “IDGAF-personality” trickle into their music, as this album demonstrates.
DELUXE NOTES: Honestly, don't waste your money. You think you get 3 extra tracks, but you really get 2 tracks and 1 interlude that's nothing but a sample of Florence and the Machine's “Only if For a Night” that repeats over a basic beat without Rihanna singing. “Pose” is horridly written and produced, with off-beat percussion elements and a plentitude of annoying noises, including her voice. “Sex With Me” is the closest to catchy you'll get on the LP. Any other day, it would be considered filler, but after hearing 49 minutes of racket and nonevents, it almost feels like a breath of fresh air.
ANTI is simply unimaginative and there is no cause, purpose or driving force to propel it forward. 2 extra years past Rihanna's typical release duration, and it still sounds hurried. If the point was to be anti-anything that makes sense or anti- quality, then she definitely succeeded. Even the cover “Same Ol' Mistakes” was uninspired: instead of recreating it in a way that would fit the style of the record or show some type of interpretation, she replicated the exact same vocal arrangement and instrumental as Tame Impala. Her entire brand has been built on being “anti” or not caring what people think, but I fear nothing good can come from an artist who lets their “IDGAF-personality” trickle into their music, as this album demonstrates.
DELUXE NOTES: Honestly, don't waste your money. You think you get 3 extra tracks, but you really get 2 tracks and 1 interlude that's nothing but a sample of Florence and the Machine's “Only if For a Night” that repeats over a basic beat without Rihanna singing. “Pose” is horridly written and produced, with off-beat percussion elements and a plentitude of annoying noises, including her voice. “Sex With Me” is the closest to catchy you'll get on the LP. Any other day, it would be considered filler, but after hearing 49 minutes of racket and nonevents, it almost feels like a breath of fresh air.
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