Deep Dive: The Weeknd Part 2 (Starboy)

    We're back with part two! We're talking about The Weeknd's Starboy. I'm excited to talk about this one because I think it's really cool. Which may not be a super original description. But even from the first track, the album exudes this seductive, glossy confidence that isn't found so easily in the music landscape. And it even produced hits well long after its initial release. (How about that number one single, "Die For You," huh?) A lot of genres are incorporated here too. Some which might seem unconventional like 2-step and disco house though it's primarily a slick mix of pop and R&B. 

    Let's star dive on into this:

    Our opening track is also the title track. I think "Starboy" can best be described as a subdued banger. It shows such restraint yet is in your face at the same time. Very confident. The Weeknd himself can sing. He has a beautiful voice. Seriously. But he has such control here. It gives us a classic Weeknd vibe that's kind of unsettling yet cool. It leaves you craving more which the album delivers on.

    The second track, "Party Monster," continues that wild restraint. The lyrics are nice and personal. The name-dropping is attention grabbing. Very catchy as well. I thought I heard Lana Del Rey in the background here, so I went running to Wikipedia and sure enough. My ears have yet to deceive me! She's uncredited here, but... It's our girl. No doubt. The production continues to be straight gasoline-fueled fire. I think it's also a great segway into the next track.

    Speaking of which, "False Alarm" is the first straight-forward banger that we get. That chorus goes off. It really is like an alarm. But a true one. So it creates a paradox. Hahaha! It's the definition of wild and keeps the confidence going from the first two tracks. 

    Then we seamlessly transition into the smooth "Reminder." The production so far has continued to impressed and be so polished. Everything about The Weeknd is polished. Even when he is singing raw lyrics. Again, I can see how he and Lana Del Rey speak to each other artistically so much. They have the same humor. I think we see some of Weeknd's humor here when he sings "G** d*** b****, I am not a Teen Choice." It's just a great line with so much weight to it. And it feels like a Lana line. And! She even features here on this album later on.

   "Rockin'" is so on point with the album's themes and concepts. And it sounds like a space trip. Cool as hell. The verses are busy and do a lot and prepare us for a slam dunk of a chorus. It's just screaming for you to sing along to it. And you should be if you're not. The Weeknd discussed in an interview about how bragging is a big part of the album, and bragging is nothing new when it comes to R&B or hip-hop. But, and I've talked about it earlier, there's just this confidence here that exudes such positivity. And it's sexy! Downright sexy!

    "Secrets" continue to prove how the album is so well thought out. The tracks all standout yet go together perfectly. A top-notch example of how an album should be, to be honest. "Secrets" is fun and Weeknd switches up his delivery and singing style a bit here on the verses. The production is still godly, by the way.

    There's a noticeable shift with the next track, "True Colors." We're slowing down here. Getting groovy. After back to back banger, "True Colors" sounds like a beautiful face-to-face talk. Like that dreamy, drowned out piano in the background. It's nice.

    Our girl appears! Lana Del Rey shows up to throw us some spice. Thematically, she totally switches it up for us. And her contribution is so Lana. The production is a nice middle ground between both artists. Lana sounds great here. Then The Weeknd  comes in. They should have made this into a full-length song. No doubt. It's still not too late though! Please! We're begging! 

    We can't be too mad though. "Sidewalks" is that song. Can you name anything more panty-dropping than that opening? Downright sexy. This song really gives the album some soul. And Weeknd sounds like he's giving us universal truths here. Probably because he really is. I found the chorus really interesting here because I think it would have been easy to continue going down vintage-throwback route here, but the vocal effects on the chorus bring it into the far-away future with the rest of the Starboy vibe. Kendrick Lamar's verse is excellent as always too.

    "Six Feet Under" keeps the "Sidewalks" vibe going. Thematically on a sonic level, we are consistent but not so consistent that we get bored. It's a fine line to walk, to be honest. The Grammys love to spotlight albums that are consistent in all forms of lyrics, themes, concepts, and sound. But it's still nice to see an artist take the main idea and push it into new boundary-less territories. The hook here is something too. In a good way.

    The opening to "Love To Lay" is fantastic. The drumming catches your attention. It's like when you start smacking your hands on a countertop or something and you like the sound. So you make your own song. I was honestly surprised to see this song wasn't a single. It has radio-hit written all over it. It's easy to love. I guess it's a deep cut that's just for us then!

    "A Lonely Night" gives me Aran Tomoko vibes. Which is interesting considering Weeknd sampled "Midnight Pretenders" on Dawn FM. And even more interesting is the Fuyu-Kukan album has a song titled "Lonely Night." Which is excellent, by the way. Both songs are. Though I feel like we're losing just a tad bit of steam here. Though there is a cool bridge here that is just straight eccentric fun.

    I love that so many of the tracks are "busy." There's so many layers to them that they're fun to dissect and listen to endlessly on repeat. I know from experience. "Attention" is a prime example of this. And there's a futuristic funk bridge here that is insane!

    "Ordinary Life" along with "Attention" take place of what would be ballads on other albums. They're not ballads, but they are moments where we take a breath. Or potentially even skip. They're not bad songs and they contribute to the overall Starboy zeitgeist. But a little more is to be desired right here. Though the second verse and pre-chorus really speak to the concept of the album, and lyrically it is one of the greatest verses on the album. 

    "Nothing Without You" kind of succumbs to the same pitfall as "Ordinary Life." The production isn't even up to the same standard as previous tracks. The hook lacks compared to the other hooks. It's a boring chorus. The Weeknd sounds really good here though.

    

    "All I Know" immediately grabs our attention with that foreboding opening. It's a return to the album's form. And shakes us up a little bit in the album's final act. It's almost a return to the opening two tracks. Shoutout to Future's contribution too.

    "Die For You" is great. Its instrumental is quirky and fun. I'm so glad it became a hit because it deserved it. It's a really serious part of the album though. Where we were charismatic, confident, and nonchalant, we're now vulnerable and have been for the last 4-5 tracks or so. It works though. Especially when the chorus kicks in! The chorus is one of the best on the album production-wise, sonically, and lyrically.

    Before I start talking about the final song, "I Feel It Coming." I just want to say... We miss you, Daft Punk! Feel free to come back! "I Feel It Coming" is so much fun. A great way to end the album as well. This song will never ever go out of style. It's a throwback, it's the future, and it is amazing. And it has Daft Punk all over it. Absolutely. It's got a splash of "Get Lucky" in it, but it's all Weeknd. It's catchy, it's calm, but you can dance to it at the same time. Great!

     So how do we feel about Starboy overall? It's a great moment of popular music. The Weeknd can do whatever he wants and spread his influence as far as he wants. He can create both radio hits and thought-provoking critically acclaimed masterpieces. Or even something in between that appeals to both. Whatever he wants. Starboy is a testament to this. It's supposed to be showy and confident. And it embodies that perfectly! Mission accomplished!

    I must say that I have highly enjoyed this Deep Dive series so far. It's really made me want to listen to all of his discography. I may go back and write about his early efforts. Not for sure yet. I almost want to cover Trilogy as part of "The Best of the Best" because it appears on that list. I guess I will decide when the time comes!

Rank: A Rank. He's a mother ****ing starboy!

Recommendation: when you need a confidence boost!

Standouts:

    You can't go wrong with the singles

    Plus our newly discovered deep cut of "Love to Lay"