Good Girl Gone Wrong?

Quantity vs. quality is an issue plaguing the music industry and Rihanna’s third album in a two year career is no exception. Barbados beauty Rhianna burst onto the scene with the 2005 hit “Pon De Replay” and hasn’t stopped topping the charts since. For most, Rihanna was the annual dancehall, one hit wonder. Little did we know, she would become a resident hit maker thanks to the Def Jam money machine. “Good Girl Gone Bad” is the best input in Rihanna's short, yet temporary career. Unfortunately, all of the credit goes to the hit making producers, songwriters, A&R staff and label head L.A. Reid. Everything from the “bad girl” rocker image, to the jet black spiky hair cut; a person can’t help but wonder who Rihanna really is? Is she Caribbean princess from her debut album, the Beyonce clone from her second album, or the rock chick from her latest effort? Perhaps the lack of identity could be the reason for low album sales, despite huge #1 singles. Despite having material that sounds like it was originally crafted for Britney Spears, Janet Jackson or Madonna, the material isn’t half bad. The biggest problem with the album is Rihanna’s lack of personality and robotic style of vocals. Granted, there are much weaker singers in the world, but most make up for it in overall personality and capability to carry a song……Rihanna simply does not. I can’t help but wonder what some of these songs would sound like if they were recorded by better singers with more personality. Rihanna even has a difficult time finding her angry side and walks the fine line between melodramatic and moronic in “Breaking Dishes;” her attempt at recreating Beyonce’s “Ring the Alarm” (note to Rihanna: the original wasn’t that great to begin with). Beyonce is not the only chart topping diva Rihanna channels for this album. The Timbaland produced “Gimme that,” sounds like a leftover track from Nelly Furtado’s “Loose” without the charisma to match. However, Rihanna doesn’t miss the mark on every track. The dance flavored “Don’t Stop the Music” is Rihanna at her best and sounds like a style she should stick with. The club heavy track finds Rihanna on the dance floor, with a sample of Michael Jackson’s “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’.” The album takes another drastic turn with the guitar heavy second single, “Shut up and drive.” Rihanna compares her body to an automobile and is looking for someone qualified to drive. Classy. You could have a seizure with all the genre twists and turns this album takes, which is the main problem here. This album lacks cohesiveness and direction. One minute she is a dance diva, the next she is attempting an R&B ballad. It sounds like every hit making producer in the industry was enlisted to make the most radio friendly album possible, robbing Rihanna of any identity or believability. Perhaps this is the reason why most audiences opt to download her singles, rather than purchase her albums despite all the promotion Def Jam gives her. The production on this album is a definite highlight, too bad the artist gets lost in the shuffle.

Kelly Clarkson Vs. Clive Davis: "My December"

After the literal breakout success of 2005’s “Breakaway,” the pressure to deliver an equally successful follow-up was on for Kelly Clarkson. Most people crack under the pressure and deliver a watered down version of their past success, but that is not the case with Clarkson’s third LP “My December.” I will not follow the hype of the press or the label executives and call this album a disaster. In fact, this album is far from it and is actually an improvement over the cookie-cutter, ready made pop tunes of her last album. After listening to the first 5 tracks, I couldn’t believe the storm of negative energy that has fanned over this project. I guess the results of bad mouthing a powerful, egotistical label executive past his prime are clear. It turns out that even a man well into his 70’s can be as immature as a catholic school girl, by bad mouthing his artists, publicly disregarding an artists success (as shown at the 2007 American Idol finale) and showing no support for an artist that had one of the biggest albums on his label in years. At any rate, Kelly more than delivers an amazing album, exploring a more adventures side and turning up the rock level a few more notches, while still maintaining that unmistakable pop quality of a hit song. After listening to the lyrics, you will discover Kelly needed to write this album as is. Her emotions of hurt and pain resonate on many of the tracks, where Kelly examines past relationships, friendships, a broken heart and tackles some self reflection. "Maybe" is Kelly examining her life and love from a unperfect, confused point of view and could possibly become a theme song for every 20-something female in America. Standout ballads like “Sober” and “Be Still” demonstrate the somber and reflective quality in Kelly’s voice, while still showing off her range of emotions as a vocalist and songwriter. Standout tracks like “How I feel” and “Hole” are just as catchy and pop radio friendly as “Since You Been Gone” and “Behind These Hazel Eyes” and should have been the first and second singles from the album. This album may not have as many sing-a-long hooks as “Breakaway” but it has better content, vocals, artistic integrity and some amazing songs. I hope that consumers look beyond the negative influences from the media and even record executives and give the album a chance. It’s not perfect or as clean and sparkly as “Breakaway,” but it’s the direction Kelly wanted to go in and I applaud her for that alone. I applaud her even more for taking a chance, following her gut and coming up with some worthwhile results. I hope for more creativity and artistic freedom in the music industry. Perhaps we could come up with some variety instead of everyone following the same formula for success at the manufactured pop star factory? Remember guys, there is more than 1 way to skin a cat.