Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded - Rihanna

...we've learnt to expect a good ballad, incidently Ne-Yo makes an appearance on the track just as he has worked with Rihanna in the past. This combination of two of the biggest names in R&B right now once again creates a track that you shall listen to in years to come and still appreciate.

*07, Say It (4.10), 3*
*08, Sell Me Candy (2.45), 3*
*09, Lemme Get That (3.41), 3*

'Say It' works as a continuation ...
...Existing (4.08), 2*
*12, Good Girl Gone Bad (3.35), 5*

No, no, no.. this isn't Amy Winehouse's appearances on the album -- however it is Justin Timberlake's involvement in producing a track with 'Rehab', and it has a familiar rhythm to 'What Goes Around' off his own solo project. I really loved this song a year ago, but there is something slightly less groundbreaking about it now, as Rihanna discusses in song needing to check-in ... more

Back in June '07 when I reviewed the brand new album from a shy Barbados born girl, my closing comments were that -- whilst there is very clearly a clever, target-orientated, management team behind 19 year-old Rihanna -- 'Good Girl Gone Bad' signalled the growth from that beautiful butterfly into a woman. Twelve months and a deluxe version later, Rihanna celebrates her sales figures by releasing 'Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded', a re-release of her third studio release. Whilst some may find it depressing that it has now been a year since 'Umbrella' hasn't seen a day off our music channels, others may discover how well a lot of the tracks have stood up over time.

'Good Woman Gone Bad' received a disappointing three star rating when I first gave it the look over, so what could be such a big improvement with the exception of a double-dose of 'ella'? The new additions to the album feel as though Rihanna is finally taking hold of the reigns in the way a young-Madonna or a sane-Britney would, and if you want to checkout the changes for yourself you can on June 17th 2008. Do not make your purchase expecting a black-Mariah however, as a recent live performance showed the difference in vocal abilities as Rihanna performed 'Hero'. Lets hope the 'Pon De Replay' star doesn't let this new-found fame go to her head in the way hearing her legs have been insured for $1 million might, but no matter the scandal fans young and old should be taking notice. "It's getting later baby, and I'm getting curious."

• 01, Umbella ft. Jay-Z (4.35), 5*
• 02, Push Up on Me (3.15), 3*

I don't think anyone could have expected 'Umbrella' to take over in the way it did, becoming the unofficial rain dance for UK summer 2007. Whilst you may have grown sick of the track, with the right amount of time inbetween, you are likely to go back and appreciate it in the future. The track stood out for its premise of using an umbrella as a show of love, whilst the video took advantage of Rihanna's body by dressing her up then stripping her down to paint her silver. Jay-Z on the other hand drew controversy for apparently have a relationship with his worker, although this has been dispelled by his recent marriage to Beyonce years in the making. 'Push Up on Me' on the other hand is a track I haven't listened to once since my original review of the album, so when you put these tracks against once another it comes up at a 2,000:1 ratio.

• 03, Don't Stop the Music (4.27), 3*
• 04, Breakin' Dishes (3.20), 3*

Don't get me wrong, I love clubbing. It just didn't take long for 'Don't Stop The Music' to get on my nerves, and I think some were taken by surprise by its success as the third single. I originally associated this as being a relative to Rihanna's track of the 'Girl Like Me' album, 'SOS', and I still stand by that. I also stand by SOS being much better. 'Breakin Dishes' was supposed to be a track released off the album, but due to the dragging success of all her other singles it kept getting put on the backburner. The track describes a woman standing up physically against her husband, and has a hazardous rhythm that gives you a sense of the havoc of this conflict in the kitchen. Very different to everything so far on the album. "I'm super cool, I've been a fool, but now I'm hot.."

• 05, Shut Up and Drive (3.33), 3*
• 06, Hate That I Love You ft. Ne-Yo (3.39), 5*

I always felt that 'Shut Up and Drive' showed a rock-edge to Rihanna that we didn't know about, having her always been associated strongly with R&B and the video accompanied this by showing her in a more dressed-down fashion. If you ever saw the making of the video though you would know that the pressure of producing a video wasn't exactly casual. I never really jumped into this track the way others may have, and I'm still waiting to see it on-screen in a car chase scene. 'Hate That I Love You' on the other hand is right down to what we are used to from Rihanna, and since 'Unfaithful' we've learnt to expect a good ballad, incidently Ne-Yo makes an appearance on the track just as he has worked with Rihanna in the past. This combination of two of the biggest names in R&B right now once again creates a track that you shall listen to in years to come and still appreciate.

• 07, Say It (4.10), 3*
• 08, Sell Me Candy (2.45), 3*
• 09, Lemme Get That (3.41), 3*

'Say It' works as a continuation to the current ballad theme of the album, only there is worlds of difference and it drags on slightly. 'Sell Me Candy' and 'Lemme Get That' are equally as strange sounding tracks, with the first easing you away from the brief spell of down-tempo music. 'Candy' is slightly faster and better at keeping you interested in what is going on, whilst the unusual lyrics of the latter keep you going. Happy mood tracks. "I got a house but I need new furniature."

• 10, Rehab (4.54), 4*
• 11, Question Existing (4.08), 2*
• 12, Good Girl Gone Bad (3.35), 5*

No, no, no.. this isn't Amy Winehouse's appearances on the album -- however it is Justin Timberlake's involvement in producing a track with 'Rehab', and it has a familiar rhythm to 'What Goes Around' off his own solo project. I really loved this song a year ago, but there is something slightly less groundbreaking about it now, as Rihanna discusses in song needing to check-in to rehab because of her broken relationship. I totally ripped into 'Question Existing' in the original review and whilst I had forgotten that Rihanna had done this track that sounds as though she's trapped in a fish tank, it's not completely dire. 'Good Girl Gone Bad' is the namesake track to the album, a track for the closing to a summers day that shall give you the chills for all the right reasons. You can see at this point where the first album ends why it has been able to shift 5 million units worldwide and land Rihanna her first ever chart topping album in the UK, with music inspired from a combination of her sandy-beach home world and the team of celebrities behind her. It doesn't end here..."How about a round of applause, standing ovation."

• 13, Take a Bow (3.46), 4*
• 14, If I Never See Your Face Again ft. Maroon 5 (3.18), 5*

Shunned for being boring, lets face it -- Rihanna can do no wrong, and 'Take a Bow' is either dull or inspired. I'll go for inspired. This is where the reload really begins and these tracks are a more grown-up Rihanna putting her mark on what is an unforgettable saga for an album. Her hair has gotten shorter as her time promoting this album has gone on, and I wonder if that was her own decision to show-off her 'glam-rock' image'. Whilst her image has been more rock than what we're used to in R&B, there was never anything really in the music that expressed this. Until... Rihanna's collaborates with Maroon 5 on the epic, 'If I Never See Your Face Again', which is guarenteed to be as big of a hit as the soft-sounding 'Take a Bow'. Promo pictures have shown Rihanna with darker hair than ever before, with bold colours all over the place, is she going gothic on us? An unusual addition to 'Good Girl Gone Bad' that could have been better saved for her 2009 fourth studio album, but I don't think anyone shall be complaining about having this beauty a year early. "Keep me coming back for more, and I feel a little better than I did before."'

• 15, Hatin' on the Club (), ?*
• 16, Disturbia (), ?*

Bonus tracks

• 17, Hate That I Love You ft. David Bisbal (3.39), 2*
• 18, Cinderella ft. Chris Brown (4.15), 5*

Latin audiances are falling head over heels for the more sexual and sensual remix to 'Hate That I Love You' that features David Bisbal in place of Ne-Yo, singing the lyrics in Spanish. There are even plans to release the track as a single in his native country, although when someone said the track sounds more romantic in Spanish I was certainly expecting something more. Bisbal's voice just doesn't sound appropriate for the track, and I'm not saying that because he's singing in foreign. Give me 'So Sick' Ne-Yo anyday. Chris Brown on the other hand is a lover-boy for the American audiances, and more appropriately with his hidden romance with Rihanna that has spawned off the pair working together. Whilst they are yet to publically confirm any relationship, this is all errily similar to the way Rihanna's manager Jay-Z handled his affairs. And I would expect Rihanna takes his advice to heart. 'Cinderella' gave 'Umbrella' a new lease of life and it was about time it got an album release, this is better than the original, and it is only a matter of time before we start getting more 'ellas'. Oh wait, 'Elavator' - Flo Ridr ft. Timbaland. Rihanna has became the female solo artist to aspire to, and the new tracks give 'Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded' a gun-fire edge that the original never had. If you are looking to buy the album for reasons other than what you've heard on the radio, you should be looking for 'Rehab' and the Maroon 5 collab. The rest of the album makes nice fillers too, but it shall be interesting to see whether a new six-tracks (some that are getting pretty dated already) will be enough to make anyone other than the true fans make the purchase and boost Rihanna to the top spot again. The release of the album is also rumoured to be going to head to head with another powerful female solo artist in Fergie, ex-Black Eyed Peas, not to mention the release of Usher's 'Here I Stand' on the same day -- an album that carrys high expectations after his work on 'Confessions'. But then again, if you want to talk high expectations then you do not have to look any further than 'Good Girl Gone Bad' where Rihanna needs to find away to top this project with a 2009 album release. Her evolution should be just beginning. 

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