 Steve Jones of USA Today wrote that while the other ballads on the album were not as strong , " ' Unfaithful ' , in which [ Rihanna ] deals with the consequences of her own cheating heart , shows depth " . Celia San Miguel from Vibe magazine praised " Unfaithful " , stating that it gives Rihanna a " new found charisma , solid vocal range and her ability to channel deep @-@ rooted emotions with ease " . Dan Charnas from The Washington Post described the single as " an honest account of dishonesty " . A reviewer from Billboard magazine likened " Unfaithful " to Beyoncé 's work and concluded that the song reveals Rihanna as a " young vocalist growing into her own " . In an interview about Ne @-@ Yo 's work , Idolator 's Maura called both " Unfaithful " and Knowles ' " Irreplaceable " " ear @-@ candy triumphs " . Quentin B. Huff of PopMatters criticized the song 's lyrics and described them as well @-@ intentioned but " overboard with melodrama " and " devoid of remorse " . 
