Good Girl Gone Bad Reviews

• Song of the summer and a solid album.

  
  By A1DTCJV6KOMJOA on 2007-06-05
  Rihanna has finally made a solid album, almost void of her nasal tick of notes and need to have herself above the sound mix. Now with the right production, hello -- echo effect in play during "Umbrella" (a song Mary J. Blige turned down, yeah, kick yourself hard for that one, girl). Rihanna has dropped the too-sweet Island sun music that she never quite American-ized to have a run away hit and is able to avoid working with Teairra Marie at the food court.
  
  With the exception of the horrible slow jams that try to cater to her as if she had a strong voice, Rihanna does well with the sassy jams like "Lemme Get That" with its call to take every dime a man has on furniture instead of spending her own cash to do so ... why not have him buy the house too then? Even "Don't Stop the Music" which samples Michael Jackson's chant/call from "Wanna Be Startin' somethin'" is dipped in a little of reggae while still allowing her to cross over. It's nice to see her growing into her own, even though it is with massive help from studio production.
  
  In the past, it seems as if she had been searching for an image, this sassy, sweet vibe suits her well. Even the film-noir album cover works. The only riff: when she fails, she fails hard! Slow jams just aren't her strong note, when its too much of a vocal push for her. Its like telling Ciara to go out there and belt -- not gonna happen. Rihanna has made an excellent summer album that'll stick on the charts for a long time or until Beyonce gets Jealous and tells her to sit down.
  
  

• Don't want to stop the music

  
  By A37PV5GMP2ILJC on 2007-06-17
  Rihanna may have Guyanese roots, but it's not a case of national pride that leads me to a five star rating for this album. This girl just keeps getting better, livening up the dog days of summer with hot hits for hot nights and days. This album can spawn perhaps six singles, and the rest aren't bad either.
  
  Mega single "Umbrella" already has people walking down the road singing "ella ella eh eh eh eh eh eh" which sounds weird unless you can do a Bajan accent, but you just can't help singing it anyway.
  
  The dance tracks alone are worth the price of the album, with songs like "Don't Stop the Music", where Michael Jackson blends with a Madonna type beat. (Can you say "Mamasay mamasa mamakusa"?) Other tracks to note are the revenge themed "Breaking Dishes", and the alt rock/electronic track and second single "Shut Up and Drive" co-written by the guys from New Order.
  
  For mid tempo fans, there are the Timbaland tracks "Sell Me Candy" and the reggae/rap "Lemme Get That" plus the title track.
  
  For fans of her slower jams, there's "Hate That I Love You" featuring Ne-Yo who also co-wrote the track, and the single-ready "Rehab", another Timbaland track co-written by and featuring Justin Timberlake.
  
  Combining hip hop, electro-pop, reggae, lover's rock and R&B, Rihanna may just be the hottest export from Barbados in recent times. Highly recommended.
  
  
  
  Amanda Richards, June 18, 2007
  
  
  

• I Love This Bad Girl!

  
  By A3SV72ZAHH2IDH on 2007-06-05
  Good Girl Gone Bad" is 19 year old Rihanna Fenty third album in only 3 years which is quite unordinary but she shows no signs of slowing down. As soon as her previous singles and albums started declining on the charts she comes out with new material, that itself is a very smart way of staying popular and not becoming a has been. Rihanna may not have the most spectacular voice but it's one of a kind with a shrill tone that makes her sound younger and easy to recognize and she's also very beautiful which is a good thing for a singer these days. Her music is a mix between, Caribbean Dancehall, Pop, R&B and Dance music and even some Rock lately. Hence, her music is more varied then alot of artists which makes her music accessable to most people. But Rihanna is better suited for uptempo's then ballads, her biggest hits were "Pon Da Replay" from (Music from the Sun) and "Sos" from (A Girl Like Me) and now her new single "Umbrella", another uptempo just reached the #1 position of the billboard charts. With this album, Rihanna decided to record an album where most songs are uptempo's (only 2-3 are slower but there is only 1 real ballad). She also gets alot of help from good producers like Timbaland, J. R Rotem, Carl Sturken/Evan Rogers, Stargate an Christopher Stewart and regardless of the diffrence between the producers it feels like most songs are part of the same concept, meliodic and well produced uptempos ready to become hits. Infact, the production here is amazing and some songs are in my oppinion it's as far as you can go right now with music production, mostly songs that brilliantly mix contemporary R&B and Pop with Dance Music. That's reason enough for a purchase.
  
  It's quite incredible that Rihanna could make such a good album in such a short time. While her second album was better then her first, her third is better then her second. Like aformentioned, this is mostly a uptempo album with excellent futuristic production that blends diffrent genres with Dance Music. You got to give credits to Timbaland and other superproducers that really done something special to change the state of popular music from fabricated sample driven beat-oriented junk to creative futuristic and highly meliodic music that is mostly free from samples and blends diffrent genres brilliantly. Thus, I think that music right not is better then ever, and I thought I'd never say that 5-6 years ago when music had reached the bottom. Enough of the production, let's say something of the title "Good Girl Gone Bad", The title refers to Rihanna's going from being a girl to becoming a woman. The same thing happened with Britney Spears on her third album where more songs dealt with her emanicpation and sex then simple feel good pop. However, I wouldn't say that most songs deal with that and the few that do are mostly quite innocent or unrevealing, so judge the songs for it's sound and not it's lyrics that isn't put on focus here.
  
  It starts with the first single and big hit "Umbrella" which is introduced by Jay-Z but I wouldn't say he got any impact of the song. The song which was produced by Christopher Stewart blends a rock edge with heavy drums with electro beats and got a killer hook where Rihanna sings "Now It's Raining More Then Ever/ Know that we'll still have each other/ You can stand under my Umbrella". A metaphor for being a good friend you can always count on, even in the hardest of time. It reached #1 in both US and UK, and it was the first song from a female artist ever to reach the top of the Uk list based entirely on downloads!. Next song "Push Up On Me" is one of the most uptempo songs with a 80's disco-pop inspired beat that slowly builds up and explode with a good hook. It's a Rotem prodution that samples the opening phase of Lionel Richie's "Running With the Night", This is a great floorfiller and feel good song and even if it's a bit repetitive towards the end it's simply irresisstable. Next song "Don't Stop the Music" from Stargate is quite simular to the last one, a floorfiller with great electro beats, although this time it sounds more like a Euro-Dance song that a 80's inspired pop song. It starts slow and slowly builts up til the hook comes in. It borrows the African chants from MJ's "Wanna Be Starting Sometin" but in a good way. It's good that the cathyness of Euro-Dance music is coming back into contemporary music again. "Breakin' Dishes" is another uptempo song with quite angry singing from Rihanna. It's more Hip Hopish then the other songs and got heavy bass and nice electro beats like the other songs. It seems to be about how to kill time before her guy comes home. "Shut Up And Drive" will be the second single and weird enough it's the second of only two songs that actually are rock-pop influenced and both single-released, why?. It borrows the bassline from New Order's "Blue Monday". It's not my favorite but a grower nonetheless.
  
  "Hate That I Love You" with Ne-Yo, and produced by Stargate is the only real ballad on this album. The song sounds fammiliar but it's a sweet song and it's fun to see two of my favorite artists together for a duet!. "Say It" is a midtempo produced by Neo Da Matrix with some oriental infleunced beats, it's one of those songs that doesn't build up for a hook, but the song got a nice vibe nonetheless. "Sell Me Candy" is my favorite pick of this album and not too surprisingly it was produced by music innovator Timbaland. It's a catchy futuristic uptempo with great hook, that is destined to be the third single and smash hit In my oppinion. "Lemme Get That" a reggae inspired song about materialism. The song is good not great and also Timbaland produced. Another Timbaland song called "Rehab" that was co-written by Justin Timberlake. "Rehab" that resembles Timberlake's "Losing My Way" and "What Goes Around" is another standout and potential hit. With it's sad melancholy lyrics "You're the reason why I'm thinking/I don't wanna smoke on these cigarettes no more /I guess that's what I get for wishful thinking/ Should've never let you enter my door, Rihanna goes on the hook saying "It's like I checked into rehab/ And baby, you're my disease". "Question Existing" is quite strange, a slow song where Rihanna debates over who she is and what she wants. Must be strange going from a normal teenager on Barbados to a worldwide sensation everyone recognize?. Stargate ends this album with a midtempo and title track "Good Girl Gone Bad", the song is basically about how guys should treat girlfriends well, cause otherwise the "good girl" will be gone forever.
  
  Overall, already after one listen I know this was a good album, after 2 listens I know it was better then anything else she had made and after 3 listens I know it's possibly the best album I've heard of this year so far. A more sexy Rihanna with an album brilliantly produced in the best of ways with a majority of uptempo's, it can't go bad. You should defenitely check this one, not only if you like Rihanna but if you like good meliodic hook driven pop music aswell. Every song here could be a hit. Recommended.
  
  

• Good Girl Gone Better

  
  By A1QJHZUUMKZYZG on 2007-06-05
  When Rihanna started two years ago, most people thought she would disappear within a few months. However, Rihanna is still here and better than ever! Her new album combines hip-hop, r&b, dance, reggae, rock, pop, and electronic to have a new sound all her own. While she is not the best singer in the world, her vocal skills has shown great improvement. At the age of 19, this could be the beginning of a new world for Rihanna.
  
  MY FAVORITE SONGS:
  
  'Umbrella' is the hottest song this summer and its totally Rihanna. She really didn't need Jay-Z assistance and the blend of rock with hip hop is both catchy and addictive.
  
  'Don't Stop the Music' mixes 80s music with a today's electronic sound and I love the MJ chant in the song. Rihanna's vocals are nearly perfect with this song.
  
  'Breakin Dishes' has alot of attitude and once again, she blends rock with a more hip hop sound.
  
  'Hate That I Love You' is simply pretty. Rihanna and Ne-yo's vocals sound great together. The best part about this song is its very basic and simple.
  
  'Sell Me Candy' is my favorite song because its one of her most reggae-sounding songs on the album.
  
  'Lemme Get That' is another reggae song and the lyrics are quite funny to me. Her vocals are made for songs like this.
  
  'Rehab' is another proof that Rihanna's vocals has improved alot of the years.
  
  The other songs are okay to me (they are not filters), especially 'Shut and Drive' which is the next single and will no doubt increase Rihanna's appeal. The final word on this cd is: Rihanna is growing and this is her summer.
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Oh Dear

  
  By A3AFODWDOZXNYE on 2007-08-02
  Oh Dear,
  
  What will she release next year??? A country Album? Will she be Bad girl gone Good??? She has to strip and change her style(if she has one) to keep the public interested...
  
  She is an image created to be so popular, but her album isnt selling as good as they are making us think, for an artist that has been on the charts for 9/wo week, her album hasn't even gone gold yet, but Maroon 5, Pink with U & ur hand, Justin Timberlake with Summer Love which didn't even go to #1 on Billboard have all gone gold??? I dunno I think it is like One person buying or downloading a song/album a million times so people will think everyone is buying it and then they start to buy it too...
  
  An image created because talent & this girl don't go together... If not 4 Jay pushing her with those endorsement deals, she wud be forgotten like that Tierra Marie. But if i was her i wouldn't feel too bad, at least u never took ur clothes off to sell an album, keep flippin those burgers girl ;-)...
  
  
• I Ask You: What Ever Happened To Music?
  By A360T3EFUHE3FR on 2007-12-06
  The state of today's "music" is pitiful! Rihanna and every other young girl/guy today SOUNDS ALIKE! It's a whiny, monotonous kind of sound with banal, kid-like lyrics being repeated over and over with a definite hip/hop beat that is truly annoying.
  
  This stuff is being nominated for Grammy Awards! For years, the Grammys have sworn that they nominate "the best" which is not based on record sales. But, if you'll notice, all of the nominees are best sellers. I cannot imagine "artists" like Rihanna, Justin Timerlake and Beyonce marching up to receive the highest HONOR music has to offer. Is THIS the BEST America has to offer? It cheapens the award, reducing it to the same level as the Billboard and American Music Awards, which are honest about their awards being for sales only.The awful part is that artists with REAL singing talent sit at home watching this disaster, as one no-talent after another treks up to accept these awards.
  
  What Happened To Great Music? Will it ever return? How do we run these hip/hop phonies out of town!!!!!!??????
  
  
• what?
  By A2ZZUO1K6K9P3U on 2007-09-10
  this is a joke , right... I mean this really is a joke this person and the rest of it all. Oh my god this really is the end of civilization when someone that sounds like this gets recognized for being, good?!?
  
  
• Umbrella ella ella!!!
  By A24N1BAS3CU27H on 2007-06-05
  "Good girl gone bad" is 19 year old R&B songstress Rihanna's third CD (in as many years), and the one that got me noticing. I was never crazy about her whiny, girly voice, but her singing has improved.
  
  Opening with the worldwide smash, the US & UK #1 "Umbrella" with it's addictive "umbrella ella ella" chorus, and obligatory rap provided by Beyoncé's beau Jay Z.
  
  The Beyoncé connection is heard once again on the title track "Good girl gone bad" (lovely harmonies), a lovely acoustic song highly reminiscent of "Irreplaceable". Both songs were written by Neyo, who duets on the similar, but even catchier "Hate that I love you".
  
  "Push up on me" is an upbeat number which samples Lionel Richie's "Running with the night". Daring you not to groove is the pulsing club stomper "Don't stop the music" which features samples from Michael Jackson's "Wanna be startin' something", complete with MJ's lifted vocals.
  
  "Shut up and drive" is a rocky driving number sampling New Order's "Blue Monday", and due to be the album's second single.
  
  Other standouts are the brief but catchy electro/dancehall "Sell me candy", the dancehall tinged "Lemme get that" (both produced by Timbaland) and the midtempo acoustic "Rehab" (no, not the Amy Winehouse hit, but very nice too).
  
  For ballads we get the sultry "Question existing" (whose introspective lyrics are the album's lone attempt at lyrical depth) and "Say it". Far better than this pair however, is the beautiful soaring piano ballad "Cry", which is available on the UK edition of the CD. It's similar to her hit "Unfaithful" and features an emotional vocal performance.
  
  I really like the variety of sounds on this CD, and hopefully Rihanna will keep growing in leaps and bounds.
  
  
  
• Three and a half stars for the beautiful Rihanna!
  By AE9V37MS6QY8D on 2007-06-08
  Upon picking up Good Girl Gone Bad, the third and most recent album by the excruciatingly beautiful 19-year-old Barbados dancehall reggae singer Rihanna (born: Robyn Rihanna Fenty), I slightly cringed at the album's title, thinking she had gone the route of most pop diva starlets (i.e. Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Lindsay Lohan, Jessica Simpson, etc.) by thinking that growing older means one has to flaunt and exploit sex and sexuality in order to showcase how much older she's become. When's it gonna sink in, ladies? Growing older and more mature does not mean you have to talk dirty and dress in skimpier outfits. Luckily, although there are a few songs on this album that have many sexual innuendo, upon listening to the title track, "Good Girl Gone Bad," the last track on the album, I'm relieved to hear that the title doesn't mean what most audiences would think it to mean. And that's the exact theme that Rihanna uses throughout Good Girl Gone Bad. Not only is this green-eyed Bajan one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen (she should be People Magazine's top most beautiful person), but she's also shown with each album release that she's growing not only in age but artistically as well.
  
  Anyone who's listened to contemporary pop/rock/R&B radio knows Rihanna from her earlier hit singles "Pon De Replay," "S.O.S.," "Unfaithful," and "Break it Off." Her first album, 2005's Music of the Sun was chock full of summer dance anthems, headlined by the reggae dance tune (in the tradition of Sean Paul or Daddy Yankee, both of whom I despise) "Pon De Replay" (which I surprisingly enjoyed) that would most likely be played in any teenage girl's radio with her convertible top down and on the way to either the mall or the beach. Last year's A Girl Like Me wowed many critics who passed off Rihanna as merely another pop teen sensation. The album blended the summer dance jams that most of her fans enjoy with ballads such as "Unfaithful," penned by Ne-Yo.
  
  The first song and also the first single, "Umbrella," features Def Jam president and rapper extraordinaire Jay-Z in an intro that only lasts a little over thirty seconds, thusly not really deserving his "featuring" title in the credits (but he still gets this title because he's the president of the company and/or he's a big name in the music business). Supposedly, Mary J. Blige turned down the chance to record this song, and, after hearing Rihanna's version, I'm sure she's kicking herself for that. After Jay-Z's intro, drum beats bring on Rihanna's voice, which doesn't go as far as it could go in this song. But that's a good thing. I have the feeling that if she had tried to project her voice as high and as loud as she could, the song would've come off as some Mariah Carey-wannabe knockoff. This song is her best single to date and it's one of the best pop songs on the radio right now! Unfortunately, we're brought next to a song that starts to touch into that overtly sexual territory that I was talking about earlier. "Push Up On Me" is exactly how it sounds: a song littered with 80's beats and sexual suggestive lyrics that are a mere excuse to make a dance song so that girls can grind into guys' groins. The one good thing about this song is it automatically transitions into the - one I'm guessing will be - the next club hit, "Don't Stop the Music." With its techno beats and a sample of Michael Jackson's "Wanna Be Startin' Something," "Don't Stop the Music," reminds me of the club beats I used to dance to back in the day. And I can already picture many remixes of this song on those Ultra Dance compilation albums (maybe volume 10?). Its infectious beats make me want to just move and dance; a good, catchy song.
  Track four is "Breakin' Dishes," which I wasn't too impressed with (although it is catchy). Starting with gratuitous unifying girl-shouting chorus, the song just seems like some girl singing about her bravado in wanting to try and show how tough she is by saying she's not going home until the police show up and that she's gonna fight a man. Plus, the lyrics don't make much sense. I enjoyed the following track, "Shut Up and Drive," so much more. The song begins with a sample of New Order's "Blue Monday" guitar riffs before going into synthesizer beats and notes. The song has enough driving-and-sex metaphor to make even the most hardcore nasty rapper blush! But Rihanna sings it in her usual come-hither voice, automatically making a dance hit. The next track is a duet with her "Unfaithful" writer Ne-Yo, called "Hate That I Love You." It's a song starting off with acoustic soul guitar where each of the singers are addressing each other about the playfully annoying ways that they get on each other's nerves but recognize that that's exactly why they care so much for each other. The song is decent in a laid-back R&B acoustic soul way, but singers like Ne-Yo start to get all my nerves. I mean, take my generation's new jack soul R&B singers, who sound just like Ne-Yo: Tevin Campbell, Brian McKnight, R. Kelly, and Babyface. Look where those guys are now, Ne-Yo. `Cause you'll soon be joining their ranks in obscurity.
  
  "Say It" is a mediocre song about a young woman's pleading to the man she loves to open up to her by talking more about his feelings and thoughts. The music stands out with an oriental-sounding influence (which is Mad Cobra's "Flex"), and with the multiple vocals (all supplied by Rihanna), sounding like En Vogue or Destiny's Child. The lyrics are so idealistic (almost to the point of naïve) that it's easy to recognize that Rihanna didn't write these lyrics; they were written by older men who have this conception of how young women her age feel. It should be noted that unlike her first two albums, Rihanna didn't do any songwriting on this album. "Sell Me Candy" again peeks into that naïve, sexual innuendo territory with Rihanna trying to convince this man she likes to drop his current girlfriend and hook up with her by singing sexually suggestive lyrics with candy references. Luckily, this song only runs a little over two-and-a-half minutes, and it goes into the extremely catchy "Lemme Get That." This song returns Rihanna to her dancehall reggae roots and it's a welcomed reception with the perfectly positioned use of horns. The lyrics speak of a woman who's using her sexuality to get the material possessions she wants. Ironically, near the end of the song, she sings "I'm not a gold digger." Well, actually, if you are using your body and sexuality to get material things and/or money, then you are. The song is catchy and good to dance to, but, sadly, I can see most young women embracing this song and "Sell Me Candy" as their anthems, blaring them in their cars as they sing along to the lyrics at the top of their voices.
  
  From the dance-crazed oblivion of "Lemme Get That" to the next song, "Rehab," written by Justin Timberlake (who also supplies a few barely-noticeable background vocals), the album makes a sharp turn into more serious, profound subject matter. This song is about a girl realizing how wrong she was to devote her life and love to the guy she's dumping. She loved this man so much he was like a drug to her and the song is her getting over him, hence the title. This song is a slightly slower song and this is the song most women should be embracing. There are too many women today (particularly, young women) who date or go out with the biggest jerks who deep down are selfish and only want them for their own purposes. And the fact that this song both identifies that, but also delivers up proof that these women aren't alone and that they can get over these guys, is why this song is so much more important.
  
  Next is "Question Existing," featuring a slow, sweeping beat and Rihanna's voice slightly digitally altered as if she's speaking in some dream. I admire her honesty and insight into her personal life and feelings. Even though she didn't receive any songwriting credit, I'm sure the singer gave some input to the writers for this song; especially with lines like: "I'm just like you/Do the mistakes I make make me a fool/Or a human with flaws/Admit that I'm lost/Round of applause/Take the abuse/Sometimes it feels like they want me to lose" and "Dear diary, it's Robyn/Entertaining is something I do for a living/It's not who I am/I like to think that I'm normal/I laugh/I get mad/I hurt/I think guys suck sometimes/I don't know who to trust/I don't know who wants to date me for who I am/Or who wants to be my friend for who I really am." Again, this isn't so much a song as it's a journal entry, with Rihanna unabashedly speaking her thoughts and feelings, and, in the process, showing other young women that they're not alone in their insecurities and doubts. After "Question," we come to the title track "Good Girl Gone Bad," which isn't about Rihanna transforming her image. No. It's an acoustic guitar-filled warning for all boys/guys/men out there that they should start being more respectful and gentlemen-like to girls/women. `Cause if they don't, as Rihanna warns, "once a good girl goes bad, we gone forever." In her own way, she's saying that not all girls are the superficial, gold-digging sluts that most likely once hurt them. I like this song and even though it's not the strongest song on the album (that goes to "Umbrella" and "Don't Stop the Music"), it's still enjoyable and a suitable finish.
  
  If I had to rate this album from one to five stars, I'd give it a three-and-a-half. Rihanna is growing with each album release as each one showcases her ever-growing maturity; I can't wait to see what she's releasing in the next two to five years `cause I think her music will not only master the dance club genre but delve deep into the ballad territory. Even the unlikeable or questionable songs are catchy. Just like any teenager, she's got more to learn, but, unlike most teens, she knows it. And as long as she keeps out of the craziness of "celebrity" (i.e. marrying young to some deadbeat dancer, shaving her head, getting addicted to drugs/alcohol, partying all the time, making a sex tape only to have it leaked on the Internet, etc.), she'll do great with her voice and the songs that come her way. It seems like she's putting music out there that best personifies what she's currently going through in her life. As a musician and music lover, what more could you ask for? While Good Girl Gone Bad is not for everyone, it still doesn't keep it from being some catchy music and great to dance to.
  
  
• Please make her go away!
  By AGLOW978UVIXZ on 2007-11-25
  Who do I have to pay to make her stop "singing"? Her voice is like finger nails on a chalk board.
  
  I have heard better from American Idol hopefuls.
  
  
• The Badder, The Better
  By A375NHE4L5104B on 2007-06-10
  Rihanna fills a void and provides a great soundtrack for Summer 2007 with "Good Girl Gone Bad". The diversity of the CD makes this one of the most interesting collections to come out recently. Dance tracks include the sexy "Push Up On Me", the pulsating "Don't Stop The Music", and the furious "Breakin' Dishes". Mid-tempo cuts include current hit "Umbrella", "Rehab", and Ne-Yo duet "Hate That I Love You". If you need a little reggae-flavor for an island getaway, "Lemme Get That" and "Sell Me Candy" is here for you. Rihanna is a star who gets better as she gets "badder". This CD is recommended.
  
  
• "Please don't stop the music"
  By AIW5KNFD2114D on 2007-06-05
  I have to admit that when I first saw that Rihanna was coming out with yet another new CD so fast I thought it was going to be a quickly thrown together pile of crap. In my opinion her first 2 releases had MAYBE a handful of decent songs and then the rest were very weak.
  
  Rihanna's third effort: 'Good Girl Gone Bad' is without a doubt her best CD and quite possibly one of the best CD's I have heard this year so far!
  It is remarkable! It has great beats, catchy hooks, a few guests, no entire song samples (think SOS LOL) and her voice seems a bit better than in her previous efforts.
  
  The CD starts off with a bang with the melody driven, smash hit: "Umbrella". Great summer song to jam to. I do not think there is a single person that does not know this song.
  The CD keeps with the pace and takes us into the slammin' "Push Up On Me" that uses a very slight sample of the classic Lionel Richie tune "Running With The Night" in the beat. Very good use of that sample. Just an awesome song.
  Next it gets kicked up a few notches with an already club friendly: "Don't Stop The Music". VERY infectious beat. A great sample (in the deep background) of Michael Jacksons "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'. This song is so infectious - has you wanting to hit the nearest dance club to tear up the floor.
  "Breakin' Dishes" keeps with the energy with the beat but she steps the attitude up about 20 notches! Talking about how she is sick of waiting on her man and "breaking dishes all night and I am not stopping until I see police lights". Very good beat and lyrics.
  "Shut Up And Drive" is another great uptempo song with a nice rock edge to it. Very catchy - you will be singing this and tapping your toes after about 3 listens....guranteed!
  
  From here the CD slows down a bit. Not a boring, snooze-fest slow but a good mid-tempo slow. Some really great R&B jams. The most noteworthy are "Rehab" (no, not the Amy Winehouse's culy hit) and "Question Existing" - a very sensual and sexy slow jam with a good beat.
  
  This CD is EXCELLENT! A must purchase! I can tell there are going to be a lot of hits that come off of 'Good Girl Gone Bad'. They are all so melodic and radio friendly and the beats are off the chain!! A 5 star release all the way!!!
  
  
• She's Hot and Ready (4.5 Stars)
  By A11D1KHM7DVOQK on 2007-06-06
  Good Girl Gone Bad. Believe the title. A Girl Like Me was nothing truly different from Music of the Sun. It had a slight more of an urban touch to it, but she was just slightly evolving on the side, releasing a few hit singles, nothing standing out about either other than they were very solid albums, and that Rihanna had an okay voice at best. In the end, she couldn't really be seperated from the Christina Milian and Ashanti pack, unless you are talking about the more successful Rihanna is. She just seemed like another good girl R&B singer. Well, now Rihanna has come for a new statement, "I'm not a good girl." Last album, Rihanna arguably had too many ballads. Ballads still show a weak spot for Rihanna, but she must've listened to her fans, since this album has arguably too much dancehall. Scrolling through the tracks and you'll find nothing but flirty, upbeat electronic-pop tunes full of fun, undeniable hooks and phrases. She's somewhat pleasant in the Jay-Z assisted "Umbrella", but one listen of "Push Up on Me" or the ranchy, loud, heavy metal "Shut Up and Drive" and you'll forget that thought altogether. Good Girl Gone Bad...the title doesn't lie. Even "Breakin' Dishes" is catchy, and instead of crying and mopping about it in "Unfaithful", she's breaking dishes and other glass products onto one of the most catchy beats since "Hollaback Girl". Believe that. She still does some ballads, but again, they still come off as the weaker songs. Rihanna ain't terrible at ballads (see Jennifer Lopez "I'm Glad"), but when compared to her crazy, 80's meets hip-hop tone, they go in one ear and out the other. Ne-Yo assisted "Hate That I Love You", a soft, guitar beat obviously produced by Stargate, since it sounds like "Sexy Love" is playing in the background. It's an alright track, but a bit overused. And the softer, more R&B-styled "Say It" has oversampling written all over it. But when you get to reggae flavored "Sell Me Candy" quietly asking you to get up and dance to a crazywhattheheckpersoncouldtothis beat, then it's obvious that Rihanna still does what she does best: signature dancehall tracks. Last album you have "S.O.S.", and the album before you had "Pon de Replay", but in this one, you'll find more than a couple to add to that list. Good Girl Gone Bad...believe the title, not the hype. Rihanna's 3rd album offers a good, solid listen, not having one filler to name, and instead of her last album, doesn't go with a cookie cutter format. Instead, this would be the album to say quit reading this review, throw on Rihanna's CD, and start grooving already. 4.5 stars.
  
  
• Island girl doin big tings :)
  By A1CYAHMXNB91EI on 2007-06-08
  Rihanna went almsot completely rock, dance and pop on this album with tinges of dancehall. I guess she figured that since her tracks were always topping the dance and pop charts she'd just do that type of music. I'm not into those genres however I was thoroughly entertained by this album. My favourite songs are: Umbrella (Featuring Jay-Z) , Breakin Dishes, Shut Up & Drive, Hate That I Love You (Featuring Ne-Yo), Rehab, Good Girl Gone Bad, and the 2 dancehall-tinged songs : Say It and Lemme Get That. That's 8 out of the 12 songs on the album. That's how good this album is.
  
  1. Umbrella (Featuring Jay-Z) - This one grew on me. At first I thought it was silly but now I sing along to it. The tune fits her voice. I love the beat and the catchy chorus. It's a hit.
  
  2. Push Up On Me - This one is a purely dance track and is good for working out.
  
  3. Don't Stop The Music - This one is also a purely dance track and is good for working out. It's like CNC Music Factory's Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now) track from 1990 mixed with a Michael Jackson sample.
  
  4. Breakin Dishes - This is my jam. I love the rage and aggression. This one is more rock than the previous 2 and I love the beat. In this song she is talking about how she is going to fight her maybe cheating boyfriend and break dishes and burn his clothes - really crazy behaviour. This is a really cool track and great for the gym as well.
  
  5.Shut Up and Drive - This is her next single and this one is very rock. Another great jam to listen to while running on the treadmill. This one grew on me too.
  
  6.Hate That I Love You (Featuring Ne-Yo) - I love this duet. This is a typical Ne-Yo sounding song in terms of the beat. This is one of the only R&B tracks on the album. It's sweet.
  
  7.Say It - This one has the beat of that old Shabba Ranks dancehall track - Girl Flex - nice.....I am so glad she didn't drop her caribbean roots completely....
  
  8. Sell Me Candy - This one has a good beat too....can't classify into a genre - loving it though...nice futuristic sound.
  
  9. Lemme Get That - This one has a dancehall beat too - yippee - good for a nice, slow wine.
  
  10. Rehab - I LOVE THIS SONG - This one is about being in Rehab trying to get over a man (as opposed to substance abuse). Great beat and great chorus. I love the acoustic guitar in it.
  
  11. Question Existing - This one is about self-examination and acceptance and fame and miscellaneous. It's a reflective track where she speaks and I am glad to hear her accent.
  
  12. Good Girl Gone Bad - This has a nice folksy sound to it. I love the acoustic guitar in it. This is a great song about being neglected and mistreated by a man and as a result turning into a bad girl.
  
  Five out of Five stars - Great Job Rihanna!!!
  
  
• That's A Nice Umbrella
  By A3FTSMLO4972GR on 2007-06-13
  This is my first Rihanna album; I wasn't into "Pon De Play", I wasn't that big into reggae at the time. "S.O.S" was really played out and had a nice hook but I didn't think she was going to go any further after that. Then I heard "Unfaithful" and I was hooked on that song up until January of this year. I heard "Umbrella" and I have to admit, it took me awhile to get into it. My sister loved it from jump, I howeever, wasn't so quick. The beat is really nice and it's a different tone compared to previous releases she's had. She's branching out and doing it really quickly, this is her 3rd album in 3 years. I picked up the album a couple days ago in New York in Wal-Mart and wasn't really sure if it was the actual album due to the fact that it was a thin paper case not a jewel case and it was brief as in detail and look. I saw the price and it changed my mind. I took it home and listened to it through and through and I have to say, it's really good. "Lemme Get That" "Breakin Dishes" "Sell Me Candy" "Rehab" "Good Girl Gone Bad" and "Hate that I Love You" are my favorites and "Umbrella" as well. I took a risk and it came out pretty even in the long run. I thought for a minute that she was a manufactured pop girl (i.e. Christina Millian) but she has really stretched her vocal range and personality out on this one and she has Aaliyah-success potential. I was upset at the skimpiness of the album booklet and case, that was just plain cheap.
  
  
• This good girl is better bad
  By A14TVZXDBSB5VY on 2007-06-13
  I have to say, that at first i wasnt feeling this album, but i was thinking it was going to be more like the 2nd album, but then i opened my ears and let the music sink in. This album is phenomenal. Everytime I play this cd I cant help but get up and dance. Let me get that and give me some sugar are the two big ones that i cant stop listening to. they have this beat that trap you in and the vocals go great with them. The best slow song is Rehab and Question existence, her voice is good and they are very slow and catchy. Overall all the tracks are great, but my least favorite has got to be say it. Otherwise this album is worth every cent if you love the first two albums, because its like both albums are fused into one and then some. Its a great cd.
  
  
• Rihanna goes "Bad" to get good
  By APN58A57S7QAF on 2007-06-28
  I'll be the first to admit Rihanna has failed to really make an impression on me the past two years of her short career. Yes Pon De Replay was kind of fun, and SOS was catchy at first but grew old fast, but listening to most of her songs from her first two albums just felt like sifting through mediocre pop/R&B filler tracks that Beyonce rejected. Then a few months ago I start hearing this song called "Umbrella", and all it took was one listen for me to know I was completely hooked on it. "Umbrella" is one of the most purely catchy and addictive pop songs I've heard in a very long time with its hook of unusual repetition in the word umbrella. After finding out the song was Rihanna's new single, I was legitimately interested in her for the first time, and knew I had to check out the album that brought us "Umbrella", which to no surprise has gone onto become the biggest worldwide hit of 2007 so far. However, I still had fairly low expectations, as I figured Umbrella would probably be the only worthwhile song on the set, as like I already mentioned Rihanna's past two albums have consisted of mostly filler songs in my opinion.
  
  Well I'm happy to say I was completely wrong. "Good Girl Gone Bad" is a breakthrough album for Rihanna, not only in the fact that nearly every song could be a hit single, but also because here she's beginning to really find her own voice among all the other Beyonce wannabes. Indeed whether she's taking lessons or has just naturally improved, there's no doubt that her voice is far superior here to what it was on her first two albums, and charisma and emotion are finally starting to come through in her songs. No she's no Whitney or Mariah, and she never will be, but "Good Girl" shows a definite vocal improvement. Couple those improvements with the near perfect production and songwriting choices, and its easy to see why this is the biggest surprise of the year so far to me.
  
  "Umbrella" is the highlight of the album (it would be mighty hard to top it), but it doesn't overshadow the whole album. Don't Stop the Music, produced by Stargate, gives Umbrella a close run for its money as song of the album and puts her first dance hit, Pon De Replay, to complete shame. With an infectious beat thats near impossible to not want to start dancing to, and a clever use of a sample from Michael Jackson's "Wanna Be Startin Something", it's no doubt she'll have another huge hit with it, granted its released.
  
  Then there's the unorthodox Sell Me Candy and Lemme Get That, two other album highlights, produced by the insanely popular-at-the-moment Timbaland. These both highlight Rihanna's new found charisma and personality I mentioned that was noticeably absent in her previous material. Sell Me Candy is like bubblegum pop fused with modern R&B, and has a summertime feel to it. The song is also one where the more I listen to it the more I like it. Lemme Get That on the other hand has a reggae touch, and background vocals by Justin Timberlake as Rihanna proclaims in a sassy tone "I got a house but I need new furniture, why spend mine when I could spend yers?", again Rihanna's finally developing a personality on songs like these.
  
  Rehab is another favorite of mine, also produced by Timbaland, this is one of the slower tempo songs on here, and was written by JT. Rihanna laments over the problems caused by the bad relationship she's in, singing, "It's like I checked into rehab, and baby you're my disease."
  
  Other highlights include second single "Shut Up and Drive", a raunchy fast paced song that uses cars and driving as metaphors for sex, "Breakin Dishes" yet another potential hit track where Rihanna is ticked off and persists "Im'a fight a man tonight", and the mellow but pleasant collaboration with Ne-Yo, "Hate That I Love You."
  
  "Push Up On Me", "Question Existing", and the title track "Good Girl Gone Bad" are slightly weaker songs, but are still good non the less, despite the fact that the latter sounds a bit too similar to Beyonce's smash hit "Irreplaceable". In fact the only song that fails to hit the mark and comes off as filler is the boring "Say It."
  
  Overall "Good Girl Gone Bad" is the near perfect commercial pop/R&B album, I'd even go as far to say it's comparable to such classic's of the genre as Janet's Rhythm City and MJ's "Thriller." Rihanna has suddenly emerged as one of my new favorite current artists of the genre, and I look forward to her next album, where hopefully she'll start taking more creative control and maybe do a little writing. 5/5 stars
  
  My Top 5:
  1.Umbrella
  2. Don't Stop the Music
  3. Sell Me Candy
  4. Rehab
  5. Lemme Get That
  
  
• New Look + New Sound = Alright Music
  By ALP8K15MBN7FP on 2007-07-20
  Rihanna definitely made the effort to step up to a more mature sound on this album. The new sound is not half bad either. However, alot of the tracks sound rushed and like no effort was put into them. The beats are solid and there are some memorable lyrics as well. Overall, Id say this cd is worth lending an ear to. Her other 2 are better, though. Hot Tracks: Umbrella, Rehab, Good Girl Gone Bad
  
  
• Surprisingly good.
  By A1S2IY37JU93XS on 2007-07-30
  Rihanna's last two albums were hit and miss and sounded incredibly rushed. Her second, A Girl Like Me, managed to go platinum and produced two successful singles. Still, she did not go down in my book as a name to look out for. But with this album, Good Girl Gone Bad, she demands our attention. She has stepped out with a bold hairstyle, fashionable clothes, a somewhat "rebellious" attitude and a new confidence that we have yet to see from her before. This album, although not flawless, is a huge improvement from her previous efforts.
  
  The good: First, Rihanna's voice has improved tremendously. The annoying nasal quality, present on her last two discs, has almost completely disappeared. Also, her delivery is much more emotionally charge and she finally sounds connected to the music. The production on this album is mostly top notch. Of course the first single, "Umbrella," is excellent, although is may be a little over-produced. "Push Up On Me" is an undeniably catchy piece of 80's-tinged pop. But "Breakin' Dishes" has to be the highlight track, for me at least. The fierce track opens with Rihanna fuming, "I don't know who you think I am!" It is entertaining to hear Rihanna angry and the tongue-in-cheek lyrics are quite humorous. The Timbaland-produced "Sell Me Candy" and "Lemme Get That" are amazingly catchy. "Say It" is a sweet track with great harmonies, "Question Existing" is touching, and the title track is a great way to end.
  
  The bad: At times, it feels like Rihanna is trying too hard to be different and too much of a people pleaser (i.e. genre hopping, more pop-sounding, unconventional packaging). "Don't Stop the Music" was a terrible choice for a third single and I find the techno-pop track to be rather irritating. "Shut Up and Drive," is a nice rock influenced track, but the lyrics are a bit trashy. However, "Hate That I Love You" with Ne-Yo would have to be the hands down worst track on the album. The song is a lazy carbon copy of the featured artists' hit, "So Sick." It even uses the same shuffling drumbeat. (Also, I'm no huge fan of Ne-Yo and I think his voice is nasal.) I heard a rumor that this will be the fourth single. Um... not a good idea. Lastly, Rihanna tends to sound like Nivea at times. (Not a surprise since Nivea's husband contributed, in some way or another, to four of the album's tracks.)
  
  Although this album is not without flaws like some people claim, the good far outweighs the bad and I'm quite impressed. Good Girl Gone Bad is a huge improvement from Rihanna's past works in many aspects. Now if only they could choose the right singles to release this album could be a big success.
  
  
• very impressive commercial pop music
  By A2EFJI6THJC9TA on 2007-08-28
  I never heard of Rihanna before buying this CD. I do not go to clubs or dance at all. I would imagine I'm way outside of the target demographic that a commercial pop CD like Girl Gone Bad was produced to catch. But, probably like a lot of people, I heard the song Umbrella once and had to hear it again. Since I don't have MTV and wouldn't even know what radio station to tune in for this genre, I looked up the info on the Web, did a little reading about the artist, and eventually bought the CD. And it is quite good, even with the painfully obvious formula for pop success. Please note that by saying it's formula-pop I don't mean it's "bad." In fact I am very impressed by the art of making this kind, or any kind, of music.
  
  Rihanna's Good Girl Gone Bad is what I call club music, electronic beats and a few samples with ultra-produced vocals all run through a computer program like Pro Tools to make everything "perfect." And guess what? It works here. The songwriters for this CD (which are many) did an excellent job of creating memorable hooks in the music, lyrics, and vocals. Like the big hit Umbrella, a lot of these songs just get stuck in your head and stay there. I can see this CD producing multiple chart-toppers, and making a boatload of money for everyone involved in making the Rihanna product a success. If even people like me (white, middle-aged, middle class male) are getting hooked on this I bet the sales are going multi-platinum many times over.
  
  Standout tracks: Umberella, Breakin Dishes, Shut Up and Drive. I also think the songs Push Up On Me and Don't Stop the Music will be big hits if the company continues to back the promotion. Really, out of the 12 songs on the CD, I bet 9 could be on the charts if the company continues to invest in the promotion and marketing.
  
  
• 3-1/2 stars -- Good but also typical
  By A200C7YQJ45LRR on 2007-10-29
  With each new album, Rihanna's star seems to get higher and higher. While her latest album Good Girl Gone Bad isn't classic material, there are still enough good moments to find on here.
  
  amerdale876's review is pretty accurate, but in any case, I'm wondering if the title of this album comes from the fact that Rihanna has gone back to wearing provocative attire (or sometimes, nothing at all -- check the "Umbrella" video at the second chorus; man, Chris Applebaum has got to be the luckiest guy in the WORLD!) ...(*clearing throat*) Anyway, speaking of that, that song became a #1 hit for good reason, but I don't quite understand why Jay-Z is credited as a guest star when all he's doing is talking at the beginning of the song. Oh, well; the singles are actually the best songs, like "Shut Up and Drive" and the Ne-Yo duet "Hate That I Love You".
  
  That's not to say the rest of the songs are skippable. In fact, the last three songs are the most innovative: "Rehab" (supposedly featuring Justin Timberlake, because I don't remember hearing him in the song), "Question Existing" and the title track. But there are a couple of songs that I CAN do without. "Say It" lazily uses Mad Cobra's "Flex" as a backdrop, and "Breakin' Dishes" almost had me breakin' my fast-forward button.
  
  Everything else is okay, but when it all comes down to it, if Rihanna really wants that classic release, maybe she should stop churning out an album every year. This is far from being a bad album, but huge fans of Rihanna will enjoy it best while everyone else will probably just say it's aiight.
  
  Anthony Rupert
  
  
• 'Bad' is the new 'good'
  By A1U3578NPBLM1E on 2007-06-05
  Just twenty-two months since releasing her debut album, 19-year-old Rihanna is already on her way to superstardom, not to mention she has two #1 hits under her belt. Since embarking on her quest to top the charts worldwide, Rihanna has continued to defy original predictions that the "Pon de Replay" star would remain a one-hit-wonder.
  
  On her third album, `Good Girl Gone Bad,' Rihanna offers the strongest track listing to date, full of club hits like "Don't Stop the Music" and "Breakin' Dishes." Even though her vocals arguably have not improved since her `Music of the Sun' days, the production more than makes up for this factor. The greatest example of this is her #1 single "Umbrella," which has already become one of the songs of Summer 2007.
  
  Even though the majority of Rihanna's new material is up-tempo, her duet with Ne-Yo, "Hate That I Love You," is a refreshing change of pace and doesn't slow down the momentum of the album. Although it does sound like a cookie-cutter Ne-Yo track, it still helps balance out the speed-driven "Shut Up and Drive" tracks.
  
  Although overall a major improvement from `Sun' and `A Girl Like Me,' `Bad' has its share of weak album tracks, including "Say It" and "Question Existing." Neither of these tracks should have left the studio on the album. "Rehab," on the other hand, is actually catchy (and could fit a lot of today's stars' lives like a glove), and the mid-tempo "Good Girl Gone Bad" is a great way to end the album in Nelly Furtado fashion.
  
  No matter how hard Rihanna tries to convince the world that she has gone bad, nothing will change the fact that this album is surprisingly good.
  
  
• RIHANNA is a STAR!!!!!
  By A3E1FP8UFXEHG8 on 2007-06-05
  Rihanna is the IT girl right now, move over beyonce.... when she came out first i thought she would not last 2 songs... then she came out with the biggest infedelity classic "unfaithful" and A GIRL LIKE ME she became an household name... she may not have the strongest voice but she delivers. GOOD GIRL GONE BAD is her strongest effort.
  
  she came with a total turnaround from her first 2 albums... unlike her previous LPs she took elements of all kinds of music and turned it out. she is no longer a reggae artist, she is a true popstar!
  
  my favourite tracks:
  "Umbrella w/ Jay-Z": current #1 rock fused with a haunting chorus
  "Don't stop the music": love the michael jackson sample could b a great techno song
  "hate that i love you" with ne-yo: great duet ne-yo did it again
  "lemme get that" timberland produced crazy dancehall track
  "rehab" justin timberlake is a great writer
  
  the only track im not feelin like the rest of the album is "push up on me". but this is a solid effort from the "summer queen". as long as we need summer anthems rihanna will b around.
  
  4.8 stars out of 5: best effort to date
  
  
• RIHANNA "A GOOD GIRL GONE BETTER..."
  By AAFR2JJM7WLLE on 2007-06-09
  Rihanna is back with her third album "Good Girl Gone Bad" which she co-produced and it's her best and most consistent album yet. Every song here is a winner and this album will definitely bang in the clubs. I was already intrigued early on by it's interesting song titles "Breakin' Dishes", "Shut Up And Drive", "Sell Me Candy", etc. but then I was amazed at how good it was when I downloaded it a few weeks ago. It's just about all me and my boyfriend have been listening to since then. This album is definitely gonna bump in the clubs.
  
  Here's a play by play of the album:
  
  1. Umbrella feat. Jay-Z
  We all know it, we've all heard it. Hate it or love it. It's #1 on Billboard, it's a hit.
  
  2. Push Up On Me
  An 80's flavored upbeat club banger with a Rihanna twist.
  
  3. Don't Stop The Music
  Rihanna over a hot techno-pop beat with an ingenious sample of Michael Jackson's "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" "ma-ma-say-ma-ma-sa-ma-ma-cu-sa". The lyrics remind me of Kylie Minogue but the delivery is all Rihanna. HOT! HOT! HOT! Definitely single worthy.
  
  4. Breakin' Dishes
  Everyone's favorite track on the album so far... Ri Ri is definitely channeling Fergie in this uptempo banger about a woman scorn. If they don't make this catchy-azz song a single I'm writing Jay-Z a letter myself! Also HOT! HOT! HOT!
  
  5. Shut Up And Drive
  The rumored second single from the album. It's a sexy double entendric (yes, I made that word up!), rock-tinged song that I personally love but I'm afraid will not have the same universal appeal "Umbrella" had. Basically it's more TRL than 106 & Park. But "S.O.S." was kinda the same way and look at how huge that turned out to be. Hopefully this gets used for a car commercial or something. I love the chorus:
  
  "Get you where you wanna go, if you know what I mean.
  Got a ride that's smoother than a limousine.
  Can you handle the curves, can you run all the lights.
  If you can baby boy, then we can go all night.
  Cause it's zero to sixty in three point five
  Baby you got the keys...
  Now shut up and drive..."
  
  6. Hate That I Love You featuring Ne-Yo
  They all laughed and scoffed six months ago when Rihanna was taking voice lessons from Ne-Yo (like all artists don't take them between albums, even she [and you know who she is] has a voice trainer... duh!) But it all paid off on the syruppy sweet duet. A definite easy hit, if this isn't released as a single, at least on the radio I'm personally going to 1755 Broadway to scour the entire building for Jay-Z so that I can mush a rancid chitterling cream pie in his face.
  
  7. Say It
  In the vein of "Music Of The Sun" and "We Ride", "Say It" is another one of those sweet top down ride to the beach summery midtempo jams. Vintage Rihanna.
  
  8. Sell Me Candy
  The first of the Timbaland produced tracks. This song is hotter than Las Vegas in July. It's short, coming in at under three minutes, it definitely make you want more. But thankfully that's why God created the repeat button.
  
  9. Lemme Get That feat. Justin Timberlake
  Not only is this the most single worth song on this album. It's the most singleworthy song out right now. If I don't hear this on the radio in a few weeks don't be surprised if you turn on the news and they report that Jay-Z is suddenly missing.
  
  10. Rehab
  A hot midtempo track written by Justin Timberlake, much in the vein of the midtempo songs on his album. Also produced by Timbaland.
  
  11. Question Existing
  This eerie-sounding, trance-like collaboration with Ne-Yo is the closest thing to a slow song on this album. Rihanna's spoken word part of the song tries a little too hard to be introspective. Think Janet Jackson's "Special" ("water your spiritual garden", remenber?) but not as cringe-inducing. Still not a bad song.
  
  12. Good Girl Gone Bad
  It's weird but artists who aren't technically the best vocalists (Janet Jackson, Ashanti, Mary J. Blige) always sound great wnen their voices are layered and Rihanna is no exception. "Good Girl Gone Bad", another collaboration with Ne-Yo, while musically sounding a little too 'Irreplaceable-esque' for comfort still manages to be vintage Rihanna. Vocally think "The Last Time" meets Ri Ri's "ooohs" from "Dem Haters".
  
  This is the most consistent R&B/Pop album I've heard on 2007 and definitely Rihanna's best yet. Even the Beyonce-itis phenomenon isn't keeping her down. All of her naysayers and haters are eating their words right now and she's even gaining new fans. I know that by now you have been hearing all the good things being said about "Good Girl Gone Bad" and even if you don't like her or "Umbrella" give it a listen. You may be pleasantly surprised. Ri Ri, you are a hard worker and I knew you could it.
  
  
• Rihanna is Hot!
  By A1O81M2YGSFR28 on 2007-06-17
  Only reason Rihanna is being compared to Beyonce is becasue people compare her to Beyonce. Rihanna is in no way shape or form trying be like, imitate, or shadow Beyonce. Rihanna makes completely different music.
  
  They are both two very good artists and they both are light-skinned and pretty. Stop comparin the two. THEY HAVE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT STYLE...RIHANNA IS MOSTLY DANCEHALL, with pop, and very little R&B and Hip-Hop.
  
  SHE IS WITHOUT A DOUBT DOIN THE DAMN THING...
  
  UMBRELLA, SELL ME CANDY, LET ME GET DAT, PUSH UP ON ME, REHAB, and THROWIN DISHES ARE THE BEST OF THE BEST...
  
  
  
• Not bad
  By A47UAXFZS70MT on 2007-06-26
  The first song (Umbrella) jumps right at you but from there the cd falls off. There are so many big name producers and artiest involved in this cd that I forgot who was the featured artist. Every track sounds like some one else is trying to make there mark in the music world and that is the problem The cd sounds like every one but, Rihanna. Over all it's a nice up beat cd something to get ready for a night at the clubs.
  
  On the second listen I noticed that working with other artiest and producers actually gave this cd some extra flair and on track 5 you catch a hint of Depech Mode and on track 3 you cant go wrong any time you use stuff from Michael Jackson especially when you can use the words mamma say mamma sah mamma muckusah its always a good thing.
  
  
  
• Can You Say "Umbrella, ella, ella, ey, ey, ey"
  By A1QEWOSV05RYEO on 2007-07-02
  With each successive album, Rihanna Fenty has gotten better and better - well, at least where the quality of her material is concerned. Vocally, the Barbadian beauty is no powerhouse by any means like say Alicia Keys or at her grittiest Beyoncé, but she fits in fine with dance-pop chanteuses Ciara, Amerie, or the countless others vying for Beyoncé's throne (did I really say that?). I always question myself, after buying all but her first album (which I've heard numerous times), why do I keep buying her when I'm truly a fan of the more soulful R&B chanteuses? The answer to that question is because Rihanna is infectious, not vocally of course, but she is always good for a couple of strong singles. From MUSIC OF THE SUN it was the inescapable singles "Pon De Replay" (which peaked at #2 on the Hot 100) and "If It's Lovin' That You Want" (peaking in the around #30) on that chart. From the better A GIRL LIKE ME, Rihanna hit #1 with S.O.S., #6 with my personal favorite "Unfaithful", charted with "We Ride", and hit the top 10 once again with "Break It Off" featuring Sean Paul. Now, with her best album to date that rids of the annoying tropical flairs of her first two efforts (sure there were some strong tropical numbers, but still), Rihanna hits # 1 with her best, and probably also most annoying song to date, "Umbrella". So why do I keep buying Rihanna? She keeps getting better and better where here hits are concerned. GOOD GIRL GONE BAD aims to really establish Rihanna finally. The cover art screams it with Rihanna posing in her most suggestive pose as of yet. Sure, she's fully clothed, but you can't help but notice how the photographer accentuates her curves (can you say, promotion?!?)
  
  Anyways, the album opens with the banger "Umbrella", which is perhaps Rihanna's most solid affair to date as I stated earlier, despite the annoying "ella, ella, ellas." The production is killer, though Jay-Z's rap verse isn't. I mean come on, who starts a rap with the line "no clouds in my storms?" But, the point of Jay-Z's guest spot is to raise Rihanna's profile to superstar status, and judging by the 162,000 copies Rihanna moved her first week, Rihanna is definitely on her way. The hits keep rolling as Rihanna helms the sexy "Push Up On Me", one of her sexiest tracks ever. "Please Don't Stop the Music" is the perfect minimalist dance track that I'm sure that any dance-diva wished that she could cop from the Barbadian princess. Even cooler about "Please Stop the Music" is the fact that it samples Michael Jackson's "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" from his massive THRILLER album. Three hits in a row, the typical Rihanna album. Does GOOD GIRL GONE BAD break the typical mode? Yes.
  
  "Breakin' Dishes" keeps the dance tracks going as does excellent second single "Shut Up and Drive". "Hate That I Love You", a duet with Ne-Yo, isn't bad, though it sounds like every other Ne-Yo penned song out there. However, Rihanna sounds especially good here, considering her thin vocals. "Say It" is solid, while "Sell Me Candy" is a production standout in the utmost. "Lemme Get That" proves to be another work by the genius of Timbaland, the go-to producer for anything. "Lemme Get That" proves to be one of my favorites of the album and Rihanna really sells it well. "Rehab" finds Rihanna channeling the more serious, and she pulls it off well. Sure, it isn't as affective (as opposed to effective) as say "Unfaithful", but it is solid to say the least. "Question Existing" is another production standout as all the songs tend to be on this album. It isn't a bad track either, which leads every fan to believe that Jay-Z and Rihanna really did their research when recording this album. Final track "Good Girl Gone Band" is a bit too acoustic-guitar centric, but still pretty solid for the most part. Again, Rihanna is made to sound great in all of the above mentioned songs, which is a positive thing.
  
  Sure, GOOD GIRL GONE BAD is no epiphany by any means (even though it's definitely more of one than T-Pain's album of that name that beat out Rihanna for top honors on the Billboard 200 Album Chart), but it is her very best album to date and definitely her most fun and most listenable affair by a mile. Finally, Rihanna gets a solid, decisive 4 star review from me. Keep getting better Rihanna.
  
  
• Very pleasantly suprised!
  By AO1BOACOC3G96 on 2007-07-03
  I rarely write reviews, but I was just so plesantly suprised by this album that I felt compelled to write one. I own Rihanna's other albums and liked some of her songs but wouldn't have really considered myself a big fan-until now. I really wasn't expecting much when I bought this album, I thought this would be like her two other albums where half of the songs are good and the rest are just mediocre/below average but I was wrong, this album is fantastic!
  
  The first time I listened to it, I didn't feel compelled to skip not even ONE track and that rarely happens with me. This album is filled with fun,catchy songs and I HIGHLY reccomend this to anyone.
  
  Top 5 fave songs
  
  *Umbrella-This song picked up fast and just seems to be getting bigger and bigger all the time. This has been a massive hit for Rihanna. It's a great song and doesn't sound like anything else out on radio right now.
  
  *Don't Stop The Music-INCREDIBLY CATCHY! This is one of the best dance tracks I've heard in years and Rihanna makes great use of MJ's "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" sample, he is one of my fave artists btw so this sample made me just love this song even more. Man, this song is so damn catchy though! If this song doesn't make you feel like dancing then you should check your pulse! Seriously lol it's impossible to not dance when this song comes on. This song alone is worth buying the album for.
  
  
  *Push Up On Me-Kind of a techno vibe, catchy song and fun to sing along to.
  
  *Hate That I Love You-Nice collboration with Ne-Yo. Their voices compliment eachother very well. Love this song!
  
  *Say It-Nice use of Mad Cobra's "Flex" in this. I've always love that Mad Cobra song and it works very well in this song.
  
  Bonus
  
  *Rehab-Justin Timberlake did a nice job writing this song (or co-writing this, not sure) but anyway, I like the lyrics and it has a kind of alternative sound to it. It works very well for Rihanna's voice.
  
  All in all, I just think this album is fantastic! It's great fun and pretty much all the songs on here are good. I HIGHLY reccomend this.
  
  
  
• She has really gone bad!
  By A2D3VQ1ZK8OGA8 on 2007-07-03
  I love me some Rihanna! I truly love her style of music. This album has really not grown on me like I thought that it would. I didn't like her first album but her second album was excellent. I mean I guess you got to grow but her music had went from bad to excellent to horrible!! I mean there are a couple of great songs like Umbrella, Push Up On Me, and Good Girl Gone Bad but the rest of it sucks!
  
  I hope she comes out with some new material ASAP!
  
  
• Going Bad May Have Been What It Took To Improve
  By A24P8BEJ26FU01 on 2007-08-12
  Rihanna Fenty is one of those singers that, much like Beyonce, we can't help but notice. Although to be fair, she does not give us much of a choice, having released an album each year since she debuted back in 2005. It seems to be widely accepted that Rihanna has limited vocal talent, but she must be given credit for never really attempting to stretch beyond the borders of her ability. With her latest release, Rihanna proves that she is still capable of putting out monster hits that are supported by a fairly solid group of tracks.
  
  Opening track "Umbrella" is the kind of song that we all try our hardest not to like. Despite our best efforts, we end up with it playing through our minds ad nauseum until we can't help but love it. Most have complained about Jay-Z's verse at the beginning of the song, however it is not entirely out of place. What does take some getting used to, however, is the repetition of certain syllables in the chorus. To give Rihanna credit, it does sound as though her vocals have improved quite a bit. "Push Up On Me" carries on the upbeat vibe of the previous song, and showcases Rihanna in her element. An upbeat song, not very vocally demanding, but one that would be very popular in the dancehall. Rihanna's vocals are subtly muffled, blending well into the backing music which may be an attempt to mask her limited range. Nevertheless, in this case it works to her advantage making an overall enjoyable track. "Don't Stop the Music" is, inexplicably, a personal favourite. I normally am not a huge fan of this kind of song, however Rihanna makes it work in her favour. The beat grows progressively stronger during the bridge and pounds its way through the chorus, giving the song a perfect club vibe and actually highlighting Rihanna's vocal capabilities.
  
  "Breakin' Dishes" is one of the most widely praised songs on the album, and possibly the one that took longest to grow on me. The verses are quite strong, but the song suffers from the all-too-common problem of a weak chorus. The chant-like nature of it should have worked well, but it is odd to hear what sounds like "I'm a fireman, I'm a man, I'm a man-e-an-e-an." (She is actually saying "I'm a fighta, man" but the way the chorus was produced made it come across strangely. If it weren't for the chorus, I would probably agree with most of the positive reviews of the track. "Shut Up and Drive" once again makes use of over-done driving as a metaphor for sex. There is nothing wrong with the song per se. Vocally and production-wise, it is actually quite good. It is unfortunate that the song be dragged down recycling a metaphor which has been used repeatedly (and better) in the past. "Hate That I Love You" is the song commonly christened a watered-down version of Beyonce's Irreplaceable. Personally, I see very little resemblance to the aforementioned track, other than the fact that they were both written by Ne-Yo (who is also featured here). The song remains a sweet duet, describing the ironies of a relationship in which they couple are so in love, they hate it.
  
  "Say It" is a strong contender for the weakest track on the album. Although there is little actually wrong about the song, it suffers mostly because it is simply unremarkable. It's the kind of song that could be performed by nearly anyone and it would sound pretty much the same. The track may have been saved by a stronger vocal performance. It's enjoyable while it lasts, although it may sound a little too happy given what it is saying, but it remains ultimately forgettable. "Sell Me Candy", in strong contrast, is one of the most creative songs Rihanna has to offer. Like "Shut Up and Drive", it falters slightly from using a clichéd metaphor, but this track at least puts a fairly unique spin on it. Rihanna's vocals are once again, somewhat masked by the backing music, but again it works to her favour. The song does come across as slightly rushed, however, clocking in at less than three minutes. "Lemme Get That" is the other strongest contender for weakest album track. Rihanna's vocals sound oddly computerized in places, giving the entire song a bizarre sort of tone. This song strikes me as grating, and directionless. After nearly four minutes, we have accomplished nothing but listening to Rihanna asking her boyfriend to buy her things, while insisting "I'm not a gold digger."
  
  Ironically once again, one of the weakest tracks is followed up by the strongest, in the form of "Rehab". It is commonly known that this track was penned by Justin Timberlake, and really highlights his writing skills. The song is far from complex, yet it is enjoyable nonetheless. Rihanna's vocals fit the song impeccably, complemented nicely by Justin's backgrounds. That is, other than his apparent attempt, mid-song, to usurp the glory by singing a couple of unnecessary lines without Rihanna, and which have little to do with the rest of the song. However, this does not disrupt the flow too much, so it is excusable. "Question Existing" is one of those odd songs that try far too hard to be deep, and end up somewhere closer to nonsensical. The song is saved by the dreamlike quality of the production and vocals, giving it enough appeal that the lyrics scrape through passably. Toward the middle, we hear Rihanna read a diary entry explaining the problems with the music business, in which she uses her real name (Robin). It's a nice touch, adding some semblance of sense to an otherwise rather incoherent set of lyrics. The album ends off with a highlight, the title track, which is commonly believed to be a commentary on Beyonce and Jay-Z. This song truly highlights Rihanna at her best both in terms of vocals and production. Regardless of who this song is intended for, it ranks up as one of Rihanna's best in her career, and is a wonderful way to end the album.
  
  Overall Mark: 4/5
  
  While Rihanna's first album was patchy at best, and her second a mere step in the right direction, Good Girl Gone Bad highlights Rihanna at her best. By now, we are all well aware that Rihanna is not the strongest vocalist, nor is she known for her deep lyrics. However, this collection of songs showcases her strength for using songs that show off what she can do, rather than masking what she cannot. Rihanna has said that she intended to make this a fun, upbeat album and she has done just that, with enough slower tracks to keep her it balanced. It is the sign of a pretty solid album when even the missteps are generally listenable, although I would have been satisfied if "Lemme Get That" and possibly "Say It" were removed, although the latter is tolerable. I wouldn't say that Rihanna is on par with Beyonce just yet, but if she continues in this vein, she may be well on her way.
  
  
  

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