ariana grande - positions (oct. 2020)

don't think it has the emotional resonance of thank u next and even on a pure songcraft level there's something still pretty magical about the debut to me... but it's close to a perfect album for where she is coming out of the last one. everything starting w/ the weeknd song is pretty crazy, basically every song is a knockout.

fwiw i don't really rate sweetener & i might be the only person who has my everything > dangerous woman

"7 rings" was absolutely a dud and there were a bunch on sweetener and even dangerous woman had "sometimes" which has that annoying "la la la" bit.

i could easily see this becoming my favourite once i've listened to it more

i wish the tracks weren't all so short and had the chance to breathe a little more

I don't think making these songs longer would make them better

impressively while these songs are mostly short, they don't skimp on bridges / outros / general bits of goodness beyond verse/chorus/verse. it's easy to imagine the five-minute version of "POV" (an amazing song, incidentally) with a key change and a choir but I personally don't need it

i mean i'm not asking for 5 minute versions of things, just more on the 3-4 minute side rather than the 2-3

How are the guest features?

they're very solid unless you hate the weeknd

uh oh

weeknd sounds amazing on that song

it's one of the best songs he's ever been involved in imo

I lol'd at the end of "34+35" -- "Means I wanna 69 with ya... noooooo shit"

"Off the Table" -- holy gawd

it's like "Get Well Soon" taken to... another place

this has indeed become my favourite of hers already

These tracks are sophisticated as $#!&. I agree w/Simon that they lose nothing in their brevity -- and it may even work to their advantage.

"Nasty" is every bit as good as the snippet suggested it would be...

whoa - that coda on "Love Language"

There's something "'90s-feeling" about the whole album, without it being an obvious stylistic throwback... touches like the background vocal arrangements remind me of a classic Mariah album or something?

"off the table" genuinely fucking incredible

Haven't heard any of this yet even the single. Super looking forward to this considering that Needy and Ghostin are easily two of the best songs ever. The separate song titles are trending on Twitter; i love it when that happens.

the only thing i've read on this so far was the stereogum review which i thought was weirdly low on the album in general but specifically dissed the weeknd song which just doesn't align at all w/ how i hear this album. that's when it really kicks into gear for me

Not feeling “off the table” but the strings on “love language” and the retro vibe and Mariah Carey influence on “My Hair” are early standouts.

This feels like a follow-up to Yours Truly in the best way

Just finished listening to this. I went in with high expectations due to the raving comments here but I must say I’m a bit underwhelmed. It’s nice but nothing particularly grabbed me.
So far, I much prefer the previous album.
But maybe this will be a grower.

concur with Moka in that "my hair" or "love language" are probably my favourites. "motive" seemed like the obvious next single to me until i reached the doja cat verse, which kind of throws it off balance with its abrasiveness.

probably her most unassuming album yet; i get more..."i don't care" or "sometimes" from dangerous woman than yours truly tbh

I like this album but it exhausts me.

it's a motherfuckin' vibe, it's for motherfuckers that's patient, it's for motherfuckers that like to take their time, close their eyes, and dream

that needs to be quoted in the album poll

imo this one is actually for motherfuckers that's not patient

I do appreciate "Love Language" as the sophisti-pop number after the spirited opening string arrangement.

imo this one is actually for motherfuckers that's not patient

― it bangs for thee (Simon H.), Friday, October 30, 2020 10:48 AM (nineteen minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

if you go strictly by song lengths sure, if you go by some of the indifferent reactions to "off the table" and the general quiet storm vibe she's got going here, nah

The Weeknd sounds fine on "Off the Table." I don't find him a convincing duet partner with anyone except himself, whom I'm sure he'd also fuck and leave after a night of coke and codeine.

for some reason had to play "six thirty" three times in a row just now

are you down
what's up
are you down
what's up
are you dowwwwwn

wasn't 100% sold until a voice with real credibility spoke up:

the frozen pizza wants you to know that it really relates to trauma @BrandsSayingBae pic.twitter.com/n0HQw2hEV3

— katherine morayati (@morayati) October 30, 2020

that's a special kind of cursed, my god

Nice track review, which also serves as a concise set of thoughts on the album overall: https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/ariana-grande-pov/

critics seem weirdly low on this so far, i'm a bit baffled

a relisten affirms that this is the second best thing she's ever done, next to that time she said "I hate america" in public

xp i’m surprised to hear that… I haven’t read any reviews, but I would’ve guessed it’s a natural for critical luv

(It feels, both culturally and artistically, right on point for the moment)

skimming through reviews and they all seem to complain that it's not full of big obvious hits and too low-key

idk that's kinda the point! she goes for vibes and nails it the whole way through and as much as i do love some of her Big Pop Moments i think she's even better at this

but i've never quite understood the critical response she's gotten after sweetener was really loved when it was easily one of her weakest records

I love Sweetener, and think it deserves every kudo – but maybe it had the advantage of a “comeback” narrative, in terms of critical reception

(which this one doesn’t have, and some critics may not have that “hook” to rely on... I dunno, don’t want to judge reviews I haven’t read. do any of them talk about her vocals much?)

I think “pov” is interesting in that I’m not sure she can totally “pull off” the vocal—but she goes for it anyway.

there are a few other spots on the album where it also feels like she’s pushing past some of her natural limitations as a vocalist, and just doing what she loves and making the kind of songs she wants to make.

Feature focusing on Tommy Brown, with some details on how the album came together: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ariana-grandes-new-album-positions-tommy-brown-interview-11604060104

this is my favourite of hers since her debut and I love how cohesive it feels. They're right that there's no "Break Free" or "thank u, next" but a forty-minute album of charming r&b is a great look for her

I agree. This is a right place, right moment sort of album for her. A stay in home, or rather stay in bed vibe. Who even wants summer, party anthems from her in 2020? Have they not been paying attention?

And I’m not even a fan of r&b ballads (or most ballads tbh) but I think it’s a very appropriate mood and a good look on her. She knows she wont be touring this album so it makes sense it has a smaller sound, this is meant for home-listening not for stadiums. And as noticed, this also allows her to push her limitations as a vocalist since she wont be risking singing these in an off-night.

only listened to this once so far (haven’t had the time, and there’s also a Wizkid album, priorities!), but it sounded very good and assured.

think Moka raises a very interesting point (if I read her correctly) about the way the pandemic and all it entails might be playing into the album’s sound. interestingly, this might be the case with the Wizkid album as well.

…ah looks like it was ~7~ fans (to fit the theme)

New single apparently titled “yes, and?”

There are hints it’ll be released Friday, Jan. 12 (but not confirmed)

^now confirmed, btw

Turns out the lyric she's been teasing – "Say that shit with your chest" – also appears in a Mac Miller song

The track is said to be influenced by (or even "interpolate") Madonna's "Vogue"... which also happened the case w/"Motive," from the last album.

I've learned to keep expectations in check (with any artist/band I'm a fan of)... no streak lasts forever, lighting doesn't necessarily strike 7 times, etc. But few artists have her level of "quality control"/taste in her own material; and especially for her big comeback single, it's hard to imagine a swing + miss (I doubt we're getting a "Focus" situation here). But you never know...

Btw – I've been listening to Positions; and even accounting for the fact that AG music prob sounds 5x better to me than a non-fan, I'm surprised the album wasn't more generally acclaimed. Even putting aside her vocals and the melodies (which are f'in incredible), the production is just amazingly lush; every song full of gorgeous details under the surface. It's just a world-class album...!

i agree entirely. i think 'thank u next' was just such a career peak both in terms of her music and her celebrity, her really just being in the center of the pop culture zeitgest and releasing great music that spoke directly to all the attention, that i think the follow up was always going to be in a really tough spot in its shadow regardless of whether it was good or not. it just so happens to be really really good

New thread for a new "era": ariana grande - eternal sunshine (2024 album)