Nothing But the Beat review – 2.5 stars
December 12, 2011
A thumping and infectious beat seems to be the common trademark of French DJ and music producer David Guetta. Released on August 26, Guetta’s most recent album Nothing but the Beat promises just that.
The album, Guetta’s fifth, touches on various genres of the music industry including pop, R&B, rap, and hip hop and features several noteworthy artists such as Nicki Minaj, Usher, Akon, and Taio Cruz, among many others.
The top single “Where Them Girls At,” featuring Flo Rida and Nicki Minaj, is a fusion of electronic and hip hop. There is no denying that the song has a contagious beat, as Minaj fearlessly belts out nonsensical lyrics.
The collaboration among Guetta, Taio Cruz, and Ludacris in the second single of the album, “Little Bad Girl,” disappoints as it fails to engage listeners. The lyrics are repeated excessively and the auto-tuning drowns out any substance in the song.
Minaj reappears in “Turn Me On,” which will be released as a single on December 13. She lacks her typical diva charm in the sections where she sings but makes up for it with the few bare seconds of rap.
As a finalist of American Idol and newcomer to the dance music world, Jennifer Hudson increases the intensity and lights up the dance floor with her fierce and powerful vocals in “Night of Your Life.”