Work It Like A Pro: Echoes of Silence 10 Years On One
Photo vultured from Vulture.com
By Nick M.W.
Echoes of Silence earned the critical praise it garnered when it was released. It was a solid conclusion to the drugged out musical experience that was Trilogy, with The Weeknd giving us more of his creepy wordplay and lecherous desires, expanding production beyond Illangelo’s Midas touch. Abel Tesfaye set a mood on House of Balloons that he carried through the final seconds of Echoes..., creating intrigue and (possibly) green-lighting the obscenities he so gracefully crooned, from his reimagining of Michael Jackson’s “Dirty Diana”, on which Tesfaye sounds uncannily similar to the King of Pop, to the reissue bonus track “’Til Dawn (Here Comes the Sun)”. Dude stayed in character for over 30 tracks, and successfully created a persona that, to this day, remains a naturally evolved (or devolved depending on your perspective) version, ten years deep.
Photo by @kalen_hollomon via Facebook.
With each of the three pieces of this Trilogy officially in place and in our streaming services and audio devices, and with a decade’s worth of time to give each piece a listen, it’s fair to say that the experiment was a tremendous success. The Weeknd didn’t immediately become a household name after these mixtapes came out, but it earned him a record deal and an opportunity that he has taken the distance. He was the main act for the Super Bowl LV Halftime Show, which might as well be the benchmark for “made it”. Fuck the Grammy’s and the other accolades. The Super Bowl is a stage reserved for international superstars (and their titties). Check this short list of top acts. Recognize any of the names? To think that this incredible trajectory for The Weeknd began with some anonymous YouTube releases and the three mixtapes that built his mysterious persona of star-crossed lover boy who desired to pop pills and have group sex. Not a bad goal for any day, actually, but The Weeknd showed that he had the absolute talent to make those dreams come true and experience the blinding glow of fame.
My only complaint with Trilogy as a whole, and where I feel Thursday and Echoes... suffer the most is from an abundance of filler songs. The three mixtapes could have been trimmed down into one focused yet blurred, drug induced party trip, and it would have been a classic album. Trilogy is good, but it might have been great. It all worked out in the end for The Weeknd, and Trilogy is beloved by his fans. Echoes of Silence closes out his three-part act of horny with another haunting journey under the sheets, through purple haze.
Standout Tracks
“D.D.” gets honorable mention here because The Weeknd actually pulls of his version of Michael Jackson flawlessly, but I have to give it up for these three other tracks.
“Outside”
Illangelo flips a sample from Cults’ “Go Outside”, and The Weeknd, doing what he does best, sings about being high as fuck and having sex with a lady who just broke up with her man.
“Same Old Song”
Juicy J said it on record, “The Weeknd music make the ladies panties get wet!” If you didn’t regret leaving Abel behind then, you’re surely regretting it now, bitch.
“The Fall”
There’s no fear of falling when you’ve already been on the ground, rock bottom. The Weeknd has been there, and he’s letting you know that he isn’t phased.
