‘We Found Love,’ ‘Watch n’ Learn’ define singer’s sixth album. By Jocelyn Vena Rihanna Photo: Ian Gavan/ Getty Images Rihanna ‘s Talk That Talk might be the defining party album of 2011. Released Monday (November 21), the singer’s sixth studio album in nearly as many years is the kind of record a DJ can play straight through at a club, filled with pulsing bangers about all things sexy. To say the least, it’s not an album for those who easily blush. It’s hard, grinding and aggressive. Rihanna uses the type of saucy language not often heard on mainstream pop records. Rounding up a slew of A-listers including Calvin Harris, Dr. Luke, Stargate, The-Dream, Ester Dean and No I.D., Rihanna put together a cohesive record about how hot love can get between the sheets. MTV News’ picks for Talk That Talk ‘s five key tracks: “We Found Love” One of two Calvin Harris collaborations (the other is the equally club-stomping “Where Have You Been”), “We Found Love” defines this era for the singer, whose album is heavily influenced by dance music and club culture. “WFL” is so big and infectious that it’s hard to ignore the strength of this track. “Cockiness” Perhaps the most swagged-out track on all of TTT, “Cockiness” is a no-holds-barred, full-throttle song. Produced by Bangladesh, Rihanna relays absolutely everything she wants her man to do once they manage to sneak away and get it on. Full of sirens, thumping beats, tempo changes and sampled noises, “Cockiness” is raunchy — the kind of raunchy you want to dance the night away to. “Talk That Talk” Joined by her mentor Jay-Z (who lyrically struts over this track like it’s still the “Umbrella” days), this Stargate-produced track is classic Rihanna. Big and hard with just enough brightness, it’s the type of song that can get played on both Urban and Top 40 stations. Where “Cockiness” was brazen, “Talk That Talk” allows the sex to live in a place that feels less NSFW. “Roc Me Out” Rarely is Rihanna vulnerable on this album, and rarely would that happen on an uptempo jam. On this Stargate track (the third of three), Rihanna displays her signature bravado, but hidden in there is one deep insight into who Ri is on the inside when she confesses, “Take a peek at the girl I hide/ I’ll let you in on a dirty secret/ I just wanna be loved.” “Watch n’ Learn” A sort of how-to guide, the playful Hit-Boy track “Watch n’ Learn” is all about Ri teaching her man how to love her just the right way. The lyrics are quite sassy, but the melody is just soft enough to make you forget that the track is actually kind of dirty. What’s your favorite Talk That Talk track? Tell us in the comments!
Originally posted here:
Rihanna’s Talk That Talk: Five Key Tracks
