Review: Rihanna’s ‘ANTI’ Is Gold… If You’re Willing To Give It A Try
January 31, 2016 by admin
Filed under Choosing Lingerie
Comments Off
We’re all quite familiar with Unapologetic Rihanna. Bad Gal RiRi. The Rihanna who makes ordinary sidewalks her catwalk in anything from silk, slip dresses to outrageous, sometimes translucent, gowns. The girl unafraid to clap back at anyone who has a problem. Who we didn’t know was this Rihanna, ANTI Rihanna.
After months of false alarms and eye-rolling anticipation, Rihanna has blessed her navy with her eighth studio album, her first in more than three years since her 2012 Unapologetic. And with all the waiting and false-starts, the only thing running through our minds was: this has to be good. This better be the album that reignites our faith in the navy and has us going, Yes, f***ing yes. And the truth is, it’s good, just not in the way we expected.
If you’ve really been a Rihanna fan from “Pon de Replay” to “Umbrella” all the way up to “BBHMM,” this might not have been exactly what you were expecting. ANTI isn’t chock full of upbeat radio hits, and with the exclusion of maybe two songs, it isn’t the turn up. Sure, Rihanna’s always taken fans on a musical journey through her albums. We’ve seen the carefree nineteen-year-old playing on the beach and the unraveling of her public relationship during her darker, “Russian Roulette” days. And while most have enjoyed the natural progression from carefree to a more matured and multi-dimensional artist, her latest attitude—the I’ll do what I want, rebellion from all things tamed, soft, and cute—seemed like the most appropriate, final chapter. Even when the ANTI cover art was revealed, the miniature Rih masked by a crown and holding a balloon suggested all hell would break loose with tracks screaming independence and bad-assness.
Here, Rihanna is still a bad ass (as if that would ever change), but she’s not exuding the girl from Instagram, twerking on yachts or gliding through mansions in lace lingerie. She’s not talking about pouring it up or plotting to get her money back. “B***h Better Have My Money” isn’t even on the album (“FourFiveSeconds” and “American Oxygen” are also noticeably absent). It’s by far one of her most advanced albums in terms of vocals and sounds, though. One minute she’s getting lost in neo-soul flows with SZA in “Consideration,” the next she’s giving major pipes over a wave of an orchestra on “Love on the Brain.” It’s a roller coaster of experimentation with high and low notes, country, guitar strings and retro beats. This album captures the progression after what we thought would be the last – what happens after the fur and Swarovski crystals come off and she’s somewhere on a secluded island with maybe a studio, a strong drink, and one rolled. On ANTI, our favorite bad gal is laid back, but commanding; provocative, yet mysterious. And the same ol’ Rihanna is still there; you just have to dig through the ballads, because it’s good. Really good.
READ: Rihanna’s ‘ANTI’ Goes Platinum In Less Than Two Days
“Consideration” (feat. SZA): “I got to do things my own way, darling.” One of the first lines from the introduction track is basically the motto here. As one of the only features, Rihanna recruits SZA and, based on what we heard, it was a smart selection. The two compliment each other well as they exchange vocals about cutting ties. This is the first of many tracks where Rih brings her Bajan accent to the forefront, going in and out of singing and spitting a rapper’s flow. The single is made whole by fusing an eerie, down-tempo tune with a retro beat, two sounds that stay true to SZA’s alt-soul background and Rih’s affinity for hip-hop. This unexpected collab, joining pop’s reigning royalty and alternative’s rising star, has a feel good nature that sets the pace for what the rest of the album will sound like.
“James Joint”: Depending on the kind of Rihanna you enjoy or expect, this may be one of the more unfavorable tracks for some. It’s a spacy, dreamy single mixing a little marijuana with the struggle for true love. It’s a simple interlude that doesn’t bring or take anything away, but it does add to the overall cohesion of the album.
“Kiss It Better”: The glaring electric guitar intro immediately screams a modern, rock love song, and it’s not a bad look at all. The guitar and the back-up vocals on the chorus are fitting for the content, talking about mending broken fences and getting back together. Although this seems to be foreign territory compared to her previous love ballads like “Unfaithful” or “California King Bed,” this makes it seem like she’s always been singing this way. It may be the rock-inspired vibe or the desperation in her voice that makes the song feel so heavy and ultimately enjoyable. Either way it works, because it’s the climactic love song you want to blast from an old boombox.
“Work”: When you first see Drake’s name as a feature on this track, you can’t help give the air above a little high five. It’s been nearly six years since they teamed up for “What’s My Name,” so that alone warrants a listen. It was the first single to drop from the album and it took exactly five listens to really stand back and say, okay, this is good. She stumbles and fumbles through the chorus, but after you make out the fact that she’s repeating “work,” it makes you want to bust into a fast wine. The weird thing is she doesn’t actually say much on the track. The real words are left to Drake, which in some ways was a flop on his end. Going from lines like “The square root sixty-nine is ate something, right?” to “If you had a twin, I would still choose you” is a big leap from clever to corny. But this isn’t about Drake. So in terms of being the only track on the album that may get you up in a club, it’s good to have it in the mix.
A photo posted by badgalriri (@badgalriri) on Jan 27, 2016 at 5:00am PST
“Desperado”: The opening eight seconds are pleasantly reminiscent of Banks’ “Waiting Game.” Again, she shows her versatility, matching a choppy, rustic voice with indie-rock. Not sure why it followed “Work,” considering the tempo is much slower and the lyrics desperately plead for companionship. But its addition to the track list is greatly appreciated as it gets us back in the zone. For lack of many comparisons, this one paints the picture of the western American story, similar to the missing “FourFiveSeconds.”
“Woo:” If you were wondering where Travis Scott’s influence was on the album, you’ve found it. This hard, militant intro and echo-y sound reeks of Trav. Nonetheless, the track is the kind of the gutter anthem most expected from Rihanna to begin with. She’s not actually saying much, but something feels right. Through its static sound, she compares herself to his next. “I bet she could never make you cry, cause the scars on your heart are still mine… Too bad she just eating off your dreams. Let me know when you’re ready to plea. Maybe you just need to send for me.” Clearly, she’s acknowledging the fans that may be getting weary of the slow songs and alternative sounds. Here’s the single you can blast at kickbacks and collectively nod your head to.
“Needed Me”: “Don’t get it twisted,” Rihanna is still a bad ass, and on this track she shows how “savage” she can be. The electronic sound and heavy bass triggers every woman’s ability to be sexy and a savage at the same damn time. It’s for the #Navy members who need a beat to gets them up and moving as well as for the others that would rather not move at all, choosing instead to sit back with hands lifted and sing to the chorus or ad-libs.
“Yeah, I Said It:” This song is to ANTI what “Skin” was to Loud. It’s the kind of raw, hot, and whimsy sound that you replay, even though it’s not necessarily the most appropriate song to listen to on your way to work. The two-minute song gives a little more than “Birthday Cake” did (before the remix) but even so, as it echoes out you’re left wanting just a little bit more.
READ: If These Pieces Of Evidence Are Correct, Drake And Rihanna Shot A Video Together In L.A.
“Same Ol’ Mistakes:” She may be talking about old mistakes, but this is definitely a brand new sound. The soft, cover of Tame Impala’s “New Person, Same Old Mistakes” definitely brings on the psychedelic, pop-rock feels. The song reminds you of the fluid motions of a lava lamp, casually changing from laid back to intense vocals.
“Never Ending”: There goes that guitar again. Unlike “Kiss it Better,” the sounds lean more towards country. Its organic melody and sweet back up vocals illustrate this idea of Rihanna performing on a beach with little to no instrumental support. Just like her lyrics, “Ghost in the mirror, I knew your face once, but now it’s unclear,” it’s a little unclear of whether this is a sad, love song or just a really beautiful chord progression, but whatever it’s going for, you feel it hard.
“Love On The Brain”: It took a second or two to warm up to the whiny vocals or all-tenor backup vocals, but as the band unravels into what sounds like a full blown orchestra, the song starts to come around. The sultry, love song depicts a destructive, yet addictive relationship, that has Rihanna baring her soul. While some production and vocal elements do sounds similar to Beyonce’s “Superpower,” it differs in the powerful and soulful performance that showcases her own range.
“Higher”: It’s an unpopular opinion, but the scream-singing isn’t too favorable. Still, there aren’t many complaints on this number. Her drunken plead for late-night companionship unleashes a powerful ballad. This song should have been the last song on the album, being that she gave almost everything she had left in the booth. “You light my fire. Let’s stay up late and smoke up a J. I want to go back to the old way.”
“Close To You:” Concluding the album is a somber ballad that drifts off to the soft instrumentals of the piano. It can similarly be compared to “Stay.” “If you let me, I’ll be there by now / close to you,” she sings. It seems like an odd song to end the album, but similar to the song’s fading out, it leaves you with a calming after taste of everything you just heard.
Share and Enjoy
The exact moment ‘Suicide Squad’ fails Harley Quinn is in the new trailer
January 30, 2016 by admin
Filed under Choosing Lingerie
Comments Off
DC Films came out swinging yesterday. Two new Facebook pages dropped ahead of The CW’s special about the upcoming DC Cinematic Universe line-up.
From the first footage of “Wonder Woman” to a look at the finalized Justice League team, DC did not disappoint. But the crown jewel was the new trailer for “Suicide Squad,” which showcased more of how the team will interact with each other. It also showed how the movie version of Dr. Harleen Quinzel will become Harley Quinn, if you knew what to look for.
The only problem is, it’s the wrong origin.
WARNING: SPOILERS FOR “SUICIDE SQUAD” BEYOND THIS POINT.
It’s no secret that I’ve been really hard on “Suicide Squad.” But it’s not because I WANT to hate it. Quite the contrary. I want to love it! Harley Quinn is one of my favorite superhero characters. She’s complex and troubled and very, very human. But “Suicide Squad” has rebuffed me — and many other female fans — at every turn. “This isn’t for you,” it practically screams, as Harley bends over to pick up a trinket, the camera focused squarely on her booty shorts. Every woman in this film save for Amanda Waller is scantily dressed for no good reason. I’ve already gone over what an egregious example Enchantress is: whether you think she’s sexy or scary, she’s definitely never worn anything that skimpy. For some reason, Katana’s armor has been traded out for a midriff baring top. And Harley is once again regulated to something from a prepubescent boy’s dream. You can thank Arkham Asylum for that particular legacy.
Meanwhile, the men are dressed to the nines, with El Diablo showing the most skin. Even KILLER CROC — who is usually lucky to wear a pair of ripped pants — is fully clothed.
But I held out a sliver of hope. Looks can be deceiving. A movie catering to the male gaze can still have really good female characters. Then the full length trailer dropped last night and the origin of Harley Quinn alluded to in the Comic-Con trailer last year was confirmed. And that hope died.
Image Credit: Warner Bros./DC Films
The above screenshot is immediately preceded by the Joker jumping into the vat of chemicals. Those tendrils of color are his clothes being eaten off as he fishes Harley Quinn from the toxic sludge. The toxic sludge he threw her into as the film is obviously taking a page from Harley’s reboot origin from the New 52. In SUICIDE SQUAD #7 — from May of 2012 — Harley’s transformative origin was unveiled, explaining her bleached white skin and two-tone hair. It was a severe departure from her first origin, and a far inferior one due to one factor: it removed Harley’s agency. In other words, it took her choices out of her hands and put them in the Joker’s.
Image Credit: DC Entertainment
Harley Quinn first appeared in “Batman: The Animated Series.” From her first line in 1992 — “It is to laugh, huh, Mr. J?” — Harley captured the imaginations of Batman fans everywhere. What was meant to be a walk-on role turned out to be the beginnings of a iconic character. By 1994, creators Paul Dini and Bruce Timm had created a background for Harley. How did she meet the Joker? What kind of woman would fall in love with a psychopath? Dr. Harleen Quinzel, psychiatrist, that’s who. The answer was surprising in its normality.
Any two-bit criminal can throw a person into a vat of chemicals and create a super-villainous side kick. What was simmering between the Joker and Harley was more complex than that. Her origin comic MAD LOVE — based on her cartoon character and drawn in the same art style — even got the Dini treatment in the 1999 cartoon episode of the same name in “The New Adventure of Batman.” Ostensibly, Dr. Harleen Quinzel went into psychiatry in part to discover why her abusive, con man father did the things she did. The Joker used her past and her personality against her to garner sympathy and admiration. It’s a classic case of an abuser grooming his mark, luring her in an subtlety testing the boundaries to see what she’ll tolerate. Over time, the ante is upped until you have the Joker LITERALLY trying to kill his girlfriend.
This doesn’t mean Harley Quinn is a pushover. She chooses to become a supervillain. And there’s the rub. She CHOOSES it. It isn’t foisted on her against her will. Harley’s smart and tough, yet vulnerable and damaged. Yes, Harley’s relationship with the Joker is abusive. Part of her relatability is her dichotomy of being a bad ass and making terrible choices. The cartoon never shied away from it. “My puddin’s a little rough sometimes, but he loves me really,” Harley lamented in one episode, but her heart wasn’t in her words. It’s a supervillainous metaphor for how anyone can find themselves inexplicably with a partner that abuses them. This humanity is what many fans relate to. In a Vulture article about Harley’s legacy, Tara Strand may have summed the character up best:
“There weren’t a lot of female characters at the time like her who were so human and unique and refreshing and weird, and not just sexy […] Feminism is about showing women as fully fleshed out human beings, and that’s what Harley is. She doesn’t make choices that are smart or good for a woman, but she gets to make those choices. Men are allowed to be fuck-ups in all kinds of characters, and women aren’t. We have to be idealized. She gets to not be.”
Harley only begins to pull away from the Joker when he can no longer isolate her from the outside world. In “Batman: The Animated Series,” Harley befriends Poison Ivy during a heist gone wrong. It’s through Ivy that Harley Quinn becomes more than human. Ivy uses her knowledge of plant toxins to inject Harley — with her permission — with a serum that makes Harley immune to toxins and poisons, as well as enhances her agility and speed. The friendship does wonders for Harley’s self-esteem and would luckily carry over to the New 52 comics as Ivy helps Harley move past Joker to have her own life again. Harley dives into finding herself again — from starting a gang to helping stray animals to getting back into psychiatry — over a year after her rebooted origin.
Before the video game “Batman: Arkham Asylum” decided Harley needed to be sexier, she and Poison Ivy even made a great team in putting gross dudes in their place. Of course, the descent of Harley Quinn from feminine yet assertive woman to deranged sexpot is a completely different article.
But all of Harley Quinn’s power is wiped away with the New 52 — and now “Suicide Squad” — origin. Dr. Harleen Quinzel isn’t a three-dimensional supervillain with a complex personality and layered motivations. She no longer chose to be a villain. She no longer chose to alter her genetic code to become more dangerous. She no longer even chose Joker of her own free will. By having Joker forcibly convert his psychiatrist into his girlfriend, Harley is stripped of her personality, her flaws, and her ability to make her own choices, as toxic as they are.
“Suicide Squad” might have Harley Quinn, but I wish they had Dr. Harleen Quinzel instead.
[UPDATE: 1/20/16]: An earlier version of this article stated Harley’s first origin was in cartoon form first and comic book form second.
[UPDATE 1/21/16]: Minor grammar and clarification edits.