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Roman Holiday

My Everything Review

One of the bright sides of being banned is that I got time to live with the album and replay it over and over so it could really settle with me and I could form a solid opinion. This is my review.

1) Intro – 9/10. I love the melody and would love for an extended version to be released one day. Gives the album that dreamy, innocent charm that blanketed Yours Truly.
2) Problem – 9/10. It actually took me a couple of weeks to appreciate this song after it’s release. I loved the snippet, but the full version sounded too cluttered originally. This song became an anthem though and rightfully so. It tugged on The Way’s wig as Ari’s signature song. Iggy also delivers one of her best verses and gives the song a needed plus. The most iconic line of the song, however, is thanks to Big Sean and his sexy ass voice.

3) One More Time – 8/10. Guetta does good with the production on this one. I’ve seen most of y’all compare this to Take Care, which is immediately what I thought of when I heard it due to the songs having similar melodic structures (particularly the pre-chorus). I love it though, the last thirsty seconds >>>>> Ari’s ad libs at the end are beautiful. The minus two points is really just from the fact that I’ve replayed more songs on the album than this one.
4) Why Try – 8/10. Not for nothing, but this song is typical Ryan Tedder fair. I like his productions though. The song is sold by Ari’s vocals tho. The Angels/Devils bridge is also one of the highlights of the album. Definitely a fall/winter smash.
5) Break Free – 6/10. This is one of those cases where I didn’t love the song until I saw the video. Break Free is Ari’s first venture into EDM pop, and I was pretty worried when I first heard it. The song is nothing that we haven’t heard on the radio in the past four years and the production is quite basic. I also feel Ari’s vocals on this one are watered down. However, I LOVE the video for it. My favorite vid of Ari’s to date, which made me appreciate the song more. It’s become a quilty pleasure, tbh. Well, not really guilty, but despite enjoying it now, it’s still the most uninspired song on the album and I’m glad it’s the only one of it’s kind on this album.
6) Best Mistake – 9/10. This song is just so mellow and minimalistic, but it works. Ari’s vocals are clear for the most part and melt like butter over the beat. Big Sean’s verse could have used a bit more punch, but I understand why he delivered his flow in the manner he did. This song is perfect for every girl/guy who is currently in love with a bad boy and I wouldn’t mind at all if Big Sean collabs became a staple of Ari’s albums. Let’s hope their break up ain’t too messy.
7) Be My Baby – 10/10 One of my favorites since I heard the first snippet. Like everyone else, I loved the trap remix, but the song is still flawless imo. Such a perfect sex jam. The kind of song I just want to sexily sway to while bae hold me in his arms.

8) Break Your Heart Right Back – 10/10. One of the biggest and best surprises of the album. Everything from the beat, the sample, the chorus, Gambino’s verse, the story line, ugh, it’s just all so perfect!

they gay slant on the song makes it unique from most break-up song. Imo, this is the Baby I of the album. A pop gem that gives a summery/dancing in the street vibe. If her team doesn’t release this next spring/summer, they’re idiots.
9) Love Me Harder – 10/10. Clearly, this is pretty much the unanimous fan favorite of the album, and for good reason. Everything about this song is perfect. Even Ari’s diction. The instrumental is haunting and the hook is catchy as f. This song is a good example of Ariana doing a straight up pop record while still keeping her “sound”, while Break Free is the worst example.
10) Just A Little Bit of Your Heart – 6/10. I didn’t even realize Harry Styles wrote this song until I saw it on ATRL. I guess it’s good I didn’t have that clouding my judgement. I like this song though. It’s a decent ballad that is mostly carried by Ari’s vocals. In comparison to the rest of the album, it’s definitely weak though and could easily pass for a ‘DEMI’ leftover.
11) Hands On Me – 8/10. I have a love/hate relationship with this song. I love everything about the production, the hook, the sexual lyrics. Ariana’s more sexual side a welcome change. BUT, A$AP Ferg is without a doubt the worst feature on this album. His verse is awful and I wish a better rapper has been involved. Other than that, I love it though. It just sucks that Ferg’s presence in the song is so prominent.
12) My Everything – 9/10. The perfect closing to the stand edition of the album. Ariana takes it back to basics with this piano ballad. A throwback to her Yours Truly sound that book ends with the intro nicely, and unlike JABOYH, it has that signature doo-woppy vibe as her other ballads such as Honeymoon Avenue and Tattooed Heart. It deserves a bridge tho, my only complaint.
13) Bang Bang – 8/10. Being a hybrid Nicki/Ariana stan, I’ve wanted them to collaborate for ages. Tbqfh tho, I never imagined or wanted Jessie J being a part of it. No shade, I just don’t usually check for her. However, beggers can’t be choosers. I actually love this song for what it is. It’s just a fun, theatrical, female empowerment anthem and my faves kill it with their verses and adlibs. I really really hope Ari and Nicki collaborate on a song again just the two of them though. Nicki should have been on Hands On Me tbh. My only complaint with Bang Bang as a song is that it definitely interrupts the flow of the album and is not sonically similar to any other song. Truly the ‘Popular Song’ of the album.
14) Only 1 – 7/10. This one out of all the tracks feels the most like a Yours Truly leftover (understandably so with the same production team). That’s not a bad thing per se, it just shows how much Ariana has matured with her sophomore effort. The song is a bop, but kind of get’s lost in the shuffle imo. After JALBOYH, it’s probably the least played track by me.
15) You Don’t Know Me – 10/10. I look at this song as Ariana’s personal FU to everyone who has commented on her hair, her love life, her looks, her relationships with cast members, etc. Ariana is often judged quite harshly so I love this song even more for it’s message. The snippet slayed me for months and I was quite relieved that the final product did not disappoint. The “I know I know I know you don’t like it…” bit is like foreplay for my ears.

I’m not gonna review Cadillac Song and Too Close yet cuz I just barely the Target edition and I want time to grow with these two like I did the other songs.

Overall: Ariana’s sophomore album is everything I wanted it to be. More mature, more sultry, more personal and relatable. I’m so glad it wasn’t just another Yours Truly. YT is a wonderful 90s RnB/Pop throwback, and My Everything is a wonderful contemporary urban-fused pop record. I don’t really get why some are saying it lacks cohesiveness. Imo, the album blends perfectly sonically with just the occasional outlier (BF and Bang Bang). I guess the central ‘love letter’ them of YT made it feel more cohesive, but I think the central theme of My Everything is basically Ariana’s message to the GP that she’s more than just a pretty face with a pretty voice and is a force to be reckon with.

The only complaint I have with the album is Ariana's enunciation issue. It actually seems a bit worse than on YT. I really hope she can work on this more.

FINAL GRADE: 9/10

seanoh

Also, that was my first review – I feel like I wrote a lot, but I'm not sure if it's quality reviewing (if you get what I'm saying). If anyone would like to give me some feedback, I'd appreciate it!

Prometheus.

Quote:

Originally posted by seanoh

Also, that was my first review – I feel like I wrote a lot, but I'm not sure if it's quality reviewing (if you get what I'm saying). If anyone would like to give me some feedback, I'd appreciate it!

Your review was actually perfect. I liked how you laid it out and I liked the little bio before the review. Makes it seem like an actual review from Pitchfork or etc.

9.5/10

docked .5 for that 6.8

Bloomers

Quote:

Originally posted by seanoh

Also, that was my first review – I feel like I wrote a lot, but I'm not sure if it's quality reviewing (if you get what I'm saying). If anyone would like to give me some feedback, I'd appreciate it!

Nice first review! Hopefully you write more of them, I really liked how thought out yours was. I especially liked how you talked about her previous album and the the executive producers for this one.

The main criticism I have is that you spent too much time talking about "Problem," in the body. I did think it was brilliant to do an overall review and track-by-track.

The last paragraph was especially great. I liked how you talked about the album as a whole, The only part that threw off the tone was the sentence about the performances this era which came across as a little random for me.

Personally, I had a fun time reading it and I thought it was great.

seanoh

Quote:

Originally posted by Prometheus.

Your review was actually perfect. I liked how you laid it out and I liked the little bio before the review. Makes it seem like an actual review from Pitchfork or etc.

9.5/10

docked .5 for that 6.8

Thanks

It was gonna be 7.0, but I decided to take off two points because of all the features (and bc I thought a 6 would have been too harsh)

Quote:

Originally posted by Bloomers

Nice first review! Hopefully you write more of them, I really liked how thought out yours was. I especially liked how you talked about her previous album and the the executive producers for this one.

The main criticism I have is that you spent too much time talking about "Problem," in the body. I did think it was brilliant to do an overall review and track-by-track.

The last paragraph was especially great. I liked how you talked about the album as a whole, The only part that threw off the tone was the sentence about the performances this era which came across as a little random for me.

Personally, I had a fun time reading it and I thought it was great.

By the performance bit, I meant that we could see how much Ariana loved performing the songs from YT, but with the songs from ME, it seems like she's trying to put on more of a show, and is genuinely scared when performing. Thank u for your feedback, I appreciate it!! Hopefully I can improve for my next one

Prometheus.

B+
8.750/10

Statistically, my review comes out to a 7.5, but this album is no C. It's highlights are too good of highlights to give it a C. The only thing about the album as a whole is that it has a problem being cohesive and properly flowing. Love Me Harder -> A Little Bit Of Your Heart -> Hands On Me -> My Everything? Mess! But other than that, the album is a solid release. Definitely not a sophomore slump! Congrats on making me a fan, Ariana. I used to bash on her during Yours Truly (because I found and still find the album horrible). I just wish Ariana would expand her horizons lyrically. It's tasking and hard to get through albums that all (or most of) the songs are lyrically similar. This album is definitely a step in the right direction!

Song by song

Average:
Standard & Deluxe Editions - 7.5

Intro - 8/10
Super cheesy, but even more fitting and it serves a purpose a intro is supposed to serve. For the next album she should take some notes from Christina, though.

Problem (feat. Iggy Azalea) - 8/10
A sharp contrast to the rest of the album and in a good way. I hate hate hate the horns trend in pop music, but this was the ONLY song to make me like their usage. Great vocals, lyrically pleasing, cute contrasting chorus, but a weak Iggy verse. Oh well, win some ya lose some.

One Last Time - 8/10
Cute instrumental and pleasing vocals. Lyrically it’s kind of irritating following the same themes of “Problem”. One of my least favorite themes for songs are not being able to fully let go or dependency. One song, maybe two scattered around would be better, but these guys are back-to-back. This songs biggest downfall is just the placement on the album. Other than that, it’s a nice little bop.

Why Try - 10/10
I love the instrumental, the lyrics and her vocals. Triple punch, tbh. The first half of the chorus is kinda just “eh”, but the second part is like heaven. I usually don’t care much for the repetitive lyrics, but it totally works for this song. The bridge isn’t as strong as they thought it would be, but nothing that’ll knock down my score.

Break Free (feat. Zedd) - 6.5/10
I won’t deny this song is catchy as hell. Lyrically this song kills me. The verses are so weak and I don’t like the chorus, but it’s so catchy at the same time. Not Zedd’s best work, either. This is just a song I’d listen to from time to time when I just wanna bop.

Best Mistake (feat. Big Sean) - 5/10
This song is just very awkward. The weird piano, the drums, and her flow just make for an awkward and un-impressive song. Love her vocals in the chorus. That’s the highlight of the track. Big Sean’s verse doesn’t save the song like I hoped it would. He sounds so lazy, but I guess anyone would some bored over that whack-ass beat.

Be My Baby (feat. Cashmere Cat) - 8/10
I didn’t initially like this song, but it grew on me. The chorus is so damn good. The instrumental could have used more TLC. I’ve always just been impartial to Cashmere Cat’s producing, though. Nice vocals on the latter half of the track.

Break Your Heart Right Back (feat. Childish Gambino) - 6/10
I don’t get the hype for this song, tbh. Cute instrumental and the verses are nice. The chorus is decent. The “I’m Coming Out” sample isn’t as amazing as everyone likes to think. Childish Gambino’s verse is nice, but too short. I find it kind of weird that he is on this song, though. Overall, the song just feels decent at best. The outro is so long, too.

Love Me Harder (feat. The Weeknd) - 10/10
I love how it starts simple and the music slowly comes in and makes the song full. That chorus slays me. I don’t like The Weeknd’s vocals, but nothing cringe-worthy or takes away from how much I love the song. Everything about this song is just perfect, and a give it a 10 with no hesitation. They placed this gem so wrongly, though. It should have switched places with One More Time.

A Little Bit Of Your Heart - 9/10
I don’t get all the hate for this song. It’s such a vocally intriguing song and the piano is beautiful. I love it lyrically. Definitely the best ballad on the album. They definitely included this song just as a reminder (in case you forgot) that Ariana can really SANG.

Hands On Me (feat. A$AP Ferg) - 4.5/10
Definitely the lowlight of the album. Awkward chorus and annoying verses. A$AP Ferg doesn’t make the song any better. The production is fine, but everything else is a mess. It sounds like an Ashley Tisdale Headstrong era B-Side.

My Everything - 7/10
Love her vocals and lyrically I like it. The repetitiveness doesn’t work for this song like it did with Why Try. Her weaker of two ballads. I like the ending cause it kinda brings the album full circle with the vocals hymns, though.

---

Bang Bang (feat. Jessie J + Nicki Minaj) - 6/10
I give props to the girls for trying to create a new mega-hit, but to me it feels like a miss. Jessie J’s verse is great. Great flow and good beat. Cute little chorus, it’s grown on me over time, but still not in love. But then disaster strikes… Ariana’s verse. So awkwardly timed lyrics and not clever/catchy at all. #Justice4Ari. The chorus comes back and then we get into an average Nicki rap. The chorus comes back again and I realize I still don’t like it.

Only 1 - 6.5/10
There’s a reason it’s a bonus track. Doesn’t bring anything special to the table. The intro makes me uncomfortable. I don’t get it lyrically. I like the production a lot, though.

You Don’t Know Me - 10/10
I love this song from the get-go. I think they could have really fit one more song on the album! Love the chorus and vocals are better than a good chunk of the standard edition. Such a bop. I love it!

Cadillac Song - 7.5/10
A cute little song that makes me nostalgic about driving around in a cadillac, even though I’ve never had it. This song makes me really excited for Christmas for some reason. Nothing special, but it’s a nice listen.

Too Close - 6.5/10
The “All my ladies make noise” parts are weird and annoying. The verses are awesome, though. Nice vocals. But the rest of the song is okay. I know why it was diminished to just being a Target bonus track. Doesn’t light a candle to most of the album.

HIGHLIGHTS:
Why Try, Love Me Harder, You Don't Know Me

LOWLIGHTS:
Hands On Me, Best Mistake, Bang Bang

SINGLES:
Azealia Banks - Heavy Metal & Reflective - Jessie J (f. Ariana Grande + Nicki Minaj) - Bang Bang
Hilary Duff - Chasing The Sun - Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga - Anything Goes
Nicki Minaj - Anaconda + Beyonce (f. Nicki Minaj) - Flawless (Remix) - Hilary Duff - All About You - Taylor Swift - Shake it Off

ALBUM:
N/A

Nait Phoenix

THIS WEEK:
ARIANA GRANDE - MY EVERYTHING

Pop quiz: what does Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato & Ariana Grande have in common? A small case of Identity crisis. The biggest difference between Grande and Lovato & Cyrus is that the former didn’t need to go through such a drastic change to get noticed. What this album represents is Grande’s call for attention: the biggest question though is “who is she calling?”

This album contains pop, R&B, hip-hop, EDM, soul, ballads, and even adult contemporary pieces; which song is Ariana Grande as an artist is the biggest question of this album. Long gone is the girl who gave us an album full of 50s style slow jams and 90s-style R&B throwbacks; she is now a woman living through an early mid-life crisis.

Now, this is not to say that an album with all these elements is a bad album; hell, that was her last album; but what is missing here is consistency and flow: two of the biggest elements, in my opinion, of a classic and/or functioning album. This might not be the fault of Grande herself but rather the numerous producers she’s worked with (you hardly see the same name twice), but an artist and/or the executive producer should have better control over the consistency of an entire piece of work better.

But enough lecturing, what about the songs? Quality-wise? A little here-and-there. You get loud and proud Ariana Grande in songs like “Problem”, “Why Try” & “Too Close”, which, albeit good songs by individual merits, seem too forceful at times. At times, it doesn’t even feel like she’s singing, more-or-less yelling, her songs how we’ve known her to. In fact, it’s the production that outshines her and it’s about time Grande realizes how much of a star she truly is.

However, a moment where she shines does occur in a personal favorite of mine: “Cadillac Song”, a Target-exclusive 50s throwback we know Grande for. It’s songs like these that remind us why we fell in love with Ariana in the first place. She takes what would be considered dated and makes it current; a skill that not many artists can achieve, let alone master. When she softens her tone, there’s something much more genuine that comes out, unlike when she’s hollering every note. This could also attest to why I enjoy “One Last Time”.

To be honest, after an artist excels at R&B and Hip-Hop music so well, it’s so strange to hear that artist take on EDM with a straight face. But, if it worked for Nicki Minaj & Kelly Rowland, it could work for Ariana, right? Actually, it does. “One Last Time” proves to be a welcomed change to Ariana’s style; it’s definitely much more of a fit than “Better Left Unsaid” ever was. It does what BLU couldn’t have done: give Ariana a voice in her own song. This also goes for “Break Free”; while not my favorite offering from Zedd, he does let Ariana shine like a galactic superstar. So, it’s safe to say she does have a strength in EDM, but it wouldn’t be my go-to for Grande. The songs that really standout are her duet with The Weeknd and her kiss-off to her ex with Childish Gambino.

“Love Me Harder” proved to be a fan and casual listener-favorite; capturing a rare instance of PBR&B & EDM fused together, this song is a powerhouse of catchy melodies and forceful synths. It’s almost too powerful compared to most of the songs on this album. What really hurts this is the fact that at the end of the day, The Weeknd is supplementary; there is little-to-no reason for him to be on this track other than as a writer, even though he’s billed as a duet partner. I understand that this is her album, but Abel Tesfaye (The Weeknd): if you were really a duet like the others, would you put this on your album?

Another strong entry is “Break Your Heart Right Back”. This song is straight ingenious: from Childish Gambino’s knife-twisting verse to the clever use of the sample. For those who do not know the story behind this song, it has been confirmed to be about Ariana Grande’s ex-boyfriend who turned out to be homosexual. This entire song has Grande playing coyly around Diana Ross’s, “I’m Coming Out” sample with the notion that she clearly does not give a rainbow-colored rat’s ass about him anymore, and that karma is a betch. Childish even takes a stab at it calling himself “a G from the A and they ask Y”. It’s moments like this that assure that Ariana is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to heartbreak (watch your back, T-Swizzle!)

So, what does that leave? Oh, yeah, her ballads. I forgot about those; then again, you would, too? Ariana’s strongest quality is her voice, so it’s safe to say they’d really glow during Adele-esque ballads, right? Wrong. Every ballad felt sleepy and unnecessary. Harry-Styles-penned “Just a Little Bit of Your Heart” seemed like it would melt hearts and woo souls, but it just sounds like the last song you play before you close your eyes to fall asleep. This song is no “Almost Is Never Enough”, that’s for sure. It falls to filler real quickly, along with her titular-song, “My Everything”. I’m pretty sure this was suppose to be the “Tattooed Heart” of this album, but I barely remember it being a song on the album. Safe to say, the ballads were not given much love this round.

All-in-all, this album is a piece-by-piece album: a normal person would buy this album with no inkling to go off aside from the singles and possibly be disappointed to know there are no more songs like them while a smart person would pick-and-choose the songs he likes from an online site through previews picking apart the album “piece-by-piece”. With no flow and no clear direction, this album was just confusing.

Basically, Ariana Grande has fallen victim to the sophomore slump. Whether this means she will transform into a butterfly or an unrecognizable creature from the outer regions of space for her veteran album is all up to her. She has the power to go the right direction, she just has to learn to go one direction next time.

Highlights:
One Last Time
★ Break Your Heart Right Back ★
Love Me Harder
★ Cadillac Song ★

Lowlights:
Just a Little Bit of your Heart
Best Mistake
My Everything
Hands On Me

Album Score: 5.3/10

Final say: Grande's identity is on the line; here's hoping she chooses the right one. The sophomore slump claims another victim.

Almighty Gaga

My Everything
Ariana Grande

Very high highs and very low lows

Intro: Snoozefest. Unnecessary track.

Problem: The lead single of the album and also one of the best tracks on there. From Ariana's part to Big Sean's whispering to Iggy's rapping, the track is great from start to finish.

One Last Time: Another great from My Everything. Although the verses are pretty boring, the chorus is a true killer. Arguably, this song has the best chorus on the whole album. The melody is great, and so is the production.

Why Try: This one is truly forgettable. Half of the song is over and I don't remember how it went like.

Break Free: The second single from the album. Although I usually dislike Zedd's productions, we thankfully here have Ariana screaming over his recycled beats to save the song. This is yet another good song with a killer chorus.

Best Mistake: This track is very average. Ariana's parts are neither good or bad. The song is not too boring or too exciting. However, Big Sean can go back to whispering because he doesn't serve this track any justice.

Be My Baby: Average track. Nothing special.

Break Your Heart Right Back: I saw a lot of people praise that track, so I was excited when I first listened to it. The track is above average. It's nothing special but it's a good song nonetheless.

Love Me Harder: That's a good one here. The Weeknd and Ariana served. This, along with Problem, is the best collaboration on the album.

Just A Little Bit Of Your Heart: Snoozefest. "Just A Little Bit Of Your Heart" is repeated too many times.

Hands On Me: Average/below average.

My Everything: The title track is another lacking ballad on the album.

Bang Bang: Too much screaming. Good tune. Good melody. Average rapping.

Only 1: From the verses, to Ariana's voice, to the chorus, to the production, this track is truly great. Eargasm.

You Don't Know Me: Average track.

Highlights:

The singles
One Last Time
Only 1
Iggy Azalea and The Weeknd

Disappointments:

The ballads (sans Only 1, if this counts as a ballad)
Big Sean in Best Mistake
Cashmere Cat
Childish Gambino

Intro: 2
Problem:10
One Last Time: 10
Why Try: 2
Break Free:10
Best Mistake: 4.5
Be My Baby: 4.5
Break Your Heart Right Back:6
Love Me Harder: 8.5
Just A Little Bit Of Your Heart: 2.5
Hands On Me:3.5
My Everything: 2.5
Bang Bang: 7
Only 1: 15
You Don't Know Me: 6

65/100

The score was originally a 54 but I thought that was too low so I had to modify the scores of some tracks. Thankfully, Only 1 was here to save he album.

Navyofbadgals

My Everything
By Ariana Grande

Intro: Amazing vocals served by Ariana,but the album would've had the same effect on me. Conclusion: the intro is not adding something but it isn't bad so i don't mind
SCORE: 7.5

Problem (feat. Iggy Azalea): a perfect pop track of this time, the melody, the rapping of one of the it girls of this year, but the song is sometimes slightly annoying (after a few listens)
SCORE: 7

One Last Time: one of the best tracks on the album, a real killer and amazing vocals. Not much about to say about the song, just great!
SCORE: 9

Why Try: The fourth track is kinda annoying after two listens (already), but the song is definitely a grower, a real stand out with amazing lyrics (excluding the chorus ofc. ). Amazing vocals and one of the standouts from the album
SCORE: 8.5

Break Free: With this song Ariana shows she can sing every genre, this dance track is amazing and it really surprised me.. The beat is so good and i normally don't like the production. The track is almost flawless with an exception of ''Now that I've become who I really are''
SCORE: 9

Best Mistake: This song is just amazing, i even like Big Sean's parts in it
SCORE: 10

Be My Baby: when i heard the snippers, i thought that this would be Ariana's best song ever. But this song sounds different from the snippers (still good nevertheless). So the track sounds a bit dissapointing at first, but this song is also great and although it doesn't live up to it's snippers, its still amazing.
SCORE: 8

Break Your Heart Right Back: The song has an amazing beat, and really something different, great rapping by Childish Gambino
SCORE: 8

Love Me Harder: The best track on the album, Ariana is great in it, Weeknd is great in it. Everything is great, or even flawless***!
SCORE: 10

Just A Little Bit Of Your Heart: this track feels kinda misplaced, and is not something unique, one of the least tracks of the album
SCORE: 6

Hands on Me:: amazing i really love it, something new.. 3rd best track on the album (could've been the 2nd best if a$ap Ferg didn't ''ruin'' it
SCORE: 9.2

My Everything: An amazing ballad, and a great production
SCORE: 9

Bang Bang: great pop song
SCORE: 7.4

Only 1: Great song, but sometimes a bit boring
SCORE: 8

You Don't Know Me: it's the only track i skip, worst of the album (by far)
SCORE: 4

Placing of the tracks: this is the bad thing of the album, it swifts from dance to a ballad to a sex song.. kinda odd
SCORE: 4.5

TOTAL SCORE: 7.8/10

lhdang2000

My Everything - Ariana Grande

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"My Everything" is the second studio album coming from one of the newest sensations,Ariana Grande,known as Mariah Carey 2.0. However,with this new album,Ariana proves who she truly is,a force to be reckoned with,singers like Demi Lovato,Selena Gomez,Miley Cyrus,... better be worried as of now. Because "My Everything" is one of the greatest albums of 2014,and I'm suprised about it tbh.

================================================== =================

The album starts with an impressive Intro lasted less than two minutes shows all of Ariana's vocal.Even it's just a short track,but we can clearly see a big step,no more Mariah Carey 2.0,not anymore.Say hello to Ariana Grande 1.0.
Songs like Problem,One Last Time,Why Try,Be My Baby,Love Me Harder really suprises me about how amazing this girl could achieve.It's Pop-influenced,some actual Pop,but it's really new and fresh and I can guarantee that besides Problem,the lead single,I haven't listened to any songs like that coming from Radio.We could see Ariana really takes a risk in those songs,but it paid off.Those upbeat songs really did hide Ariana's oversing notes just punching and punching into the listeners' ears making an impressive stream.
And one of the most impressive points to me about this album is Break Free.Never in a million years could I believe this is gonna be a perfect combination.With Break Free,somehow Ariana shows me that she's not a teen girl anymore,she is now a mature pop girl,can be compared with Katy Perry,Rihanna,Beyoncé,.....
Having many great points but still,"My Everything" has a lot of poor songs,especially coming in a stream,this reminds me of Katy Perry's Prism,half first of the album really good,but half after really are the songs that they should have been announced as Unreleased Tracks : Best Mistake,Break Your Heart Right Back,Just a Little Bit of Your Heart,Hands On Me,Only 1 và My Everything. I actually don't understand what's the strategy of her record label when they dicided to release these songs with the messy chorus,messy lyrics and really insipid.I would have really messed up those tracks anytime if I hadn't looked at the tracklists.Even her #1 iTunes US : Best Mistake is so boring.
And I give props to Ariana Grande about the bonus tracks of this album,she betta let every single people spend more $1 or $2 to buy her deluxe editions,I really don't understand.Bang Bang,Too Close and You Don't Know Me should have been official tracks,not bonus tracks.Bang Bang really the biggest step ever by Ariana,showing how mature she is,no more good girl,time for bad Ari.But I'm really suprised that the collaboration did work,a strong vocal,a dramatic voice and a beautifully high voice blended really well together,hands down.BUT,the best and most impressive song of the album,You Don't Know Me.I'm totally bowing down to this song.Most artists end their album with a ballad,but no,Ariana chose an another up-tempo song.She has her first song in this album is a fierce anthem (Problem),then she will end the album with another fierce anthem (You Don't Know Me).Totally impressed

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Even having amazing points,good points,bad points,but clearly,"My Everything" is one of the excellent albums of 2014,no more arguement ! I'm not an "Arianator" ,but to me,I'll buy this in physical album because it's a must buy !

Tracks Point

TOTAL : 85/100

WeFoundWill

Ariana Grande - My Everything

Intro: Ariana serves vocals and sings over a beautiful melody. What else whould you want from a perfect album opener?

Problem: The Intro leads into the powerful R&B/Pop crossover smash „Problem“. I’m not gonna spend much time on commenting this song, since there isn’t anything to criticize about the chartbreaker.

One Last Time: Oh god, what a SONG. This is the definition of a great build up and a HUGE chorus. David Guetta served his best since 2011s Titanium. This track for sure has the biggest hit potential on the record and it better be send to Pop Radios in no time!

Why Try: Many people pointed the Ryan Tedder song structure out, which is in no way a negative point. With a lot of echoy „Na Na Na“ bits the song could be a single at one point. It defiantly is the „Halo“ of the album.

Break Free: Ariana surprised me with her Zedd collab. I never ever took this collab into consideration, but in the end the EDM production works very well with Grandes vocals.

Best Mistakes: With this song, Ariana tones it down a bit for the first time on this record. Underlaid with a very minimalistic R&B beat, the newcomer sings about a failed relationship and sounds very authentic doing it. That also might be because „Best Mistake“ was mainly written by the young lady,.

Be My Baby: Even though I prefer the bit „harsher“ leaked remix version, the album version still convinces with Its 90s girlband inspired chorus.

Break Your Heart Right Back: In a interview Grande pointed out that the song is about a boyfried who cheated on her with another guy and even though the theme might seems a bit campy It doesn’t change the fact "Break Your Heart Right Back" has summer smash written all over it.

Love Me Harder: Many reviewer already pointed out that this might be Arianas best afford yet and I can partly agree. I completely adore Grandes part but The Weeknd somehow seem irrelevant in this one.

Just A Little Bit Of Your Heart: The first and probably only let down on the whole record. The basic piano chords and tacky lyrics about taking a man back who actually is no good, doesn’t suit Ariana at all. Harry Styles could have kept this for his solo record.

Hands On Me: Early 00s Britney would have been proud. ASAP Freg sneezed over a hot as hell Hip Hop beat. This MUST be a single in the future, one of the absolute standouts.

My Everything: Sadly the song is a complete snooze fest to me. The title track really isn’t annoying or anything, but it somehow just lacks of a good melody.

Only 1: Very early laid back 90s R&B, which suits Arians vocals extremely well. Combined they manage to create some type of atmosphere. Might also be one of the highlights.

You Don’t Know: Eargasm. The slow downed R&B number is outstanding and serves on every level. Perfect outro for the best Pop album of 2014 so far.

Score:
9/10

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Reviews:
Sia - 1000 Forms Of Fear (7.0/10), Drake - 0 to 100 (6.0/10), La Roux - Trouble In Paradise (9.5/10)
Jessie J - Bang Bang (1.5/10), Azealia Banks - Heavy Matel & Reflection (10/10) , Hilary Duff - Chasing The Sun (4.7/10),
Nicki Minaj - Anaconda (7.5/10), Pixie Lott - Pixie Lott (3.0/10), Hilary Duff - All About You (8.0/10),
Taylor Swift - Shake It Off (10/10)

lakersfan44

My Everything - Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande hit it somewhat big with single “The Way” and debut album Yours Truly last year, but the real question everyone was asking was whether or not she would be able to maintain her momentum and propel herself into stardom with her next effort. Well, that next effort is here. My Everything, released approximately one year after her debut effort, is Grande’s follow-up, and she preceded the album with two huge singles, “Problem” and “Break Free”. Both songs heavily impacted the pop landscape and seemed to cement Grande’s status as an up and coming pop girl, breaking her away from the Disney/Nick tier where she had been for too long. While these two songs seemed to take the iTunes charts and GP by storm, is her sophomore effort enough to overcome the dreaded sophomore slump? Let’s take a look.

Intro- 9/10: As an album opener, this is great. ”Intro” is a beautiful, orchestral attempt that blends well with Grande’s soft vocals. Lone piano notes play the background to layered vocals, giving the listener a slow and steady introduction to the album. In fact, the sort of dreamy charm of the song seems to link back to Yours Truly, such that “Intro” is kind of a bridge between the two albums.

Problem- 9/10: I feel like the placement of “Problem” in the album could have been done better. After “Intro”, hearing the saxophone intro of “Problem” is just a bit blaring. I’ve loved the song since before day one, even listening to the snippets on repeat to relieve my constant craving for this song. A few months later, and it hasn’t gotten old yet. It’s only a plus that Iggy’s verse flows amazingly. The song is a total bop.

One Last Time- 6/10: Honestly, I am just not a fan of David Guetta anymore. His tracks just seem to blend all together into this big blob of boring… sameness. I will have to say though, that he did a pretty good with “One Last Time”. It’s pretty different from his usual song style, in a good way. Unfortunately, the song gets kind of boring after a while, and in the end isn’t very memorable.

Why Try- 6/10: This is your typical powerful Ryan Tedder-penned song. Vulnerable verses and powerful choruses. The “na na na” parts kind of take away from the strength of the chorus for me, because they’re so heavily produced. I think this song could have turned out better in the hands of a more powerful singer, but the song itself isn’t horrible.

Break Free- 8/10: Ariana’s second single from the album, “Break Free” is a strong EDM collaboration with Zedd. Although I thought the song was a bit generic at first, it eventually grew on me, and I realized that it was a total anthem. I absolutely love the chorus. While I thought the “I don’t want you” part was a little awkward at first, I came to love the cramped wording of that part of the chorus. A little bit of generic pop fare can’t hurt anyone, and Ari does right with this one.

Best Mistake- 9/10: Hands down the best song on the album. From the piano chords to Ariana’s soft vocals to the slight, restrained hip-hop beats, this song plays perfectly as a haunting respite from both the previous EDM song and the strained relationship Ariana sings of. The chorus is the highlight of this highlight, with both melody and meaningful lyrics combining to create a great chorus. Big Sean’s verse is extremely weird, and it’s unforunate that it takes up what seems like half the track. His line “You ask why I love your mom so much, cuz she’s an older you” is extremely off-putting, like the rest of his rap. I’m willing to deal with the rap to listen to this amazing song, but it would have been even better if the song went rapless.

Be My Baby- 8/10: After experimenting with EDM and bare hip-hop, Ariana returns to what she does best: R&B. And “Be My Baby” is an excellent, sexy R&B track. The song serves well as an example of how good Ariana’s vocals are. She uses that angelic voice to run up the scale and make me want to dance all up on my special someone (if I had one). This song is like the more sensual descendant of “Right There” and it’s a great track in and of itself.

Break Your Heart Right Back- 7/10: This song is a bit of a light bop. I really like the creeping bass beat in the background during the chorus. This song has a great summery beat, and the use of Diana Ross’ “I’m Coming Out” to drag her (possibly) gay ex is absolutely hilarious. Childish Gambino’s verse is decent, but doesn’t really bring anything special to the table. Probably the highlight of this track is the production.

Love Me Harder- 6/10: This song started out with just a minimal synth line, making me expect a boring, empty ballad. So when the synth bass came in, I was completely caught by surprise. I do enjoy the production of the song, although I don’t think the melodies of the verses or the chorus are anything special. I’m also not a fan of The Weeknd’s voice, although here it isn’t as grating as it usually is. All in all, beautifully produced song, and pretty good vocals.

Just a Little Bit of Your Heart- 4/10: A decent ballad, but there’s nothing much to say about this fairly bland song. Ariana’s vocals carry the song, but the backing piano and violin track don’t do much to improve the song. Apparently Harry Styles wrote this song, which explains why it’s so mediocre. If the song was in the hands of a more talented writer or producer, I think it could have turned out better. As it is, the song is whatever. It’s pretty forgettable.

Hands on Me- 5/10: This song is kind of all over the place, and it feels disjointed. Each part of the song in isolation ranges from great to decent, but they don’t really come together to form a coherent song. A$AP Ferg doesn’t really add anything to the song. I much prefer his verse in the recent remix of “My Song 5” by HAIM. If there was anything positive I had to say about this song, I’d have to say it’s the clapping beat.

My Everything- 6/10: Although not as bland as previous ballad “Just a Little Bit of Your Heart”, this isn’t a stunning, blow-me-out-of-the-water ballad, either. I do have a soft spot for ballads consisting of just a piano and a voice, so I was a little disappointed to find this song a little too busy with the backing layered vocals. I think the song would have seemed much more emotional had it just been bare bones piano and vocals.

NOTE: It was extremely difficult for me to review the lyrics of this album because I just could not understand a word Ariana was saying. While the songs are great sonically, she really needs to work on her enunciation if she wants to get any message at all across to anyone. It’s just bad when I can’t understand a word she is saying on almost any song at a given time, unless I listen to it over and over until the lyrics are eventually pounded into my head. This was a major problem throughout the album, so some points were taken off for that reason.

Overall, Ariana Grande’s second release doesn’t cement her status as new major pop star, but it is a fairly solid stepping stone on the path to that destination. The album does not flow well at all, veering from loud and boisterous to quiet and restrained within the space between two songs, and I think the album could have turned out better had Ariana and her team focused a little bit more on cohesiveness. This era, Ariana seems to have brought it with the high-energy pop songs, but that left a lot to be desired with the ballads, which she did so well with on Yours Truly. The strengths of the highlights of the album show the world that Ariana Grande is a force to be reckoned with, but the complete flops of the album tell us that she still has a lot to work on. Here’s to hoping that Ariana learns from her two previous albums and really comes out strong with Album #3.

6.1/10

Nait Phoenix

OMG, am I literally the lowest score so far…!?

SpinThatShhh

Ariana Grande - My Everything

Less than a year after Ariana's debut album Yours Truly, Ariana has matured and had massive success and returned with My Everything. While this is the album Ariana has gone commercial with hits such as Bang Bang, Break Free and Problem. To start we need to address the lyrics, they're a fantastically written. While this is mostly due to her co-writers, in songs like Why Try and One Last Time tackle issues that are usually untouched like you be unfaithful yourself, but you don't feel sympathy for Ariana as she doesn't show sympathy to herself. But, she also does the opposite in songs like Break Your Heart Right and Just A Little Bit Of Your Heart make you feel sorry for how much Ariana wants the boy even though they are done. The best lyrical moments for me is when Ariana turns up the 'sex-o-meter' on songs like Hands On Me and Love Me Harder, the songs both display both the sleazy and romantic side of this in a well written way. To continue on with Ariana's vocals she slayed this album. You won't be disappointed if you want her signature 'belt off' but she also serves some sass in songs like Be My Baby and Hands on Me. As well as straight up desperation in Break Your Heart Right Back. Lastly, the production is great here, Ariana's voice is always the main part of the mix and has a more mature vibe. The production is cohesiveness, but somehow it works. Even the bonus tracks feel fully fledged and great (seriously, you need to listen to Too Close, You Don't Know Me and Cadillac Song pronto!). The album overall just overcomes all my problems with Yours Truly.

Highlights: Be My Baby, Love Me Harder, Break Your Heart Right Back

9.8

enxe

Ariana comes back to the top of the charts with her sophomore album "My Everything", including the hit single "Problem" which features the Australian rapper Iggy Azalea. This album shows an evolution in Ariana's musical career since she explores new genres like EDM (see "Break Free" featuring Zedd). Otherwise, lyrically-speaking, she doesn't move forward. Her songs keep talking about love as the main theme, with the exception of "Hands on Me", in which Ariana sings about sex.

"My Everything" includes six features and one duet. I think it is a bit too much and some of them are bad an make no sense. Songs like "Be My Baby", "Break Your Heart Right Back" and "Hands on Me" would highly improve without their respective features. From the other side, Big Sean in "Best Mistake" or Iggy Azalea on "Problem" make the songs much more enjoyable.

Cohesiveness? Not as much as in her debut album but it still follows a soft-R&B mood through mostly all of the songs. "Break Free" is the song that feels more out of place, but it is good enough as to give the album a breath of fresh air.

"Break Your Heart Right Back" may take the honor to be the worst song on the album, because of its overproduction and because of its annoying voice in the background of the chorus.

The album's biggest surprises are "One Last Time" and "Love Me Harder", which take the crown are the best songs on the album, along with the lead single "Problem".

Overall, a good album which lacks a bit of focus and consistency. Ariana could have done it better, but she could have done it much worse.

enxe

My first album review. I'm sure there are some gramatical mistakes but I've tried to express myself the best way I could. I really enjoy reviewing music

Aatthew

Can't wait to read some of the reviews after I finish and post mine!! Glad to see atrlcritic isn't over.

That was a much needed break though.

Quote:

Originally posted by enxe

My first album review. I'm sure there are some gramatical mistakes but I've tried to express myself the best way I could. I really enjoy reviewing music

Don't worry! We all make mistakes and I don't think anyone has acted like the grammar police in this thread... As long as you were able to express your opinion well on the album, you are fine!

enxe

Quote:

Originally posted by Aatthew

Don't worry! We all make mistakes and I don't think anyone has acted like the grammar police in this thread... As long as you were able to express your opinion well on the album, you are fine!

Thanks

musicfan09

Ariana Grande - My Everything

Overall Review

Ariana Grande never fails to disappoint with her truly amazing albums. Coming in with "Intro," Ari shows you that she's ready to slay you. She starts off with the #2 hit single on the Billboard Hot 100, "Problem," featuring the "Fancy" and "Black Widow" singer Iggy Azalea. It is hip-hop influenced and adds on to the sax trend. It also features uncredited vocals from Big Sean that EVERYONE knows the lines too.

Next, you get to hear a couple of good album tracks, "One Last Time" and "Why Try." Neither really stick out, but both are good bops. Track number five, "Break Free," featuring "Clarity' producer Zedd, who also produces this song, is one of the best on the album. It is an uptempo dance song, and has proven it is hit-worthy, peaking at #4 on the Billboard a Hot 100 after the amazing VMA's performance from her.

The next track starts to slow it down, with Ariana Grande and Big Sean collabing on the promotional single "Best Mistake." It is pure R&B influenced, and she shows that she can do amazing on R&B. I have a feeling she will release this as a single. As soon as it went onto iTunes, it went straight to #1. That shows people are here for Ari. She keeps up on the R&B train with "Be My Baby," featuring Cashmere Cat, a very sexual song for Ariana Grande (in my opinion). She then comes to us with "Break Your Heart Right Back," in which she drags her possibly gay ex. American rapper Childish Gambino is featured, but doesn't add to much to the song honestly.

Then she comes in with the best track on the album, "Love Me Harder," featuring American hip-hop band The Weeknd. The synth bass makes you enjoy the song, along with the good chorus and The Weeknd feature. Great production and amazing vocals from Ari. She then goes completely down, coming at us with the awful ballad, "Just A Little Bit Of Your Heart," which was written by One Direction bandmate Harry Styles, which explains why it's terrible. The writing isn't that good, and the piano and violin don't add much to the song, and it's overall disappointing.

She then comes at us with yet more rappers, this one "Hands on Me," featuring A$AP Ferg. The song is a bit over the place, but the clapping beat is enjoyable, A$AP Ferg's verse wasn't great, but I liked Ari's vocals. Finally, she ends the album with the solo ballad "My Everything." This song was one of the highlights on the album, but it would've been better if it was just her playing piano and vocals.

Overall, Ari looks like she can have one successful pop career, with these first two albums really showing her talents, and "The Way," "Problem," "Break Free," and "Best Mistake going top 10 on iTunes, that she can slay the world when she's ready. I'm hoping her third album is really strong and does successful like her other two did.

Track by Track Review

"Intro" - 10/10: "Intro," is a beautiful album opener. I like the orchestra with Grande's vocals, and the piano makes the song really blow my mind. Such an amazing album opener, and she shows us her roots in this great song.

"Problem" - 10/10: I feel that Problem should have been placed before "Break Free," but the song is amazing. I've always had a soft spot for this sound, as Ari has great vocals and Iggy's rap is amazing. The saxophones right after the quietness kind of annoys me though. The song still has yet to get old to me, and it still sounds like nothing else on the radio. The song is amazing.

"One Last Time" - 7/10: David Guetta doesn't really wow me anymore. This song is decent, but his tracks just always blend into the same boring track. It really just feels like a filler for the album.

"Why Try" - 8/10: This is the usual Ryan Tedder-style song. Strong verses and powerful choruses get you really into the song. The chorus is amazing, but it would've worked with another singer, not really Ari.

"Break Free" - 10/10: The second single from Ariana's sophomore album, "Break Free," is an amazing EDM collab with Zedd. The song was an anthem from the first listen. I don't really like the pre-chorus, but the chorus is a bop and got me singing by the second chorus. Ari does generic pop amazingly in this song!

"Best Mistake" - 10/10: This has to be the best song Ari has ever created, to Ariana's extremely soft vocals to the piano perfectly matching her voice, the hip hop influences, this song feels like it fits in with the previous tracks, despite being completely different from "Break Free," and "One Last Time." Big Sean's rap really let's down the track, but it's still amazing if you forget about it. The reference to incest ("You ask why I love your mom so much, cause she's an older you") is really disgusting, but put it aside and the track slays you. I always felt that it would be the fan favorite, and it seems to be, along with "Love Me Harder."

"Be My Baby" - 9/10: After using EDM, rap, and hip-hop, Ari gives us her best genre, R&B. It is a sexy track from her, and shows her great vocals and makes you wanna get all up on someone. It is her best R&B track yet, and is well produced.

"Break Your Heart Right Back" - 8/10: This song is a lowkey bop. The beat is amazing for Summer, and I love the chorus, and the use of Diana Ross to drag her gay ex is amazing (slay Ari!). Childish Gambino adds zilch to the song, but the verse isn't awful. Ari's vocal and the production of this song are amazing!
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"Love Me Harder" - 10/10: The fan favorite from the album, "Love Me Harder," just manages to take me away. In the beginning, you think it'll be another cheesy ballad, but after the synth bass kicks in, it gets you jamming out to it. The chorus really is enjoyable, and The Weeknd feature stands out to me.

"Just A Little Bit of Your Heart" - 2/10: A boring ballad, written by Harry Styles, which really makes it bad. The song disappointed me, but Ari's vocals are great! The piano/violin don't add anything to the song, and this whole song just bores me. It's a forgettable and unenjoyable song.

"Hands on Me" - 7/10: The song is a bop, but it's all over the place and feels like different songs. Her vocals are amazing, but I feel that A$AP Ferg is really pointless in the song. Ari slayed this song like the rest of the album though, so that's all the matters!

My Everything - 8/10: Just like a ballad opens the album, a ballad closes the album. Better than the previous ballad, "Just A Little Bit of Your Heart," Ari shows that she really can slay ballads. The backing vocals don't really help the song though, and it makes it less emotional. If it was just pure Ari and a piano, it would've been an amazing ballad though. Amazing song nonetheless though.

Overall: 83/100

enxe

Wow musicfan09 you wrote a lot. I never know what else to write