A Girl Like Me

by Rihanna

Overview

Versatile urban dance-pop singer Rihanna gracefully avoids the sophomore slump with A Girl Like Me, a less tropical-flavored, more urban effort than her sun-and-fun debut. Then again, it's hard to be an effervescent island goddess 24-7 when your love life has suffered a crushing blow, something inferred by the numerous heartbreaking ballads included, all of them elegant, mature, and displaying artistic growth. Fans of her brilliant single "Pon de Replay" need not worry, though, as the album kicks off with its equal. Bursting out of the speakers, "SOS" is a sexy club tune that bites the bleepy riff from Soft Cell's "Tainted Love" in a very modern, very exciting mash-up fashion. The crunchy reggae of "Kisses Don't Lie" offers a less revolutionary alternative to Damien Marley's "Welcome to Jamrock." Then the album gets bolder and seamlessly bounces from genre to genre. Attempting things that would make lesser artists crumble, Rihanna goes from a film noir song that elegantly uses murder as a metaphor for cheating ("Unfaithful") to an easy-flowing weekend cruiser ("We Ride"). Even more stunning is the jump from the 2006 prom-song candidate "Final Goodbye" to the totally juiced "Break It Off," where she gives guest star and dancehall king Sean Paul some serious competition. The good but not great redo of "If It's Lovin' That You Want" with Corey Gunz is the only track approaching filler, but it's clearly marked "bonus," so it's a wash. Executive produced by Jay-Z, A Girl Like Me is unsurprisingly polished, yet a richer experience than you'd expect from a singer responsible for the summer jam of 2005, arguably 2006. ~ David Jeffries

Product Details

Release Date:	04/25/2006
Label:	Def Jam
UPC:	0602498798973
Rank:	81484

Tracks

1. S.O.S.
2. Kisses Don't Lie
3. Unfaithful
4. We Ride
5. Dem Haters
6. Final Goodbye
7. Break It Off
8. Crazy Little Thing Called Love
9. Selfish Girl
10. P.S. (I'm Still Not Over You)
11. A Girl Like Me
12. A Million Miles Away
13. If It's Lovin' That You Want, Pt. 2

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Rihanna   Primary Artist,Vocals
Cory Gunz   Vocals,Featured Artist
Sean Paul   Vocals,Featured Artist
Dwane Husbands   Vocals,Featured Artist
J-Status   Featured Artist
Yana Goichman   Violin
Ted Hemberger   Percussion
Jeanne Ingram   Violin
Eugene Briskin   Cello
Donovan Bennett   Multi Instruments
Carl Sturken   Multi Instruments,Piano,Guitar,Keyboards
John Beal   Bass
Maura Giannini   Violin
Crystal Garner   Viola
Clark Gayton   Trombone
Jill Jaffe   Viola
Evan Rogers   Vocals (Background)
Richard Locker   Cello
Cenovia Cummins   Violin
Katherine LiVolsi Stern   Violin
Rob Mounsey   Conductor
Yuri Vodovoz   Violin
Jan Mullen   Violin
Mikkel Storleer Eriksen   Multi Instruments
Sue Pray   Viola
Kevin Batchelor   Trumpet
Richard Sortomme   Violin
Ann Leathers   Violin
Abe Appleman   Violin
Tor Erik Hermanson   Multi Instruments
Gene Moye   Cello
Andy Bassford   Guitar
Luke McCaster   Guitar
Marti Sweet   Violin

Technical Credits

Carter Administration   Audio Production,Executive Producer
M. Hallim   Composer
Dale Virgo   Composer
C. Gilliam   Composer
Andrew Barwise   Composer
Byron Barwise   Composer
Oraine Stewart   Composer
Jonathan Rotem   Composer
Aion Clarke   Composer
Alli Truch   Art Direction
Nichell Delvaille   Photography,Art Coordinator
Tracey Waples   Marketing
A. Clarke   Composer
Adrienne Muhammad   A&R
K. Ford   Composer,Composer
Dawn Boonyachlito   Stylist,Wardrobe
Rob Heselden   Production Assistant
Kirk "Cool Face" Ford   Composer
Tiger Stylz   Engineer
Jay Brown   A&R
Donovan Bennet   Composer
L. McMaster   Composer
Robyn Fenty   Composer
Alexander Mosely   Composer
Evan "Kidd" Bogart   Composer
Alaxsander Mosely   Composer
Donovan Bennett   Mixing,Engineer
Carl Sturken   Executive Producer,Composer,Producer,Programming,Vocal Producer
Lawrence Parker   Composer
Ed Cobb   Composer
Andrew Thompson   Composer
Rob Skipworth   Mixing Assistant
Don Corleon   Producer
Evan Rogers   Composer,Producer,Vocal Producer,Executive Producer
Jean-Claude Olivier   Composer
S. Smith   Composer
Shaffer Smith   Composer
Makeba Riddick   Composer,Vocal Producer
M. Riddick   Composer
V. Morgan   Composer
Tippi Shorter   Hair Stylist
Tyran "Ty Ty" Smith   A&R
Tor Erik Hermansen   Composer
A. Thompson   Composer
Valerie Wagner   Design
Franny "Franchise" Graham   Engineer
Alisha Brooks   Composer
Ahmir Thompson   Composer
Dale "Dizzle" Virgo   Composer
Patrick Viala   Mixing
Augustus "Gussie" Clarke   Producer
Tony Duran   Photography
Chris Gehringer   Mastering
Vada Nobles   Composer
Rob Mounsey   String Arrangements
Samuel Barnes   Composer
Poke   Producer
Rihanna   Composer
Mikkel Storleer Eriksen   Composer,Engineer
Tone   Producer
C. Richardson   Composer
J.R. Rotem   Composer,Engineer
Al Hemberger   Mixing,Engineer
Malcolm Pollack   Engineer
James Auwarter   Engineer
J-Status   Performer
Jeremy Harding   Engineer
Phil Tan   Mixing
Mike City   Mixing,Composer,Producer
DJ Scott La Rock   Composer
Dwane Husbands   Performer
E. Amelia Rogers   Composer
Doug Joswick   Package Production
Sean Paul Henriques   Composer
Andrea Derby   Production Coordination
Debbie Mounsey   Production Assistant
Luke McMaster   Composer