Rihanna ‘Unapologetic’/‘Anti’ SYNC LISTEN (25/11 @ 9:45pm)

The chorus of What Now has the exact same production as A Million Lights by Cheryl Cole, which I was obsessed with at the time. This is just OK

06 Phresh off the Runway
09 Diamonds
07 Numb
11 Pour It Up
10 Loveeeee Song
07 Jump
09 Right Now
05 What Now
 
I love "What Now" - the verses are beautiful. Always found the chorus a bit on the shouty side, but I'll taken given the verses and she does take a bit of a risk with this.
 
Love the middle eight on "What Now" too.

There's no one to call
Because I'm just playing games with them all :(
...
Cause I spend every hour
Just going through the motions
I can't even get the emotions to come out
Dry as a bone
But I just want to shout
WHAT!
NOW!
 
07 Phresh Off the Runway
11 Diamonds
06 Numb
09 Pour it Up
10 Loveeeeeeee Song
08 Jump
05 Right Now
09 What Now
 
Stay is such a towering career high. I prefer it to Diamonds actually. It's so funny that the two hits on this thoroughly bops n' bangers record were the two piano slowies.

the piano riff is so tender and exquisite, they both sound gorgeous (has she ever been so restrained and so in command of her voice?) and the falsetto moments melt my heart. a masterpiece.

07 Phresh Off the Runway
10 Diamonds
06 Numb
05 Pour It Up
10 Loveeeeeee Song
10 Jump
10 Right Now
10 What Now
11 Stay
 
06 Phresh off the Runway
09 Diamonds
07 Numb
11 Pour It Up
10 Loveeeee Song
07 Jump
09 Right Now
05 What Now
09 Stay - so pretty and simple
 
Her vocals on Stay are good. It's cool that Rihanna really grew as a vocalist (and person) throughout her career
 
"Stay" is such a great song that I'm sure anyone could have had a hit with it, but she makes it her own. Overplayed it at the time, though.
 
07 Phresh Off the Runway
11 Diamonds
06 Numb
09 Pour it Up
10 Loveeeeeeee Song
08 Jump
05 Right Now
09 What Now
09 Stay
 
06 Phresh off the Runway
09 Diamonds
07 Numb
11 Pour It Up
10 Loveeeee Song
07 Jump
09 Right Now
05 What Now
09 Stay
10 Nobody's Business

This would have been my 11 at the time. Its such a groove. I wish it featured literally anybody other than Chris Brown (even though he sounds good too)
 
OT: I still read FART across her eyes on the cover

71FN0SSCRLL._SL1200_.jpg
 
let's make out in this Lexus
there's no other love just like this

OK, I'm taking 1 point away from Nobody's Business because I still feel icky about her choice to feature him. How she deals with what happened to her is indeed nobody's bidniss, but it's SO uncomfortable and misguided to have him on her album making bank from her success and giving him a shot at redemption (not that he needed that since the blacklisting lasted all of a YEAR or two).

and what's worse is that the song is BRILLIANT. such an effortless, shimmery slice of disco. completely timeless, yet somehow completely at home on this record. it's glorious. just wish it featured ANYONE BUT HIM.

07 Phresh Off the Runway
10 Diamonds
06 Numb
05 Pour It Up
10 Loveeeeeee Song
10 Jump
10 Right Now
10 What Now
11 Stay
09 Nobody's Business
 
"Nobody's Business" surely would have been another #1 had it not been so problematic? :eyes:

Let's make out in this LEXUS :disco:
 
07 Phresh Off the Runway
11 Diamonds
06 Numb
09 Pour it Up
10 Loveeeeeeee Song
08 Jump
05 Right Now
09 What Now
09 Stay
10 Nobody's Business
 
RJN said:
Her vocals on Stay are good. It's cool that Rihanna really grew as a vocalist (and person) throughout her career
Click to expand...
she really went from being routinely mocked for her vocal abilities/sounding like a stressed goat and being entirely unable to sing live to developing a gorgeous, totally unique tone that elevates any and all material it features on. and she can slay live too. it's such a transformation - ALL while smoking 7 joints a day! queen!
 
I usually skipped "Love Without Tragedy" before it gets to the gorgeousness of "Mother Mary"... forgot how lovely it was.
 
I still can't believe she reached her vocal and artistic peak and then decided to become a SOCK MAVEN. Troll Queen.
 
07 Phresh Off the Runway
10 Diamonds
06 Numb
05 Pour It Up
10 Loveeeeeee Song
10 Jump
10 Right Now
10 What Now
11 Stay
09 Nobody's Business
08 Love Without Tragedy / Mother Mary

Mother Mary is gorgeous gowns, beautiful gowns in song form. really pretty vibe, but slightly lacking in the actual song department.
 
Love Without Tragedy/Mother Mary is my favourite on the album, even though I hate it when people roll two songs into one. There's really no need in the digital era. Just make one an INTERLUDE.
 
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06 Phresh off the Runway
09 Diamonds
07 Numb
11 Pour It Up
10 Loveeeee Song
07 Jump
09 Right Now
05 What Now
09 Stay
10 Nobody's Business
08 Love Without Tragedy/Mother Mary

In truth Love Without Tragedy is the 10 and Mother Mary is more of a 9 for me, but they work well together. I think the production towards the end of this album was so well done. I like Mother Mary speeding up towards the end

EDIT: This went on TOO LONG so I took it down to an 8
 
Gangsta Nancy Lam said:
Love Without Tragedy/Mother Mary is my favourite on the album, even though I hate it when people roll two songs into one. There's really no need in the digital era. Just make one an INTERLUDE.
Click to expand...

YES. This really annoyed me when Lorde did it on Melodrama too
 
07 Phresh Off the Runway
11 Diamonds
06 Numb
09 Pour it Up
10 Loveeeeeeee Song
08 Jump
05 Right Now
09 What Now
09 Stay
10 Nobody's Business
09 Love Without Tragedy / Mother Mary
 
"Get it Over With" just meanders a bit, but I LOVE IT. The backdrop sounds like an amazing old Hollywood film score.
 
RJN said:
YES. This really annoyed me when Lorde did it on Melodrama too
Click to expand...
Hard Feelings/Loveless is arguably my favourite thing on Melodrama :D it works exquisitely. I like the idea of FORCING people to listen to an interlude-y song.

07 Phresh Off the Runway
10 Diamonds
06 Numb
05 Pour It Up
10 Loveeeeeee Song
10 Jump
10 Right Now
10 What Now
11 Stay
09 Nobody's Business
08 Love Without Tragedy / Mother Mary
07 Get It Over With
 
Oh I love both the songs, I just wish they weren't combined. Unluckily for Lorde, we can scroll to the part of the song we want in 2020
 
Keep thundering, thundering
I'm wondering, wondering
Why you keep thundering
Why won't you just fucking rain
And get it over with... :(
 
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