Channel Orange

February 10, 2013: I'm sitting in the living room of our college apartment, watching the Grammys on my giant box TV. Not sure why, I guess I was bored. I saw that Mumford & Sons were nominated quite a bit for their Babel album, which had been a favorite of mine over the previous year. Near the end of the broadcast, a guy named Frank Ocean gets up to perform a song called "Forrest Gump." He's standing behind a keyboard, and there's a screen displaying his legs running, and he ends the song whistling and running down behind the keyboard, off into the distance. I was intrigued. This same guy beat Chris Brown for the suspiciously racist "best urban contemporary album" award, but he lost AOTY to Mumford & Sons. I went to sleep with "Forrest Gump" stuck in my head. Next chance I had, I downloaded the album from [REDACTED] and began listening. It was gas. Our grandmother had passed away a day before the Grammy performance, and in the late nights between then and our flight to Chicago for the funeral, I absorbed this album like a sponge. I was trying to get all of my grieving cousins to listen to Frank Ocean. I loved most of the tracks, but was obsessed with "Bad Religion." I realized very quickly that this should've beat Mumford & Sons. I bought a bootleg vinyl on eBay (pressed on orange wax of course), and Alex and I would listen to this in the dark in that apartment. I put it on a CD in my car and played it over and over until it became scratched and skippy. I learned the in's and out's of this project like a treasure map. This album didn't just put me on to Frank Ocean, it made me a fan of music in a way I'd never been before. I started looking for acclaimed albums I'd never heard, started downloading playlists of Pitchfork's top 100 songs of each year. Paired with Yeezus a few months later, these albums opened my eyes and ears to the point where they may never close again. Without this album, there's probably no obsessive record collection, no year-end albums and tracks lists, no semi-famous youtuber, and almost certainly no participation in this 1001 albums journey. This album really changed my life and it means the world to me. Favorite tracks: Every song on here to some degree. Album art: It's orange baby. That's enough. 5/5

This music is the soundtrack for the beginning of the degeneration of music and society as a whole. This goes hand in hand with instagram slut culture and signifies the move away from the rock and indie movement into the faceless, pointless RnB/hip hop and mumble rap of the current age. Paving the way for morons like Takeshi 69, Post Malone and Travis Scott, It has also spawned a social acceptance for hyper feminism such as Meghan thee Stallion and Cardi B. Nasty Ass Pussy. Music is an 808, syncopated, hi-hat/snare arrangement away from utter devastation and failure as a concept.

This is the answer to the question, "What would Stevie Wonder sound like if he had no talent for singing or song writing?"

I haven't really delved into Frank Ocean's music before, there's only a couple of songs that I knew before listening to this album. But this album is SO good! I can't get over how good it sounds, from start to finish. Highlights were Thinkin Bout You, Sweet Life, Pilot Jones, Pyramids, Lost, Bad Religion. Definitely rate it 5/5 stars. If I could give more than 5 stars I would. This might very well be my favourite album I've been given to listen so far. I'm definitely going to be listening to more of his music after this.

Legit mad that I'd never listened to this before now. Incredible from start to finish. The run from Pyramids to Pink Matter is *chef's kiss*. As soon as it was over, I wanted to listen again - a first for me in about 120 albums. Didn't even mind the long run time. Can't believe I missed out on 9 years of listening to this.

This is in the 1001 top albums?

I'm sure people love this for many reasons, but I am not sure what they are. This album was just meh for me. Sounds like old school R&B at times, but with a rapper who can't sing and tries to be "creative" with voice effects and sound effects.

Just boring. It took me about 1 minute per each track to be sick of it.

Absolutely horrible. Words cannot express how much I hate this music. Something about the R&B wharble is like nails on a blackboard to me. I can't listen to it.

Effortlessly cool. Talking about a past lover, kids who just don’t understand living life and it’s troubles, a girl having to go work the strip club...none of it feels forced. This album rules

im a frank ocean hater

The dire ramblings of someone with too much time and not enough tune

great album to cry to - ‘thinkin bout you’ is a masterpiece - his voice is gorgeous - arguably more honest and raw than Blonde - incredibly produced and composed.

It's as good as people were saying at the time isn't it? It feels like the sort of album Prince might have made had he been born 30 years later. Thinking, Pyramids and a few others are very impressive. I wish it had a little less of the "I'm up in my penthouse feeling alienated" crap in there, the curse of 2010s music - leave that to Drake and his army of simpleton fans to simp over. But other than that, a work of a very clever musician.

I completely hate this. There's no grit or emotion, every song floats from nothing into nothing. I don't know what genre this is, but I can't stand it. The singer's voice is much too high and incredibly annoying. There's no power in any of the tracks. It's thin and uninspiring. I do not understand why this album was selected, I could have happily skipped this before dying.

Not my cup of tea. Sounds like a million and one other 'artistes' of the last 10 years. Utterly pointless songs. Says nothing to me about my life.

Listening to this brings me back to being 16. For some of us, this album was one of the biggest deals in all of high school. I first heard of Frank Ocean when my friends told me about this album and how it had dropped a week early. What an event this record turned out to be. We all had our favorite songs off of it. I gravitated towards the Elton John sampling "Super Rich Kids" and it's narrative of decadent ennui, the epic "Pyramids," with it's multiple phases and fried-beyond-recognition John Mayer guitar solo, and the simple bliss of "Forrest Gump." And of course, "Thinkin About You." We all loved that song. It closed out prom that year. I'll always be more of a Blonde guy if we're looking at complete albums, but Channel Orange, to this day, has some of my favorite songs ever on it. And, maybe more importantly, it's one of those albums that acts as a time machine for me, back to a time of halcyon togetherness. Can't be go lower than a 5.

5/5. Sometimes people are right

I was excited because I had heard good things about him but nope, no, not again. Raw dog, DD tities just the start of the mysigony all over this album. Rich people are bad unless it's him, drugs are bad except when he uses them, woman are beautiful when they do things for him. I was originally confused by the collaboration with John Mayer but by the end it made perfect sense.

Channel Orange is an amazing album and Frank Ocean is incredible. Flawless production, Frank Ocean's voice is so full of depth - the sound, the raw emotion, the range. Even the lyrics in this album are amazing, he really knows how to literally put you into his shoes as the listener and feel like you're experiencing the songs as you listen.

Good music but not my style. Would listen again and revise.

Oh dear Frank. Not sure what all the hype was for. An album bereft of any musical originality, a dirge of insipid tracks, conspiring to build an album of the mundane and banal. Amongst the dirge, Bad Religion is just about listenable. If he made money out if this dross fair play to him. There's millions of infinitely better musicians and artists out there struggling to make a pay check. The unfairness of it all stinks.

An incredible album made by one of the greatest R&B artists of his generation and it was very important to me in my formative years. No real misses on this album for me. My favorite song is Sweet Life but you can't really go wrong with any of them. I think the weakest track on here for me have to be White but it is still okay (like a 5-10). The rest of the songs range from a like 7-10.

An album that I would not have listened to without it being suggested, which I guess is the whole point of the platform. At first, I found it to be a little bland and uninvolving, far too preoccupied with samples, microbeats and other musical gimmicks. But then I began to "hear" the pleasing quality of Frank's voice and it became more of an enjoyable listen. By the time I reached "Lost", I realised that I would need to listen to the whole thing a couple more times before I settled on a judgement. Being tenacious in order to experience new music has been rewarded.

I find this album overall boring? It doesn't sound bad at all! His voice is beautiful and the general sound is as well, I just don't find it exciting. I think I don't have nostalgia related to this album which makes my enjoyment less intense. Some very high highs and it was a relaxing nice listen. The Andre 3000 feature was awesome

I was enjoying it for the first few songs but by the end, I felt like I was listening to the same song over and over again. 3.5.

Seriously I was just anxious for it to be over the whole time. I did not find it interesting or enjoyable.

Squeaky Usher. Like R Kelly, but without all the noncing (probably).... I mean, we don't know the real reason Ocean's 11 was called that. Still, ...better than Ocean's 8. Both in terms of the film and the connotations that I'm trying to imply, which are, that Frank Ocean nonces 8 and 11 year olds.

What do the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, and Arctic Ocean have in common? They're all way more enjoyable to listen to than Frank Ocean.

This wasn’t for me at all. I felt nothing while listening except boredom, and disappointment when it failed to end, until I finally felt relief when it was all over. Even a song about Forrest Gump couldn’t take this to 2 stars.

1. ztart - 0 2. thinking about you - 1 3. fertilizer - 0 4. zierra leone - 1 5. zuueet life - 1 6. not juzt money - 0 7. zuper rich kidz - 1 8. pilot jonez - 0 9. crack rock - 1 10. pyramidz - 1.5 11. lozt - 1 12. uuhite - 0 13. monkz - 1 14. bad religion - 1 15. pink matter - 1 16. forrezt gump - 1 17. end - 0

this is considered the greatest? it is barely music.

I fully agree with the hype! Lyrics and songwriting miles ahead of anyone in the genre and a well put together album beginning to end

I'll be honest, I had very low expectations, and half of this album met those on the nose. But once we got past the usual misogynistic dross, there were a few tunes in here that I kind of enjoyed - Super Rich Kids had me humming along, Bad Religion I liked. Enough to come back to it? I doubt it, but I don't regret listening.

ugh, it's modern r&b/rap. I have no idea what the appeal of this is. There are some very minor parts that have Stevie Wonder-ish vibes, but mostly it sounds exactly like the reason people hate modern r&b: lack of musical substance, ten thousand interludes, album length of an hour... what's not to dislike? 1/5.

Before: I DO NOTTT PLAY ABOUT CHRISTOPHER BREAUX. For years and years I've said that Frank Ocean was my favorite artist of all time and he's still very high up there; he has a very secure spot in the top two or three. I have a Frank Ocean tattoo. I know every single word to this album. Don't piss me off I'm so serious. Standout tracks: Literally almost all of them Weakest tracks: Dude idek Standout lyrics: "We end our day up on the roof. I say I'll jump, I never do, but when I'm drunk I act the fool, talking 'bout, 'do they sew wings on tailored suits?'" - Super Rich Kids "If models are made for modelin', thick girls are made for cuddlin'" - Pink Matter "What if the sky and the stars are for show, and the aliens are watching live from the purple matter?" - Pink Matter "Who needs another friend? I need to hold your hand" - Pink Matter During/after: I know every song on this thing inside and out already so this isn't my usual first listen impressions. The little cough and laugh at the beginning of Start makes me feel like I'm raising from the dead. Thinkin Bout You makes me feel like I'm 16 again and is just so GOOD. Frank's voice is like velvet. Super Rich Kids has always been a favorite with amazing lyrics. The Earl Sweatshirt feature on it absolutely bangs. Crack Rock is another favorite. Not all that much to add except for the fact at it's just really really good. Pyramids is such a masterpiece. Love the juxtaposition of the Egyptian pyramids with the LUXOR PYRAMID HELLOOOO???? I'm calling the police. Also, people sleep on the John Mayer feature on White. Those strings are just so John Mayer and it sounds great with Frank and the vibe of this album. Monks is another underrated banger. Every time I hear the "I'VE NEVER ASKED FOR MUCH" I just wanna do a lil danceee. Bad Religion always puts a very specific and tragic image into my mind immediately with the opening lyrics ("taxi driver, you're my shrink for the hour"), and the whole song just sounds like a drunken, heartbroken, tirade. The pain in this song is palpable. Pink Matter is another classic. I'm so in love with the play on "colors" of matter (gray matter, pink matter, purple matter, blue matter), and there is a lot to unpack there. This track has probably the best lyricism on this album and Andre 3000 has an amazing feature. A favorite for sure. Forrest Gump is probably historically one of my most listened to tracks off of Channel Orange. It's just chill and catchy. Reminds me so much of teenage midwestern summers and is almost painfully nostalgic. End makes the record feel very full circle when you consider how Start sounds and how it begins this tracklist. Really though, the entire second half of the album after White is beautiful (as is the first half but in a different way). Frank does a great job at splitting his albums up into two distinct halves (don't even get me started on how Blonde is split up, omfg) and it works well here. Bad Religion into Pink Matter into Forrest Gump into End is a perfect way to wrap this record up. A smooth, sexy, velvety ode to love and drugs. What more could we ask for? I maintain that he is one of the best artists of this generation. Where's the album, Frank? Easiest 5/5 ever.

I am currently sitting on a train travelling through northern Spain, and I have happily listened to Channel Orange twice through in a row, and will line it up for a third run soon. I have obviously slept on this one, and now I'm wondering why. Well, I know why; I had three small children in 202 and wasn't keeping up to date with new music. I knew that this album was highly crtically rated, but I've been around the traps long enough that I don't believe the hype. And 2012 was peak music blog hype and there have been some pretty fallow years for exciting music this century, so I took what I saw online with a pinch of salt until I had the chance to check out the album myself, and in the case of Channel Orange, that was more than decade. The reason I signed up for this project was to prompt ms to give a serious listen to albums I never got around to giving proper attention. Mostly, I find that my preconceived opinion of whether I would like a record are born out, occasionally there is a special moment when my ears are opened to something special. And today is one of those days. I don't even know where to start with Frank Ocean's Channel Orange. It is an ambitious artistic statement that reminds me of Stevie Wonder, Prince or Marvin Gaye. It has stylistic echoes of those three giants of RnB without slavishly imitating any of them. Lyrically, I find it most similar to Prince, balancing love and spirituality with sex, drugs and the profane, although full of self-doubt and uncertainty instead of Prince's unshakable confidence. The thematic concerns of unrequited love, sex and existential uncertainty are explored with a lyrical freshness. His heavy use of metphor, story telling and surprising imagery allow a level of ambiguity and flexibility to his approach to the themes. I read that Frank Ocean controversially revealed his bisexuality just before the release of Channel Orange, but he didn't really want to pin down exactly his identity. And that is consistent with this album; it contains the freedom and flexibility to allow Frank and the listener to both be whoever we are as complex human beings. Musically, it is both rooted in classic RnB, soul and gospel while being a new approach. It is quite stunning. The heavier use of musicians over samples is a god idea, especially given the loose song structures, much in the neo-soul tradition, which benefits from sympathetic musicianship to help give some dynamic movement to the songs. I am not a fan of skits, interludes and segues, but I didn't find the run time too long, which surprised me. I generally prefer a short, focussed album above songs that outstay their welcome. But I found myself pulled further and further into this record as it went on. I am generally reluctant to award an album 5 stars the first time I heard it, but Channel Orange is stunning and deserves it.

GOAT

It's a great groove, I like how he creates worlds in his lyrics. I don't think it's quite a 5, but there's a lot of dumbasses in the reviews thinking that if there's no guitars is terrible so here's my little bit of help with that.

Common Themes: Frank Ocean brings personal and intimate vocals to this album. Shorter "intermission" songs provide a short break from longer tracks. Reminded me of Adult Swim commercials in between shows. Latter half of the album discusses themes of love and being loved, once again intimate and sensual in a way. I wonder how Blonde innovates upon this formula.

It’s Frank…

Best frank album

5/5 you already know i fucking love this album right here. frank comes alive and tells us stories via song. W. No skips. Pyramids is prob my favorite but idk man its hard.

Me gusta mucho, aunque no sé bien explicarlo. E igual me asombra que haya gente que lo eleve tantísimo a Frank Ocean, pero quizá sólo sea mi ignorancia. Mientras, lo disfruto. Entre mis favs: "Sweet Life", "Pyramids", "Lost" y "Bad Religion" 9.5/10

This album is almost ten years old which is WILD! I listened to it a ton driving around LA when I was there for work. I remember how revelatory it was at the time that Frank Ocean was bisexual—it was a first and was considered pretty dramatic. And here we are 10 years later and it doesn’t feel like a big deal at all. And this album? Such a boo from top to bottom. I hope Ocean makes more. Sometimes we have to wait for good things.

Heavy bias here because I've spent hours and hours with this album (and Blonde) and good ol Cole Cuchna via the Dissect podcast. Everything about this album - the open letter coming out backstory, the double meanings, the skits, the instrumentation, the album cover, the song sequencing, the themes - is considered and layered with meaning. But its also not tedious or cold. Restrained, surreal storytelling. Unique production. Cleopatra in a strip club. Features are sparse but exactly where needed- numb rich guy iambic verse from Earl S, extremely tasteful John Mayer interlude, show stealing Andre 30000. If I didn't have a deep history with Frank I'd probably score this lower, but I do so A+

masterpiece

Oh yes

I've been familiar with Frank Ocean ever since his inclusion in the rap group Odd Future. I'm also a big fan of Tyler, The Creator and Earl Sweatshirt - of which Frank Ocean appears as a guest vocalist pretty frequently. Coming into this album I've heard it through a couple of time and am familiar with multiple songs. I already really love it but this will be a fun experience doing a deeper dive. The entire album has an interesting feel as if you're flipping through channels on an old CRT tv. I almost imagine these channels, and by extension the songs on the album, being different events in Frank's life and experiences. My favorite arc in the album is from "Sweet Life", "Not Just the Money", and "Super Rich Kids". The lyrics in both songs talk about growing up with white kids who were spoiled from their upbringing and how ultimately the life styles they lead are hollow and ultimately end up doing them a disservice in the long run. The beats on the album are also extremely unconventional but somehow the album manages to make them feel extremely cohesive and that they fit extremely well. Sometimes Frank's vocals feel like they "go off the beaten path" of the beat of the song but I kind of like how unpredictable the vocal nuances can be on this record. This was a fun one to return to! Definitely one I could see myself returning to with some frequency. Standout tracks are: "Thinkin Bout You", "Sweet Life", "Super Rich Kids", "Lost", and "Bad Religion".

A very unique mesh , kinda a modern day price Pyramids bad religion are very beautiful , I don’t quite connect with the A side as well but love the closing half … never these a very strong debut album with great vocals and unique and interesting mesh of sounds

when i first listened to this i felt like i was missing too much musical context to truly "get" this album like so many people do but it's still very clear to me how "good" this is regardless of what you know about this kind of music it's clear to me when songs of a more familiar musical vocabulary to me like Lost come in

Love Lost! Overall, a delicate feeling album.

Real good. Great production. Could cut off the last few songs and it might be better, but the run through the middle of the album is killer. I don't know enough about the genre to speak definitively, but hard for me to imagine a much better version of what this is.

7/10 - Upbeat, jazzy, funky, spoken word. Some Stevie Wonder influence. Large range of styles.

I’ve always wanted to listen to Frank Ocean. 2. This Song is fantastic 5. I really love this 7. Love this too. It’s interesting contrasted with the previous track 14. Obsessed with this I’m not sure I really get this album but it was good.

I'd give this 2.5 stars if I could, because I was impressed with some of the album, particularly the first third, but it then devolved into something more forgettable. However, I do want to check out his "Blonde" album, as I've heard many people like that one best, and I find his talent and sound good enough for me to explore more.

Sexy and swanky. I already knew/liked "Thinkin Bout You" and other favorite track was "Sweet Life." A lot of sexy talk which isn't typically my vibe, but it was fun to listen to at a low volume.

I’ve tried a couple of times. It’s pretty, great voice. But not for me.

Cool vibe throughout …. Considered this new school R&B back in the day but it’s a bit more unique than that …. Vocals are definitely R&B with the music has more of a jazz/funk leaning to it. Really cool collaboration between the vocals and music throughout the album. Not a whole lot of variety in the album’s vibe tough to argue with staying in that lane.

It's good in the background and pretty boring if you actively listen to it.

Hugely not my thing but it was nice enough while it was on in the background while playing Quadratanks with my daughter. Probably won't listen again but I didn't dislike it to the extent I expected when the first tracks started and I recognised the genre. Enjoyed the start with the opening Playstation 1 sounds.

p923. 2012. 2 stars. Formulaic, bland, uninspired plastic high pitched vocal "R&B". Background music when shopping at Monsoon. Big Joe Turner must be turning in his grave.

Millennial music. The guy has a good voice but there is a lack of cohesion and energy on this album for me. So far I am having trouble understanding the structure of the melodies and I can't get past the sound of what seems to be some type of auto tune or pitch correction on his voice in some songs. There seems to be a lot of abstract feel throughout the album that is making it hard for me to get into. It's a little rambling for me. Very cool that Andre 3000 makes an appearance but I found his verse kind of unexciting. Seems like there are a lot of r and b albums like this that come from younger generations. Toro y Moi is an example of a younger guy that keeps r and b interesting when he does it. Alabama Shakes is another. Maybe I am showing my age in associating r and b with the solid musicianship of people like Earth, Wind and Fire, Anita Baker, Prince, Luther Vandross, Michael Jackson, Hi 5, Sade, Al B Sure and so many other heavy hitting r and b artists. I feel like I see what he's going for. Some of the songs echo Prince's 'Insatiable', EWAFs 'Reasons' and Elton John's 'Benny and Jets' but the creativity and innovation just isn't there for me. Frank raps in some parts, but I'm coming from the school of Busta Rhymes, Tribe Called Quest, Method Man, KRS 1, Immortal Technique, Biggie, and Mos Def so its hard for me get into a more Xanax type rap delivery. I hear Jimi Hendrix 's 'Little Miss Lover' drum intro in 'Crack Rock'. Best song for me on this album is 'Lost'.

So R&B – and whatever derivatives of it that I’ve been exposed to over the years, are most definitely NOT my wheelhouse… That said – if this is some sort of “Alt-R&B” that he has created, then I can say that it is better than any other R&B out there… The sound it very unique and original, and I like the diversity throughout the album – as clearly Frank is quite talented… No songs really jumped out though as being exceptional, but there weren’t any throwaway’s here either… Solid 2 for me, and I’d listen to another of his albums if it comes down to it…

This didn't land for me at all. I'm not generally an R&B fan but this made me feel very old, like I didn't get the music these whippersnappers are playing these days. While I understand making the songs slower with a lot of space and atmosphere can be interesting, I don't understand how this can be your only trick on a whole album. There were barely any attempts at hooks and nothing particularly notable to me about the singing or lyrics. This guy is a huge deal I think, headlines festivals and stuff, how that could be a good closer I've no idea. Yep, hard 1.

My expectations were at ground level, but I still want my hour back. Floaty non-music with pretentious slice-of-life lyrics of a bored clown. I absolutely hate his vocal style. The man can't sing for shit, but he can do pretend vocal flourishes that might have worked for someone with talent.

like what im so confused this is straight up awful i was really excited to check out frank ocean, i heard a lot about him. and then i tune into this album and Im just confused? is there something i missed, some joke or is this a wrong album? it genuinly sounds like a first demo of an album, i mean, fuck, there is a song titled Crack Rock??? what the fuck is this shit?? this is awful even for 2012 jesus christ. flacid boring instrumentals like im listening to a dream pop album and out of tune whacked out vocals NNN

This album is a white, middle aged, music critic's wet dream as it gives them a chance to pretend they're still down with "tha kidz" as they obviously love this album so they can play it for their daughter's friends to show they're still cool. "He's black and gay! I'm so open minded." I bet they tell people that they're often mistaken for sisters! Not mother and daughter! For me, it's dull modern R&B, decent neo-soul vocals but with nothing interesting to say, dull plodding drum machines, melodies that don't go anywhere. Awful. Best Tracks: Thinking Bout You; Super Rich Kids; Lost

El disco no solo es una mierda si no que además es terriblemente aburrido.

5/2/25. Forgot how much of a landmark album this is in my lifetime. Stands on its own in the R&B genre, and all the songs hit. Frank Ocean went above and beyond on this one.

The best song isn’t the single…I love this album. This one is an experience and it only gets better as the album goes along. On my shortlist of albums I wish would be released on vinyl.

What a beautiful album.

An easy 5 if obviously shy of what he hits on Blonde.

Fantastic

Frank ocean is good shit

Listened on Spotify. So this will be my second listen of "Channel Orange", and this time I had a much better experience. Frank Ocean's voice is great and the lyrics are really good and touches on a lot of different things like unrequited love, privilege, loss of identity, sexuality and spirituality. It's a great album! Favs: - Pyramids - Thinkin Bout You - Lost - Super Rich Kids - Sweet Life 9/10

I do recognize that I have a strong bias for albums that came out during my formative years, in this case, my early 20's, and that I may associate big life transitions and emotional rollercoasters to these albums, but danggit, Channel Orange did capture that for me back in 2012. The lyrics of unrequited love, turmoil in love, or the hypocrisy of the wealthy, all backed by some funky synths - all changed the r&b game and I loved it. "Thinkin Bout You" is sad and lovely, and such a classic, but my favorite is "Pyramids." I remember listening to this for the first time while driving in Cincinnati summer, and just going "whoa" during the mid-song transition.

It's crazy to think back to 2012. OF mixed tap Vol2 comes out and you realize that the ceiling is so much higher than Goblin, and then Frank drops cO and you realize these punks are going to actually produce great music. It takes Tyler 5 years to release an actual album, and here's Frank producing great work in 2012. Now my white straight man take - this album also perfectly capitalizes on the chill-wave era in an unexpected way. You have bands like Neon Indian, Washed Out, and Starfucker creating really great bops but with slow-paced development. Even thinking about the xx coming out of this era, you have popular musicians incorporating sparsity in their albums, letting the lyrics trickle out over either an exciting or devastating backdrop. Frank never rushes into an album and there's so much more emotion in his music because of it. Also random observation - doesn't Bad Religion have the same organ sequence as Jesus Lord off Donda? It's the same 4 notes on the same organ looped over the whole track ...

This is a fantastic album.

Top five all time for me

A modern classic.

A perfect album.

Favorite picks: "Thinkin Bout You", "Pyramids"

10 Stars.

Any songwriter should aspire to the high highs of “Sweet Life”

Initial thoughts: I really enjoyed this album, and the intro just gave me pure nostalgia

Have always enjoyed listening to this album, despite Frank Ocean not giving us much.

personifies the 90’s and 2000’s kids teenage and college years. Evokes those feelings and memories of youth and uncertainty in the most vulnerable ways

Great lol

It's probably more like a 4.5 but this album deserves the bump. Lots of standout tracks. Worth a few listens. Handful of non-singles that make my Liked songs.

classic . baller. no complaints. used to say it was better than blonde for me

I'm probably just biased towards more modern music but I tended to like the songs in this album more than most of the ones I've encountered from this website

Real good

I think this is a great modern classic of an album. Frank took a genre that had gotten pretty damn cheesy, and made it cool by incorporating a bunch of eclectic elements and themes that were different from the typical R&B album. Tons of highlights here, including "Thinkin Bout You", "Lost", "Pink Matter", "Bad Religion", and "Pyramids". 5 stars.

This album is the definition of "a whole ass vibe". Great album, favorite track is probably Pink Matter but there’s so many here. I expect Blonde will be on the list somewhere as well.

last living genius

I can't believe I've heard like 3 great frank ocean tracks and none of them were on this. every great album should come with a tumblr post.

Very very good

Excellent album. Love the psychedelic tinge and the production overall. Gets a 5 for making me love it despite not always loving that genre.

Would be real nice if Frank made another album this century.