"For those among you who are easily frightened, we suggest you turn away now" - from that brilliant line, one thing is clear about Rihanna's highly anticipated fourth album: Rated R is not for the faint of heart. As she approaches the follow-up album to 2007's international success Good Girl Gone Bad, Rihanna has the world at her fingertips. This is a woman who has had more No. 1 records than any other female artist this decade, who can hold her own next to Jay-Z on stage and who is on covers of high fashion magazines around the world. She also is the victim of one of the most public scandals in recent memory, describing the aftermath with the line, "It was like I went to sleep as Rihanna and woke up as Britney Spears." Taking that all in, Rihanna has the steep task of turning the media focus back on her life as a performer rather than a tabloid fixture, and on Rated R - arguably, her best album yet - she does exactly that.
Backed by a collection of the best producers and songwriters in the business, Rihanna finds herself leaving the fluffy pop of former hits like "S.O.S." and "Don't Stop the Music" mostly in the background, instead opting for a more urban, hip-hop oriented direction. "Wait Your Turn," produced by U.K. duo Chase & Status, finds Rihanna singing her own praises against a hard-hitting electro beat grounded by a heavy bass line and a soaring chorus. The incessant chant of "The wait is ova!" would sound annoying handled in lesser hands, but here, you're completely sold by the bravado-filled delivery. Following suit is the second single, "Hard," which features a guest verse courtesy of rap's gruffest voice, Young Jeezy. Consider it a sequel to Jay-Z's own "Run This Town," and a welcome one at that.
Had the album focused entirely on Rihanna's seemingly unstoppable confidence and ambition, it could have easily slid into one-note territory. But Rihanna and her team are wise enough to know that a girl moments removed from a complicated, story-filled year needs to pause for a moment of introspection. When she does, the results are equally golden. On the daring lead single, "Russian Roulette," Rihanna tells the tale of a twisted relationship, and later on "Photographs" - a subtle yet strong Will.I.Am production - she sings of remorse; the only thing left to hold on to are a handful of pictures.
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