positions - Ariana Grande: Review
is an artist who turned from a pop star into a mega star over the past few years. With her last two album cycles she's collected numerous #1 hits and translated that success into a massively successful multi-media presence. Unlike many contemporaries who travel the same path Ariana has done so with critical success at her back alongside her commercial success, with her 2019 record thank u, next in particularly receiving massive critical acclaim across the board, positions is a relatively quick follow-up for an artist of Ariana's stature and only had one single dropped just a week before the album was ultimately released.
Review By Lavender:
I was always a casual appreciator of Ariana's music in her early days but it wasn't until the one-two punch of Sweetener and thank u, next that she established herself as one of the best and most capable performers in all of pop music. The prospect of her releasing one of my favorite pop albums of the year for a third year in a row excited me and while positions isn't quite the record it's predecessor is Ari's subtle and sensual performances make for plenty of great tracks that are must hear for pop fans in 2020.
The lead single and title track positions shows up late in the tracklist and I enjoy it as much here as I did as a single. It's a catchy ass pop song with trap drums all over the instrumental and gorgeous strings over the hook. While it may not be her most impactful song ever the track has a vibe and rides it perfectly throughout its entire runtime. Obviously this isn't the only highlight on the record and the album doesn't waste any time from the start getting into it with shut up. The track is an interesting intro with a really minimal string based instrumental. Ariana's vocals dominate the song and she does some singing that is comfortably on par with her standard. The hook is basic but this is a confident and immaculate way to open up the record that I enjoy every time I come back to it. My favorite song on the whole record is up next on the track 34+35. If you just whipped out your calculator and were hoping that this song was going to be a sex bop then you're getting exactly what you wish here. The track is sexy as hell with Ariana rattling off her "Can you stay up all night, fuck me till the daylight" hook. On top of that the song has a really adorable pre-chorus that shows her feeling genuinely excited about spending the night with somebody. Everything about it is catchy and full of personality.
safety net is a sensual trap flavored R&B cut with a guest spot from the feature king himself Ty Dolla $ign. The result is a smooth and infectious track with Ari and Ty harmonizing beautifully on the hook and with the space they are given by the moody beat it all results in a wonderful expression of affection and attraction. my hair is another major highlight that throws it back to the 80's with soft synths and clapping that highlight the songs sensuality even further. The song doesn't bog itself down with nostalgia as Ariana makes it entirely her own and the result is fireworks. love language features a rich instrumental and wonderful whispered lead vocals on a great hook. The subtle instrumental flourishes add a ton to the beat and the final product is a sweet and infectious track I can't get enough of.
The record ends off with two good tracks, but both those tracks have strange endings. obvious is a tribute to the ability of men to miss signals no matter how obvious they are. Okay maybe it isn't that on the nose about it but with a straight up trap beat and backing vocal harmonies Ariana is clearly looking for a 7 Rings sequel here. It works really well for the most part even with the track ending on a really mellow fade out the brings its instrumental to a close. The closing track pov is a really interesting take on love songs where Ariana sings about wishing she could see herself from her significant others point of view. It's a genuinely adorable tribute to the affection she is receiving from this person and the sweet instrumental is matches her emotional response to it perfectly. The final hook of the song is a surprising high point but the track takes time to slowly bring it and the entire album to a close.
There aren't any actually terrible songs on the record but there are some disappointments with high profile features and some incredibly forgettable cuts. motive is a slick dance track with a rattling club beat and muted vocal performance that evokes a moody dancefloor vibe. The hook is simple but catchy despite Ari being uncharacteristically cold in her vocal delivery. Doja Cat shows up for a decent feature on the back end of the song that doesn't fit all that well with the rest of it. I don't hate the song but it's far from a favorite. off the table is a very stark R&B track that features The Weeknd and sounds much more like something from his playbook than Ariana's. The song is very much a ballad and while I wouldn't call their performances sleepy they are certainly measured. The pair do put some great vocal work in display particularly in the 2nd half of the track but it isn't quite the masterpiece I was hoping from the pair given their talents.
just like magic is a track that mixes a pretty contemporary sounding trap beat with songwriting that feels like pre-Sweetener era Ariana. The hook isn't one of my favorites despite the swagger it carries as the sugary vocals just don't carry the poise of the lyrics very well. nasty has the opposite problem as a straight to the point sex bop that explores its title and Ariana's desire to engage with it in all the detail required of a pop song. The problem with the track is that is has one of the most vapid beats on the record which makes it feel very low impact.
Finally there are some tracks that just sound like forgettable generic Ariana songs. six thirty has a pretty beautiful instrumental but does almost nothing with it as it wanders through some really dull refrains only occasionally saved by some intimate refrains here and there. west side is sandwiched between two much better tracks on either side and results in a completely forgettable deep cut that I can hardly remember anything about.
positions is a sexy and confident pop record that fits in perfectly with Ariana's last two projects. While it may not have the same caliber of deep cuts tracks here like 34+35, my hair and love language are jest as good as Ari's best songs over the past few years. Once again I think her bassline of performance and songwriting shines through on a record that can stand toe to toe with almost any other contemporary pop albums coming out this year. 7/10
Album Cover Review by Tyler Judson:
I'm not a huge fan of this cover. It is her aesthetic and goes with the last two albums she's released but I think there were better visuals she posted on Instagram than the one chosen for the final cover. I love the haziness of the image and the framing around it but the image itself isn't doing it for me. 5.5/10
For more pop check out my review of Blackpink's The Album here
