The Weeknd: "Beauty Behind The Madness" Album Review

https://open.spotify.com/album/28ZKQMoNBB0etKXZ97G2SN

So, as you all know, I'm a pretty avid follower of the pop charts, and as such I always try to predict future trends. Genres, trends, and artists I think are likely to get big.

A good majority of the time I'm not really too good at it (seriously, I swear Fetty Wap had one-hit wonder written right across his face), but when I hit the nail on the head, it can be super fucking satisfying.

Case in point? The Weeknd, a Canadian R&B singer with a knack for darker, moodier production and reckless hedonism, yet with the self-awareness and utilization of tone and atmosphere to pull it off and pull it off well, as showcased in his first collection of mixtapes "Trilogy", a compilation of three independently-released mixtapes the captured The Weeknd's skill of making seductive, shadowy R&B jams excellently.

However, he didn't come close to mainstream success until a little song called Love Me Harder, a collaboration with Ariana Grande and hands-down the best thing Ariana has ever done, thanks in part (among many other great things) to The Weeknd's presence, providing the perfect contrast to Ariana's performance and meshing with her lyrics and vocals excellently.

These displays of talent, including his smash Top 40 hits Can't Feel My Face, which I already talked about in my first Billboard Top 10 Review earlier this month (SHAMELESS PLUG), and of course his excellent, excellent, excellent track The Hills, which is actually burning up the Top 10 right now, and rightfully so.

Those three tracks may not have been as atmospheric or ethereal as anything on Trilogy, which was probably that compilation's strong point, but he stilled shows his colors as a great R&B singer who could do sleazy R&B jams right, something I don't think anyone else in the Top 40 is doing (lookin' at you, Chris Brown).

And I think, at least for the most part, all that greatness does carry over to this record.

The thing about The Weeknd's lyrics is that they're generally sleazy, dirty, sexual, but they never felt vapid or like generic sex jams. Instead, The Weeknd often opts to tell more of a story with his lyrics, presenting this sleazy pick-up artist and substance abuser as a character, and more often than not frames him as more of the "bad guy" than anything. That alone puts The Weeknd over artists like Chris Brown and Lil Wayne, as he brings a very strong sense of storytelling that makes his music much more intriguing, or rather, actually intriguing at all.

That type of songwriting is very prevalent throughout this record, making Beauty Behind The Madness feel almost like a concept album, and a pretty good one at that.

While the production never quite matches the same mood and atmosphere as something like Trilogy, although they do come close on some tracks (Tell Your Friends, the 6-minute closer Angel, and Dark Times with Ed Sheeran, who I'll get to in a bit, are great examples.) it still sets the mood of this record incredibly well, lacing the dark production with classier touches of piano and violin (specifically on tracks such as Earned It) that give the sleaziness an almost classy vibe to it, which just strings the album together perfectly, especially with the Weeknd's performances. There are even times when this record brings in touches of rock instrumentation. Like the guitar solo (yes, a guitar solo) on the track Shameless, that was an incredibly pleasant surprise.

Of course, this being technically a pop record there are a few more upbeat dance tracks, most specifically the pretty good song and radio juggernaut Can't Feel My Face, which is a pretty good song despite not being one of my favorites on this album, as a song that actually is one of my favorites on this album, In The Night, which just captures that groove and fun while still remaining as seductive and sexy as ever, I'd argue much better than Can't Feel My Face, one of the best on this album.

I'll admit The Weeknd isn't quite always on-point throughout this record, there are points where his high-pitched crooning clashed with the production pretty badly, and he does sound a bit checked out on a few of these tracks (such as the aforementioned Earned It), but when he brings it on this record, man, does he bring it.

The Hills is a brilliant example of this. He just shifts from low-key and somber to screeching and eerie just as the production was in a grand blend of creeping, seductive, and massive, helped along by the booming bass, the dark piano-tinged bridge, and what sounds like a sample of something that sounds like the Lavender Town theme running through the background, and the man just keeps up with it perfectly. God damn it, The Hills is a good song.

Of course, there are many other excellent cuts from this album. Three collaborators come onto this album, and Ed Sheeran just steals the show from the other two on the track Dark Times, another example of The Weeknd matching perfectly with his collaborator. The two play off each other blissfully in front of the excellent atmosphere set by the production. The other major star collaborator on this album, Lana Del Rey on the penultimate track Prisoner, may not match Sheeran's excellent performance, but that's not to discount her either. She provides a hauntingly beautiful addition to this track, making this one of her best performances to date. Seriously, Sheeran and Rey were perfect fits for this kind of album and especially for their respective tracks.

I have to say I'm not too big on the track Losers. Labyrinth gives a very awkward performance and sound-wise it just feels so... unfitting with the rest of the album. I mean, it's only the second track, but.. it's still a pretty big throw-off.

But I think where this album really shines is in its storyline. Loosely tying together a story of a man addicted to drugs, alcohol, and sex, trying to come out of this place but in the end ends up right where he started, providing a certain sense of bleakness to this record that really helps prompt it up. It's certainly a cohesive record, and one with a very good storyline and a few standout tracks that are just god damn incredible.

One the whole, it's not quite a masterpiece, but it's certainly a massive highlight in releases in popular mainstream music this year, and if you're on the lookout for a sexy, dark, and incredibly well-put together R&B record, this is one I must recommend.

BEST SONGS: The Hills, Dark Times feat. Ed Sheeran, In The Night, Prisoner feat. Lana Del Rey, Tell Your Friends, Shameless

WORST SONG: Losers feat. Labrinth

Final Score:

8.5/10

Bullet For My Valentine: "Venom" Album Review

https://open.spotify.com/album/1YjxZhd158jSm2906JqzXF

Metalcore and its many subsidiaries are certainly polarizing genres, to say the least.

And I don't mean the general consensus when it comes to the genres under this label, I mean in terms of quality. Some metalcore bands line up with some of the best artists of the 21st Century, while others line up with some of the worst. For every fantastic group of artists like Bring Me The Horizon or Motionless In White, we've unfortunately had to deal with an absolutely atrocious act such as Atilla or Brokencyde.

Which brings me to arguably the biggest and greatest of the genre, Bullet For My Valentine, who first hit the scene in 2005 with their absolutely classic album The Poison, which has gone down as one of the staple metal records of the 2000's, and with excellent tracks like The End, Hit The Floor, and of course the certifiable classic Tears Don't Fall, one of my personal favorite songs of all time, it's pretty clear to see why.

And they followed it up with the incredibly solid duo of Scream Aim Fire in 2008 and Fever in 2010, which while not quite matching The Poison, were still fantastic metal records nonetheless, and produced quite their fair share of great songs.

But then came the album that nearly killed the band's reputation, 2013's massive misstep known as Temper Temper. A radio-friendly, mainstream hard rock album that the metalcore community completely shunned. Now, I personally didn't hate the album as much as others (I was more lukewarm towards it), but I completely understood the heavy fire it came under and personally, alongside the majority, consider it Bullet's weakest album by far.

So when Bullet announced a new album earlier this year and released the excellent, excellent, excellent leadoff single No Way Out, while simultaneously claiming it would be their heaviest release to date, I was stoked, with an excitement that only grew with each successive single.

You Want A Battle? (Here's A War), Army Of Noise, Worthless, all brilliant songs harkening back to Bullet's classic material while introducing a more traditional metal style with the heaviest guitars, drums, and screams of the band's career, and they were only previews of what the full album would hold.

So, when the album finally dropped, I was in full hype mode and came into it expecting one of the best albums of the year.

And is that what I got?

Well...

Venom by Bullet For My Valentine is a fantastic album and a massive improvement over the one that came prior, and it is filled with some amazing songs, and while on the whole it's not quite the utter masterpiece I came in expecting, it's still a fantastic metal record and an easy contender as one of the best albums of 2015.

That's not to say it doesn't have its flaws, so let's address those first.

I think my biggest problem with this album is the same problem that a lot of modern rock albums suffer from; there are many points where the album devolves into filler. It's not quite as filler-tastic as Temper Temper, but there are definitely several songs, specifically towards the middle and end of the album, that don't really stand out or grab my attention when compared to some of the other songs on the album. Tracks such as The Harder The Heart (The Harder It Breaks), Skin, and Playing God just seem less interesting and memorable than most of the album. None of these songs are really bad, just forgettable and, well, they do drag the album down a bit.

But that said, I don't really have any other major problems with this album.

Yes, aside from a few filler tracks that do distract just a little bit, there is almost not an element of this album I do not love. I'd dare say it's nearly if not completely on par with The Poison. Yeah, we're going there.

First and foremost, the general sound of this album. Matt Tuck said they were going for their heaviest and most powerful sound to date here on Venom, and by god, do they deliver. The guitars are heavy, fast-paced, and deliver some absolutely insane solos, specifically on tracks like Broken and Pariah, and the drumming is loud, pounding, and hard-hitting. And the vocals? I'm gonna say it: Matt's vocals are the best they've ever been on this album. They're aggressive, cathartic, loud, and powerful. In his singing, screaming, and growling throughout the record, he makes it all sound so incredibly easy, not like he's straining or stretching at all. His screaming alongside that of new bassist Jamie Mathias manages to be incredibly loud and sound absolutely righteously pissed-off without being ear-bleedingly obnoxious or whiny, which is a true sign of a good metalcore band.

For a good example of this, let's talk about the track Broken, one of the album's biggest highlights. It starts with some gut-punching drum work, and speedy guitar riffs from both Matt and guitarist Michael Paget, and proceeds to have some of the best instrumental work, screaming, and songwriting the band has pulled off in a long time.

This also shines through in the aforementioned singles, all of which were fantastic (seriously, great choice of singles here), and they make for some of the best stuff on this record. No Way Out (with the added atmosphere of the opening segue track simply titled V), Army Of Noise, Worthless, and You Want A Battle? (Here's A War) is just a four-piece face punch of pure heavy metal awesomeness, and serve as an amazing opener to the album.

The chanting opening and chorus of You Want A Battle? (Here's A War) is one of the most memorable parts of the album, and would make for an epic part of a live performance (seriously, just imagine a whole massive mosh pit chanting that opening in unison... god, that sounds amazing.).

This album also has moments of real emotion, points of hopelessness and betrayal (both of which are strong themes throughout all of BFMV's discography), where the songwriting really shines through. Hell Or High Water is a good example of this, as not only is it musically very different, but fits the rather bleak songwriting really well, really giving of the feeling of sinking and drowning, just as the lyrics portray a similar feeling (albeit more metaphorically). The emotion also shines through on the slower title track Venom, which has a much more subtle tone then the rest of the album, especially in the opening instrumentals.

I think it's safe to say No Way Out was the prefect first taste of this album. Aggressive, heavy, and an all-around heavy metal track. That's what Venom is: no-bullshit, heavy-as-fuck, loud, aggressive, angsty, and kick-ass heavy metal.

Whether you're a BFMV fanboy, looking to get into the band, or just a casual rock/metal fan, Venom is a fantastic album that is a must-listen for anyone who likes modern metal, and aside from a couple of rather unimpressive tracks, is definitely one of the best albums of the year thus far.

BEST SONGS: Broken, No Way Out, Army Of Noise, Hell Or High Water, You Want A Battle? (Here's A War), Pariah

WORST SONGS: The Harder The Heart (The Harder It Breaks), Skin

Final Score:

8/10

The Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 (as of August 4th, 2015) Reviewed

Ah, the pop charts.

No doubt a major piece in the world of music. The definitive measure of what's popular, what's trending, what's "hot", as it were.

They're a vessel for good music and bad music alike, from songs that sadly drop from the public eye too quickly to songs that never go away. And no more do we see of the latter category then in the Top 10, the cream of the crop, the biggest of the big.

And if you're going to get overplayed to hell and back, you'd better have a damn good song to justify it. Sometimes this is the case, others... not so much.

Which is why today I'm marathonning the whole of the current Billboard Top 10 and reviewing and scoring every single song. Because why the fuck not.

I'm only going to be doing this each time the Top 10 becomes completely different from the previous time I did this, as to avoid having to repeat myself.

With that said, we got 10 songs to get through, so let's get it done.

#10: "Shut Up And Dance" by Walk The Moon

I'd say we're off to a pretty good start.

I can't even form a coherent paragraph on why Shut Up And Dance is so great, there's so much to absolutely adore here.

Reminiscent of The Killers' golden-age work? Check. Undeniably happy and cheerful? Check. Catchy and infectious as all fuck? Check. An actual rock song? Check.

The fast-paced guitar work, the colorful 80's-ish vibe, the stomp-clap percussion, the epic synth-guitar solo near the end, every waking moment and aspect of this song is glorious.

This is the feel-good dance hit of the year. Not Uptown Funk, Not Honey I'm Good, this. It's the ultimate party song in every sense of the word, and as a song itself, it's basically perfect.

9/10

#9: "Fight Song" by Rachel Platton

At first, I didn't care about this song.

But after a few listens, I still didn't care about this song.

And now that I've heard it many times and have given it plenty of time to sink in, I can now say that I actually, definitively, do not care about this song.

The reason I find nothing to care about in Fight Song is because Fight Song is a song that gives me nothing to care about. It's just another lame, bland empowerment anthem, but unlike other standard empowerment anthems like Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You) by Kelly Clarkson or Brave by Sara Bareilles, it implies no struggle (like the former does) and isn't even directed towards the audience thus motivating them (like the latter).

No, Fight Song is a song about Rachel Platton telling you how great she is. The central concept of this song is "I am awesome." That's it. Nothing for the listener to think about, no conflict, not even good instrumentation to back it up and at least allow you to join in the "I am awesome"-ness (see: Uptown Funk), just a long, excruciatingly boring series of "I'm so great because I'm empowered or whatever" cliches. That's probably the best way I can describe this song: cliched.

I don't care for bland female empowerment anthems in general, but at least a lot of them have more substance than this. This is 3 and a half minutes of musical nothing. No thanks.

4/10

#8: "My Way" by Fetty Wap feat. Monty

Fetty Wap is... interesting to say the least. 

I mean I'll give him this, he's certainly unique. I don't think I've ever heard a rapper have a voice, flow, or even style quite like his.

His first entrance into the world of pop music was the mega-hit Trap Queen, which we'll get to in a bit. However, his singles seemed to slowly decrease in quality with each passing one that got released.

And yeah, I'm about to break a lot of hearts by saying I don't like this. Like, at all.

I mean, it's not the most awful thing ever or anything it's just... a mess. A complete disaster.

The production is sloppy and confused, the vocal samples are obnoxious, and Fetty Wap's flow here is the worst it's ever been, and guest rapper Monty isn't much better. Lyrically, it's not really even worth mentioning, it's just standard rap flair, nothing special.

All in all, this song just gives me a headache. It's not Rae Shremmurd or Nicki Minaj bad, but it's pretty bad. Cluttered, confused, and something I never want to hear again.

3.5/10

#7: "Trap Queen" by Fetty Wap

Speaking of Fetty Wap, let's walk about the hit that broke him through.

I gotta say, this song is actually pretty good, at least compared to My Way.

The production is much cleaner and even really enjoyable, Fetty's flow is much better, and his unique style really shines through there.

Even the lyrics are pretty good, as they actually come off as a pretty romantic sentiment towards this girl. Speaking of the lyrics, this song is quotable as hell. Definitely working "hey what's up hellooo" and "sounded like a zillion bucks on the track" into as many everyday conversations as possible.

It's not great, not really anything I'd seek out, but it's enjoyable enough and certainly a step up from My Way.

6.5/10

Also, did you know that Fetty Wap's name literally translates to "Money Money"? It's true, look it up.

#6: "Lean On" by Major Lazer and DJ Snake feat. M0

Now, in terms of the EDM subgenres, trap is one of my least favorites (I'm more of a progressive house and trance person myself), which is why I wasn't exactly too thrilled when artists like DJ Snake started taking over the mainstream electronic scene.

But I gotta admit, his current big hit Lean On... it really isn't so bad.

The production is not loud or overbearing and is actually kind of pretty, the vocals are pretty good and fit the production well, and while the crescendo is pretty weak it's followed by a decent enough drop.

Not a lot to say, it's just a decent song. Not great, but I'll sure as fuck take it over DJ Snake's other song from this year Get Low (ugh) any day. Not too shabby.

6/10

#5: "See You Again" by Wiz Khalifa feat. Charlie Puth

If you had told me a year ago that Wiz Khalifa would make a song that was not only good but absolutely beautiful, I would've laughed right in your face.

And yet, here we are. See You Again, the absolutely fantastic tribute to Paul Walker that turned into a surprise megahit, and thank the music gods for that because See You Again is amazing.

Charlie Puth is the singer on this track, and his emotive performance gives the song a real punch (specifically in the bridge... damn.), and combined with Wiz Khalifa's heartfelt songwriting in his verses make See You Again a truly fantastic song.

Easily Wiz Khalifa's best work to date, and the best rap hit of the year so far.

9/10

#4: "Bad Blood" [Remix] by Taylor Swift feat. Kendrick Lamar

OK, you know what's weird? The remix of this song with Kendrick is clearly the one that charted, yet at least where I live, the only one that ever gets any radio play is the original. 

And that's pretty unfortunate because while the remix is only a slight improvement, constantly hearing the original got really grating really fast, probably because Bad Blood is one of the worst tracks on 1989. Not quite as bad as Shake It Off, but still.

Luckily, Kendrick helps make the song a bit more tolerable. His verses are pretty technically impressive, and helps make the chorus and bridge a lot more listenable because it breaks up the monotony. It's still far from a good song, and Kendrick can and has done much better, but the remix is somewhat of an improvement, I'll give it that.

The production is a disaster, it's overbearing yet still somehow incredibly weak. Taylor isn't at her most insufferable here per se, but her performance can definitely grate on the ears.

Not Taylor's worst song by a long shot, but an incredibly weak one made only slightly better by Kendrick's presence. Definitely one to skip.

4.5/10

#3: "Watch Me" by Silento

*ahem*

UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.........

2/10

#2: "Can't Feel My Face" by The Weeknd

I gotta say, mainstream R&B is in a pretty good place right now, at least compared to the absolutely awful year it had in 2014.

Jason DeRulo is making decent music again, great artists like Miguel are getting a lot of buzz, and to top it off, we have this guy, The Weeknd, probably one of the best mainstream artists currently working.

I wasn't a fan of Earned It at first, but it's really been growing on me recently, and of course I utterly adored The Hills from the beginning and still do (seriously, The Hills is fantastic.), and now we have his new track Can't Feel My Face, a slick, catchy retro tune. And I love it.

The production is tight and funky, and The Weeknd matches it perfectly with his great Michael Jackson-esque performance, making a great throwback tune capturing the best of 70's-80's disco and pop music perfectly.

Speaking of which, I've heard some criticism that this song is a "ripoff" of the likes of MJ, but I personally see it as more of a tribute, a song designed to pay homage to that style of music rather than steal from it.

It's just a damn good, incredibly solid pop song, and while I would've much preferred The Hills, Can't Feel My Face still proves to be a great track.

8/10

#1: "Cheerleader" [Remix] by OMI feat. Felix Jaehn

Every Summer should have at least one good charting Summer song, and this year we got a few. From Maroon 5's utter flailing failure at writing a Summer jam in "This Summer's Gonna Hurt (Like A Motherfucker)" to Demi Lovato's decent-to-enjoyable "Cool For The Summer" to the best of the three, this one right here.

Cheerleader is the perfect Summer pop hit. It has everything, breezy, light production, reggae influences, a beachy vibe, and a great R&B vocalist in OMI, and it proves to be a very enjoyable and highly catchy Summer track.

While it's probably not something I'd listen to year-round, for this time of year, it fits perfectly. It's one for the Summer playlists and definitely a great fit for the #1 spot.

7.5/10

And that's my thoughts in the current Billboard Top 10. Thanks for reading, and I will see you all next time.