Rihanna Talks That Talk Good

I know this is a late post, I’ve been planning to write this review since December anyways I finally had the time and motivation to do so, so here it is.

Talk That Talk is Rihanna’s 6th studio album and my personal favorite. Yes, more than Good Girl Gone Bad and Loud. I really like this hip-hop electro direction she’s going with her albums but her ballads always get me. She sets the tone with the 2nd released single, You Da One. A catchy love song with that Barbados feel only she puts out there. Where Have You Been is dance pop at its finest; once it starts you feel like you’re in the club dancing then she follows through with her smash hit, We Found Love so you’re in for a treat. Talk That Talk, Cockiness (Love It) give you hard and badass but my go-to rock out song would be Roc Me Out – it’s just gangsta but Cockiness gets a special mention for its lyrics, check it.

I love when she takes it slow with We All Want Love, Drunk On Love and Fool In Love. The best part of the album for me. These tracks showcases her vulnerable and soft side with lyrics like “We all want someone there to hold/ We just want somebody/ We all wanna be somebody’s one and only/ We all wanna be warm when it’s cold” and “Take me away/ I wear my heart on my sleeve/ Always let love take the lead/ I may be a little naive, yeah/ You know I’m drunk on love” and ”Mama, I found a man/ Who loves me and understands/ Papa, he’s quite a man/ He adores me, he’s my biggest fan/ And don’t get me wrong/ I know he’s not perfect in your eyes/ But somehow he’s flawless in mine”

Last of the noteworthy tracks are Farewell – we all can relate to this one and Do Ya Thang, a fun uptempo song squeezed in at the end.

Here’s the full tracklisting:

1. You Da One

2. Where Have You Been

3. We Found Love (feat. Calvin Harris)

4. Talk That Talk (feat. Jay-Z)

5. Cockiness (Love It)

6. Birthday Cake

7. We All Want Love

8. Drunk On Love

9. Roc Me Out

10. Watch N’ Learn

11. Farewell

12. Red Lipstick*

13. Do Ya Thang*

14. Fool In Love*

*Deluxe edition bonus tracks

I raised an eyebrow for the album cover above but I kinda liked it over time. I do raise concern with her music videos lately. I feel they don’t do justice. News is she’s releasing a remix of Birthday Cake with Chris Brown so this will get interesting. Let’s wait and hear. Til then, give the record a spin now!

Beyoncé’s 4 shows growth in her music

I have to admit I wasn’t too excited when Run The World (Girls) came out, that time the title wasn’t even decided yet. Even the blogs I frequent to feels the same way more so having listened to the whole record, pretty much concluded that the album doesn’t contain any worthy singles. I, on the other hand, searched for the lyrics and really let it soak on me and by the time Beyoncé performed on the Billboard Music Awards I was already singing along and feeling like I could run the world. That performance was astounding; there couldn’t have been a more perfect time for her to receive the Millennium Award. She just showed everyone that she deserved that praise. Finally, just mere 2 weeks ago I got a copy of 4 from a record bar. Yes as in the actual CD, she’s one of those artists whose songs I won’t be satisfied by just downloading the mp3′s. Besides it’s a collection of mine.

4, she said, is a very special number because aside from being her 4th solo record it’s the date of her birthday (as well as some of her close friends/family), her wedding date and that eventually it was the title chosen by fans so she stuck with it. The only trouble is you don’t get the slightest idea what the record will be like. After the 1st listen, I knew that the album is unlike anything she released before. It’s ballad-driven, intimate and subtle in terms of production. Run The World kind of misrepresents the record in a way cause it’s the lone up-tempo track (it’s actually the last). Ya, there are the drum and horns-inspired End of Time and Countdown but they’re hardly what you call dance. The album is co-written and produced by B mostly with The-Dream. After countless sound trips, my favorites are of course the love songs: her love is intoxicating. Best Thing I Never Had, the official 2nd single, is like Irreplaceable 2.0 and is co-written by Babyface. B looks beautiful in the video by the way. Love on Top is the one I really enjoy singing to err trying to sing, it makes you feel good. 1+1 is the song she premiered on American Idol and I’m amazed how she and Jay-Z are so much deeper in love than ever. I Care and Start Over characterizes the staple sad songs and really shows B’s vulnerability. Also with the very sentimental I Was Here written by Diane Warren and co-produced by Ryan Tedder (Halo). The deluxe edition includes other mid-tempo tracks: Lay Up Under Me, Schoolin’ Life (like this one) and 3 remixed version of Run The World. She slows it down again with Dance With You.

In my humble opinion, this album depicts Beyoncé’s maturity as an artist. She’s in the stage wherein she can afford to not care about commercial success and just showcase her vocal talent and song-writing skills. The irony is that the album still debuted at no.1 on Billboard so it’s safe to say she once again succeeded in getting her message across. I do miss her butt-shakin’ and finger-pointing dance moves but this risqué release definitely makes me appreciate her more.

Born This Way: Lady Gaga gets deep and personal

We’re past the days of disco sticks and leather studded kisses in the sand. Technically her 3^rd album, if you count the re-release of The Fame (Monster) as 2^nd, this marks her growth as an artist. You can tell by the tracks that she dug deep into her soul to write this album. Here she sang of social acceptance, family, true love, friendship and even spirituality. The overall ‘feel’ of the album confirms the direction she was going for with FM which is electro pop/rock. Though the album seems serious it’s still pop right to the core. My only hesitation is that the word Jesus gets thrown a lot in the entire thing; a bit off for my liking. But I have to say, this is the most relevant pop record in recent years and not just something to fill your ears.

Off the 17 tracks here are my favourites:

Born This Way – the ultimate anthem of acceptance, I will never get tired of this song! This sealed my love for her

Hair – A song about freedom and being yourself; everyone can relate to this one

Bad Kids – I just love the sentiment especially the line that says: “don’t be insecure if your heart is pure, you’re still good to me if you’re a bad kid baby”

Yoü And I – is the track that is currently on repeat in my iPod. I’m in love with this song… I can’t believe I hated it when Hailey Reinhart sang it on AI

Marry The Night – a great first track and really gives you an idea of what to expect for the album

The Edge Of Glory – which is about falling in love and that moment when you’re on the edge with someone ready to fall

Fashion Of His Love – a song about Alexander McQueen and how they were really meant to be

Government Hooker – Very techno-driven sound and I just enjoy singing it!

Scheiße – I like the part with the german lyrics though I don’t know what it means (hehe), they say it’s a curse word

As for the artwork, I wasn’t that excited when I first saw the cover and inside it’s just okay but I love that the first page says: THIS ALBUM IS FOR Ü. (aawwww) And thank goodness for the lyrics! This album is a must-have for a pop fan and of course for her ‘little monsters’.

I have a newfound appreciation for Adele

I’m having an Adele week (admittedly) because I heard 2 of her songs: first from Glee’s latest episode when Holly (Gwyneth Paltrow) sang Turning Tables and second in American Idol when Haley performed Rolling In The Deep. I’m not new to Adele’s music, I’ve known her since Chasing Pavements but I wasn’t that into the song.

But now I have to say I really love Rolling In The Deep, her first single from her 2nd album, 21. It’s kind of a blues, pop type of track and its refreshing to have sort of a different sound in my playlist. Adele’s having the time of her life now since the album debut at no. 1 on Billboard Hot 200, it was only this week that the Foo Fighters ended her reign. It’s also the first album to sell 1 million copies this year. And now, with Turning Tables featured in Glee I hope she releases this as an official single. This one has a sad theme but the lyrics are great. I’m proud to declare and it’s never too late: I officially love Adele.

Born This Way album cover released!

Fresh from Haus of Gaga is the official album cover art for Born This Way.

I don’t get it… so she was born half motorcycle? (hehe)

Will get the record still… Excited for May!!!! Meanwhile, her next single and video Judas has also been released.

What do you think?