From poppmusic 02/01/2016 00:31

The secret to this album's unique, woozy sound? A great love for dream pop samples.

the first half of the album is amazing, but the second half is forgettable and boring in my opinion

From meruizh 02/13/2015 19:24

couple of tracks stand out the rest is just forgettable

One of his best.

From Connor 12/17/2012 18:12

Way too overrated. Yah whatever its the "NEW ORIGINAL R&B" its just autotune singing over hip hop beats. Plus the guy acts like a complete asshole in just about all of his songs. I don't think this album is as impressive as they all say.

From ptaylor1989 12/17/2012 10:47

His accessible sound is reminiscent of The Dream and infused with chopped and screwed over-production. It's lyrics are low in self-esteem and intelligence but this album cannot remotely come into frame with small PC speakers. This bass is meant to be felt under the influence of your choice. It's the perfect grinding sex-track but its depth doesn't get much deeper than that. Not much more one can expect from a testosterone infused 20yr old. Here's the truth: the Weeknd isn't changing the music scene but "What You Need" and "Coming Down" are worth listens. If you can handle that, listen to the album's mission statement "High For This" and finally " Loft Music". It's much better than the worst comments suggest and not as game-changing as the sweetest comments suggest.

From dfulfo01 06/08/2012 02:42

beautiful voice, a good listen all the way through if I'm not focusing too much on the lyrics.

As The Weeknd becomes more and more popular the more people misunderstand his work. The passionate music critics and listeners have known about The Weeknd for a long time now and we understand just how fresh and talented this group is. Abel Tesfaye and his producers put a creepy dark twist on electronic R&B and they do it very very well. Abels lyrics are dark, dirty, even gross at times. His voice is beautiful but at the same time tinged with despair. I will admit the lyrics can be superficial at times but that is the only negative when it comes to House of Balloons. Remember that this is a debut album! For a debut album House of Balloons is extremely confident. The genre obliterating style along with the old fashioned song craft make this album very unique, exciting, and leave the listener hanging on every phrase. The Weeknd puts you in a dark, depressing, scary vacuum and we listeners are left to experience the raw darkness all alone. The lyrical content is overtly sexual, narcotics focused, and occasionally downright frightening and I as the listener am left enjoying every minute of it. I highly recommend this album. I would never want to live in his lyrics but damn these songs are hard to stop listening to.

For me, probably in the top 3 albums of 2011. Again, he and Frank Ocean are changing the R&B genre. The dark atmosphere of his hip-hip production partnered with his magnificent voice range and cooing, his sound can touch men and women, alike. Definitely not for older generations, but the new.

the first 4 songs is the best part, then it goes downhill from there. nothin too bad tho. interesting. I think that what sleigh bells is to pop, this guy is to r&b, although bells does it much better. the lyrics are pretty awful in parts but you also have to take it in context. this is just vain for the sake being vain, hedonistic and silly and at least mildly aware of all the aforementioned.