Rihanna - Loud
 (Def Jam)

- reviewed by Danitha Jones

While one of Rihanna's strong points may be her ability to dabble in a variety of genres, the mixture just doesn't come together on her fifth studio album, Loud. The lack of consistency in sound leaves the compilation feeling like a collection of well-sung recycled tracks from previous projects.

Returning to her Music of the Sun days, Rihanna sings with Caribbean flare on "Man Down," where she talks about shooting a man in Central Square. Things gets Rated-R on "S&M," "What's my name" and "Skin," four sexually explicit records. The upbeat tracks, "Only Girl In The World" and "Raining Men," are two of the albums highlights. The ballads, "California Bed King," "Complicated," and "Love the Way You Lie II," showcases Rihanna's amazing vocal skills.

Loud may be versatile but it lacks a cohesive flow from one song to the next. This album is definitely not as bold as Rated-R but is a good follow-up.

Track By Track

-- Degrees --	10	20	30	40	50	60	70	80	90	100
1.  S&M
2.  What's My Name
3.  Cheers
4.  Fading
5.  Only Girl in the World
6.  California Bed King
7.  Man Down
8.  Raining Men
9.  Complicated
10. Skin
11. Love the Way You Lie

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