So thisâll be the first review Iâm doing that will probably be more of a reaction than a review, but will try to be both. Iâm a huge Ariana fan; Spotify once gave me a notification that I was the first 1% of listeners to listen to Ariana first when she premiered as a solo artist.Â
Arianaâs past in pop music has always been a bit rocky. She started off as a very lovey-girly type fresh out of Nickelodeon, with her R&B vocals and covering various Christmas songs. Then she tried hard at the mainstream pop music scene and kinda rocked it (but only kinda) and asserted herself as a powerhouse pop princess. And with her last album, Dangerous Woman, it proved she was capable of branching out to other genres with her vocal talent at the forefront. I gotta say, Iâm not sure if anything will top Dangerous Woman for me, or at least not with songs like Touch It, Into You, and Be Alright in its tracklist. Those songs are just too good to compare.
AG has stated that this album is titled Sweetener because of the concept of bringing light to a situation that is dark, or being given something sweet in a time when you need it most. I love this concept, I hear it very much in the lead single No Tears Left To Cry, where she finds comfort in the strength to get up and live off of good vibes after being sad for so long. I wasnât sure how the attack in Manchester at her concert would impact her music or her career, but its impact is being felt in a very positive manner. She gets the strength from a very tragic time in her life, and gives back a little light, a little sweetness, to everyone she loves, all of her fans, those in the darkness, and herself.Â
Going into this album, Iâve heard all 3 tracks sheâs released, God Is A Woman, The Light is Coming, and No Tears Left To Cry. Iâve also heard the intro song Raindrops, or at least what Iâm expecting to be the entire 30 seconds of it.
Iâm excited. Letâs fucking go.
1. Raindrops (10/10)
ARI AND THOSE VOCALS WILL GET ME EVERYTIME. My headphones actually glitched, she sang so out of range lmfao. Great decision not adding anything but an echo to her voice
2. Blazed (ft. Pharrell Williams) (7/10)
Iâve never been a big fan of Pharrellâs production. His past collabs have been really terrible. But Arianaâs vocals are so fucking smooth. And this beat is really calming :)
Pharrellâs voice is ehhh but it does give me a break from Ariâs smoothness. Seriously, itâs like fucking silk.Â
Strange decision to make it the first full track.Â
3. The Light Is Coming (ft. Nicki Minaj) (7.5/10)?
So,Â
The first time I heard this song I thought it was complete garbage, but a couple of listens later, I was dancing to it like crazy. So Iâm unsure where I stand on it critically. Pharrellâs production is kind of terrible. But. At the same time. It makes it a very unique song. Same with the sample. Fucking annoying but also kinda makes it memorable. I think Ari knows what sheâs doing with these songs, even if theyâre not the bangers weâre looking for, I think she knows what she wants her next step to be.Â
4. R.E.M. (9/10)
HYPNOTIC!!!!!!!!! WHAT! OMGÂ
I can hear the Beyonce in this, I know this was a Beyonce demo at some point but Ari does a great job with this. I fucking love it. This is the chillest. The beat is repetitive but... I love it? itâs entrancing.
BOY, YOUâRE SUCH A DREAM TO ME!!!!!
5. God is a Woman (8.5/10)
Lived it, Loved it, YUH
Falls slightly short of an anthem status for me, but that was sacrificed when it went for the heavy hip-hop club beat. The final chorus + choir chanting is the best part of the song, apart from the âYUHâs in the pre-chorus.Â
6. Sweetener (5/10)
what the fuck is these hype men
Iâm getting major TLIC vibes because Iâm distracted by the background voices
So far Iâm not understanding why this is the title track other than it is not really memorable and thatâs why it was given the album title consolation prize
Vocals on point as always though
TWIST IT BOP IT WHACK IT HIT IT BOP IT
7. Successful (6/10)
this song is so cute lolÂ
ITâS A SURPRISE~ SURPRISE~
uhhh is that sexy panting at the end wtf
8. Everytime (8/10)
UHHHH HELLO MISSUS BOP? YES ITâS SHE
now this is a good song ! HONEY THE BEAT
9. Breathin (9/10)
JUST KEEP BREATHIN AND BREATHIN AND BREATHIN AND BREATHIIIIIN
This feels like the song thatâs gonna be my favorite. Or at least one of them. I love that chorus so much. Yeah the production on this one is good. HONEY THAT ELECTRIC GUITAR SYNTH
10. No Tears Left To Cry (10/10)
I cried when this song premiered (although Iâm sure the spectacular video on my 4K TV had something to do with that). And it quickly became one of my favorite songs ever. I love the message, the production, and the impact that chorus has without being based on a basic ass hook. And I love the background chorus throughout the song. It adds to the angelic effect. This song delivers the album for me.Â
WEâRE WAY TOO FLY TO PARTAKE IN ALL THIS HATEÂ
WE OUT HERE VIBING
WE VIBING!!!
WE VIBING~
11. Borderline (feat. Missy Elliott) (6/10)
OH SHIT RIGHT OUT THE BAT
This feels 90s? Like early 90s dance music
I love her voice in the verses, I wish the chorus was stronger
The production is really good! I can tell itâs Pharrell but itâs one of his better produced songs.
Missyâs verse is brief and thatâs really tragic because she had a good flow going for all 3 seconds she was in it.
12. Better Off (6.5/10)
Oh man this sounds somber...Â
Damn Ari sounds really cold in this song. The lyrics really make her sound closed off and sad. I love the production on this, the violins are a little too much though. What a great slow track.Â
13. Goodnight N Go (5/10)
Yaaaas that beat!!! Hip hop beat on those R&B vocals!!! I like the hook, but the whole sound sounds a little uninspired compared to the rest of the album. Very emotional and intimate, but I am kinda wanting something a little more inspired. Sounds like a light EDM R&B track, kinda as if Flume (or dare I even say Kygo) co-produced it.Â
14. Pete Davidson (9/10)
Having his name be the title track is so fucking cute. She really is singing how she feels on this short track and I can feel that. I kinda love it so much it hurts. Oh fuck sheâs singing new as it fades away. God I Love Both of them.
15. Get Well Soon (9/10)
This feels like the epitome of who Ariana Grande is. Vocals, piano, heavy slow beat, light synths, inspired chorus and a hip-hop beat progression with light talk-rapping. This is the final gift Ari has for her fans, I feel all of what she thinks her music to be in this song.Â
Uhhh... silence? what the hell was that long silence at the end
_______
So, because this album had an intro and an interlude song, Iâll be grading it differently. Those two songs will have the same weight as one song, while the other songs have the same weight. So itâll be graded on a scale of 14 rather than 15, and both Raindrops and Pete Davidson will be graded as one song.Â
Ariana Grande - Sweetener (Album Rating: 7.6)
To everyone that is calling this album a flop, itâs not. Itâs not the bangers you were expecting, itâs not the anthems you wanted, but it is a collection of beautiful songs composed by a changing artist to deliver a vision of something sweet, something that is a gift for her fans and for herself. Ariana is living her best life in the production of this album, not catering to the pop charts or whatâs expected of her in the music industry. Sheâs already done what a great deal of artist havenât, and sheâs ready to move on in her musical growth, and it really shows in this album.Â
My biggest problem with the album is a couple of tracks were lacking something fantastic to grab my interest, a couple of them felt uninspired which didnât really fit with the album, and the production from Pharrell Williams and Max Martin was a bit glaring at times. Overall, I like the album, I like the songs, and to me, her best song is her lead single, which will probably stay as my favorite.Â
Best Track: No Tears Left To Cry
Worst Track: Sweetener
_____
Thanks for reading my post! What do you guys think? Is my review/reaction pretty similar to yours? Let me know what other albums youâd like me to review in my ask box.Â
Anyone that knows me personally knows that Iâm a Lady Gaga stan. Itâs how I introduce people Iâm getting to know into who I really am. I got hooked on The Fame Monster album and have followed her intensely and closely since 2010.
Iâve decided to break down her albums track-by-track to get an in-depth look into what this album means to me, any memories I have with the songs, and how my opinion of the songs have changed over time.
Here we go.
Marry the Night - 10/10
The theme of this song is accepting the darkness within you so you can be reborn as someone stronger. âMarryingâ the night means you become one with it, instead of letting it control you or hold you back.
The first time I heard the instrumental to this track was on one of Gagaâs video diaries, âGagavisionâ which she was using as a medium to build hype for her album. The intro of the bells from Fernando Garibayâs creation and the transition into pounding synths and dance beats is one of the most hype things Iâve experienced. And then in her documentary of âThe Monster Ball Tourâ she sang the opening line. I was floored. I was excited. I knew it was going to be my favourite song and that it should have been the lead single. And she premiered it... on Farmville. Wow. When will your fave?
Listening to it the first time I was crying. And then when the breakdown at the end happened, I knew I had just listened to the most important banger of my young life. Iâve listened to this song when Iâve been depressed, on the verge of suicidal thoughts, and just driving down the highway at night. One day Iâll listen to it in New York and will finally give it the moment in my life it deserves.
Born This Way - 10/10
Everyone knew Born This Way was gonna be the title of her album, even if she hadnât announced it yet. But when she won Video of the Year in 2010 for Bad Romance in her meat dress, announced the title of the album, and sang the chorus to this song, I died. I donât think Iâve ever been that broken as a stan of anything ever in my life after that moment. It was the greatest moment to be a Little Monster.
Up until the release of the song as the lead single, everyone expected it to be a ballad. I was hoping for a banger. And when I listened to it at 5am on Feb 11, 2011, I know I had won. It was a defining moment in her career and I was there experiencing it. I loved it. I loved how it came out, how loud and proud it was, and how true to form it is for Gaga and her message. She was celebrating us, her little monsters. When will your fave?
The main takeaway from this songâs style is that she did not copy Madonna. She used an 80â˛s pop influence to celebrate gay culture, which she did better than Madonna. Itâs an anthem, one of the few anthems that actually stands for something important and that will stand the test of time.
One of my favorite memories with this song is at my junior prom, having the Dj play this song and dancing with my friends. Everyone else in the school cleared the floor because nobody liked Gaga. But we didnât care. We danced, because we were born that way.
Government Hooker - 6/10
So, this was our 2nd taste of what was to come on Born This Way (album), in the form of a remix played a Mugler fashion show that Gaga herself modeled in. The remix was everything. It was dark, techno-industrial sounding, and had this pleading cry of a side-piece to an important political man.Â
And when the album version came out, it was disappointingly slower and screechier than the remix. It still sounds like an industrial techno fantasy, but I wish it was faster, like the remix. I wish she wasnât just screaming âHOOOOOKEERRâ for the chorus and that she sounded a little less annoying in the verses.
Judas - 8/10
Even before the song came out, everyone was skeptical about the message of the song, and it was predicted to be pandering to religious figures in a sexual way. Which it kinda was. She had also described it as âBad Romance 2.0âł because the collaboration with RedOne, which made alot of little monsters really excited. The morning it leaked, I wanna say it was .... April 5? 14th? 15th? ... Anyways, I listened to the song in snippets, until Gaga gave up on releasing it on its intended date and just put it out. WOW. what a banger. I was kinda fucking shook by the chorus, and the sledgehammer beats were BIG, as expected. The message wasnât as sexual as thought but it did manage to piss a lot of people off and even set the song back from achieving top 10 status.Â
My main criticism of the song is that she screeches too much when singing lmfao. I fell asleep listening to it once and heard her screeching in my dreams and dreamt of dying animals. I woke up laughing because I really donât like how she screeches in the song but the rest of the song is great.
Americano - 6/10
This song is in the top 5 of my least favorite Gaga songs. It feels like a false, almost racist representation of illegal immigrants and she manages to mash in gay marriage themes in with the ideas of illegal acts. Screeching mariachi noises and gun shots donât exactly depict her ideas in a good light, but I can appreciate the production of the song. Garibay does a great job in this album and this song is a highlight of his abilities as a producer, but maybe a little less clapping beats next time.
Iâve had a few bad memories with this song and Iâd rather not recall them.
Hair - 10/10
âI am as free as my hair.â This is how Gaga teased this song for us. Wow. I thought âthis song is gonna be my favorite on the album.â I was obsessed with having long hair in high school. I always was the kid whose parents kept in buzz cuts, and wanted to grow my hair out and be a little freer. This, along with the message of having your parents and friends love you and accept you, and with me still figuring out my sexuality, wow, it hit me hard. Still does. What a wonderful song, perfect for budding teenagers and people with insecurities. It didnât end up being my favorite just because of MTN, but the production and the message have it as one of my favorites of all time.Â
My favorite performance of this has always been when she performed it on a show in France, with a long ass teal wig that was stuck in a model Eiffel Tower. She sang for like 10 minutes with the most flawless vocals the song could receive.Â
ScheiĂe - 9/10
This song was the first taste of what was to come for the album, in the form of a remix played at a Mugler fashion show. I thought it was so freaking weird and European of her to have a song like this at first, and yet, I found myself working in the yard with my dad, reciting the faux German verses within a day of the remix dropping. Nobody expected it to be a standout song on the album.
When the album version dropped, boy, was everyone fucking SHOOK. It was an absolute banger and a feminist anthem.Â
Bloody Mary - 10/10
This song is religious, foreboding, sad, ominous, and frightening. Itâs perfect. Her vocals kill in the most melodic way possible, she gives a great performance as Mary Magdalene, eerily introduces the title only 3 times in the song, and her screaming and chanting give this dark and discomforting feeling.
She introduced the instrumental as a song used in her Gagavision videos, and it sounded so industrial and dark that I was pretty skeptical about it being in the album. Iâm so glad it is, though.Â
My favorite memory with this song is being in a car with my friends in high school, nobody singing along to the words because we were too busy talking. And when the breakdown came around, we had stopped talking, and all, in unison, started chanting âGa-ga.... Ga-ga....â before erupting into laughter.Â
I donât know if Iâd consider this a pop song. Itâs just an amazing piece in her discography.
Black Jesus + Amen Fashion - 7/10
It feels a little out of place to have a song about Gagaâs roots as a musical artist and performance artist in an album about her fans and her pride and her religion. It feels less empowering, and more, reflective, I guess. I like the song, Iâm just not sure it fits within the context of the album, and am glad it was kept to the secondary edition of the album. The production on it is very fashion-forward and appealing to the New York types.Â
Bad Kids - 7/10
When this song was released, I did not like it. I thought it was sloppy, over-produced, and lacking in the chorus. Over time, Iâve grown fond of it. I think itâs a sort of way that Gaga talks to her fans in the way theyâve talked to her. They show her their bad side, and she shows them she still loves them. Thereâs nothing special about the production, but with a song that is carried by its message, I think thatâs okay. The chorus is pretty corny but drives the message home.
My favorite line in this song defines me so well. âIâm a nerd; I chew gum and smoke in your face, Iâm absurd.â
Fashion of His Love - 8.5/10
I believe it was in 2010 that famous fashion designer Alexander McQueen passed way. It impacted Gaga greatly, as they were close friends. This song is about him and his clothes, and the way they accentuated her artistry perfectly.
When it first came out, I thought it was very sweet, but way too 80â˛s gay for me. Very much like âI Wanna Dance With Somebodyâ by Whitney Houston. However, since it came out, I have become much more 80â˛s gay and I believe itâs one of Gagaâs most underrated songs.Â
My favorite tidbit about this song, other than the homage to McQueen, is that the pre-chorus to the 2nd chorus is taken directly from an unreleased track of Gagaâs called âEarthquake.â That song is very dramatic, novella-esque, and sad to listen to, but with that verse placed in FOHL, it sounds so perfect. Itâs one of my favorite verses in this album.Â
Highway Unicorn (Road to Love) - 4/10
The intro goes on too long, and the depiction of motorcycles as unicorns gets a little lost in translation. Thereâs a proud American type of feeling here, with biker symbols and gay pride all around, and an accentuated drummer driving the song into an over-produced chorus that is barely intelligible because of the vocal and echo effects on Gagaâs voice. The ending is over-produced and very eerie with Gaga shouting âdieâ echoing until the song ends. Itâs the song I skip almost every listen, though I donât hate it. I just would rather not listen to it.Â
Heavy Metal Lover - 10/10
EVERYONE expected this song to be a rock pop song, with the main focus about her then-boyfriend Luc Carl. What this turned out to be was a slow burning industrial, experimental, whispering bop about having a dangerously fun night out with your lover and your friends whom may or may not be robots.
She introduced the instrumental to this as the intro song to her Gagavision videos. It sounded like dark industrial background shit and was not expecting it to be part of a good song, but damn does this song deliver. Even though most of the song is just a robotic voice repeating the title over and over, those loud squelching synths drive the song forward and the chorus is just Gaga whispering... but it WORKS.Â
And my favorite line in the song? âI could be your girl, but would you love me if I ruled the world?â
WHEN WILL YOUR FAVE ???
My favorite memory of this song is me waking up mid-song on an overnight trip in the back of my familyâs car. The breakdown was happening as we were going through a tunnel, and the beat dropped when we got out. It was... like... an epic moment... that only I ever experienced... ok bye.
Electric Chapel - 8/10
The integration of guitar riffs and hard dance synths into this love song about needing a spiritual communion with a lover is... beautiful. Not the best lyrics ever, but the melody drives the song, as does the production.Â
She revealed this song in an episode of Gagavision and everyone was shook by the vocals we heard when she sang âglass disco ballâ.â
Fave lyric: My body is sanctuary, my blood is pure.
The Queen - 9/10
In 2010 when she was on tour, Gagarevealed a lyric that would become one of my favorite lyrics in this album. âTonight I will return the fame and riches earned, with you Iâd watch them all be burned.â Powerful, dark, I would have expected this on any of the other industrial sounding songs on the album, but not this upbeat anthem.
When the song title was announced, I think everyone expected something having to do with her status as a pop powerhouse: how she saw herself, how she saw Madonna, etc., but nobody expected this empowering song about finding the drive in your darkness to be the powerful person you need to be.Â
The upbeat song changes to a slower tempo at the end, on a guitar-led ending that lets Gaga belt out some of her best vocals ever. Itâs powerful, itâs moving, and it reminds me of just how talented this bitch is.
Not my favorite memory, but Jame Rodenmeyer, a little monster that killed himself, was recognized and remembered by Gaga and the fanbase for the last thing he tweeted right before he committed suicide, a lyric from this song. âDonât forget me when I come crying to heavenâs door.âÂ
You and I - 9/10
When touring the Monster Ball, she premiered this song at one of Elton Johnâs private parties and integrated a version of this song into her tour set. It was not meant to be on the album, and it was not meant to be a single. Both of which happened.
The tour version was way more acoustic and had a different feel from the album version, which is why I didnât appreciate it as much when it came out. However, the Brian May led guitar and drum sample from Queenâs âWe Will Rock Youâ give this song a country rock feel that the song didnât previously have. Itâs authentic, American, and very true to Gagaâs acoustic talent.
My favorite thing about this song is that on the set for the music video, she met her future boyfriend & fiance Taylor Kinney. Even though You and I was written about her ex-boyfriend Luc Carl. Itâs just hilarious to me, and a little sad that the wedding in the music video wonât happen now that Gaga and Taylor arenât together. :(
The Edge of Glory - 10/10
Gaga let us know that this song would be about the death of her grandfather and how her grandmother spent her last hours with him. She left the funeral with her dad to go to a bar and wrote the song on the piano in the bar, crying with her dad.Â
The first time I heard this song, I had come home from a college exam. It was being released as a promo single, and I had missed the premiere. So I got home, listened to it on youtube, and cried. The heartbeat intro and upbeat melody were not what I was expecting. This is a song about love, a love that follows you to the end of the line. Itâs powerful, important, and celebratory of life, and death. To think that Gaga could take her sadness and create a banger, something so beautiful and upbeat, was inspiring.Â
Iâve told various people, my friends and family, that I want this song played at my funeral. Itâs a perfect song for a death. And itâs a song that will celebrate my love for everyone.Â
Every time she performs this live, I cry. Hard. Itâs so beautiful, the way she becomes this toned back artist that belts this celebratory sadness. Itâs artistry in a pure form, and I live for it. I feel like Iâm talking it up more than it sounds like it is, but Iâve been around this song so long and I know what it means to her and to me and to others. Itâs her best song.
Clarence Clemons, whom plays the saxophone on the song, got to appear on the music video for this song and died a few days later. It was almost poetic, and sad, and happy. He got to perform one last time, on a song about death, and then passed away, on the edge of glory.Â
Fave lyric: Iâm on the edge with you.
Album Rating: 8.32
As is with many of Gagaâs works, songs on this album seem to be hit or miss. Sheâs a big personality, and takes some big risks, and in this album it seems to pay off more than it seems to fail. Every album has a central theme tying it together, whether an artist realizes it or not. Gagaâs theme in The Fame Monster was fear, and in ARTPOP it was adrenaline, and in Joanne it was grief. In this album, though she never explicitly said it, the theme is pride. Pride of darkness, of sexuality, of self, of insecurities, of love, of ethnicity, etc etc etc. Sheâs showing us to be proud of who we are, of what we do, and of how we live our lives.Â
I, of course, have a huge bias towards this album, but I still feel as if itâs one of the most iconic pop albums of all time. This album has defined who I am for a majority of my life will continue to do so until I die, at which point, I might just stop listening to it. But probably not.Â
What do you think? Am I crazy for loving this album? Do you have an opinion on what I should re-view next? Send me an ask and let me know!
I, unlike the majority of the fanbase of this show, greatly enjoyed the character catch-up that was the original version of season 4. Netflix was the perfect medium to split running gags, perspectives, and pieces of a bigger puzzle. When the new version of season 4 dropped a month ago, I wasnât engaged. It was a sloppy, glued-together attempt at recreating the feel of the first 3 original seasons of the show.Â
Knowing this going into season 5 of AD, I didnât know what to expect. I knew theyâd try to recreate the feel of the first 3 seasons, and was unsure about the timeline of events that would follow. The only thing I could be sure about was that the characters would drive the show, as they always have. So, I guess Iâll review the season by character rather than episodes and follow up with some final thoughts.
Letâs get into it.Â
Michael probably has the most going on and is easily the hardest one to keep up with. Heâs got this weird dynamic with George Michael, heâs avoiding Lucille 2 and canât remember the events of Cinco de Cuatro, heâs trying to have something going with Rebel, heâs working at a knockoff Google, heâs scuba diving, heâs trying to do the movie with Ron Howard, heâs using Buster to get back at his family and it backfires... thereâs alot going on. Itâs entertaining to see someone fleshed out so well, but also feels like they packed a majority of the season onto Michael instead of the others. Itâs good to see him in a variety of settings, from the âIâm leaving this familyâ trope being subverted, to him finding out about the family beach cottage.Â
George Michael looks kinda rough these days. I guess Iâm just used to seeing baby-faced Michael Cera, so an older, balding Michael Cera is hard on the eyes. His relationship with Maeby as a secret love interest and also as a best friend to share his problems with Rebel and with his dad is one of the more endearing developments this season. Halfway through the season, I started believing Rebel would never rear her face again, as GM kept avoiding talking to her and trying to ruin his relationship with her family. I can honestly say his stay in Mexico was one of the more equally offensive and hilarious events in the season, especially juxtaposed with Maebyâs stay in the Mexican village.Â
Gob spends a majority of the season trapped in the closet and spends he finale coming out of it accidentally and having his gay lover cemented into the closet for some reason. Itâs hilarious. My favorite character this season, and love that he grew a gay beard.Â
Tobias... I love you. I feel like he finally got put in his place this season as a running gag and side-plot joke. Not that he was bad before, but this is where it really works for Tobias. Not as Lindsayâs flamboyant husband, not as a struggling analrapist, but as a flamboyant actor on the side, parodying the main cast in terrible costumes and accent, mentoring an even worse actor with untapped ACTUAL potential as a veterinarian/computer worker. Side note: I love Murphybrown, I hope they keep him around.
Maeby had a pretty regular development this season. She struggled in Mexico (hilarious), tried to thwart Lindsayâs campaign (classic), and disguised herself as an old person and lived in a retirement community and developed a father/daughter almost-lover relationship with Stanley Sitwell (amazing, iconic). Maeby is one of my favorite characters and she was semi-robbed from a decent story in season 4. I, however, loved her this season.
Buster has somehow gotten more hilarious this season, but is missing for a while because heâs been imprisoned. His hand melting off and having to keep his metallic hand is a great running gag. And the fact that nobody knew he was in prison for months is so sad and so hilarious. Poor Buster, he deserves better, unless he actually did kill Lucile 2. More on that later.
Lucille 1 isnât set on anything concrete this season. She has a love interest, she tries to abuse Lindsayâs campaign for the wall/family of the year, and she is the general antagonist of the family? I love her character but she was kind of robbed of any real story this season. What a shame and a waste of an amazing character. One of the highlights this season is having her explain why they celebrate the 4th of July on the 2nd of July. And the integration of Trumpâs stance on the wall was priceless, and I donât generally enjoy jokes about Trump.
George Sr was hard to watch. Jeffrey Tamborâs sexual misconduct allegations and subsequent firing from the cast of Transparent was immediately referenced, which was expected, since season 4 left him in womenâs clothes and a wig. The rest of the season he minimally interacted with Lucille, and spent most of it feeling sorry for himself for being unable to be sexual or masculine. The suicide attempts were... comical, which was disappointing. It was hard to watch him in almost every scene.
Lindsay was green screened in every scene. Itâs pretty obvious that they used doubles as often as possible. And then she suddenly left for half the season. Itâs... bad. And disappointing. She was set up for an amazing campaign and it was written off and dropped.Â
Other notes:
-Not enough episodes for a plot or to wrap up anything previously in the episode time limits
-Where is Lucille 2?? I know thatâs still a plot device but I was gearing up to see Liza Minelli :(
-Lindsay and Ron Howard and who knows who else on green screen was pretty obvious and a little sad
-Bryce Howardâs scene was completely... unnecessary
-Barry was not very funny this season
-Tony Wonder... I needed more scenes of Ben Stiller and less of his double being a literal suitcase
-They left off a LOT of things from Season 4â˛s ending timeline, or just straight up dropped them.Â
-Toddler was a good addition but I miss my Bob Loblaw and Gene Parmesan
-The Mexican Romneys have my approval. Hilarious
-Will Arnett has aged and tanned terribly. I feel really bad watching his close-ups.Â
-I miss the forget-me-nots
-My favorite new running gag is âgeo-beadâ
Arrested Development / Season 5 - 5/10
There have been better seasons, No episode really stood out, and the only characters I can say I completely enjoyed watching this season are Tobias and Maeby. The first few episodes and too many scenes are spent recapping season 4.The green screen was a big killer this season. I enjoyed the season, but even I can admit it was bad, and probably my least favorite season. If they do make another season, I hope Netflix manages to get all the actors together in the same set, and make a real plot for the Bluths next time.Â
What do you think? Did you like this season? Do you agree with my review? Do you have any suggestions on what I should review next? Send me a question, let me know.
Time for my first review on this blog. I wish I had something I was anticipating on a much grander scale to start off with, but I am looking forward to this album.
My concept of Shawn Mendes is that of most people - heâs cute, heâs got a great smile, and a nice voice. I think his music is nice, but without any flavor. Heâs greatly stuck with contemporary pop, even his greatest hits so far do not stray far from the typical contemporary and radio pop formula. Theyâre forgettable at best, but I believe Shawn Mendes has a great personality and voice and is capable of pushing the boundaries of his artistry and music if he wishes to do so.Â
The album cover and name tell me a story of someone who is not afraid of being open about themselves, someone who is opening up at the seams, there is pain and love and something beautiful in the artwork. Having this album be his name puts a great deal of pressure on this album to be good. It will define who he is to music and what his music will be like from now on. Itâs a bold step. The album is 14 tracks long which is IDEAL. I always believe 11 tracks is too few and as many as 17 tracks is too much. 14 is a perfect number. I hope itâs well balanced.
My expectations going into this album are as such: Iâve heard In My Blood and Lost in Japan, and liked them both. Lost In Japan was much better to me the first time around, but I may turn around and like In My Blood more this time. IMB greatly sticks to the contemporary pop genre Shawn has found himself in, but LIJ is a step away from those roots. Itâs more dance, almost a hip-hop beat, and although itâs not revolutionary, itâs refreshing to see Shawn step out of the musical rut heâs found himself in in his first album.Â
Letâs get started.
1. In My Blood - 6/10
I am liking this song a little better the 2nd time around. Itâs still pretty contemporary, a little too reliant on the drum buildups and the guitar strings. The backing vocals in the final chorus are a nice touch.Â
2. Nervous - 8/10
Shawnâs talk-singing is really sexy. The pre-chorus is EXCITING. Alright, this song is a bop. Not gonna lie. The mix of talk-sing and the chorus are really great. I wish there was a good ass hook somewhere in here. His vocals are killing it and itâs kinda influenced by soul. +Added to my Music
3. Lost in Japan - 9/10
This song is pretty groovy. I feel the synths in the 2nd verse and on give the song a dimension of extravagance that heâs smoothly glossing over. This will be hard to top as my favorite song on the album. +Added to my Music
4. Where Were You In The Morning? - 6.5/10
The opening was a little too contemporary sounding and I was almost let down. But when the beat kicks in it picks up a little. The chorus is the best part so far. Feels like a really sexy song but with not a lot of oomph. His vocals are killing it though.Â
5. Like To Be You feat. Julia Michaels - 3/10
I really love Julia Michaelsâ voice in everything she does, but here I donât feel their voices complement each other. They feel a little boring. Itâs as if theyâre respecting each otherâs vanilla-ness by staying on a contemporary line as much as possible.Â
6. Fallinâ All In You - 6/10
Honestly, I kind of tuned out the song until the chorus. The chorus feels like a completely new song. Itâs beautiful, gives a 80â˛s love song vibe. I wish the verses and buildup were as interesting. A song with a great chorus is not a great song.
7. Particular Taste - 6.5/10
Okay, this song is taking some risks. Feels like Taylor Swift kinda co-wrote it. Heâs got this very pause-y way of singing. The chorus is exciting, I like it a lot but itâs also kind of annoying.Â
8. Why - 7/10
Vanilla af. But I like it, itâs really pretty and somber. The tone is consistent and so is the emotion.Â
9. Because I Had You - 2/10
zzzz. Falling asleep listening to this. Way too boring. Nothing exciting in this song, nothing notable, forgettable, and this is the kind of shit I wanted him to stay away from in this album.Â
10. Queen - 5/10
What a great chorus. I like the message but the execution could be better. Another case of a good chorus and boring verses.Â
11. Youth feat. Khalid - 8/10
Khalidâs got a great voice. Really complements Shawnâs. Shawnâs actually singing better in this song than in his other songs. I really want one of these great choruses to have a kick ass hook! Come on! +Added to My Music.
12. Mutual - 7/10
This song is pain, I feel the anger in his words, his vocals are the most raw theyâve been on the album. Still not interesting enough, though.Â
13. Perfectly Wrong - 4.5/10
Slow, sad, boring. Iâll be completely honest, I fell asleep during this song and the next. On a second listen, it sounds very tender and the piano really carries the song and his vocals. Itâs not a standout song however, and brings down the momentum of the album.Â
14. When Youâre Ready - 3/10
Slow, sweet, boring. Great Vocals. On a second listen, itâs a very nice song but again, nothing impressive. Not vocally, not musically, not melodically.Â
Album rating: Shawn Mendes - 5.82
Overall, I think this album achieved its goal of showcasing Shawnâs talent and musical range. It is, however, a very limited album. It doesnât stray far at all from its contemporary influences nor does his voice stray from the ranges heâs used to. Standout tracks are of course, Lost in Japan, Nervous, and Youth feat. Khalid. These tracks are an example of what I would have loved to have seen more on this album, more experimental uses of Shawnâs range and music styles, something to keep it refreshing. There was a lull on the second half of the album that should not have been there. Many of the tracks quite literally bored me to sleep. Even on a second listen, they were nothing to be amazed with. This album could have been very great with Shawnâs level of talent, but he led the album with some of his better tracks and mellowed out to his contemporary roots towards the end. This may be musically appealing to a great amount of people, but to me, itâs just kind of like... vanilla ice cream.
What do you think? Is my opinion trash? Do you agree? What other albums should I review or re-review? Send me a message and let me know!