House of Balloons
by The Weeknd
Metascore
87

Universal acclaim - based on 16 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 16
  3. Negative: 0 out of 16
  1. No Ripcord
    Jun 13, 2011
    90
    When it's all said and done, Tesfaye has presided over a mind bending, drug induced tour through an underground world of debauchery that only leaves him hollow. He commands the mood better than artists who have been in the game for years and yet this his first release.
  2. PopMatters
    May 10, 2011
    90
    Here, the Weeknd thumbs its nose at mainstream R&B's hollow hedonism while simultaneously creating a flawless soundtrack to a blackout house party. What you should do with the track, ultimately, is press play.
  3. Okayplayer
    Apr 20, 2011
    89
    House of Balloons is a surprisingly strong and confident debut for a new artist.
  5. The Boston Phoenix
    Apr 27, 2011
    88
    House of Balloons is a gorgeous album that pairs moody beats and samples with morbid lines about drugs and late-night encounters, all of it caulked with sex.
  6. Beats Per Minute
    May 4, 2011
    86
    The core of the album's success is its fantastic establishment of tonal environment--a brooding sexuality both sadistic and carnivalesque.
  7. Pitchfork
    Apr 8, 2011
    85
    What makes this whole thing work in an album context is that all the thematic and sonic pieces fit together-- these weird, morning-after tales of lust, hurt, and over-indulgence ("Bring the drugs, baby, I can bring my pain," goes one refrain) are matched by this incredibly lush, downcast music.
  8. cokemachineglow
    Apr 11, 2011
    83
    House of Balloons is an album suspended in contradiction--a collection of sex jams tired of sex, or a paean to coke addled irretrievably by the same. It lacks dynamism because it has to; the Weeknd know nothing else, just that in every solid groove lurks the metronomic pulse of something waiting to die.
  9. The A.V. Club
    Apr 8, 2011
    83
    House Of Balloons' hook is its canny incorporation of indie-rock attitude into R&B songs. But Tesfaye's lurid, unrepentant depiction of hard drugs and empty sex is what lingers long after the novelty of a couple of Beach House samples wears off.
  10. Absolute Punk (Staff reviews)
    Sep 13, 2011
    80
    While overall House of Balloons carries a chilling vibe, it proceeds to rock the listener with exciting tempos and relaxing melodies that intertwine to form a beautiful piece of art.
  11. Drowned In Sound
    Aug 3, 2011
    80
    For what The Weeknd have produced, regardless of what genre it is or isn't, is a very good record.
  12. BBC Music
    Jul 14, 2011
    80
    A startling debut from a young Canadian RnB artist with huge potential.
  13. Consequence
    Apr 13, 2011
    80
    The Weeknd have brought something much more, something much needed: something real. Kudos.
  14. NOW Magazine
    Apr 8, 2011
    80
    Lyrically, the mood vacillates between confrontational and reflective, but House Of Balloons really soars when his blunt resolve collides with a more nuanced or gentle vocal delivery, creating a tension reminiscent of Aaliyah's clear-headed emotional states.
  15. Rolling Stone
    Apr 8, 2011
    80
    The wormy hooks and earnest falsettos suggest the possibility of ginormous hits if Weeknd were to clean things up a bit, both lyrically and sonically. But let's hope that doesn't happen too soon.
  16. Sputnikmusic
    Apr 8, 2011
    80
    Despite being a free mixtape, House of Balloons feels like a true album, a true labor of love (and pain and hardship and everything else), more genuine than more prominent R&B stars, but perhaps that is due to The Weeknd's anonymity.
  17. AllMusic
    Dec 21, 2011
    70
    It's no turning point in a field populated by dozens of elder space cadets and mood architects, from Massive Attack to Spacek to Sa-Ra. As a flawed first step from a young newcomer, however, it's impressive.

Awards & Rankings

9
#9 Best Album of 2011
15
#15 Most Discussed Album of 2011
15
#15 Most Shared Album of 2011

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
8.9

Universal acclaim- based on 442 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 409 out of 442
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 442
  3. Negative: 18 out of 442
  1. fraser
    Apr 15, 2011
    10
    This is quality, one of the best things ive heard in ages. I cant quite work out why its so good, it just is and I cant stop listening to it.This is quality, one of the best things ive heard in ages. I cant quite work out why its so good, it just is and I cant stop listening to it. It kind of reminds me a bit of Massive Attack in their earlier days.... the Siouxie and the Banshees sample really works. Its quality, best album of 2011 so far for me.… Full Review »
  2. bl_nk
    Jul 9, 2011
    8
    It's a bit of a grower. Lyrically, the album doesn't stray much from themes of sex and drugs. Rather than seeming boastful, the pained vocalsIt's a bit of a grower. Lyrically, the album doesn't stray much from themes of sex and drugs. Rather than seeming boastful, the pained vocals and dark instrumentals lends these themes a hollow feeling. Early standouts include "Glass Table Girls," "Loft Music," and "What You Need." Overall, the album definitely isn't perfect. Some of the tracks are forgettable, and the singer's delivery rarely seems to vary throughout the album. Still, worth checking out.… Full Review »
  3. Improvised
    May 23, 2011
    10
    Without a doubt the best album of 2011 so far. For an R&B album, it has a very raw feel to it, both lyrically and musically.Without a doubt the best album of 2011 so far. For an R&B album, it has a very raw feel to it, both lyrically and musically.  Tesfaye runs his voice through same vein we've come to know in most pop R&B, and for that The Weeknd seems to get less than a second listing to from many.  Though there is nothing commercially appealing about House of Balloons and it's cadence measures out more Prince than Bruno Mars.  Either way, once you give the album a chance, you might find it's hard to dig yourself out of Tesfaye's hole--and you probably won't want to.… Full Review »
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