I have not formed an opinion either way yet on this album (only listened once - it was pleasant) but just wanted to share this as well to add to the discourse (please punch me in the face for writing a sentence like that)
I do disagree with the idea that an artist should "stop releasing music cuz they're bored" because that's fucked up and we don't decide when and what artists can do with their art
Just turned this on, I think a lot of my problems with the last two albums were just kind of sounding samey and like fill in the blank. There's great songs on those albums but the whole piece felt uninspired as a whole. Maybe she is just bored and knows she'll do fine whatever she does. Would love for her to make a big stylistic jump, early on I feel like this vibe isn't the best use of her talents.
I feel like these strings were like a creative choice to make this album sound different but they're used like the exact same way in every song they're in
This was a pretty mixed bag for me. I agree with whoever said earlier that a lot of this runs together. I think for me this is missing a lot of the stylistic choices from the first three albums that made me really fall in love with her music
Positions kind of sticks out as an outlier on this, especially knowing its the only song with a different producer. Weird to include and weirder for it be a single.
I think the no high points works on this. It’s a groovy/vibey R&B album which she was going for. It isn’t supposed to be an album with big/lavish poppy songs.
glad some people are enjoying the vibe, and I cant complain about her giving us 3 albums in a little over 2 years but for me theres not a ton that I'll be returning to outside of 3435, motive, pov im glad she seems to be happy and in love and content though, she has defo earned it
also I just think superstar artists and labels have just figured out how to game the streaming system. an Ariana Grande album every two years will still rake in the streams and get primo playlist positions and promotions regardless if it's "good" or not.
she's said on multiple occasions that she wants to be releasing music like this, as much or whenever she feels like, (regardless of if thats actually true)
I think we also need to start normalizing the idea of NOT immediately comparing an artists's project to everything else they have released. There is absolutely nothing wrong with releasing an album that is **not as good** as the last few releases. Those albums are HIGH quality, even if this one is **not as good** as her other albums, so what? In no way does that mean this album itself is not good.
ppl's disappointment in this seems proportionate to how much of a straight up quiet storm r&b record it is i personally am fucking thrilled
also i do not really get the sense that the strings are used the same way on every song where they appear
I feel like a lot of this criticism was very predictable. Kind of happens every time an artist dares to have too much success. The first time they release something that's very good, but maybe not their best, everyone is so ready to jump all over it. Like it's very strange for me to see official reviews that say "oh but there's no bangers". Who said this was going to be a bangers album?
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
An album by a pop star does not have to have bangers to be good. Exhibit A: This album Exhibit B: Folklore