Review: Rihanna's 'Unapologetic'
By Kurt. B. Reighley
Special to MSN
Music
Rihanna
"Unapologetic"
Our rating: 3.5 stars
Is she a puppet or a real girl? The answer might
surprise you. On the surface, Rihanna's latest plays to the most cliched aspects
of her bad girl image: risque cover art, confrontational title, an opening
outburst of Tourette's syndrome ("Fresh Off the Runway"). Yet time and again the
singer shows her strength by displaying vulnerability, emphasizing themes of
hurt and heartbreak on tracks ranging from stripped-down R&B ("Numb") to
piano ballads ("What Now") and midtempo reggae ("No Love Allowed"). Contrasted
with these emotional outpourings, it's the boisterous, pop-oriented cuts like
club stomper "Right Now" that ring hollow.