It's honestly insane how much this man's music has changed in the past decade. Change can always be a good thing, artists have to evolve. Due to maturity, age, life-changing moments, or to get with the times. Sure, change can have its negative aspects. Different styles and sounds could turn people off and want their favorites to go back to the "good "old days". When this man drops anything new, people get upset and feelings of disappointment cause it's not his old sounds from the trilogy days. There are still elements of his sound, mostly in his lyrics but this man is doing the super bowl, winning kid awards show, and doing songs for blockbuster movies. It's a trip yes but he's in a different space now. He's at the top of the world right now and that unknown artist who was hungry to make it is no longer there.
"Dawn FM" rollout wasn't long like his previous album. One of the singles he dropped last year "Take my Breath" made the cut. I personally was indifferent towards that song. The production reminds me of a car commercial or the Stranger Things soundtrack. With context though now, it does fit with the whole concept of this. Weeknd continues with the 80's sound mixed with the disco era and movie soundtrack ost mixing. The theme of "Dawn FM" is you are stuck in a traffic tunnel and you're listening to the radio, and the metaphor for the tunnel is purgatory and the end of the tunnel is the light aka heaven. Lyrically is the same old we get from the Weeknd with the debauchery but this time, he sounds scared for his life.
I will give credit that he sticks with the concept, Jim Carrey plays the radio DJ and narrates the entire album. He does a great job and I feel like his weird personality and acting style fit what the album is doing. Quincy Jones also makes an appearance, him being here makes a lot of sense. I am curious if he had his hands on some of the albums, Weeknd has been compared to MJ over the last few years and Quincy played a part of MJ's music back then. Tyler and Lil Wayne are the only two features, Tyler did his thing here, he sounded Kodak a bit I'll admit. Wayne has been on a run as of late with guest features like back then but his verse is indifferent to me and didn't fit with the album.
Album does kick off slightly rough, "Gasoline" is my least favorite song. The lyrics do embrace the self-destruct he's been known for, singing about setting himself on fire to end it all. He's doing a pretty bad British campy accent ruins the song for me, I think what carries despite setting the tone of the album is the production. I picture this making the cut for Flash FM on GTA Vice City and I'm driving down Ocean Drive. "How Do I Make You Love Me" has a catchy hook, shit has been stuck in my head since it came out. I will say this too. What makes the album as good as it is is the transitions from track to track. I forgot to mention that earlier, lt didn't click with me on the first listen cause I did hear this at dawn when I was opening the store and I was half asleep at the time.
"Sacrifice" gets the album going with me. I love the loop of the electro guitar, I head bop and do a shoulder shimmy every time this song comes on. He talks about his hometown and how cold-hearted the city made him in his youth, and now with him leaving that city, part of that old self that he led on is still there and you can't change him no matter what. You can take the boy out of Toronto but can't take the Toronto out of the boy. He doesn't wanna sacrifice his old lifestyle and his free time just for her despite the feelings he has for his lover, even with the attempts he made. "Out of Time" has The Weeknd dive into city pop, this track is fantastic. I've been listening to tons of retro city pop as of late and I am glad he tapped into this sound. Now I just want a city pop album from him, if he sticks to this decade.
"Best Friend" is the ultimate friends with benefits song. He gets why the woman has fallen for him but he ain't down with that so he cuts ties with her. It's such a toxic song but we've all been there, I like the track with a simple theme. The next track transition into irony with weekend crooning asking his lover "Is there someone else?'. He keeps saying I will change for the better but she rather just move on. Then the transition to "Starry Eyes" where he talks about he's ready to settle down now cause she makes him feel less lonely and fills that void he's been missing. He does seem optimistic and a hopeless romantic, most likely she gonna say no but he's ready to take that chance and risk. "Don't Break My Heart" is fine. It sounds like a starboy leftover, very low-key from the other more grand and epic tracks. "I Heard You're Married" with Wayne and "Less Than Zero" are fine tracks too. I wasn't too crazy about them. They would've fit on a deluxe version of After Hours. Production of both songs has that movie credit or an anime ending song.
The final track with Jim Carrey's poem is pretty good and awesome. He talks about self-reflection with one's soul and now accepting death and sweet embrace and your soul is ready for heaven or the great beyond. Finding peace with yourself with the good and bad things you've done and questioning what happens now that you're no longer here but your body is. Accept yourself, and dance to your own beat and drum. It's a good ending and what the whole album is about.
"Dawn FM" took me a few listens to click with me and to love everything it was doing. It's like a sequel to Starboy and After Hours but more afraid and vulnerable. Weeknd has been in a Vulnerable state in the past but you hear and feel the fear he's been dealing with, as most of us have been lately in the last couple of years. It still baffles me people don't like the sound of this album, I like this type of music. I'm not that old but I hear this style of music all the time growing up. I love the 80's synths and electro-pop sounds. Who knows if he gonna still be stuck in this decade with his next albums or we go move forward or backward into decades style. All I know is I'm gonna look forward to what he does next.
Favorite Tracks: Out of Time, Sacrifice, Starry Eyes, Best Friends, Is Ther Someone Else, Here We Go.....Again, Starry Eyes, How Do I Make You Love Me
Least Favorite Tracks: Gasoline
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