Real Life: This one is really catchy, head-nodding stuff with some really interesting, personal lyrics. I think it’s interesting how he’s reflecting on his own self-destructive lifestyle, and the song itself is a really great listen. Definitely a strong start to the album.
Losers (ft. Labrinth): This song has a really cool, swinging beat, and Abel’s vocals are good as usual, but I’m not crazy about Labrinth’s appearance. I feel like he gets overshadowed a lot by Abel, and overall, I don’t think I can call this my favorite song on the album. It’s not bad, and I think it’s an interesting-sounding, different kind of song for The Weeknd, but I just don’t see myself listening to it again after this review.
Tell Your Friends: A very sexy song with a really catchy hook, strong vocals and flow from Abel, a really smooth, nice melody, and some very unapologetically hard, NSFW lyrics. This is an amazing song that I can tell you I’ll be listening to on loop for a while.
Often: I like the dark, eeriness on this one, and for lack of a better way of putting it, the song is very sexy. Abel’s vocals are sexy, the beat is sexy, the hook is really catchy, this one is really fantastic. I don't know why I didn't have it as a favorite when I first wrote the review, but it's definitely a great one!
The Hills: Also very dark and eerie, I love how this one will go down and then just explode. It’s really exciting, extremely memorable, and it’s an all-around incredible song. There’s a reason The Weeknd has this song as one of his encores, because usually you save your best songs for last, and this one really is one of his best.
Acquainted: I love the instrumental on this, the really cool drum beats, the catchy hook, and of course, Abel’s vocals. And even though the song has one of those really long instrumental sections that I’m usually not crazy about, it works in this song because the instrumental break just sounds so awesome. Definitely a great song.
Can’t Feel My Face: I read a review that called this song “pop perfection.” I have to agree because even after so many hits and after a full album, this song is still so irresistible: it’s grooving, it’s extremely catchy, Abel’s vocals are incredible, I’m still dancing along to this even after two years. Way to go, Abel, this song has become one of my favorite of all-time.
Shameless: I love the acoustic guitar melody on this song, the guitar solo is amazing on this one, and Abel’s vocals on this song are some of the best on the entire album. This one also definitely has to be one of my favorites on this record.
Earned It: Admittedly, this one took a while to grow on me. When I first heard it, I wasn’t really crazy about it. Now, I can say that it’s a very sexy, enjoyable song with an interesting beat and a really catchy hook. I understand why it was nominated for an Academy Award because it’s definitely a great song.
In The Night: This one deals with some very heavy subject matter, but it’s got an amazing hook, a great overall sound, and more of Abel’s incredible vocals. This is definitely one of my favorite tracks on the album, and it’s one that just begs repeat listens.
As You Are: Very upbeat, catchy, funky song. This is another great example of a song that is really sexy even if the lyrics aren’t. That said, the song changes its feel after the second chorus, and while I feel like it kind of makes the song go on a bit too long, it's still enjoyably dark and moody, and this is definitely a track that's grown on me quite a bit.
Dark Times (ft. Ed Sheeran): Putting my two favorite artists (The Weeknd and Ed Sheeran) on a track together is automatically a match made in heaven for me, but I’ll admit this isn’t my favorite song on the album. I’m not as crazy about the beat or the instrumental as a whole on this one. That said, the song works for me because of Ed and Abel’s vocals. They both sound amazing as usual, even if the instrumental supporting them isn’t as great. I hope to see them collaborate more in the future.
Prisoner (ft. Lana Del Rey): This is a song I’m personally not as crazy about. It’s not as exciting to me, and I feel like it’s very in Abel’s comfort zone. Don’t get me wrong, his vocals are great as always, and Lana Del Rey has a good voice as well, but I feel like this just isn’t as exciting as some of the others on the album, and it’s a track I feel like I won’t want to play on repeat in the future.
Angel: This is definitely an epic finale on the album. I don’t know why I’ve been ignoring this song all this time, but it features some incredibly beautiful vocals from Abel and a really booming, epic beat, and some heartbreaking lyrics about wishing well to the person you love. An incredible end to the album, and one of Abel’s best songs for sure.
Overall, The Weeknd’s “Beauty Behind the Madness” is exactly what he needed after the iffy start with “Kiss Land.” It’s a bit more poppy, yes, but it features some really incredible songs that are catchy, memorable, exciting, and worth listening to over and over again. There’s a reason this album put him on the map, and it’s not just because he had one or two chart-toppers on it: it’s because it’s an amazing album with plenty of fantastic songs that proves that Abel’s experimentation worked for the better. It’s a tremendous bounce-back from “Kiss Land,” but beyond it being a bounce-back, it’s a fantastic record with memorable songs that you have to listen to if you haven’t already.
Favorite tracks: Real Life, Tell Your Friends, Often*, The Hills, Acquainted*, Can't Feel My Face, Shameless, Earned It*, In The Night, As You Are*, Angel
Least favorite tracks: Prisoners, if I had to pick one.
Rating: Excellent
(*An asterisk next to a “favorite track” indicates that the track wasn’t initially one of my “favorite tracks” when I first wrote the review. If a track has an asterisk next to it, it means the song wasn’t initially a favorite of mine, but it grew on me, and the text for the song may have been edited to more properly reflect that.)
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