REVIEW: The Weeknd – “Thursday”

The Weeknd / Thursday / Self-Released

Abel Tesfaye just won’t stop. The Toronto-based R&B voice has pressed all the right buttons, exploring, arousing and stimulating every weak spot of the current state of music until it regains its composure and state of mind to take another listen. As House Of Balloons achieved the aforementioned, Thursday – The Weeknd’s second of three mixtapes – precedes with the same intentions and does it with more of an artistic outlook while not becoming monotonous. Vocalists wading through modern rhythm and blues have found themselves tapping into more atmospheric tones than blaring bass, but Tesfaye chooses to tear deeper into the vibe, hoarding thematic and sonic pieces all the while pushing that punch-drunk emotion that construes The Weeknd.

The eight-minute sonnet “Gone” doesn’t lose its compassion whereas “The Zone” photographs reserved thoughts and desire that builds in sentiment with each strike of a piano key, leading to a guest verse from hip hop artist Drake. “Walk your broken heart through that door / Sit yo’ sexy ass on that couch, wipe that lipstick off of your mouth / I take it slow,” he explains in a coy tone that would add an extra effect to the reggae-tinted closer “Heaven Or Las Vegas” which accelerates through reverb as it goes on. These feats of Thursday make it more of a statement than its predecessor; the adventures into drugs and naked affection are still present, but the experiments and transformation of Tesfaye’s concepts and vocal flow is why “Rolling Stone” disturbs more than “Lonely Star” or “Life Of The Party”. Still, there isn’t an artist that can be referenced to analyze The Weeknd’s compositions of progressive soul. It’s just a stroke of imagination worth obsessing over when the mood’s right.

Download: “Rolling Stone”, “The Zone”, “Heaven Or Las Vegas”
 

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5 Comments

  • stephanie says:

    LOVEit !!!! wow! chilled out, seductive, sexual..the crooning aspect of his album just makes it bomb! Love how the Drake affect is taking over… total revolutionalizing rnb and soul…..MMMM just amazing!

  • breeech says:

    frank ocean > the weeknd

  • Anonymous says:

    I use to think frank was better, but after really diving into the weeknd’s music, he’s on a whole other level than frank.

  • Anonymous says:

    Agreed on the whole other level…

  • derin says:

    I love both Frank Ocean and The Weeknd. But I can not really compare the both of them because they serve up two different styles of R&B music (if that is how you characterized The Weeknd’s music) They both offer what the today’s music lacks… SOUL. They both delve deep into their emotions and deliver symphonies that leave you paralyzed from their melodious cacophonies.

    The difference between these two artists (in my opinion) is that The Weeknd does not try to use his vocals as the centerpiece for his songs, rather harmonizes with the instrumentals. One doesn’t just focus on his singing. He cleverly paints a vivid picture with the guitar, piano, drums etc. and his voice is just another instrument (especially when he is not really singing any words, and just singing freestyle riffs)

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