Well Arianators, it’s been a long time coming, but AG7 is officially here! With the release of positions nearly three and a half years behind us, and doubts we would even get another album from Ariana Grande between R.E.M. Beauty and the two Wicked films, this album was highly anticipated from fans.
Pre-Release Thoughts:
The lead single, “yes, and?” came out a few months ago, and left me feeling very hopeful for the rest of Eternal Sunshine. The production and beat felt very reminiscent of her 3 most recent eras, Sweetener, thank u, next, and positions. On top of that, Grande held several interviews before the album release, giving more information to the fans. Here are the key notes:
- The album is just over 35 minutes long, making it her shortest project to date.
- The closing track, “ordinary things”, is the only song with a feature. The featured artist is Nonna, Grande’s beloved grandmother.
- The track “the boy is mine” is a rework of “Fantasize”, a leaked demo Grande had recorded for another artist that went viral on Tik-Tok.
- The second single of the album will be “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” with a music video. Trailers for the video seem heavily inspired by the 2004 film that is the album’s namesake, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
REview:
There are very few albums that I have fallen completely in love with on the first listen (SOUR and thank, u next being the two most notable), and this album is no exception. With most albums, I typically find a handful of songs I love on the first go around, then fall deeper in love with the album as I further analyze the lyrics and draw connections. So while I can’t accurately rank the tracks or tell you how it stacks up compared to her other albums (which I’ll link my ranking of at the bottom of this article), I can tell you that based on first impressions I already enjoy this album more than I initially liked positions.
The production on several of the tracks felt reminiscent of her first 3 albums, yet still staying true to the genre and sound she has created in her career. While the album is short, the story being told does feel complete. There is a lack of Grande’s signature powerful vocals, but some of her best lyricism to date.
As for highlights, the back half of the album is much stronger than the front. After one straight listen through, I would consider “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” to be my favorite track, with frontrunners also including “i wish i hated you”, “yes, and?”, and “supernatural”.
My low points are more personal preference than anything. I miss the playful and sassy Ariana Grande that we saw in all her albums up until positions. I’m hoping that once the “Wicked” movies are done filming, we’ll get a more intense, full-length project that brings that style back. Another minor complaint is that “the boy is mine” was not more like “Fantasize”. While you can find hints of the demo in the final product, it’s disappointing to have the part that went viral be excluded.
Overall, I am excited to see how this album grows on me and what this era grows into. Ariana Grande has come a long way as an artist, and while this is not my favorite album of hers, I think it shows that she still has plenty left to give as an artist.