The Weeknd
“Drunk in Love” (Remix)
Digital Single
We’ve long established that Abel Tesfaye is at his best when he is at his worst, and suffice it to say, the Bad Guy’s back on this exhilarating/despicable take of Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s flaccid boner jam. The original doesn’t work because it lacks any semblance of real friction or chemistry between its architects, resulting in a track that feels as if it was conceived in a boardroom rather than a bedroom. Tesfaye strips away the corporate synergy and aims straight for the jugular, weaving lascivious, Weeknd-y tales of doing terrible things to coked out models with the kind of gleeful abandon that Jayonce’s handlers would pay millions for.
And, when you get right down to it, it’s obvious why the Toronto native’s version is such an upgrade. The original’s lyrics were written by a bible thumping zillionaire and her 44 year-old CEO husband. How hot can that possibly fucking be? I’ll bet on the version that was penned by a 24 year-old R&B Lothario, who is single, hangs out with Drake, and has spent all of his brief career telling us how few fucks he gives.