Album Review: Ari Lennox, Age/Sex/Location

Ari Lennox

Age/Sex/Location (released September 9, 2022)

A couple of weeks ago, over on the digital deathly hallow known as Twitter, a few friends were participating in a spirited debate: Is Ari Lennox on her way to becoming this generation’s Mary J. Blige?

On the surface, it’s easy to dismiss such claims as clout chasing at best and total lunacy at worst. But when you think about it, is it really THAT far-fetched?

Obviously, comparing a woman with two LPs to an icon with a 30-year head start is like comparing apples to Apple computers. Careerwise, it’s silly.

But one thing is for sure – Mary J was the voice for young women in the 90s. And after listening to Age/Sex/Location, Ari’s sophomore album, it’s becoming more clear that she could be that voice for women in the 2020s.

Ari’s warbling, raspy vocals and unflinching honesty made 2019’s Shea Butter Baby a standout release. Impressively, Age/Sex/Location builds upon that foundation with improved and more varied production, all while retaining that realness that makes her music so relatable.

Album opener “POF” took me by surprise. The mid-90s vibes are heavy with this one (you can practically taste D’angelo’s Brown Sugar as it oozes from your speakers). Ari defiantly dismisses love while also being totally intrigued by it. “Lord knows I don’t need no one,” she coos, “But sure would be sweet.” There’s been a lot said about modern R&B being too skeptical and bitter to embrace love – this track excels by telling that story while also showing that, ego aside, love is still a prize worth seeking.

Age/Sex/Location‘s biggest win, of course, is lead single “Pressure,” which was not just one of the best songs of 2021, but one of the better R&B singles of the past five years. A year later and it’s still in rotation, thanks to trailblazing producers Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox turning what could have been a typical oversexed cut to an off-kilter bop.

As stated earlier, Age/Sex/Location‘s production really steals the show. “Hoodie” boasts a warm groove that plays well with Ari’s infectious personality. When she vows to “spread it like some queso” you can’t help but smile. Modern R&B production tends to be as exciting as cold oatmeal but “Waste My Time” thankfully raises the tempo, delivery a catchy cut nearly as addictive as “Pressure.” But the album’s crown jewel of production goes to “Mean Mug.” Elite an Wu10 craft a beat that’s soul personified. Plus, y’all know I’m a sucker for horns. Pro-tip for artists: Every horn adds an extra star to your album score!

(I’m playing. But not really.)

Though Age/Sex/Location boasts a couple of duets – Summer Walker does a serviceable job on “Queen Space” and Chloe pushes the boundaries on “Leak It” (which, by the way, is a great example of a song being sexual without being annoyingly explicit), but easily the best duet is “Boy Bye,” featuring Lucky Daye.

As the scriptures say: “Lucky Daye doest not miss.”

“Boy Bye” plays like a game of cat and mouse, with Lucky doing his best to woo Ari, who is hilariously dismissive but secretly kinda into the homie too. Ari has no problem blocking Lucky’s shots – “Those lines belong in 1995/Just like them funky Nikes.”

And, as a man who still uses 1995 lines and still has funky Nikes, I took that personally, Ari.

But Lucky has ammo too, especially when he notices that “Them toes just bussin’ out them slides.”

What results feels like a REAL conversation between REAL people, not the obnoxious, catty Twitter rants that have have plagued R&B’s songwriting for the past decade.

As strong as Age/Sex/Location is as a project, it still suffers from a few reoccurring weak spots. My biggest issue with Ari’s debut is that the songwriting occasionally felt stilted, which hampered the flow of a few songs. That pops up a few times here, with “Queen Space” and even “Mean Mug” having a few awkward lines that just don’t flow with the tempo of the song. Also, while they’re solid tracks, both “Stop By” and “Outside,” despite the latter’s important message about body positivity, get lost in the shuffle.

Nitpicks aside, Age/Sex/Location is Ari’s best project to date, and arguably the best R&B album of 2022 so far. It’s an honest reflection of relationships in 2022 that doesn’t shy away from turmoil but refuses to dwell on it. There’s an optimism here that’s been lacking in music of so many of her peers. Add the stellar production and it’s a major win for a rising star and a genre that’s ready for new blood to push it ahead.

Don’t worry about if Ari is the next Mary J Blige. She’s got now, that’s all that’s important.

Best tracks: “Pressure,” “POF,” “Boy Bye”

4 stars out of 5