By Brian Conway
After months (years, really) of hype and speculation, Rihanna’s eighth studio album, Anti, has finally arrived in an abrupt fashion. While it does not provide fans with the singer’s career-altering magnum opus they may have been hoping for, it is still a solid listen and Rihanna’s best release yet.
The first thing most will notice about the record as a whole is how varied it is. From the instrumentals to Rihanna’s vocal delivery, Anti does not rest on one theme. Instead it showcases the singer’s versatility as an artist as she carries different forms of production. And the production is top notch, with names like Travis Scott and Timbaland joining the star-studded cast.
Travis Scott’s distinct sound is seen on “Woo,” an explosive track from start to finish, that sees Rihanna dismiss a toxic lover with her signature charisma. Another interesting mix production-wise is the psychedelic, multi-layered ballad “Same Ol’ Mistakes,” a cover of Tame Impala’s “New Person, Same Old Mistakes”. These and other tracks show Rihanna’s willingness to branch out and explore new ways of approaching pop music. While not all were executed perfectly, they provided a genuine surprise on the first listen and kept the album exciting.
Of course a Rihanna album would not be complete without hits and while none of her previous singles made the cut, she seems to have found a chart topper with the Drake-assisted “Work.” While admittedly catchy, the lyrics on this and many of the tracks on Anti leave something to be desired. Creating a song meant to be a club smash is one thing, but repeating “Work, work, work, work, work” on a chorus just seems lazy in any context. It seems that Rihanna wasn’t sure how personal she wanted to get on this record. She struggled with finding a consistent way to express her feelings of love and loss. There is nothing wrong with having mixed emotions, but some tracks’ polar opposite tones on the same subject are distracting. Songs like “Needed Me” have Rihanna claiming independence from any lover in a braggadocious manner, just to make a 180° and beg for a lover’s affection in “Love on the Brain.”
Forgettable lyrics aside, Anti is a fun, immersive listen that manages to hold one’s attention for the duration of the LP. While not extraordinary, it still feels like a complete work and definitely has Rihanna heading in the right direction.
