Rihanna - Talk That Talk

Rihanna’s sixth studio album, Talk That Talk, comes as a little bit of a surprise. Earlier in the year, the star announced a repackaged version of Loud would be released in time for the impending holiday season and that seemed quite satisfactory considering the album was still providing singles that were dominating the charts worldwide. However, in a production whirlwind, Rihanna tweeted the prospect of a new album, bagged a number one single with producer extraordinaire Calvin Harris, and found studio time amidst a hectic tour schedule.

Of course, the major concern is that the material will be rushed and unsatisfying. With more critics suggesting music industry saturation and a lack of creativity in the charts, the release of an entire new album just one year after the overwhelming success of Loud almost appears premature and manufactured. However, interviewed last week, Rihanna said that she “did not want to appear a gimmick” and her manager defended the quick turn-around of material. Nonetheless, the polished pop of Loud is a difficult act to follow.

The solution is a tightly packed album that places itself between the rocky angst of fan favourites Rated R and the party pieces of its predecessor. Debut single, ‘We Found Love’ is quite atypical of the material as a whole: offering a party vibe, whilst haunting in the new found fragility in Riri’s vocals. Whilst some have criticised the single for its simplicity and repetitive lyrics, this is artistic reflection of the simple and pure love desired by the star and is all the more meaningful for its powerful delivery.

Indeed, despite any wayward comments regarding lyrics, the new strength of the album appears to be that Rihanna’s vocals are flaunted in a much more emotional manner than on Loud and it adds an extra dimension to the work to counter any worry of a churned out pop disaster. Particularly impressive in this regard is the bittersweet finale to the standard edition, ‘Farewell’, which sees a friend or lover leave for a better life, whilst Rihanna tries to cope with the change.

This theme of (absent) love forms the base of the album, and perhaps this is part of the refreshing appeal: no longer are the tracks generally built around euphemisms and the prospect of sex, but the more fragile and gentile aspects of relationships too. Highlight ‘Where Have You Been?’ superbly capitalises on Rihanna’s party vibe and could be played at the clubs without a remix, but lyrically, the song talks of the torment and anguish before finding romance.

Elsewhere, ‘Drunk On Love’ samples The XX’s ‘Intro’, which perfectly complements the hauntingly wistful voice of the musician whilst ‘Roc Me Out’ reads like the lovechild of ‘Hard’ and ‘What’s My Name?’, with its heavy electro rock synth and deep vocals.

Tracks ‘Cockiness’ and ‘Birthday Cake’ first appear somewhat at odds with the rest of the material, jarring with their prominent mid-point position. However, they help counter Riri’s public persona: her bravado, built up with the hype of ‘S&M’, leaves the star quite isolated and imposing. Here, both tracks feature to depict this is but one side of Rihanna, and that overwhelmingly, the Barbadian beauty has been alone for quite some time. Besides, the reggae-come-calypso infusion of ‘Cockiness’ is rather seducing and reminiscent of hot, hazy summer days.

Perhaps single life has provided this surge in raw emotion that sees the songstress connect more wholly and satisfyingly with her material. Whilst the album is far from experimental, solidifying avenues explored by Rihanna in previous work, this release carries some poignancy as the 23 year old looks to other matters in her life than the stardom acquired at 17. Before out of her teens, she had released three albums and broken worldwide records with ‘Umbrella’. The demure and reflective tone is testament to the hard work so far, whilst the club influences remain a gesture to how much fun the star is having nonetheless.

An album that is without doubt the most exciting mainstream release of the final quarter, due to this eclectic mix.

All music, Def Jam Island Records and Rihanna. Fair usage for comment.