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''Kiss Land'' was met with positive reviews from [[music criticism|music critic]]s. At [[Metacritic]], which assigns a [[standard score|normalized]] rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an [[weighted mean|average]] score of 67, based on 12 reviews.<ref name="metacritic1"/> In Chris Payne's ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' review, ''Kiss Land'' was awarded an 84/100, with Payne remarking that Kiss Land is "blissfully hi-fi headphone candy that's not far from the Weeknd's mixtape trilogy, but with an added flair for the dramatic."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/review/5687166/the-weeknd-kiss-land-track-by-track-review |title=The Weeknd, 'Kiss Land': Track-by-Track Review |publisher=Billboard |date= |accessdate=2013-09-09}}</ref> In a review from ''[[Clash (magazine)|Clash]]'', Grant Brydon noted that "rather than upgrading to studio album status by hiring an all-star cast of contributors, ‘''Kiss Land''’ sticks to the familiar formula of 10 tracks, as per the mixtapes, with a single guest appearance from previous collaborator Drake. Tesfaye hasn’t turned to gimmicks for ‘''Kiss Land''’. Instead, he’s managed to transcend his previous efforts via the scaling up the sonics and simply maintaining the quality of this excellent record."<ref name="clashmusic1"/> In a more critical review, Anupa Mistry of ''[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]'' gave the album a seven out of ten, saying that "For a high-stakes studio debut, this is a totally wayward record. It's not intentionally difficult like Kanye's ''[[Yeezus]]'', but as with that album, there's no clear single. The most accessible entry point is the mid-'90s Raphael Saadiq bounce of Pharrell's "Wanderlust" remix, only available on the deluxe edition. Maybe Tesfaye's early anonymity was a way of shielding himself from turning into click bait: "I chose the life…I made the trade," he admits on "Adaptation." Or maybe this is just an honest reflection of where the young twentysomething finds himself, creatively and personally. ''Kiss Land'' plays like a more considered, better-mastered continuation of ''Echoes of Silence'', not anything dramatically different. And in that way, the dude from Toronto who created a shift is saying that he'll shift again only when he's ready."<ref name="autogenerated1" /> Andy Kellman of [[AllMusic]] gave the album two and a half stars out of five, saying "''Kiss Land'' is more personal, more human, and will draw his fans closer to him. The slightly wider vocal range and additional expressiveness don't hurt his cause. For those who aren't as easily drawn into Tesfaye's world, this will seem roughly as insufferable and as bleakly aimless as the earlier material."<ref name="allmusic1"/>
''Kiss Land'' was met with positive reviews from [[music criticism|music critic]]s. At [[Metacritic]], which assigns a [[standard score|normalized]] rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an [[weighted mean|average]] score of 67, based on 12 reviews.<ref name="metacritic1"/> In Chris Payne's ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' review, ''Kiss Land'' was awarded an 84/100, with Payne remarking that Kiss Land is "blissfully hi-fi headphone candy that's not far from the Weeknd's mixtape trilogy, but with an added flair for the dramatic."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/review/5687166/the-weeknd-kiss-land-track-by-track-review |title=The Weeknd, 'Kiss Land': Track-by-Track Review |publisher=Billboard |date= |accessdate=2013-09-09}}</ref> In a review from ''[[Clash (magazine)|Clash]]'', Grant Brydon noted that "rather than upgrading to studio album status by hiring an all-star cast of contributors, ‘''Kiss Land''’ sticks to the familiar formula of 10 tracks, as per the mixtapes, with a single guest appearance from previous collaborator Drake. Tesfaye hasn’t turned to gimmicks for ‘''Kiss Land''’. Instead, he’s managed to transcend his previous efforts via the scaling up the sonics and simply maintaining the quality of this excellent record."<ref name="clashmusic1"/> In a more critical review, Anupa Mistry of ''[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]'' gave the album a seven out of ten, saying that "For a high-stakes studio debut, this is a totally wayward record. It's not intentionally difficult like Kanye's ''[[Yeezus]]'', but as with that album, there's no clear single. The most accessible entry point is the mid-'90s Raphael Saadiq bounce of Pharrell's "Wanderlust" remix, only available on the deluxe edition. Maybe Tesfaye's early anonymity was a way of shielding himself from turning into click bait: "I chose the life…I made the trade," he admits on "Adaptation." Or maybe this is just an honest reflection of where the young twentysomething finds himself, creatively and personally. ''Kiss Land'' plays like a more considered, better-mastered continuation of ''Echoes of Silence'', not anything dramatically different. And in that way, the dude from Toronto who created a shift is saying that he'll shift again only when he's ready."<ref name="autogenerated1" /> Andy Kellman of [[AllMusic]] gave the album two and a half stars out of five, saying "''Kiss Land'' is more personal, more human, and will draw his fans closer to him. The slightly wider vocal range and additional expressiveness don't hurt his cause. For those who aren't as easily drawn into Tesfaye's world, this will seem roughly as insufferable and as bleakly aimless as the earlier material."<ref name="allmusic1"/>


Jesse Cataldo of [[Slant Magazine]] gave the album two out of five stars, saying "Misogynist elements have always been preset in Tesfaye's work, but it was also possible to imagine such songs as critiques, the natural consequence of a musician both fixated on casual sex and repelled by the feelings it inspires. On ''Kiss Land'', the balance tilts too far toward the former, partly since the laundry list of dead-end encounters has been replaced by a single chronicle of disillusionment, an artist discovering the capacity of success to extend and deepen those feelings of inadequacy. Yet the music is never up to the conceptual task, and the album too often settles for numbing backdrops, with songs like "Belong to the World" and "Wanderlust" resembling wan impersonations of Bad-era Michael Jackson."<ref name="slant"/> Ian Cohen of [[Pitchfork Media]] gave the album 6.2 out of 10, saying "''Kiss Land'' is technically the Weeknd’s fourth album in two and a half years, and without the ear-turning innovation of the earlier work, all you can muster in reaction to its worldview, the same one that's been delivered repeatedly without variation, is, “Maybe it’s you, man.” Which in a way, vindicates it: ''Kiss Land'' sounds every bit as isolated and singular as Tesfaye feels."<ref name="Cohen"/> Stephen Carlick of ''[[Exclaim!]]'' gave the album a six out of ten, saying "The latest effort from the Weeknd is a mixed bag, but it can't be said that Abel Tesfaye is resting on his laurels. While many criticized his second two mixtapes, Thursday and Echoes of Silence, for being subpar reiterations of what he did so perfectly on House of Balloons, ''Kiss Land'' is anything but a retread."<ref name="exclaim"/>
Jesse Cataldo of [[Slant Magazine]] gave the album two out of five stars, saying "Misogynist elements have always been preset in Tesfaye's work, but it was also possible to imagine such songs as critiques, the natural consequence of a musician both fixated on casual sex and repelled by the feelings it inspires. On ''Kiss Land'', the balance tilts too far toward the former, partly since the laundry list of dead-end encounters has been replaced by a single chronicle of disillusionment, an artist discovering the capacity of success to extend and deepen those feelings of inadequacy. Yet the music is never up to the conceptual task, and the album too often settles for numbing backdrops, with songs like "Belong to the World" and "Wanderlust" resembling wan impersonations of Bad-era Michael Jackson."<ref name="slant"/> Ian Cohen of [[Pitchfork Media]] gave the album 6.2 out of 10, saying "''Kiss Land'' is technically the Weeknd’s fourth album in two and a half years, and without the ear-turning innovation of the earlier work, all you can muster in reaction to its worldview, the same one that's been delivered repeatedly without variation, is, “Maybe it’s you, man.” Which in a way, vindicates it: ''Kiss Land'' sounds every bit as isolated and singular as Tesfaye feels."<ref name="Cohen"/> Stephen Carlick of ''[[Exclaim!]]'' gave the album a six out of ten, saying "The latest effort from the Weeknd is a mixed bag, but it can't be said that Abel Tesfaye is resting on his laurels. While many criticized his second two mixtapes, Thursday and Echoes of Silence, for being subpar reiterations of what he did so perfectly on House of Balloons, ''Kiss Land'' is anything but a retread."<ref name="exclaim"/> August Brown of the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' gave the album three and a half stars out of four, saying "For an act founded in anonymity and reserve, it turns out the Weeknd's most convincing work of art is Tesfaye's own rollout as a star and storyteller. "''Kiss Land''" is a rough place to visit. But then again, when it comes to sex and loneliness, we've all been there."<ref>http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-weeknd-kiss-pop-review-20130910,0,7120255.story</ref>


== Track listing ==
== Track listing ==

Revision as of 14:35, 11 September 2013

Untitled

Kiss Land is the debut studio album by Canadian recording artist The Weeknd. The album was released in the United States on September 10, 2013, by XO and Republic Records. Kiss Land was supported by three singles "Kiss Land", "Belong to the World" and "Live For". The album's sole guest appearance comes from frequent collaborator Drake. The album's production was primarily handled by DannyBoyStyles, The Weeknd himself, and Jason "DaHeala" Quenneville.

Background

On March 17, 2013, The Weeknd announced his debut album would be titled Kiss Land.[1] In July 2013, Amazon.com revealed that the album would be released on August 27, 2013.[2] On July 22, 2013, it was announced that the album would be pushed back from August 27, 2013, until September 10, 2013.[3][4][5] In July 2013, during an interview with Complex The Weeknd described the album, saying:

"Kiss Land symbolizes the tour life, but it’s a world that I created in my head. Just like House of Balloons symbolizes Toronto and my experiences there, but it’s a world that I created. When I think about Kiss Land, I think about a terrifying place. It’s a place I’ve never been to before that I’m very unfamiliar with. A lot of it is inspired by filmmakers like John Carpenter, David Cronenberg, and Ridley Scott, because they know how to capture fear. That’s what Kiss Land is to me, an environment that’s just honest fear. I don’t know who I am right now and I’m doing all these outlandish things in these settings that I’m not familiar with. To me, it’s the most terrifying thing ever. So when you hear the screams in the record and you hear all these horror references and you feel scared, listen to the music because I want you to feel what I’m feeling. Kiss Land is like a horror movie."[6]

He also explained the album's second single "Belong to the World", saying: "Belong to the World" is about falling in love with the wrong person. There are some songs where I talk about the same person, but I like to make every song about someone else. Thursday is a conceptual album. Whatever that situation was, I spent the whole album focusing on that situation."[6] He also explained where the title Kiss Land came from, saying: "I didn’t want to call it Dark World or something so generic. The title came from a conversation that I overheard and those words stuck out. Someone said, “Kiss Land” and I thought, “That’s going to be the title of my album.” It sounds so ridiculous. When I put [the title] out everyone was like, “What the hell? This is going to be corny. It’s going to be all lovey-dovey."[6] On July 21, 2013, the album cover was released.[7] On September 1, 2013, the entire album was made available for streaming on NPR Music.[8]

Singles

On May 17, 2013, the first single "Kiss Land" was released.[9] On June 25, 2013, the music video was released for "Kiss Land".[10] On July 15, 2013, the music video for the second single "Belong to the World" was released.[11] The song was released the following day on July 16, 2013.[12] On July 30, 2013, the song and music video were released for "Love in the Sky".[13] On August 20, 2013, the track "Live For" featuring Drake was released along with the pre order of the album on the iTunes Store.[14] Then on September 3, 2013, the song was released as the album's third single.[15]

Critical response

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic67/100[16]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[17]
Clash8/10[18]
Entertainment WeeklyB+[19]
Exclaim!6/10[20]
Los Angeles Times[21]
Pitchfork Media6.2/10[22]
Slant Magazine[23]
Spin7/10[24]
Tiny Mix Tapes[25]

Kiss Land was met with positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 67, based on 12 reviews.[16] In Chris Payne's Billboard review, Kiss Land was awarded an 84/100, with Payne remarking that Kiss Land is "blissfully hi-fi headphone candy that's not far from the Weeknd's mixtape trilogy, but with an added flair for the dramatic."[26] In a review from Clash, Grant Brydon noted that "rather than upgrading to studio album status by hiring an all-star cast of contributors, ‘Kiss Land’ sticks to the familiar formula of 10 tracks, as per the mixtapes, with a single guest appearance from previous collaborator Drake. Tesfaye hasn’t turned to gimmicks for ‘Kiss Land’. Instead, he’s managed to transcend his previous efforts via the scaling up the sonics and simply maintaining the quality of this excellent record."[18] In a more critical review, Anupa Mistry of Spin gave the album a seven out of ten, saying that "For a high-stakes studio debut, this is a totally wayward record. It's not intentionally difficult like Kanye's Yeezus, but as with that album, there's no clear single. The most accessible entry point is the mid-'90s Raphael Saadiq bounce of Pharrell's "Wanderlust" remix, only available on the deluxe edition. Maybe Tesfaye's early anonymity was a way of shielding himself from turning into click bait: "I chose the life…I made the trade," he admits on "Adaptation." Or maybe this is just an honest reflection of where the young twentysomething finds himself, creatively and personally. Kiss Land plays like a more considered, better-mastered continuation of Echoes of Silence, not anything dramatically different. And in that way, the dude from Toronto who created a shift is saying that he'll shift again only when he's ready."[24] Andy Kellman of AllMusic gave the album two and a half stars out of five, saying "Kiss Land is more personal, more human, and will draw his fans closer to him. The slightly wider vocal range and additional expressiveness don't hurt his cause. For those who aren't as easily drawn into Tesfaye's world, this will seem roughly as insufferable and as bleakly aimless as the earlier material."[17]

Jesse Cataldo of Slant Magazine gave the album two out of five stars, saying "Misogynist elements have always been preset in Tesfaye's work, but it was also possible to imagine such songs as critiques, the natural consequence of a musician both fixated on casual sex and repelled by the feelings it inspires. On Kiss Land, the balance tilts too far toward the former, partly since the laundry list of dead-end encounters has been replaced by a single chronicle of disillusionment, an artist discovering the capacity of success to extend and deepen those feelings of inadequacy. Yet the music is never up to the conceptual task, and the album too often settles for numbing backdrops, with songs like "Belong to the World" and "Wanderlust" resembling wan impersonations of Bad-era Michael Jackson."[23] Ian Cohen of Pitchfork Media gave the album 6.2 out of 10, saying "Kiss Land is technically the Weeknd’s fourth album in two and a half years, and without the ear-turning innovation of the earlier work, all you can muster in reaction to its worldview, the same one that's been delivered repeatedly without variation, is, “Maybe it’s you, man.” Which in a way, vindicates it: Kiss Land sounds every bit as isolated and singular as Tesfaye feels."[22] Stephen Carlick of Exclaim! gave the album a six out of ten, saying "The latest effort from the Weeknd is a mixed bag, but it can't be said that Abel Tesfaye is resting on his laurels. While many criticized his second two mixtapes, Thursday and Echoes of Silence, for being subpar reiterations of what he did so perfectly on House of Balloons, Kiss Land is anything but a retread."[20] August Brown of the Los Angeles Times gave the album three and a half stars out of four, saying "For an act founded in anonymity and reserve, it turns out the Weeknd's most convincing work of art is Tesfaye's own rollout as a star and storyteller. "Kiss Land" is a rough place to visit. But then again, when it comes to sex and loneliness, we've all been there."[27]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Professional"A. Tesfaye, D. Schofield, A Baishe, J. Quenneville, R. Quigley, E. Jolly, F. GreenallDannyBoyStyles, The Weeknd, Jason "DaHeala" Quenneville, Harry Fraud[a]6:08
2."The Town"A. Tesfaye, D. Schofield, A. Baishe, J. QuennevilleDannyBoyStyles, The Weeknd, Jason "DaHeala" Quenneville5:07
3."Adaptation"A. Tesfaye, D. Schofield, A. Baishe, J. Quenneville, StingDannyBoyStyles, The Weeknd, Jason "DaHeala" Quenneville4:43
4."Love in the Sky"A. Tesfaye, D. Schofield, A. Baishe, J. Quenneville, R. MunozDannyBoyStyles, The Weeknd, Jason "DaHeala" Quenneville4:27
5."Belong to the World"A. Tesfaye, D. Schofield, A. Baishe, J. QuennevilleDannyBoyStyles, The Weeknd, Jason "DaHeala" Quenneville5:07
6."Live For" (featuring Drake)A. Tesfaye, A. Graham, D. Schofield, A. Baishe, J. QuennevilleDannyBoyStyles, The Weeknd, Jason "DaHeala" Quenneville3:44
7."Wanderlust"A. Tesfaye, D. Schofield, A. Baishe, J. Quenneville, R. Munoz, J. Bostani, S. Musmin, A. TamaelaDannyBoyStyles, The Weeknd, Jason "DaHeala" Quenneville5:06
8."Kiss Land"S. Tellier, A. Tesfaye, J. Holkeboer, D. Schofield, J. QuennevilleSilkky Johnson, The Weeknd[b], DannyBoyStyles[b], Jason "DaHeala" Quenneville[b]7:35
9."Pretty"A. Tesfaye, D. Schofield, B. Hollemon, J. Quenneville, R. HilfigerDannyBoyStyles, The Weeknd, Jason "DaHeala" Quenneville, Brandon "Bizzy" Hollemon[a]6:15
10."Tears in the Rain"A. Tesfaye, D. Schofield, A. Baishe, J. QuennevilleDannyBoyStyles, The Weeknd, Jason "DaHeala" Quenneville7:26
Total length:55:38
Deluxe edition bonus tracks[28]
No.TitleProducer(s)Length
11."Wanderlust (Pharrell Remix)"Pharrell Williams5:07
12."Odd Look" (featuring Kavinsky)Sebastian4:12
Total length:64:57
Notes
  • ^a signifies an additional producer
  • ^b signifies a co-producer

References

  1. ^ "The Weeknd Announces New Album Title". Rap Radar. 2013-03-17. Retrieved 2013-07-22.
  2. ^ "Kiss Land: Music". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2013-07-22.
  3. ^ "Twitter / theweeknd: kiss land sept 10 th". Twitter.com. Retrieved 2013-09-07.
  4. ^ [1][dead link‍]
  5. ^ "The Weeknd to release Kiss Land on September 10th, reveals artwork". Consequence of Sound. 2013-07-21. Retrieved 2013-09-07.
  6. ^ a b c "The Weeknd: Kiss And Tell (2013 Cover Story)". Complex. 2013-07-15. Retrieved 2013-07-22.
  7. ^ "Album Cover: The Weeknd – 'Kiss Land'". Rap-Up.com. 2010-10-18. Retrieved 2013-07-22.
  8. ^ "First Listen: The Weeknd, 'Kiss Land'"". NPR Music. 2013-09-01. Retrieved 2013-09-02.. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  9. ^ "iTunes - Music - Kiss Land - Single by The Weeknd". Itunes.apple.com. 2013-05-17. Retrieved 2013-07-22.
  10. ^ "The Weeknd – "Kiss Land" Video (NSFW)". Stereogum. 2013-06-25. Retrieved 2013-07-22.
  11. ^ "Belong To The World | The Weeknd | Music Video". MTV. 2013-07-15. Retrieved 2013-07-22.
  12. ^ "iTunes - Music - Belong To the World - Single by The Weeknd". Itunes.apple.com. 2013-07-16. Retrieved 2013-07-22.
  13. ^ "The Weeknd "Love In The Sky"". Complex. 2013-07-30. Retrieved 2013-09-07.
  14. ^ "Kiss Land by The Weeknd". iTunes Store. Apple. Archived from the original on September 1, 2013. Retrieved September 1, 2013. {{cite web}}: templatestyles stripmarker in |work= at position 1 (help)
  15. ^ "Live For [feat. Drake]: The Weeknd: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2013-09-07.
  16. ^ a b "Kiss Land Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2013-09-09.
  17. ^ a b Review by Andy Kellman. "Kiss Land - The Weeknd | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-09-09.
  18. ^ a b "The Weeknd - Kiss Land | Reviews | Clash Magazine". Clashmusic.com. Retrieved 2013-09-09.
  19. ^ Reviewed by Nick Catucci on Sep 05, 2013 @catucci. "Kiss Land review Review | Music Reviews and News". EW.com. Retrieved 2013-09-07.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  20. ^ a b Carlick, Stephen. "The Weeknd - Kiss Land • Soul, Funk & World Reviews •". Exclaim.ca. Retrieved 2013-09-09.
  21. ^ http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-weeknd-kiss-pop-review-20130910,0,7120255.story
  22. ^ a b Cohen, Ian (November 13, 2012). "The Weeknd: Kiss Land". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved September 9, 2013.
  23. ^ a b "The Weeknd: Kiss Land | Music Review". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 2013-09-09.
  24. ^ a b Mistry, Anupa. "The Weeknd, 'Kiss Land' Review". Spin.com. Retrieved 2013-09-07.
  25. ^ http://www.tinymixtapes.com/music-review/the-weeknd-kiss-land
  26. ^ "The Weeknd, 'Kiss Land': Track-by-Track Review". Billboard. Retrieved 2013-09-09.
  27. ^ http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-weeknd-kiss-pop-review-20130910,0,7120255.story
  28. ^ "iTunes - Music - Kiss Land by The Weeknd". Itunes.apple.com. 1990-02-16. Retrieved 2013-09-07.
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