MUSIC REVIEW: Rihanna "Anti"

In honor of the Grammy's last night, I'll be doing some music reviews over the next week. With music being such a big part of my life, I've wanted to get back into this for a while and the Grammy's just seemed to have given me the perfect excuse! So without further adieu, my thoughts on Rihanna's Anti after the jump!

CONSIDERATION (Feat. SZA)

You're going to hear me say this word a lot, but the production on this song is fantastic. It perfectly sets up the experimental R&B vibe Rihanna goes for on this album. SZA's voice fit seamlessly with track. It's a little hard for me, personally, to understand some of the lyrics but I'm just humming along for dear life because there's something that I really love about this song. In short, a great opening to the album. 8.5/10

JAMES JOINT

Like some of the other tracks, this is a song about being addicted to someone (cleverly named James Joint). It's another indication of the different vibe Rihanna's taking on this album and it may not be a stand out track but it's a good one. 7/10

KISS IT BETTER

It goes without saying that the song itself is an interesting combination of rock, R&B and pop elements (in the best way possible). What really got me on board with this song were the lyrics. Initially the song is saying, don't wait for me to apologize, do your part, fuck your pride and kiss this wound. In fact, you're not doing a good enough job so go ahead and kiss it better. Maybe if you're good enough, I'll take you back. That's some good shit right there. 8/10

WORK (Feat. Drake)

It goes without saying that this song is a banger. Rihanna and Drake work fantastically together, the reggae elements and the hip hop elements transform the song into a song you can't help but dance to. Much like the song before, it's calling love a two way street that both parties have to 'work' at. I don't know about you, but I'd never leave Rihanna in the streets. 9/10

DESPERADO

Lyrically, this is a very freeing song that I live for. It's basically about running away and bringing somebody because you're in love don't want to be alone. "There ain't nothin' here for me," I may be reading too much into it but I think the subtext is that home is wherever you are. 7/10

WOO

I absolutely love the route Rihanna is taking on this project when it comes to love. This song is basically about telling her man (or ex man) that the chick he's with now will never be as good as her and when he's doing wasting time and having her feed off his dreams, she'll be here doing her. This is another track that encompasses rock and R&B/hip hop elements perfectly. 7/10

NEEDED ME

This entire song just reminds me of the scene on Insecure when Issa told her ex that he was just an itch she needed to scratch. Haha. The production intrigued me on this track because, if I'm not mistaken, this is probably the most hip hop Rihanna's ever sounded. I wasn't feeling the song at first but it took me loosening up and just jamming out to Rihanna calling herself a bad bitch that owns her sexuality to keep this song on repeat. 9/10

YEAH, I SAID IT

In short, whoever this song is about, fucked the shit out of her. Either that or he was too vanilla and she's telling him that she has no problem going harder. Go on, girl. Get it! 7/10

SAME OL' MISTAKES

This song is about being consumed by a relationship and feeling like a brand new person, happy and in love, while making the same mistakes when it comes to this person. The trippy, echo-ey production is in full force before the bridge kicks in with a strong drum track. I honestly just feel like the production on this entire album is how Mordecai and Rigby feel every episode of Regular Show -- but especially on this track. 8/10

NEVER ENDING

Rihanna + Folk. I never really imagined it before but it's not a bad color on her, honestly! Especially considering it's a song about heartbreak, which she's great at. 7.5/10

LOVE ON THE BRAIN

This song. Bitch, this song. This is the beginning of Rihanna pulling all of these feelings out of her titties and smacking you in the face with emotions you didn't know you felt. Much like when she's doing this performance live, you can feel how into the music she is and that gets me more into the music. This sort of '50s do wop inspired production mixed in with the falsetto she taps into for much of the performance, mixed in with those low notes just take me somewhere. This song fully brings together her range, her emotions and culminates in one of her strongest songs that show off what this album/era of Rihanna means to her. 9.5/10

HIGHER

I repeat: THIS song, bitch. THIS SONG. Rihanna is FEELING the music. She tapped into the rawness of her vocals a bit on 'FourFiveSeconds' but this song takes it to a whole other level. The way she's singing it just takes the lyrics, which are already gut-wrenching, to a whole new level that I don't think we've ever really seen from her. 9.5/10

CLOSE TO YOU

This song kind of feels like the sequel 'Stay', and also kind of just feels like the perfect song to shut the book of this album closed. It's beautiful and she sounds gorgeous as she pleads to stay with someone. After seeing such a powerful side to her, it's nice to hear her desperation in the last few tracks on the album! 9/10

ALBUM GRADE: B+

This is not your typical Rihanna album and it's clear from the opening track. A leader in the pop world, Rihanna is now transitioning and transforming into one of the leading artists in R&B. This album supplements her transition quite well. It's a sound, different than anything out there at the moment and for a while the album seems to stay grounded at that same level of superficial "I'm Rihanna, I'm a party girl and I like to have fun and drink!" First of all, I'm not shaming her because that's one of the major things I LOVE about Rihanna. I love how much fun she is, I love how real she is and I love that she doesn't really take things too seriously. But, bitch, those last few songs had me weeping. Rihanna found a way to balance fun with honesty and the results were pure magic! Was it perfect? No. Was it welcome and a good sign for her longevity in this industry? Yes. Do I want more? Hell yes.

-Pictures courtesy of pop sugar (Work), giphy (Needed Me and Love on the Brain) and the Huffington Post (back)!
-Anti not winning any Grammys last night was a natural disaster.