'Positions (Deluxe)' Review: New Music, Same Issue

Ariana Grande is the gift that keeps on giving. After releasing her sixth studio album, Positions, in October, she surprised listeners with even more music by dropping “Positions (Deluxe)” on Feb. 19. This deluxe album contains five new tracks: “someone like u (interlude),” “test drive,” a “34+35” remix featuring Doja Cat & Megan Thee Stallion, “worst behavior,” and “main thing.” Grande’s attempt to quench fans’ unrelenting thirst for new music will surely leave them wanting more than the new two-minute tracks.

Production-wise, given their polished vocals and unique timbres, these songs are at the same level as the original album’s. However, their brevity makes the deluxe album feel rushed, almost as if Grande had meant for these songs to be on the original but then added unfinished versions to the deluxe album. The quality is there, as all five songs definitely had the potential to be bops — if only Grande had extended them past two verses.

“someone like u (interlude)” is a cute one-minute track where Grande repeats the line “I’ve been waiting for someone like you,” revealing a newfound lover is the key to her lock. Without excessive production, harmonies beautifully float above and accentuate her vocals. Interestingly enough, this interlude feels like a wink to “Intro” from her second studio album “My Everything,” giving us a taste from the past and showing her immense growth from then to now with her delicately stacked harmonies and twinkly R&B beats. This interlude, without a doubt, deserved a spot on the original album, either replacing “shut up” or finding its way between “love language” and “positions.”

“test drive” opens with an electric piano, taking listeners back to ’90s R&B. In this song, Grande shows off her great sense of rhythm as her vocals dance around the beat until the chorus, when she says, “No, I don’t feel the need to test drive nothin’.” This song could definitely be a hit and could have had a greater presence on the charts if she had included a third verse and a bridge.

The album closer, “main thing,” nicely sums up the theme of “Positions.” The album is a story in which Grande is trying out a new fling but is scared to go all in due to her fear of the relationship not working out. As the album progresses, so do her growth and assurance that this relationship is the one she has been waiting for. “main thing” confirms this as she sings, “All I wanna do is spend my time with you / even when the learning’s done and nothing’s new.” The song is perfectly executed, but again, it would have been even better if there were another verse and bridge. The tension slowly builds until the chorus and then knocks listeners off their feet as it disappears. The song’s components mimic her emotions: the tension symbolizing the butterflies in her stomach, the bubbly chorus exploring her feelings, and the perfect harmonies oozing with love.

Overall, all the tracks on the deluxe album are consistent with the original, which is often not the case with deluxe albums. In fact, these deluxe tracks could even have taken the place of some disappointing tracks on the original such as “just like magic” and “love language.” Nonetheless, this deluxe album still underwhelms despite its high-quality production. Grande is doing more harm than good by releasing short tracks because they only make listeners want more.