Ariana Grande - AG4 (2018 album)

I ❤️ how “R.E.M.” alludes, in a subtle & sophisticated way, to “Mr. Sandman” by the Chordettes

“Breathin’” is #1 on U.S. iTunes... this song will be huge when released as a single.

*braces for threadban due to multiple revives*

pharrell adlibs on the title track are really unnecessary but i like the song itself a lot. it doesn't remind me directly of frank's "pink + white" but it deeply reminds me of when rtc compared that song to scritti politti

“Get Well Soon” is another super classy and sophisticated song that feels like an immediate classic... it’s gonna be a showstopper in live performances.

^endorse the last 4 posts.

I'll throw in "Successful" (not sure what's going on with the lyrics here btw, the perspective keeps changing) and "Goodnight n go" as the other keepers from the album.

Breathin is my favourite thing she's ever done. I wonder how often it is that an iTunes number 1 is an unhyped album track (track 9!) as opposed to you know, the pre-release track or the one with a big guest star name rapper or whatever. Maybe it happens more than I think it does but it feels rare.

(In My Feelings kinda did the same maybe.)

re: "Successful" -- there's something about the "Does it give you chills? Does it make you feel... cold?" bit at the end of the bridge of that feels like maybe a nod to Prince(?)

"Breathin'" is such a big, wonderful, '80s-style club smash. The way the beat kicks in after a few measures of the chorus just kills me

more like "sucksessful"

i can't decide if i like "successful" or not.... that rinky dink ass 02 era neptunes synth... idk

it's grown on me

bubble pop electric is a great song and has the benefit of not making me listen to a tea partier yell at me constantly

I was listening to Britney's Glory on my way to work this morning. I kind of feel like there's some songs on Sweetener that aim to be quirky and breezy in the same that Glory was, but just don't quite get there.

The album has grown on me a bit, but I'm still struggling with most of the Pharrell songs. The Light Is Coming, Sweetener, Successful and Borderline in particular are the worst offenders.

when Pharrell deals you beats, makes the music sound like it is salt / listen to the album again even louder, to bring the bitter taste to a halt

and (b) a few tracks, while good, lack a certain “Ariana-ness”...

― stan in the place where you work (morrisp), Sunday, August 19, 2018 1:16 PM

That’s an interesting point, morrisp... What this largely boils down to, IMHO — besides the fact that she sings in her lower register a lot on this album — is that her vocals tend to be recorded with an uncharacteristic reverb. Neither of these things are bad, of course; they’re just a left turn, a stylistic change. And change is good!

But it’s also why the relatively dry treatment of her lead vocal line in “Get Well Soon,” coming at the end of the album, is so refreshing — it feels like a visit from “classic Ariana.” I bet this was intentional!

i really like almost all of this, actually. definitely a grower, but she uses the pharrell stuff to a really good effect imo—even on the light is coming, which is probably the one i still resist the most. i think it's interesting how she mostly (with the exception of the big singles and breathin) eschewed Big Pop to aim for something a lot more subdued? reminds me of Anti, less sonically than in structure and intentionality. probably not as *good* as Anti, which is a decade-defining album to me, but i really appreciate the way it performs intimacy and casualness.

She has some interesting things to say at the beginning of this interview about her approach to the vocals on this album: https://youtu.be/PviZLT7HPys

I don’t know much about her but I like the album so far. Even the Pharrell tracks !
Actually I find the title track - which most seem to hate - pretty catchy, especially the chorus.
Thinking about Pharrell I’m not sure there was ever another producer still making big hits/working with big « young » acts 20+ years into their career ?

well there's max martin who also worked on this album

I thought of Rick Rubin too, in another field but still successful !

« Better Off » is so sweet and smooth. Might be my favorite track so far

“Goodnight n go” deserves a Grammy® for all involved

This album will presumably square off with Reputation at the Grammys™

Ariana has had 4 Grammy noms, but 0 wins. If nothing else, “NTLTC” deserves Record of the Year

(But what do I know — I’m just a guy who thinks the “Oh, baby!” coming out of the bridge of “Break Free” is the greatest pop moment of the decade.)

Enjoying this album a lot. To my ears "Get Well Soon" sounds quite a bit like King.

well there's max martin who also worked on this album

― ufo, Wednesday, August 22, 2018 3:02 PM (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

not just max martin but his colleagues -- savan kotecha, rami yacoub, etc.

I don’t love the swell of strings that closes “Better Off” (they’re a tad schmaltzy?) — but it’s cool how the strings return at the end of “Pete Davidson,” a few tracks later; tying together the breakup song and the new-love song.

—“Get a Blog” Jones

this album is fantastic but does anyone know why she starts singing the doug funnie theme song towards the end of "goodnight n go"

if only we could excise the town hall sample from "light is coming" and Pharrell saying "sheesh" over and over again on "sweetener" then I'd be closer to getting on board the bandwagon.

The town hall sample no longer bothers me, somehow (I could even swear it’s slightly lower in the mix than in the prerelease version, but that may be nonsense). Anyway, I enjoy “TLIC” a lot more in the context of the album!

I’m still listening to this everyday.

can’t stop, so shut yo mouth

Four iconic albums. 4-0.

an (ex)acquaintance of mine said her voice wasn't great and i just had to walk away in shame

yeah, one of my favourite albums atm.
it sounds more low key and personal than her previous stuff to me.

i saw some tv award show performance of "no tears left to cry" where she was introduced as the voice of her generation and one of the greatest vocalists ever and honestly my thought (esp after listening to her good-not-great vocal during the performance) is that her vocal ability is way overhyped. i mean we live in an age where adele is assumed to be an excellent singer based mostly on her aesthetic so yeah i guess there should be no surprises.

i start the album at ‘rem’ and play it through from there, so good

She does a nice job here

http://www.thefader.com/2018/09/05/ariana-grande-thundercat-them-changes?utm_source=tftw

Love this

Light is coming has that plunderphonics vibe with the burbling whistle synth fx

Title track kills my vibe tho

Looks like the new tour won’t be happening in the near term:

According to her team, @ArianaGrande will be taking some time off given recent events: “She will be staying close to home and using this period to spend time with her loved ones and work on new music without deadline. She thanks her fans for their understanding.” 🖤 pic.twitter.com/TK8wkDHJRy

— Ariana Grande Today (@ArianaToday) September 18, 2018

I love the second half of this album.

Yep.

Bought this on iTunes and it cut no tears from the album and put it as a separate single. Have to playlist it but album is growing on me

Light is coming reminds me of light works by dilla a lot

so much of this album reminds me of timberlake circa sexy back, but like diluted

dunno, it is pretty good but yeah i guess there is nothing new under the sun

It's like you're trying not to glow at all, Ross

lol, honestly that is my favourite on the record

it has an interesting structure and many components that stick in my head vs. the usual verse chorus structure

also the beat rules.

Yeah I actually love it now