Rihanna Unapologetic

It was billed as an opportunity for fans and journalists to gain an insight into the singer and join her on a weeklong party while she completing her 777 tour; seven gigs in seven cities to celebrate the release of her seventh album. What should have been a great PR opportunity turned flat when the singer failed to spend any time with the people she had invited to be around her and promises of parties failed to materialise and one journalist got so bored he took all his clothes off, which certainly Rihanna would approve of. It all sounded so good to start with, a private jet with a star who is  (if her Twitter account is anything to go by) a party princess but failed to deliver, much like the album.

Unapologetic has all the ingredients to make it a huge record. The industries best writers, the best producers and the powerhouse of Def Jam and of course the lady herself. Considering her six previous albums have a strong ratio of hits to filler it’s surprising that Unapologetic lacks any substance.

It feels like Rihanna or more accurately the people who write her songs have got bored. Considering all Rihanna had to do was add her vocals to the record she could have put some effort in, it sounds like she recorded all her parts in one take with the same enthusiasm she would put into ordering a drive through. She doesn’t in any way make it sound like she is enjoying it so how is the listener meant to?

Opening track ‘Phesh out the Runway’ sounds like it should have been given to Nicki Minaj and the songs carry on from there. It’s more a collection of songs ordered together rather than an entity that has had some time taken over it. Even the lead single ‘Diamonds’ lacks the power that it should have being filled with clichés and absence of any hook. Tracks are littered with Dubstep, more because that’s what’s selling records at the moment rather than because it needs it.

The only theme that is present throughout is the thinly veiled attempt to justify her relationship with Chris Brown. Their collaboration on ‘Nobodies Business’ is completely tasteless and musically uninspiring. There is a difference between forgiving someone for a mistake and victimising a misogynist by flaunting your toxic relationship. If it really is nobodies business keep it that way rather than whining on through a whole album about how misunderstood your relationship is.

Does the fact that there is no theme, no consistency and most worrying of all every song is devoid of even a feeble attempt at a chorus hamper it’s chances of selling well. No. Has the fact that most critics have reviewed it in a negative tone stopped it going to straight to number 1? No. Should anybody bother buying? No.