Beautiful Loser

Here we go again...

I think it's a good time to let this Weeknd character he has created go. You can only do so many albums and songs with the same themes (girls, parties, drugs, drinks, love, broken hearts) before it starts to feel repetitive. I think he's done everything he can as The Weeknd, and I'm oddly enough not upset or sad about it. I'm glad that one of the singles, Dancing in the flames, is not on the album. I never liked it. Speaking of singles, São Paulo was another song I didn't understand, I felt underwhelmed and a little disappointed the first I heard it (which was as a single and not at the live performance). Nothing I heard made me feel hyped for this album. But man, I'm glad to have been proven wrong, this is phenomenal, and when São Paulo enters... it all suddenly feels absolutely perfect. Anitta sounds like a little demonic creature, haunting Abel as he enters his version of the afterlife. I love it. I'm very glad Lana's included on the album considering their friendship which has lasted for well over a decade. "She's the girl in my music and I'm the boy in her music", he once said, so I'm glad Lana could be included in this farewell - it would feel empty, or wrong, if she wasn't. I think we are being treated very well on this record. It is a long record, I've rarely had time to listen through it all in one go in this little time since it was released, but eventually it starts to feel like the perfect length. It's like a letter to his fans as much as to this alter ego, and perhaps The Weeknd is talking to Abel as well. Hozier is another artist I love and his latest record "Unreal Unearth" takes you through Dante's version of Hell, and it's interesting, I think, these two albums. The Weeknd's version of the after life is very different from Hozier's Dante Hell, they have nothing in common, but they both seem to bring up topics about what happens after life and judgement and such. This album is great and a worthy goodbye to The Weeknd. I'm curious to see what musical direction Abel will go next, if it'll be something similar with different lyrical themes or something completely different.

There’s a listening party in my town but I can’t go because I’m working late afternoon and evening… I tried to look at my work schedule and see if I could switch with someone but it’s impossible, I wish I could go. : (((

“Bshur Luhk”? Huh, I have no idea what that could mean, it doesn’t look Irish to me?

I’m having my first listen to the new album now. What do you guys think of it?

Nope, I don’t really keep an eye open for leaks from artists. ^^’

Unpopular opinion maybe, but I’d really like to see Summer Bummer on the set list. Imagine an entire arena bopping to it!

I’m still on my first listen, on my way home now after work so I get to listen to the rest, but I’m kinda leaning towards your opinion. I think it sounds great but it’s not very different from the two previous albums, which might not be necessary considering how well they’ve done on charts (and sales? Haven’t checked that though). I can sense some trance influences but they’re minimal. I also worry that I’ll obsess over this album for a couple of weeks and then forget it.

Can someone explain to me, why are the physical copies called first pressing? Because there will be changes in the future, or just a different cover art? I’m so confused.

Ooh I didn’t know that. Well, then we have to be right.

Open Hearts sounds like it could be played a lot on radio here. I wonder what Universal will push to the radio stations next.

Same, I was so disappointed when I heard the single the first time but it kinda mixes well into the tracklist on the album??

Wouldn’t that be too close to the release date to change?

I’ve only heard the abyss so far (will listen to the rest on my way to work) but I am so hyped, it makes me think of his concert I went to which was amazing, and of his career, and all his good tracks… aah, I’ll miss The Weeknd but I think he’s right about that he’s done everything he can with this moniker now!