Album Review: Ariana Grande 'My Everything'

Hello again readers! Today, I'm going to be taking a look at the new album by internationally renowned pop princess Ariana Grande entitled 'My Everything'. I can't believe it's been almost an entire year since her debut album came out, that's just insane! But now, we're back, and I'm prepared to release my inner judgemental tyrant as I have a stab at my track-by-track, incredibly detailed review. Is it worth wasting $19.99 on iTunes? Stay tuned for the results.

Here's a run down of the entire track list (as per the deluxe version):
1. Intro
2. Problem (feat. Iggy Azalea)
3. One Last Time
4. Why Try
5. Break Free (feat. Zedd)
6. Best Mistake (feat. Big Sean)
7. Be My Baby (feat. Cashmere Cat)
8. Break Your Heart Right Back (feat. Childish Gambino)
9. Love Me Harder (with The Weekend)
10. Just A Little Bit of Your Heart
11. Hands On Me (feat. A$AP Ferg)
12. My Everything
13. Bang Bang (with Jessie J and Nicki Minaj)
14. Only 1
15. You Don't Know Me

1. Intro

Believe it or not, this is actually one of my favourite songs on the album. Sure, it only goes for a minute and 19 seconds, but it's just so pretty! It's just Ariana, piano accompaniment, and super nice harmonies (which I am a sucker for). There's nothing commercial about it which I love, and it kind of takes me back to the old Ariana days when she'd post awesome Youtube covers using her fancy loop station. As I say, it was just a really nice, low key track to kick off the album. 

2. Problem (feat. Iggy Azalea)

I've spoken about this song before, and I'm pretty sure I've made it clear that I'm a major fan of it. I mean, it's just so damn catchy! Despite the fact that it's been heavily played on pretty much every radio station ever for the past few months, I can't seem to stop liking it. It's fun, it's sassy, and it doesn't disappoint no matter how many times you hear it. Plus, there's an Australian singer up in the action, so I can't help but be slightly patriotic. 

3. One Last Time

I can just tell that this song is destined to be released as a single, because it just sounds like a quintessential pop hit. It's no secret that Ariana has some pretty powerful vocals, and these are highlighted in full force with this catchy, melodic, ready-for-radio track. She should be super proud of her work on this one, because she has once again been able to stray away from the monotonous, tuneless characteristics of commercial music and shake things up with a song people actually enjoy listening and singing along to.  

4. Why Try

Produced by Ryan Tedder, this slightly slower pop track has a really strong melody and a really good vibe to go along with it. Ariana's belts in the chorus are just divine, and the rest of the song manages not to disappoint either. I feel like I'm repeating myself, but this song once again has the serious potential to be a radio hit. Although it has more production than some of the other songs on the album, this I feel works well, and in no way overshadows Ariana's vocal ability. I've grown to be more and more of a fan of this track with every listen, and it certainly has the possibility to be added to my favourites list. 

5. Break Free (feat. Zedd)

Once again, we find ourselves faced with another pre-released radio success, and if you've been an avid member of society for the past month, there's no way you wouldn't have heard it. It's jam packed with all sorts of bass drops and techno back-beats, however still manages to steer clear of becoming monotone drivel. It's ridiculously catchy, and really is the ultimate dance song. Overall, an extreme 3 minute and 34 second pop extravaganza. 

6. Best Mistake (feat. Big Sean) 

If you heard this song on shuffle, you'd swear this was a bonus track from her previous album 'Yours Truly'. Bringing back the R&B vibe she threw at us last time, 'Best Mistake' slows it down a bit with this chilled out ballad. Just when you think Ariana's gone in a totally new, pop-centric direction, she goes back to her roots and allows her voice to shine in this stripped back, production free track. Simply because of her determination to stay true to herself throughout her re-invention, this song is up there in my list of album favourites.

7. Be My Baby (feat. Cashmere Cat)

I've never even heard of Cashmere Cat before in my life, nor am I entirely certain what kind of vocals or instrumentation they lent to the song, however this track was perfectly enjoyable. Yet again we are given another song showing off Ariana's ability to provide us with some quality pop, dance tracks, although it doesn't really stand out from the pack. Don't get me wrong, it's not bad or anything, it just isn't really anything special. It's pretty mellow and monotonous, and really only an inch of what we know Ariana is capable of. 

8. Break Your Heart Right Back (feat. Childish Gambino)

Once again, who the hell are Childish Gambino, and more importantly, what kind of name is that? Despite the confusion this collaboration brings me, I really love this song. The absolute root of this song's awesomeness has to be its epic plot (one that Ariana is 99% sure is autobiographical). Perhaps one of the most talked about songs prior to the release of 'My Everything', this track describes the tale of a boy who cheats on his girlfriend with another guy, which I can't help but find just a tad hysterical. What really takes the cake though is the fact that the song manages to sample Diana Ross's gay anthem 'I'm Coming Out', all the while maintaing a fun, vibrant, pop sound. What more can you ask for?

9. Love Me Harder (with The Weekend)

This is officially how every produced dance track is supposed to sound! Some can be hit and miss, but this is just thoroughly on-point. The vocals are stunning, the melody's infectious and the harmonies are seriously just out of this world. Both artists manage to really shine in their own ways and meld together really nicely, definitely making this a candidate for my favourite song on the album. There's no doubting that this collaboration was an enormous success!

10. Just A Little Bit of Your Heart

There's no question that this is the ultimate power ballad on the album. Everyone loves a good bearing of the soul, and this delivers in spades. Ariana's voice sounds phenomenal and super powerful, and this really is the most pure and honest song on the album. Commercial elements are nowhere in sight, and this captivating track manages to slow things down a bit. The melody is simple but incredibly effective, and the performance really is flawless. All in all, a great addition to the album.

11. Hands On Me (feat. A$AP Ferg)

Although it's a far cry from terrible, this song isn't exactly my favourite on the album. The melody's diverse and catchy enough I suppose, however the level of production and constant, random rapping interludes distract from Ariana's parts. It just feels like she's trying a bit hard with this track. It's all well and good to re-invent yourself and promote a more mature image, however shoving it down people's throats definitely isn't the way to go about it. She managed to get it right before, however this has just taken her metamorphosis a little too far.

12. My Everything

Title track 'My Everything' once again gives us a chance to hear Ariana take a crack at taking on a ballad. It's pretty and delicate almost, and the melody I find really drives this song. The vocals are superb, and the emotion is there without any shadow of a doubt. It's not exactly a song showing off Ariana's range or power, however I really like that we're able to see different sides of her voice being showcased. The track is ethereal almost, and I feel it really speaks from the heart. I have to say, this is one of my favourites.

13. Bang Bang (with Jessie J and Nicki Minaj)

I've spoken about this before, and I'll speak about it again. I absolutely love this song! It's fun, it's boppy, and it's got a real 60's pop vibe which I just can't get enough of. All three of them are killing it vocally, and the melody is just flawless. You can't help but sing along whenever you hear it, and it was seriously just made for major radio air time. I actually can't fault it, it's fabulous and enormously catchy. Definitely one of my favourite songs not only on this album, but in the iTunes top 10. 

14. Only 1

This really is the ultimate throwback to some good, old 90's R&B, this track managing to shake things up quite significantly. It's mid-tempo makes it easy to casually jam to, and the sweet sounds of Ariana's definitive vocals are a joy to listen to. It's not exactly top 10 material, however that is probably one of the reasons I like it so much. Although it contains elements of her signature pop style, Ariana really has managed to echo her 'Yours Truly' style once more with this track, never managing to disappoint. 

15. You Don't Know Me

Once again, I have to admit that this isn't my absolute favourite song on the album. It kind of ends 'My Everything' on a strange note, throwing a totally new style of song into the mix just as everything's about to come to a close. One thing's for sure, this track most definitely shows off Ariana's extensive range, however that isn't quite enough to sway me. She sings it beautifully, although I really don't think the melody's diverse enough to hold interest. The song is perfectly fine, however there is indeed room for improvement. 

So that's now officially the end of my album review. What's the verdict you ask? Simple, I suggest you go out and buy yourself a copy of 'My Everything' whenever you can, because Ariana really aims to please with this one. There are a bunch of strong tracks, and some really great vocals. It is totally worth the few clicks it takes to access the iTunes store! Til' next time . . .

Annabel xx