Album Review: Rihanna "Talk That Talk"

I've been fighting allowing myself to become a full-fledged fan of Rihanna ever since she released the masterpiece that is Rated R because she's not the world's most talented vocalist & even though Loud was solid, let's just say that Talk That Talk convinced me!

1. "You Da One": We got a hot one right here! Love that island flavor. 5/5

2. "Where Have You Been": Rihanna may be good at this whole urban thing, but she really has a career waiting for her as a dance artist if she so desires because this song is brilliant! 5/5

3. "We Found Love" (ft. Calvin Harris): See what I mean? Not only is this the biggest hit of her career, but it's one of her best songs ever! 5/5

4. "Talk That Talk" (ft. Jay-Z): "Whatcha say now, give it to me baby!" I cannot get this song out of my head, which, in this case, I love! Jay-Z completely phoned in his pathetic lyrics, but I won't hold that against her. 5/5

5. "Cockiness (Love It)": An instant favorite of mine. Love the attitude! 5/5

6. "Birthday Cake": She was on her way to another hit with this one at least. Everything about it is fantastic except the length. 4.5/5

7. "We All Want Love": We've arrived at the (thankfully brief) slower section of the album, which tends to be rough for Rihanna. Slow jams are certainly not her forte on Talk That Talk. This song does very little for me. 2/5

8. "Drunk On Love": A slight improvement over the previous track, but that doesn't stop me from skipping it. 2.5/5

9. "Roc Me Out": She's back in her comfort zone here, so much so that it sounds like "Rude Boy Part 2", but that's not a complaint! 5/5

10. "Watch & Learn": Yet another highlight. She's so in her element on what is definitely the best song Priscilla Renea's ever written. 5/5

11. "Farewell": This, on the other hand, is my least favorite song on the album. It's no "The Last Song"... 1.5/5

For uptempos, Talk That Talk is the go-to Rihanna album. As for the three tracks I wasn't in love with, had she replaced them with the deluxe edition bonus tracks "Red Lipstick" (work more with Chase & Status please, RiRi!), "Do Ya Thang" (a would've-been hit in the making!), & "Fool In Love (in place of "Farewell"), the album would've been *muah* perfecto! Oh, & Rihanna? Please never stop working with Ester Dean. :)

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars