Ariana Grande – positions, Album Review

[junkie-dropcap]F[/junkie-dropcap]or Ariana Grande, the topic of sex is nothing new. However, for the first and likely only time she delivers an entire album devoted to the act. As someone who’s followed her entire music career, I anticipate every release of hers. On positions Grande stays true to her sound while embarking on some new territory as well. All of what Ari fans could ask for appears here. The opening track shows an immediate sense of control. What Ari wants, Ari gets, instructing her love interest to a T across this tracklist. Personally, I’m here for it. When a boss bitch speaks, ya boy listens. And in this case, most of the songs here showcase what makes Grande larger than life. The killer pipes. The catchy hooks. And the retro bop mixed with a modern pop-trap aesthetic. With each new release, she progresses as an artist.

Freddie Gibbs Celebrates w/ Big Sean & Hit-Boy in “4 Thangs” Visual

Furthermore, she continues her streak of impressive bodies of work in a relatively short amount of time. Three years up and three years down. Ari has given fans award-worthy material in an era of half-hearted stream troll albums. Although she does not have a masterpiece in her catalog, I cherish her consistency. To me, positions is her first album since her debut without a single that will dominate the charts for months. Yet this does not bother me whatsoever. And perhaps “my hair” will surge once all the election calamity calms down. I sure hope so. Because it is a jam to which every lady should relate. For Grande specifically, her hair has been a talking point for years. So, hearing her open up a little bit about it brought a smirk to my face. Many of the tracks fit the album’s theme well, and beef up the vibe.

Songs like “nasty,” “34+35,” and the heartfelt closer “pov” display Ari’s poise, wit, and vocal prowess. Though by far my favorite of the bunch goes to “west side.” If you’ve got a night-drive type of playlist, be sure to add this one. You won’t regret it. Additionally, “pov” is easily a top-10 Ariana Grande song. The writing, the performance, the production all come together in beautiful fashion and send a wave of warmth up my body whenever I hear it. Nevertheless, as much as I enjoy this record, positions failed to reach its maximum potential in my view. One gripe I’ve had with Ariana Grande albums in the past is the lack of attention to detail concerning her track sequencing. While many pop records pride themselves on having the biggest collection of successful or fan-pleasing songs, Ari holds an unique position in the industry. No pun intended there.

Apple Now Replacing Faulty AirPod Pro’s at No Charge

Her fresh style and consistency lift her above the majority of her contemporaries. However, many of her albums slightly underwhelm as a whole due to some weak album filler tracks. Let’s be real here for a second. Is a trimmer tracklist going to keep Ariana Grande from selling out arenas? No. Will a more clear artistic statement stop her from receiving endless streams and adoration from fans? Hell no. Yet one cannot deny the immense feeling of listening to an album that flows with purpose from beginning to end. While there’s no such thing as perfect, positions had the opportunity, in my opinion, to be a perfectly imperfect pop classic. However, tracks like “just like magic,” “safety net” with Ty Dolla $ign and “motive” with Doja Cat and Murda Beatz stifle the overall impact of this album. For whatever reason, Ari’s vocals received poor mixing on the former and latter.

Moreover, I’m confused about how “motive” even made it on this album. It is nothing more than a glorified bonus track. Its summery, pool-party vibe appears out of place for an autumn release. But more importantly, the instrumental emits a limp and unoriginal vibration. Ari sounds pretty good on it, yet the dusty veneer atop this beat does little to highlight anything other than its own bleakness. Doja Cat steals the show here. Unfortunately, though, there isn’t much show to steal. Also, “off the table” featuring The Weeknd I didn’t mind. Their lyrics allude to their previous collaboration from 2014. Honestly, it’s cute; but ultimately not enough to make it a great song. The middling chemistry between Ari and Abel and Ari and Ty Dolla left me unsatisfied. There’s an amazing album inside this tracklist. One that, with a fine-tuned polish, could’ve been this stellar artist’s best work to date.