Review Summary: The debut from Rihanna certainly set her up, but don't expect anything amazing.
From the beginnings of the Model-T Ford, the production line has sprouted effortlessly into other categories, from food processing, to movies and cinema. Another area which it has laid eyes upon is of course music. Who isn’t aware these days that most music on commercial radio is manufactured to some degree? Naturally, many find this process alienating to their musical journey’s; some speak of how pop these days isn’t what it ‘used’ to be, but upon closer inspection pop these days really is nothing all that different from when it was in Elvis’ time. In his case, his band really were the pivotal musical entrepreneurs, and he was merely the face-saving sex symbol with a voice. So,
Rihanna, for the most part is like him, and so many others out there, who quite genuinely mention that they are indeed out here to create music, which is of quality.
When she made her debut in 2005, there was plenty of already well established competition from similar counterparts such as
Beyonce, making it harder for her to dent the charts. However, quite unexpectedly her first single, and album opener,
“Pon de Replay” did dent the charts, fairly heavily in fact. There is no question as to why it did, with its attractive warping beat and soulful R&B emotion, capture the minds of countless clubbers.
Being a genuine pop release, you may think that the next three songs will declare themselves as the ‘opening’ four singles, however, track two sets itself apart from its predecessor.
“Here I Go Again” kicks off the real theme of the album, which for the most part, is a blend between a vast array of musical styles from reggae to R&B, to clever instrumentalism, to pop, and a final icing of countless hooks of world instruments added into the mix. Producers, song-writers and designers,
Carl Sturken and
Evan Rogers clearly know how to write pop music, whether it’s amazing or not will leave itself to the audience’s decision. At times they show how boring pop can be, but at the same time, show that they together are worthy modern song writers. Tracks which showcase their talents include the Spanish-R&B
“The Last Time,” sculpted ballad,
“Now I Know,” backed by sugary, yet sad, piano and strings, and the fun-lovin’ cross between Arabian snake charmers and Californian R&B boppers in
“Let Me.”
Music of the Sun isn’t amazing, nor is it terribly bad. It will hold something for most ‘poppers,’ both lyrically and musically. Even though it reeks of commercialism, there are quite a number of moments where the song writing skills of Sturken-Rogers, and vocal nuance of Rihanna, go hand in hand to make songs which can be thoroughly enjoyed. It’s a toss up between the album’s highlights, and the lowlights, which unfortunately riddle themselves each side of the better moments. But in the end, it really comes down to whether you like or dislike this type of music, music which is said to be of quality… perhaps?
