#MusicMonday: Ariana Grande "Dangerous Woman"

Welcome to Music Monday where I review recently released albums on, you guessed it, Mondays. Disclaimer: Everything down below are my personal opinions. I'm in no way affiliated with any corporation, especially Ariana Grande or Republic Records. And, no, I don't approve of the bunny ears.^

01. MOONLIGHT

This was a very strange start to the album. The production is clearly inspired by the '50s Doo Wop era but nothing else on the album is. Not that I'm complaining, of course, because my all-time favorite Ariana Grande song is "Tattooed Heart", which has the same layer of production underneath it. It's a nice song and an alright, if not confusing, way to start off the album. 7/10

02. DANGEROUS WOMAN

I already reviewed this (and a few other songs) but I still really, really like the song. Her range is absolutely crazy here and the song as a really clear direction in her maturing as an artist. The production is also just stellar, it has a really epic sound to it. My favorite part is about three minutes in when in mixes a trap beat in with a piano and a guitar. Did I mention her freaking voice?! 9/10

03. BE ALRIGHT

I really like listening to this song it's a fun bouncy little dance track that you can bounce your head to and enjoy in the club. I have to say I enjoy watching her perform it live better than just listening to it I think the choreography is fantastic. 8/10

04. INTO YOU

The production is banging, the chorus is catchy but the best part of this song is that there is a lot of substance to it. If you were to slow it down and turn it into a ballad it would be haunting and just as catchy if it were left alone as it is on the album. Her voice is wicked on this and I'm "into" this song. 9.5/10

05. SIDE TO SIDE (Feat. Nicki Minaj)

I love reggae fusion songs and the genre fits Ariana quite well. It was a seamless fit for Nicki Minaj's voice but it was surprising to hear how well her voice fit in with the production on the track. 8.5/10

06. LET ME LOVE YOU (Feat. Lil Wayne)

I've slowly been coming around to this song but I wasn't that big of a fan when I first heard it. I think it's a nice, sultry R&B track from her. And like I said when I reviewed the song before, Wayne's verse doesn't make me want to take a shower afterward like usual so that's some progress! 7.5/10

07. GREEDY

Ariana started released a track a day as the album's release was approaching and this was the first song on the album I instantly fell in love with. It's a brassy, funky track that instantly makes you want to get up and start dancing. Her voice is also everywhere (in a good way) on this song. I'm obsessed with the modulation toward the end as she changed keys. Flawless, girl. 9.5/10

08. LEAVE ME LONELY (Feat. Macy Gray)
Two words: Macy Gray. While I'm not really a fan of her music I'm obsessed with her voice and it reaches it's wicked potential in this performance. The heavy, heavy bass, background vocals and the muffled drums really add to the drama of the song. This is a very, very haunting ballad about realizing being alone and happy is better than being with someone who drains you emotionally. What also drains me emotionally? This fantastic song. 9/10

09. EVERYDAY (Feat. Future)
I think this is gonna be a summer banger. I love love love the production in the chorus and the actual chorus itself. It's one of those songs that remind you that Ariana doesn't have to belt out everything for you to be impressed by her. 8/10

10. SOMETIMES

I think this as close to an acoustic track as we're getting from Ariana in the near future. I wouldn't say the production is simplistic but it's minimal compared to the other songs and I like that. The guitar and drum are heavily highlighted and it makes for a pleasant listening experience 7.5/10

11. I DON'T CARE
Ariana Grande Yours Truly throwaway track anybody? That automatically puts it in the top five on this album. I just really think smooth '90s R&B is what suits Ariana's voice the most and I'm not going to budge on that state of mind because when she does songs like this it's absolutely magic. Heck, virtually half of the song was just her humming and I lived for it! 9/10

12. BAD DECISIONS
While I think it's funny to hear Ariana being in a relationship that she considers "hood love", I do really like the song. It's fresh and while "I Don't Care" was more '90s R&B this was more contemporary R&B and it worked well. 8/10

13. TOUCH IT
I really think this is a hybrid of early 2000s pop music and R&B of the 2010s and it works out really, really well. The chorus is very catchy and reminds me of something Hilary Duff or Jojo would have sung back in 2002, in the best way possible because this song is pretty solid. 8/10

14. KNEW BETTER/FOREVER BOY
Is this two songs combined in one or could she just not choose a title? Am I the only one that think this sounds like Dean or another K-pop R&B song? The production is awesome and her voice is really smooth and sultry. 7.5/10

15. THINKING BOUT YOU
Every time I look at this song title I desperately want to add a "A" to bout... The song is good in itself but I thought it would have been much more powerful if she pulled back all the production that was layered on top of it and made it an acoustic track because the song is actually really, really gorgeous. The pre-chorus is probably my favorite part of the song. 7.5/10

ALBUM GRADE: A-
As with Grande's previous albums, I think this is a pretty strong body of work. I think where the album falls flat is that it just sounds like a bunch of random genres mashed to together into one album. The main issue I have with that is that she's doesn't really have a "genre". Her first album was mainly R&B, the second was pop, this one was dance, funk, reggae, R&B, pop, trap, it was just a little too much for my taste but I think there are some real gems in here.