ANTI Review

Rihanna+announcing+the+album+on+October+7%2C+2015

Rihannanow.com

Rihanna announcing the album on October 7, 2015

Ethan Ayer, Contributing Writer

ANTI, Rihanna’s eighth studio album, demonstrates the cohesive sound of an artist who has finally found the courage to speak up. After numerous delays, teasers, and even a song recorded with Paul McCartney of The Beatles and infamous rapper Kanye West (“FourFiveSeconds”), the project was finally released on January 27, 2016.

On the self-assertive opener, “Consideration (feat. SZA),” Rihanna proclaims the album’s grand statement that, “I got to do things my own way darling.” Through hypnotic vocals and spacey production, the song foreshadows the rest of the adventurous tracks, which see Rihanna at a new vocal and artistic peak.

The first interlude, “James Joint” features Rihanna’s chilling voice floating over an entrancing chord progression, before quickly transitioning into second single “Kiss it Better.” The later song opens with a memorable guitar line and then explodes into a harmonious chorus, perfect for any prom. If sensuality had a sound, this would be it. Even though the song repeats the same verse twice, the quality does not suffer, as the melody and Rihanna’s delivery is just so enjoyable, easily making it one of the best songs on the album.

Released alongside “Kiss it Better,” “Needed Me” emulates 2012’s “Pour It Up”, as the punching trap instrumental creates an addicting listening experience. Paired with Rihanna’s confident singing, the song is an early highlight.

The first single, “Work (feat. Drake),” sees Rihanna singing in Jamaican Patois during the infectious chorus, adding personality and culture to the already inventive track. The song, which has spent a consecutive nine weeks at #1, helped Rihanna to overtake the Beatles for most weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. While maybe not as classic as the Beatles’ work (yet), the dancehall-influenced track furthers the undeniable chemistry between her and Drake. Hopefully, a collaborative album comes out in the near future, as every song they work on together makes me violently bop.

The centerpiece of the album, though, is “Love on the Brain,” a crooning doo-wop that finds Rihanna vocally strutting into her one of her more rarely heard voices. On the surface, the song is a passive portrayal of undying love, but as the song builds to a dramatic finish, a more sinister story unfolds. Being so caught up in the feeling of love, Rihanna is overlooking the sometimes physical and emotional abuse her partner causes. In the final verse, Rihanna recalls jazz singer Etta James with an airy delivery that is remarkably strong and mesmerizing. When she hits the bittersweet final note, the song is instantly solidified as not only the best song on the album, but also of Rihanna’s career.

Immediately following is the penultimate “Higher,” which has Rihanna’s voice swaying over a twisting, orchestral instrumentation. Like the title suggests, Rihanna’s passionate delivery stretches her vocals higher than ever before. While her vocals do sound a bit strained at times, the rawness of her singing makes the track special.

Lyrically, almost all the songs on the record deal with lust, scorned love, or self-evolution. While the topics are hardly original, the melodic and instrumental creativity throughout the album is a testament to Rihanna’s artistic statement.

Except for “Same Ol’ Mistakes,” a Tame Impala cover, Rihanna executive produced the entire album and has writing credits on every song. At the height of her career, Rihanna could have easily stuck with her old, safer style of music, but instead took a musical risk. In a world plagued by female and racial oppression, Rihanna’s confidence and independence in that aspect is truly admirable and revolutionary.

Even Sophomore Andrew Adams agrees, as he was near speechless after I urged him to listen to the album, simply stating, “I don’t know what to say.”

For a musician whose work has been curated almost entirely by others in the past, Rihanna has become the antithesis of her own career. Once a young girl in Barbados, discovered by Jay-Z’s record label, Def Jam, Rihanna has since transformed into an independent woman and artist. With ANTI, Rihanna has prompted a new chapter in her career, one where she is finally in control of her own ideas and vision.

Five out of five stars.