Here is our staff review of The Weeknd’s new album “After Hours” that was released March 20, 2020. Each staff member was given a different song to listen to, so not every track is covered. 

“Heartless” 

Reviewed by Lauren Curtis

Mostly known for being all over TikTok, “Heartless” has been slowly on the rise of popularity. With an iconic beginning, the song takes your attention and keeps you drawn in till the end. The beat is fun and light, and it’s a fun party song. Although the lyrics aren’t totally my style, I do like the song! It grows more and more on me the more I listen to it. (Watch it be my favorite song next week.) 

“Faith”

Reviewed by Erin Green

“After Hours” has been one of the only things keeping me sane during this quarantine, and this song is no exception. While the rest of the tracks venture more into alternative pop–a genre I usually don’t associate with The Weeknd–”Faith” is probably the most similar to his previous works. The lyrics give insight to a hopeless state of mind Abel seems to be in as he begins to lose “faith” and revert back to dangerous old habits, which is most likely why the song is so reminiscent of his other albums. The added siren sound effects at the end lead straight into the next track “Blinding Lights”, which proves “After Hours” can be listened to as a cohesive story and not just a collection of songs. Overall this song is one of my favorites from the album, and although the lyrics may not provide the best message, it’s honest and raw, which in my opinion is always better.

“Save Your Tears”

Reviewed by Isabella McAllister

I haven’t really listened to The Weekend consistently, but I do like them a lot. “Save Your Tears” is definitely one of my favorites from listening to the album.This song was not what I was expecting at all. It seems like it would be a mellow or sad song. It has an 80s vibe to it. The song is about a girl, most likely one of his exes, Selena Gomex or Bella Hadid. My bets are on Selena. The girl in this song is trying to let him know that she is “over him.” She wants him to think that she doesn’t care, even though he says that he broke her heart. He seems as if he wants her back and that is why he is saying,”save your tears for another day,” but he knows that he hurt her too badly for it to work out. He knows that she deserves someone better, and that it is too late for him. It is like you are getting such a big part of the story behind the breakup. I love the message behind it because it is so deep. 

“In Your Eyes”

Reviewed by Cade Campbell

I’ve always been a huge The Weeknd fan. I mean, he is my favorite artist, and Spotify claims he was my most listened to artist last decade. I have been waiting for this album for what feels like forever and it did not disappoint. Although I do like Trilogy, Kissland, and Starboy better, After Hours beats Beauty Behind the Madness and his EP, Melancholy, for sure. Besides, “Heartless” and “Blinding Lights”, two singles released before the album, “In Your Eyes” is my favorite song of the Album, yet his three bonus tracks in the deluxe edition do come close to taking this spot. I think this song completely succeeds in its synth-heavy sound, offering a very perfect 80’s nostalgia, that works perfectly with the saxophone in the as well, which in its own right adds an 80’s nostalgia (think “Careless Whisper”). Also, the lyrics do not disappoint. In my opinion the melody made me think of Starboy a little bit, which I think is due to the fact that it’s on the more energetic side. I do absolutely love this song, though. I love it.

“Blinding Lights”

Reviewed by Maxie Eller

I was pleasantly surprised when I listened to “Blinding Lights”. Listening to the song, I found myself smiling. It has almost an 80s vibe that reminds me of songs that I love dearly. I like the beat and the tune, and it is actually pretty catchy. The lyrics are about a broken relationship, but he is still in love with the other person and still needs them in his life. Despite this, the song is upbeat and has a decently fast-paced tempo. After listening through “Blinding Lights” a few times, I have to admit that I really do like the song. I would definitely recommend listening to it. 

“Hardest To Love”

Reviewed by Sarah Haylow

“Hardest To Love” is a beautiful song. I’ve never really taken the time to sit down and properly listen to The Weeknd, but he has a beautiful voice and I’m starting to think I should. The chorus itself is what really ties the whole song together in my opinion as it’s angelic sound yet heart wrenching statement is what the whole song is about. He sings about how he’s been the hardest to love in his relationship and that he recognizes that. He realizes that it’s hard to let go of what they had and that they’re just avoiding the inevitable. This song touched me because I know that I have people in my life who could heavily relate to this song. I ended up absolutely adoring this song and I’d recommend anyone to give it a shot.