I'm in the Olympics, way I'm jumping through hoops
Continuing my trip up The Guardian's Best Albums of 2020 list...
#40 : Positions - Ariana Grande
Thirty years after the invention of the “parental advisory: explicit content” sticker, pop celebrated Tipper Gore’s prudish legacy with its filthiest year in recent memory. Ariana Grande’s sixth album made no bones about its primary concern – namely bones every which way until Tuesday, upholstered by slinky, lavish R&B. Often, young women who sprang from kids’ entertainment have used sex to assert their outrageousness and maturity. But Grande’s horniness has been part of her artistic identity for years – on Positions, it offered a safe retreat from headlines about heartbreak and tragedy. It’s also a great smokescreen: the album’s implicit content, about grief and anxiety, is far more revealing than the raunchy stuff.
Ah Ariana - where to start with you? She's kicked out some decent tunes over the years and after Manchester she behaved with great dignity and composure, particularly for one so young. Unfortunately, I'm not sure I, even with my advanced years, can reciprocate and find it in my heart to forgive her for Cat Valentine - maybe it'll happen one day, but I'm just not there yet. For those of you that don't know what I'm talking about, consider yourself very fortunate and under no circumstances attempt to educate yourself.
So, attempting to maintain a veneer of professionalism, what was I expecting from this album? Some well delivered, classy but mildly rude songs - and that's pretty much what we have here. It's not as filthy as The Guardian reviewer thought, but the lass certainly does appear to have a one track mind. It's also generally delivered in a disarming style - I imagine there are children all over the world singing along with their parents either wincing or happily ignorant. I enjoyed the album, but I'd have to say within 5 minutes I'd forgotten it all - I imagine some of it might sink in with multiple listens, but that's not going to happen here, I'm afraid!
"Customers also listened to" Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez - I'd say the Selena Gomez album shades this one, but they're both high quality output if that's your sort of thing.
#39 : Suite For Max Brown - Jeff Parker
The guitarist with jazz-rockers Tortoise, who has released numerous solo records and played sideman to Meshell Ndegeocello, Makaya McCraven and more, was in personal and crowdpleasing form on this LP, which breezes between funk, hip-hop rhythms and cosmic jazz in honour of his mother (named in the title). By sampling, editing and chopping together his own recordings, and folding in various collaborators, including his teenage daughter Ruby, he gives it an impulsively impressionist feel.
And if Ariana and Selena are your sort of thing, then the chances are this isn't. And if they're not, then don't worry, the chances are still that this isn't. I mean, the guy can obviously play (he's the guitarist in Tortoise, after all!) but it's all a bit noodly and niche for me. The most interesting thing about this album for me is that it doesn't have a Wikipedia page - I think this is the first one I've written about for which that's the case. "Customers also listened to" Ambrose Akinmusire and Takuya Koroda - I have a sneaking suspicion they might be noodly and niche as well. I've tried to think of something else to write about, but failed - hey ho, I'm sure you'll live.
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