If you’ve ever read this blog before, you’re probably familiar with my opinions on mainstream music. The music that is currently at the forefront of the industry itself is upsetting not only in and of itself, but also due to the fact that it’s nothing short of insulting to the charting topping musicians that came before.
Lil Wayne and The Beatles have both shared the same spots on the charts, but to compare them as musical artist is, well… I’d rather just not think about it. It’s in terrible taste.
And before you call me unfair and accuse me of judging music just because I don’t like the genre or style itself (which happens not to be true), let me set the record straight: Mainstream music is not bad because of the direction it takes or the sound it has, or even the lyrics. No, mainstream music is bad because the people who make it, with a small number of exceptions, have ZERO musical talent. They’re tone-deaf, rhythmless, and frequently don’t even have the ear to tell the difference between a hi-fi recording and a youtube video. And as of late, even artists that DO have talent have been shunning it in favor of an easy buck. Anyone heard Beyoncé’s new track? Cuz that ain’t a sample if you ask me. It’s an entire ripped tune with a vocal laid on top that has so little to do with the song itself that I’m wondering whether she just recorded the vocal without a song at all, and then just found a track to put under it later.
As such, I’ve had to close my eyes and take deep breaths for years, ever since this became the norm, just hoping that one day there would emerge some sort of breakthrough artist with a completely new approach. One that would rewrite the face of mainstream music for better and for good. This past March, that day finally came.
There’s this R&B (hold your fire, it’s not what you think) singer from Canada who came out of nowhere and shotgun blasted us with an album that may as well have dumped a bucket of white paint all over everything in the mainstream before it and painted a whole new picture for the face of R&B, leaving only the gentle emboss of the old R&B underneath as a hint at influence. He calls himself The Weeknd, and his album, House of Balloons is a masterpiece. It’s brilliantly thought out, has a rather disturbing but excellently executed motif, flows like an album should, and is beautifully produced with the somber hands of a morning after soldier. And the best part? The Weeknd’s approach is so unique, no one can figure out whether to call it underground, indie, or mainstream, because it just can’t be forced to fit into any single one of those, though it has a lot to do with all of them.
Wait, did I say that was the best part? It’s not. The real best part is that his album is available to download for free from his website. It’s not even one of those “you pick the price” kinds of free, it’s just straight up free.
And if after all this, you’re still not inclined to head to the-weeknd.com and get your copy, you’re a fool.
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The Weeknd – House Of Balloons / Glass Table Girls
