The second of The Weeknd’s first three notorious mixtapes Thursday is the album for review today. The Weeknd at the time of this mixtape had just gotten recognition for his first mixtape House of Balloons and it was important to capitalize on this momentum, which he did. 

            Track one Lonely Star throws you into the album immediately having high energy and getting you hooked right away. The name of the song Lonely Star relates to the lyrics as The Weeknd says on the hook “Baby you can have it all” and has other lyrics in the track that basically say if the girl chooses The Weeknd only then she will be a star with him. Track two Life of the Party is a slow but electric track with a guitar that sets the song alive. The track has a very dark vibe to it with The Weeknd’s voice distorting at points and the track sounds like it came out of a horror movie. Track three Thursday brings the album down and really switches up the feel of things instantly. These are tracks that I love as it’s perfect for late night drives or just a time you need to zone out to some music this is what I would go to. Track four The Zone (feat. Drake) brings the first feature of the album and of the three mixtapes. This track is ominous and another track you can lay down and let the music take you away. Drake on this track did really well putting a solid verse together in what is one of my favorite tracks on the mixtape. Track five The Birds, Pt. 1 puts the mixtape back to what it was like the first two tracks. This track’s drums are what really bring it to life and The Weeknd’s vocals are on another level as usual. Although it’s hard for me to decide this is probably my favorite track on the mixtape this track just puts itself ahead. 

             Track six The Birds Pt. 2 definitely makes me think twice about my favorite track however. This track has a looming dark vibe I feel and The Weeknd’s lyrics definitely set that vibe to life. The Weeknd also pitches up his voice in points in this track which fits so perfectly and is meant to represent some of the women he speaks about in these tracks. Track seven Gone is an interesting track and I love it. In an interview The Weeknd explained that he didn’t remember making the track as he was so intoxicated. This explains the lyrics being hard to understand at this point and the track being in a way all over the place the whole time. The most impressive part to me is the fact this was for one a freestyle and secondly it’s the longest track on the album which was made when you’d think he would be in no mindset to make an over 8 minute long track. Track eight is Rolling Stone and is actually a message to his fans that supported him at the time. This message was a prediction that his music would change as he rose to fame and that it would change from what was such a different kind of music he was making at the time, to a more mainstream pop style of music which to his prediction is what he does today. Although this track is my least favorite as it doesn’t have too many elements, I obviously appreciate and understand the importance of the song. Track nine Heaven or Las Vegas has plenty of elements however. Like Life of the Party the guitar just steals the show and with The Weeknd’s voice it’s just incredible. This is why I think this album is even more versatile than the first mixtape House of Balloons as things like the guitar can relate to people who like other kinds of music like rock but still allow the listener who likes slow songs to enjoy it just as much. The later added track ten Valerie is an emotional track and I personally was really shocked by The Weeknd’s vocal ability on this track. This track is named after the woman The Weeknd sings about throughout this mixtape, or at least the main one. This track was one of the first that drew comparisons of Michael Jackson for someone he has been compared to for the majority of his musical career.

             Thursday is a really good mixtape and I think it is either right on the level of or just a little below the previous mixtape House of Balloons. I’ve been trying to think of a rating for this mixtape and I think a nine out of ten is what I’ll give it as it’s just ever so slightly below House of Balloons. This mixtape is fantastic and I highly recommend giving it a listen as it’ll hook you instantly.