What is it with the singles charts? It’s like watching paint dry, a tiny move at the top (Bieber drops to third, the two Weeknd’s move up a peg) and Ed has his third hit off X… you remember X, it dropped FIFTEEN MONTHS AGO. It might well be a bitch to get anything to hit big in the music world of 2015 but if it does -watch out, folks, because nothing else has moved an inch. Meanwhile, expect nothing but the weekend for months to come.
the three neo soul albums, one in the second month of the season, and two as the season bows out, made a case for this being the summer where neo soul got important
Tell Your Friends – The Weeknd – I love the intro, it kinda shudders in and than Abel does broad and swift and small and minor brushstrokes in a self portrait that sounds like two parts deduction with a chorus that doesn’t soar it more likes shakes on the beat.
Sure, this is all over the damn place but that’s because there is no centrifugal force in pop, it is all on the fringes with pop EDM , country and hip hop vying for the charts and EDM winning by a hair. Later on I’ll figure favorites among the favorites but in pure pop for now people form? The Weeknd is unbeatable.
That’s the thing about this brave new pop moment, if I don’t l like “High On The Beach”. all I have to do is wait a minute and here Lana Del Rey comes around again with a song to take the nasty taste out of my mouth.
I haven’t seen the Weeknd since… well actually since July when he performed a song at Taylor Swift’s Metlife gig. But I haven’t seen him perform a set since he opened for Justin Timberlake in 2013 and while truth be told, there is no way I am going to Jones Beach this weekend for a half hour set, these concert at MSG and Barclay Center?
Why has Miguel not hit pop yet? I like the Weeknd fine, and I’ve seen both Miguel and the Weeknd live on stage and the Weeknd was much better. However, Wild Heart is a great album and I really surprised it had no traction. I’ll take “The valley” over “The Hills” and I actually really like “The Hills”.
The Hills – The Weeknd – The one time I saw this guy live I was impressed, less a DJ then a soul man, and this soulful come on, trying to get her out of the Friend zone, is yet another gorgeous neo-R&B track , it clicks nicely and is as good as anything he has ever done- A-
ot the greatest charts you’ll ever see but you can’t have everything, what it lacks in bang zoom it makes up with the Weeknd inching its way up the charts with the best 50 Shades track. Otherwise, the UK is reading more like the US charts every day, the only oddity here is Ella.
The one time I saw The Weeknd live, I was shocked at how lively he was, the poster boy for dark and moody new r&b once he hit the stage simply wasn’t any more. The one time I saw Ariana on stage, she was the pits. Put em together and you have a mediocre but popular song.
Luscious Jackson made a welcome return to the fray with an album that is shockingly wonderful and fun. The 1990s indie band reformed in 2011 and just released their first new album and it is really great. I know I’m gonna forget about it but I hope you don’t.
Wicked Games – The Weeknd – The sound of modern r&b is a slo mo dub step droopiness that the youngsters seem to dig today, if it had a better melody maybe I’d agree that this production star is big time – C+
