The Grande Effect: "Dangerous Woman" Review

Tl;dr

My Everything (2014)

1. Intro
This is a good introduction which has a nicely produced instrumental as the melody is sweet. What would have been nice though if there was a theme presented or tone established with the intro but it's good like I said.

2. "Problem" (Featuring Iggy Azalea)
Ehw!!! It's Iggy Azalea...oh I'm sorry, "Iggy Iggs" as she calls herself at the beginning of the track. It's unfortunate as despite her usual awkward, clumsy appearence, "Problem" is a fun tune. I like the production, especially that saxophone loop in the song. Ariana is of course singing about a guy she wants but ultimately realizes that she would be better off without him. I'll just skip over my critique of Iggy's rap verse as it is non-sense but then what else would you expect from a mediocre hip hop artist?!
(B)

3. "One Last Time"
In this moody mid-tempo track, Ariana is saddened yet hopeful that she will have another chance at happiness with her former lover. I like the lyrics as well as the catchy melody. Ariana is showing a side to her that her listeners and fans can really relate to as she is desperate to prove to her last love that she may have did him wrong (not to mention lied to him) but she is willing to make it up to him for "one last time". Hell, she even says that his new girl probably tries him better but that feeling of yearning to be forgiven is really nice and makes for a genially enjoyable tune that became a hit single!
(B+)

4. "Why Try"
Ariana sings of a relationship that even at it's worst, still makes her want to stay. I like the lyrics once again especially such points of the song where she sings "You and I redefine being love sick, love sick, love sick/Through it all you could still make my heart skip, heart skip/Oh yeah/Even when you're yelling at me/I still think you're beautiful/Through it all you could still make my heart skip, heart skip. I also enjoy the part where she sings that she "enjoys the pain" as every relationship has that intense passion that brings out the worst in us, but it's that conflict that makes things interesting and that's a good message to send out to the couples listening to this song.
(B-)

5. "Break Free" (Featuring Zedd)
A song about self-liberation, "Break Free" finds Ariana feeling like she would be better off being a strong, independent woman than a woman on the arm of a handsome guy. I like the message of the song, it's simple but it is one of the subliminal feminist tune...who am I kidding, this is an upfront feminist anthem! I like the EDM of the production, not feeling over produced and only coming in when needed to up the intensity of the song. Overall, this is a very solid pop song that I'm sure got many on the dance floor as well as women cheering at their new found sense of independence.
(B+)

6. "Best Mistake" (Featuring Big Sean)
Ariana is resolute in her decision to be with her man ever though their relationship has encountered a lot of rough times. I enjoy this song as it is another song that has a theme one can relate to. Big Sean's verse is serviceable though, nothing bad, but nothing too memorable. This has a very low key production to it and I wish there was more energy to the song but it's a overall decent track.
(C+)

7. "Be My Baby" (Featuring Cashmere Cat)
And here we get a pretty generic love song, though the melody isn't bad at all, it's just that this is your typical track about wanting to be the only girl in your potential love interest's life. Not a bad song by any means, just one that you'll listen to and not remember much about it. It's ok I guess.
(C)

8. "Break Your Heart Right Back" (Featuring Childish Gambino)
In this song that details the unfortunate situation that Ariana is stuck in as she feels she must get even with the man that broke her heart. It's a pretty fun song that has a blink and you'll miss it appearance by Childish Gambino. I do like the brief samples of Diana Ross' "I'm Coming Out". It adds to the song's melody making it more enjoyable than it is by itself. Overall, it's a decent little track but nothing special.
(C+)

9. "Love Me Harder" (Featuring The Weeknd)
In this cute pop collaboration, Ariana and The Weeknd sing of the reasons why their significant other should make more of an effort to win their heart. I like the song, it has a nice melody and the song is pretty catchy. Both singers sound good together and make for an adequate duet. Nothing more really to say besides this is a pretty fun song all together.
(B)

10. "Just A Little Bit Of Your Heart"
Well, Ariana goes for an emotional piano laced ballad here and it's pretty great as Ariana expresses why she keeps so much from her lover and why it's so hard to open up. She sings about wanting him to give some of his heart to her, showing she feels better knowing that he cares for her, even though she isn't the only one in his heart. A pretty sweet ballad if you ask me and Ariana sounds very angelic.
(B+)

11. "Hands On Me" (Featuring A$AP Ferg)
Well, this song's tone comes out of nowhere and is kind of jarring compared to the last track. A part of me feels like this is just a throwaway club joint/party jam as Ariana sings about wanting a man to get physical with her body. A$AP's verse(s) is pretty disposable. I just don't feel him on this track. Don't get me wrong, the production for the song is pretty good, infectious, energetic, etc. But this just feels like filler to me.
(C)

12. "My Everything"
In this title track, we get a pretty somber song that has Ariana reflecting on her previous love and how she still thinks of him fondly. While she was in pain before, that void has only gotten bigger since they aren't together anymore. I guess it's a pretty nice song, if not bit too sappy for my liking. It's also rather brief and doesn't really leave you moved by the end of it which is a shame cause there's a lot more that could have been done with the song.
(C)

13. "Bang Bang" (Featuring Jessie J and Nicki Minaj)
In this ferocious, sexy club single, Ariana joins forces with Jessie J and Nicki Minaj to show just how far more tempting they are when compared to other females. The song has a strong production and melody. Ariana and Jessie J proved some excellent vocals while Nicki does her usual fast paced, frantic rapping. It all works very well and I'd say this is probably the best track on the album yet! 
(A-)

14. "Only 1"
Well, this song has Ariana is disbelief as she can't believe that her man only loves her because the way he loves her is too good to be true. The lyrics are a bit cheesy but overall, I enjoy the message of the song. One could say that while Ariana is overjoyed at this new found unconditional love, she is clearly insecure about it and feels maybe she isn't the "only 1" deserving of it. It's a pretty good tune as it has a unique message about how love makes one feel but it isn't one of my favorites from the album though.
(B-)

15. "You Don't Know Me"
In this semi-empowering concluding track, Ariana is almost ready to call it quits as she is feeling like she is living under the strict demeanor of her man and it makes for a decent anthem for young women. What does she use to back up her calms? "I don't need to live by your rules/You don't control me/Until you've walked a mile in my shoes/You don't know me/And I know, I know, I know you don't like it/You don't, you don't, you don't know where I've been/It's my life so truth be told". Pretty simple...but also kind of inspiring in that sense. It's good to see even at such a young age, Ariana is proving to be quite the feminist and while it can come off forced in this overly sensitive society we live in today, it makes for a solid tune here. A nice end to an overall decent album.
(B)


So you're a young, hot up-in-coming pop diva coming off the critical and commercial success of your debut album, what do you do for your follow up? Well, you don't try to top it by any means, but you do try to show you fans that you have grown slightly as an artist by making some pretty good pop music. "My Everything" was suppose to be an evolution of "Yours Truly" but I find that hard to believe. Though I do like there is more of an exploration of different genres than just the mature R&B grooves of her debut. There is some EDM incorporated into the album as well as some contemporary pop music. If I had to list the album's strongest tracks, singles like "One Last Time", "Bang Bang" and "Love Me Harder" would be stand outs. Not that the rest of the album' tracks aren't good, cause there are but those are the ones that illustrate that Ariana is becoming one of the most diverse pop acts of her generation. She certainly has the pipes to back up the stylish productions and catchy melodies that come up from time to time on the album. The album as a whole proved to be an even better success than her debut, topping the charts and selling over 169,000 copies it's first week. Singles like "Problem", "Love Me Harder" and "Break Free" did well on the charts as well. What I also like about the album are the themes (the few that there are). There seems to be a message of love, love lost and the different aspects of love. Sure there are some generic love songs like "Be My Baby" but there are also some clever songs on the complexity of love like "Only 1" as well as songs that show a broken heart doesn't mean the end like "You Don't Know Me" and "Break Your Heart Right Back". Overall, I think the album is solid and works well for the type of music it is trying to present. It's youthful and fun, but also being mature at times and fitting for a singer at Ariana's age.

"My Everything" is a pretty compassionate yet confident look in the love woes and tremendous highs of being in relationship. There is equal parts sex, equal parts romance in the music that feels fitting for where Ariana should be taking her music."
(B)

Dangerous Woman (2016)

1. "Moonlight"
In this almost doo/whop sounding track, Ariana seems to be once again channeling the days of the Golden Age of pop music as she even mentions the likes of Elvis at one point. I like the production of the song for that reason, almost having a dream-like feel to it. It's so beautiful. The lyrics are a bit sappy though, with analogies of holding moonlight in hands. It's a bit too mushy for me but I enjoy the vintage appeal of the track. It's still pretty good overall.
(C+)

2. "Dangerous Woman"
This song has this rock feel to it with some hints of Caribbean music embedded in it as well. I like the guitar riff in this song, very good melody that elevates the quality of the track. I like the song's theme that has Ariana singing about a man who she is skeptical about as he makes her feel like a "dangerous woman". It's a fun song that also has some great instrumentation and I value that kind of artistry as Ariana gets to show off her soulful side with some solid vocal work. Overall, a pretty stunning title track that shows off a different side to Ariana we haven't seen yet and it feel genuine enough to where you would believe the change.
(A-)

3. "Be Alright"
This has some of that mature R&B that made "Yours Truly" so refreshing at time. I like the production of the song with this nice soulful groove to it that reminds me of old school, 90s R&B. Ariana sounds confident and very reassuring here as she promises a certain individual that better times are ahead. I like the lyrics, simple but fun and the message is universal regardless. It has a positive tone as well as a great melody, so there's not much to complain about here. Overall, a very solid track! 
(B+)

4. "Into You"
"Into You" has Ariana very hot and bothered about the man she is desperately waiting for to make a move on her. The lyrics are very sexy as Ariana even sings at one point she wants him to "touch my body". I like the production once again having a R&b/pop crossover appeal to it. I like the playful, flirtatious nature of the song as it shows Ariana Disney good girl days are clearly over but instead of going overboard with it, things are tastefully done for the most part. Definitely enjoyable!
(B+)

5. "Side to Side" (Featuring Nicki Minaj)
Going back to Caribbean music, "Side to Side" seems to be about Ariana in lust for a guy at the club but wanting to be subtle about it. I once again like the fun nature of the music, it's sexy but done in a classy way that makes Ariana in a position where he listeners can relate to her. Nicki once again comes in for a decent verse which she delivers with Jamaican swag to match the breezy tempo of the track. "Side to Side" implies that moment where you are eagerly waiting to get intimate with that person you are attracted to and are growing impatient. A pretty nice song and an enjoyable listen overall.
(B)

6. "Let Me Love You" (Featuring Lil' Wayne)
In this smooth track, Ariana sings of moving on from her previous relationship by getting into the sack with a new guy so soon. Is he a rebound? Did she move on too soon? Is she looking for love in the wrong places? It's a song that makes you think about if you were in the same place. How soon is too soon to move on from a relationship and is it right to have such strong feelings for a new person so soon? It's a fun song but I'm also glad it's one that makes you think. Lil' Wayne's appearance is pretty superfluous though. I rather enjoyed the song without his presence. Also the hook with the echoing loves is pretty odd at first but you get use to it after a while. Not one of the strongest tracks on the album but a pretty good one that has a message that will have her fans' questioning the next person they get under the sheets with following a break up.
(B-)

7. "Greedy"
This has this old school feel to it but has a contemporary pop edge to it. I like the melody to it and the almost optimistic feel to it. For a song about greed, it has such a upbeat sound to it that is surprisingly but it works in the song's favor. I like the way Ariana sings this with a sharp wit and charm to her delivery. It's an all around good song that shows that being greedy for someone's heart doesn't have to be so melodramatic or mopey.
(B+)

8. "Leave Me Lonely" (Featuring Macy Gray)
I like the soulful construction...or should I say deconstruction of this song. Ariana gives a even more convincing, mature beyond of her years vocal performance. The lyrics are layered with rich heartache and overwhelming confidence in the face of what it seems to be Ariana wanting to be free of such a toxic relationship. I have to say I LOVE Macy Gray's inclusion into the song. While she has never been the most successful (and honestly, the talent singer), there is something about her nuanced, understated delivery here that feels perfect. Just the right amount of soul and solid vocals that add to the song's emotional intensity. Who would have thought a song like this, with two singers who couldn't be more different, could work so well. But it's all kind of brilliant really. One of my favorites from the album for sure! 
(A-)

9. "Everyday" (Featuring Future)
Well, it's not hard to find out what Ariana is singing about in this song!! Before I go into the song's lyrical content, I gotta say I like the production, especially that catchy chorus. The song is of course talking about how Ariana can't get enough of her man as he gives it too her "everyday". I mean there isn't much to really go into detail about the lyrics actually as Ariana is pretty much saying she gets the D 24/7 to the point where she is bragging about it!  It makes for a funny song but one you can take seriously and enjoy it for its meaningless lust ridden nature. Future comes in for a nice assist, even adding Ariana during the song's chorus. It's a fun collaboration overall and one of the album's more sexually charged tracks.
(B+)

10. "Sometimes"
Ariana is in no mood to walk away from her relationship as she sings of her not even thinking of letting go of her man. I like the tone of the song, having this alternative rock feel to it. This has a mature undercurrent to it as Ariana feels like a woman who has definitely experienced this kind of contemplating but ultimately realizing that sticking it out is the best option. She sings that "all her emotions are cause of you" and I enjoy that aspect of the song. Is it really love? Or is it just lust? Who knows, but there is enough of a mystery and passion to keep Ariana invested in the relationship. I like this song for sure.
(B)

11. "I Don't Care"
Ariana isn't concerned about the things that use to matter to her in this jazzy, cool mid-tempo track. I like the instruments used in this song as it gives the song that grown and sexy tone to it. This has that almost neo-soul feel to it that I feel someone like Eryka Bandu or Maxwell would do. It's a brief song but has that rich R&B flavor to it that makes it very enjoyable to listen too. Overall, a great little tune here.
(B+)

12. "Bad Decisions"
"Bad Decisions" is about the terrible influence that Ariana's man has on her and it makes for a pretty good tune. It has a decent melody and a nice bass but for the most part, I'm not too impressed by it. Ariana is eager to show her bad girl side and it feels authentic don't get me wrong but it makes for a song that's overall kind of cute but nothing too special.
(C+)

13. "Touch It"
"Touch It" is about the frustration of having deep intimate desires that both parties feel for each other but not being able to act on it because they are taking things slow. Ariana is of course growing impatient though and just wants to speed up the process. I'm sure many have been there and it makes for a cool song. Not one of my favorites but a very enjoyable listen overall.
(B+)

14. "Knew Better/Forever Boy"
So to critique this double sided song right, I guess I would have to start with "Knew Better" first. I like the instrumental as Ariana sings of why she is fed up with her man's actions and why he should "know better". But the song is far too brief to get a feel for it besides having a nice beat. "Forever Boy" is definitely the better of the two with more lyrics as Ariana sings of the reasons why this boy has won her heart. It goes into more generic love song fare but it makes for an above average tune overall that I enjoy for the most part. Two songs into one that overall are pretty decent.
(B-)

15. "Thinking Bout You"
Ending things off is this somber tune that has Ariana reminiscing of her former love. I like the melody of the song and the nice instrumental it has. Nothing to spectacular but it has a soothing beat and Ariana's vocals are really great. A good note to finish the album on and what an album it has been!!
(B)


I'll just cut to the chase and say that "Dangerous Woman" is a great album! There seems to be a wonderful sense of maturity and confidence in the music more than Ariana's last two efforts. Sure her debut showed some promise and her follow-up wasn't bad either, but "Dangerous Woman" seems to be Ariana officially entering womanhood and not looking back. On her last album, she kind of toyed with the idea of being sexy and promiscuous, but here she fully embraces it. This is definitely a sexy album and at age 23, it's more convincing for Ariana to announced her sexual liberation than most of the other pop divas around her age. While things get hot and heavy on some tracks, it's all done with a sense of growth and experience. It's fun but also serious at times that it doesn't feel like it's all style no substance. Also vocally, Ariana is at her strongest here. Sure she's always been a stellar vocals, but her delivery on some songs really show what she is capable of more here than her last two albums. "Leave Me Lonely" especially has a significant and sweet vocal cadence that almost gives me chills. The theme for the album is strong, as the title track is a summary of the woman that Ariana is becoming; sexy, strong, stunning and not one to be messed with. She is young but there is definitely wisdom to her that is beyond her years. She knows about the heartache of relationships, the true meaning of love and the overwhelming responsibility of adulthood. But there is also moments that are fun and focus on just how secure Ariana is about her body as well as her intelligence. Songwriters and producers such as Max Martin, Ilya Salmanzadeh, and Tommy Brown hit the right note of sexy R&B tunes, perfected pop and tender slow jams. The album as a whole was another success for her, as it made it to #2 on the Billboard Charts and sold over 129,000 copies it's first week (175,000 including streaming on such sites like Spotify) Singles like the terrific title track "Dangerous Woman" did well on the charts as well. What I like most about the album is that there is a lot to be said by Ariana this time around. While most would say it's all been heard before, this is new territory for her as she embraces her sexuality and explores what that means to her in this phase of her life. I thoroughly enjoyed the album as Ariana is proving to be a very consistent artist when it comes to her albums. There has yet to be a dud and I wonder where she will take her music with her fourth studio release. Right now she is making preparations for her 2017 Dangerous Woman Tour but I hope where she takes her music next is more personal by showing a darker side to her and exploring different genres of music. "Dangerous Woman" was pretty eclectic but I think there can be more avenues of musical genres to be explored by her. Maybe some rock or Broadway style tunes would be nice. Ariana certainly has the vocal chops to pull it off and it is exciting to see where she takes her music next. But until than...

"An album smoldering with sex appeal, charismatic class and authentic grace, "Dangerous Woman" maybe one of the year's most entertaining releases with some great overarching themes of lustful desires, relationship triumphs and the yearning to not hold back when intimacy is inevitable."
(A-)