Am I scaring you tonight? Rihanna takes a dark turn - Rated R Review

Oooh, isn't is dark, hasn't she been through an awful time of it, hasn't her image toughened and her sound with it, all four letter words, hard beats and lines as macabre as 'I lick the gun when I'm done because I know revenge is sweet'. Well whatever, we shan't mention the C-word (Chris or c**t, your choice) and we'll just say this. Rated R is a slick, cohesive, harder and, yes, dark album. Pon de Replay? A distant memory! SOS? Not a chance! Umbrella, "when the sun shines we'll shine together", hardly! Even the thematically similar Disturbia is too broad and poppy for the claustrophobic beats and hardened snarl of what's on offer here. Only Rehab or Question Existing from her breakthrough multi-platinum hit GGGB with their more sedate sound and introvert lyrics of dysfunctional relationships and self-reflection come close to what Rated R is about.

Things start off a little rocky, with the stronger and more varied melodies and production not kicking in until the second half. In the meantime the first 5 tracks feel either ill-fitting, try-hard or even samey. There's a superfluous intro, a laughable Unfaithful-esque and frankly immature ballad called Stupid Love and even second single Hard lacks a great chorus and features extraneous rap. However, from the chillingly atmospheric lead single Russian Roulette onwards, the album hits its stride. The sweeping and rather epic chorus of kleptomaniac love-story Fire Bomb impresses; Rude Boy begs to be a single with it's infectious chorus and dancehall vibe; the Mediterranean strings of Te Amo and the bi-curious romance within intrigue and seduce; while the sedate Photographs is 75% understated, minimilstic lament, 25% Will.i.am (read: shallow, simplistic shit). The brooding Cold Case Love is brought to you by Justin Timberlake with those vintage Futuresex beats and guitars at his disposal, though it doesn't quite justify its 6 minute running time. G4L (the one with the aforementioned gun-licking, well, lick) for all its swagger is a little silly, Ri-ri seems to be heading a gang of heavily armed, pissed-off females but despite this, the sparse beat and Rihanna's relish make it work.

More rewarding on repeat listens than GGGB, but at the expense of being anywhere near as instant or party-ready, Rated R represents growth, maturity and an attempt at making a sound that is Rihanna's own. The lyrics, production, imagery and general presentation all compliment each other, not least in a pop landscape dominated by 8os nostalgia, clubby synths and RedOne shout-outs. And while it mightn't dominate the dance floor it should certainly resonate with her fans more than anything she's put out before. With GGGB Rihanna the hit machine fembot arrived, with Rated R we begin to scratch the shiny exterior and she a little of what lies within, and it strikes a surprisingly deft balance between style and substance.