Tucker's Turntable: The Weeknd is Michael Jackson incarnate

Tucker Rhoden

Music Columnist

Standout tracks: “Real Life,” “The Hills,” “
In the Night,” “Can’t Feel My Face,” “Tell Your Friends” 

The Weeknd- Beauty Behind the Madness
Label: Republic Records
Released: August 28, 2015
Genre: R&B/ Pop/ Alternative

Rating: 8/10

Beauty Behind the Madness is Abel Tesfaye’s sophomore album as the Weeknd, and it proves what I’ve been saying about him for the past few years: he is a modern day Michael Jackson.

On this record, Tesfaye has left behind the dark ambience of his mixtapes and his first record, Kiss Land, and creates a more mainstream, pop-driven sound aided by some of the biggest pop and hip-hop producers from the past two decades like Max Martin, Stephan Moccio, Che Pope, Mike Dean, Kanye West, and Jason "DaHeala" Quenneville. This album also marks the return of long-time collaborator Illangelo and boasts features from Ed Sheeran and Lana Del Ray.

The lyrical content on this record is standard Weeknd fair: sex, drugs, hedonism, addiction, fame, toxic relationships, etc., but despite typical lyrical themes, this album seems to show change and growth for Tesfaye. There is no fear on this record like there was on Kiss Land, and it’s not claustrophobic like his mixtapes. There is an acceptance of the things that Tesfaye was struggling with on previous records—or at least a willingness to deal with his problems.

While his lyrics aren’t particularly deep or ground-breaking, they do provide a really interesting contrast to the highly-produced, pop shimmer of the instrumentation. It’s surprising to me that songs about unquenchable lust and cocaine addiction have been able to hold their place on the radio for so long, and the fact that Tesfaye has been able to stay true to himself while creating a more accessible sound is impressive.

Because this album is so long and this review is so short, I can’t go completely in-depth about each track, but I can talk about my highlights.

The distorted chords that open “Real Life” are an amazing beginner to this album and the liberal use of strings and reverb help make the track feel huge. Max Martin’s funk-disco production on “In the Night” and “I Can’t Feel My Face” sounds like it could have been pulled directly off a Michael Jackson record, and makes these two of the most energetic pop tracks this year. 

As a big Kanye West fan I was excited to see him collaborating with Tesfaye, and “Tell Your Friends” has Kanye all over it, so much so that I was actually a little disappointed when he didn’t drop a verse halfway through the track. “Often” has one of the best beats I’ve heard in the past couple of years; the intricate drum production, overbearing bass, and a sample from Nükhet Duru’s “Ben Sana Vurgunum” creates a truly haunting track.

The closing song, “Angel,” has this very over-the-top, 80s power ballad feel to it, and while the lyrics and production could have easily become cheesy, Tesfaye absolutely makes it work; on this track, as well as on “As You Are,” I think we see Tesfaye allowing himself to be the most vulnerable he’s been since “Valerie.”

Some have criticized this album as lacking consistency, and that’s a fair complaint, because it absolutely does. Given the difference in styles of the singles Tesfaye has released over the past year it’s remarkable that he was able to put out a cohesive album at all. This inconsistency might really bother some people, but if you’re a fan of the Weeknd’s previous work—or if you just want a really solid pop/R&B record—this will not disappoint.

The only time I really felt that this album stumbled was “Earned It.” While it’s a great track, you can tell that it’s a soundtrack song and, as such, it seems really out of place, even on this record.

As another reviewer pointed out, Tesfaye seems to have reached a peak with this album, but where can he go now that he’s dealt with his flaws and addictions? Tesfaye’s personal struggles were the aspect of the Weeknd that fans connected to and have been the basis for every one of his releases.

Regardless of what the outcome will be, I’ll still be interested in seeing exactly what’s going to happen to the Weeknd’s overall persona and aesthetic on his next record.

Tucker Rhoden is a music aficionado, and a blogger for the Contraband. Contact him at msucontraband@gmail.com or on twitter @msucontraband.