Video: Rihanna [ft. Jay-Z]: "Umbrella"
Jay-Z feels as out of place in this video as his cut-and-pasted verse at the beginning of the song. Fortunately, he gets out of the way quickly, making way for Rihanna's WTF parade. Characters she plays here: a rain ballerina, a french maid with a scary command of a large and pointy umbrella, and a triangle-dweller covered entirely and solely in silver paint. And those are just the more identifiable ones.
From its lyrics, "Umbrella" seems like it's supposed to be an expression of romantic solidarity in the midst of adversity. But let's not kid ourselves. Coupled with a martial drumbeat, an eerie synth line, the abrupt scene changes, and Rihanna's half-Stepford, half-childlike smiles, the song and its video are distinctly creepier. This isn't r&b; it's weird, dark synth-pop. The woman has sampled "Tainted Love". Maybe we should have expected this.
[from Good Girl Gone Bad; due June 5 on Def Jam]