Proving that Barbados now has lush vocalists to match its beaches, Saint Michael's Rihanna floats over the top of 'Rude Boy's neck-popping backing track like a scantily-clad tropical butterfly. The raunchiest cut from fourth album 2009's 'Rated R', the good girl gone bad lets loose with lyrics such as "Tonight I'm gonna let you be a rider/Giddy up, giddy up" as stuttering synthesisers and cooed backing vocals bump and grind their way across the pop beat. Admitting that "I like the way you touch me there/I like the way you pull my hair ", it's clear that Rihanna is intent on using her sexuality as a weapon, as much to intimidate as to titillate. A far cry from the more innocent 'Umbrella' and 'Shut Up And Drive' days of previous album, 2007's 'Good Girl Gone Bad', 'Rude Boy' is an intense and heady concoction of sweat, sexiness and sweetness. ~ James Sharples (c) Shazam Entertainment Limited 2009. All rights reserved

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