Well, I Feel Unaccomplished.

You think of what you were doing at age of 19 (or what you will be doing) and chances are you weren’t releasing your third album on Def Jam. You weren’t working with hit-producer Timbaland, soulful singer-songerwriter Ne-Yo, or sexyback-bringer Justin Timberlake. You weren’t a spokesperson for Covergirl or Nike. Damn, did you even have a job at 19?

Rihanna’s Good Girl Gone Bad, slated for release in early June on Jay-Z’s Def Jam Recordings, hits the sweet spot somewhere between a widely accessible album and showcasing the talent of Rihanna and her legion of ace collaborators. In an industry where sometimes the emphasis seems to be who can get whom to produce the hot tracks, Good Girl seems to just have a solid set of club-bumpable songs without all the hype.

Still in this up-tempo album there’s variety. “Umbrella” pays tribute to Rihanna’s undeniable Dance Hall roots, “Don’t Stop The Music” and “Breakin’ Dishes” are guaranteed to get you on dance floor (or if you are like me and have 0 moves, then looking at the dance floor). “Rehab” and “Hate That I Love You” depart from this high-synth low-bass sound, exploring a more soulful sound – but still manage to be up-tempo.

And if you didn’t have a job at 19, you’re bound to have one now, and this album is well worth your cashish.

-JP

http://www.thisisrihanna.com

Recent and Upcoming Albums
5 June 2007 – Good Girl Gone Bad
4 June 2007 – Good Girl Gone Bad [UK Digipak w/ Bonus Disc of Remixes]