By Bailey Rankin, special to the News
Hey guys… Has anyone checked on The Weeknd lately? I mean, I know he’s a sad guy, but his album After Hours is next level sad.
Take the song Faith, which I find to be the saddest song on the album. He sings about losing his faith, but my question is, his faith in what?
I think he’s lost faith in himself when he sings, “I’ve been sober for a year now, it’s time for me to go back to my old ways… Thought I’d be a better man but I lied to me and to you.”
Then, Faith is followed with the most well know song from this album, Blinding Lights, and it almost feels uncomfortable. He just confessed to relapsing, but the fast pace and upbeat instrumental that comes next feels so displaced.
I see it almost as a cover up, like a huge smile you paste on your face after a mental breakdown.
And that’s what I find somewhat concerning about this album, his “addictions,” suicidal ideations and general unhappiness are on full display, yet the pain is completely covered up with booming baselines and catchy beats.
Then we play these songs on a fun night out with friends.
But maybe this album isn’t so much about his sadness, but his disappointment in himself.
Song after song he sings about how he wants to be better for the woman that he loves, but inevitably he breaks the promises he makes to her over and over again.
He even encourages her to leave or move on in Scared To Live, which opens with what I think are distorted organ chords, like what a bride would walk down the aisle to.
However, when The Weeknd isn’t singing about his sadness he’s sending out warnings. Too Late says “we’re in hell, it’s disguised as a paradise with flashing lights.” “This place is never what it seems, take me out LA… This place will be the end of me, take me out LA”, comes from Escape From LA, and Snowchild highlights his unhappiness even after achieving a dream. And if that’s the case, if he’s accomplished his goals and is still disappointed, then what’s the point? I suppose he could be warning not to prioritize fame and fortune over an actual passion.
I don’t know if you can tell, but this album really got me in my feels, and unfortunately, I can’t mindlessly listen to these songs since reading the lyrics.
Although the second half of the album doesn’t hold up to the first half, in no way is this a poor album, it just gets a little repetitive at times.