"Anti" (2016) – Rihanna

So after four years of waiting, including last year’s extreme hype, you probably expected something bigger and poppier than what we have now. I was never a huge Rihanna fan, as she relied on her singles to carry her career rather than her albums. There’s nothing particularly wrong with that, as a great majority of pop artists do that. I liked a single here and there, but was also relatively passive to her ubiquitous presence on the radio. “She’s alright,” is a good summation of my thoughts on her at the time. However, during all the build-up, Rihanna was reportedly working very hard on this album, or at least a lot more than she did on her past albums. After all, what else justifies a four-year hiatus? The question now is: Did it live up to its hype?

Upon first listen, "Anti" was a little underwhelming. Across the 13 tracks, there are hardly any obvious standouts. There are definitely no club-bangers like “We Found Love” or “Only Girl (In the World).” “Work” is the clear single to market the album, but even then, it’ll only bring the twerk out in you, not the dancing you’d be doing in the clubs. Instead, what we have here are tracks so even in quality, it’s hard to tell if there’s even a single highlight. But just because there are no clear highlights doesn’t mean these tracks aren’t distinguishable and don’t warrant listens. In fact, while standout tracks are subjective to each listener, this rings truer than ever before. It’s understandable to see why one might enjoy “Desperado” more than others, or her superior Tame Impala cover “Same Ole’ Mistakes.” Rihanna’s influences extend far throughout this album: the aforementioned 60’s soul, 70’s funk on the way-too-short “James Joint” interlude, the PR&B sounds of The Weeknd on “Needed Me.” Arena rock even shows up on “Kiss it Better,” which sounds like a bad idea at first, but that assumption will fade upon hearing it. If there had to be one, I’d personally have to go with “Love on the Brain,” a soul-inspired ballad reminiscent of 50’s doo-wop groups. On top of that, it leads perfectly into the brief but nicely-penned “Higher,” and then the competent but affecting closer “Close to You.” On an album this even in quality, I had no real problems with any of her songs. Well, “James Joint” could’ve been one of the best songs if it weren’t an interlude, and the hook on “Woo” is nowhere near as delicious as the others, but that’s about it.

After repeated listens, it’s apparent that there are more sides to Rihanna than being a pop icon. She’s striving to make actual albums, and that starts with this flavorful collection of songs. It’s undeniably still pop, but gone are her typical hits-loaded-with-filler albums she has produced for the last nine years. No song comes off as generic; each one has its own unique identity. At 28 years old, she’s definitely taking notes from her older pop contemporary, Beyoncé. This is the start of a newer and more mature Rihanna. And let me reassert the fact that she’s only 28. Four years theoretically should have produced a stronger album, but there’s still so much to love here, and still so much time for her to produce a masterpiece. And this album is her stepping stone. For once, I look to the future with her. More like this please! A-