Channel Orange

this was boring

Mir unbekannt, aber ganz cool. Fast 4.

I’ve heard of him but thought it was rap. Pretty surprised to find out its more R&B. Not my cup of tea. Long album where most of the songs were repetitive and sounded similar. 5/10

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

I have the defect of prejudging an album based on its year of release. I know that there are several examples of good albums from 2010 onwards, but even so, I end up taking a step back. With that in mind and said, this is not a perfect example. I personally don't like those synthetic and almost robotic vocals that permeated the decade. But I recognize that, musically speaking, there is a very good mix between pop and contemporary R&B and hip-hop. All of this stuck together in a kind of Lo-fi vibes with lyrics. I really liked the instrumental part, but it's not something I'll choose to listen to on a Saturday night while enjoying a good whiskey. No! But it's an excellent background to spend the night with some friends, playing Minecraft!

The music - beats here are good, and I wanted to really like this album. But for me the vocals are bland and seem like one long song.

I had Frank Ocean confused with Billy Ocean. Once that was resolved, I found Channel Orange kind of dull. Frank’s voice is nice but not unique - at times he sounds like Pharrell Williams. Lyrically I was less than impressed but it was a smooth tolerable listen.

Фоновая музыка для секса. Музыканты молодцы, а копченый пидарасик френк оушен - не зачëт

franks voice and the production is always great on his releases. ive been listening to this on and off for a while prior to this generation. i enjoyed almost all of the songs here except for thinking bout you that just never clicked with me for some reason. consistency is kind of iffy for me, but i dont think its necessarily a bad thing here. i like the drums in sweet life and monks, and they ended up as my favorites because of that. 4 personal favs: sweet life, pyramids, monks

I liked this more than I expected. Definitely the more mellow side of rap.

Questo è una specie di R&B molto soft e gradevole come sottofondo

Highlights: Super Rich Kids, Lost, Sweet Life, Monks. In a nutshell: "how's the gutter goin'?" With Tyler The Creator, Andre 3000, Pharrell Williams and more joining Frank, you're certain to have an eclectic debut album. But Channel Orange is a mixed bag. Most of the interludes were unnecessary. Pyramids didn't need to be over 9 minutes. IMHO, Super Rich Kids is one of the best songs of the 2010's. Moreso for the lyrics not necessarily the beat/melody. The electro-funk bass and percussion on Monks is sweet. This album and Kendrick Lamar's good kid, M.A.A.D City (released just months after Channel Orange) were trend setters. We have a plethora of artists imitating/building on this style to this day. That fact needs to be acknowledged. Even though I'm not into this genre, having Frank Ocean (be it here or Blonde) on this list is a must. Overall: 6/10

I hear a lot of Stevie Wonder influence in this record. I love the production on this, especially how crisp the drums sound throughout. My complaints register that there may be a few too many interludes throughout, and that the album just kind of... ends. The songs don't really have much in the way of evolving, and the subdued nature of the record works against it at some points. That being said, the vibes are solid. Favorite tracks: "Super Rich Kids", "Thinkin Bout You", "Pyramids"

Already listened to, very good album and I personally liked it more than Blonde. I felt like it contained more interesting beats and a well executed theme.

Meh?

3 good

Excellent album. Excellent time 2012.

I’m sooo close to giving this 5 stars that I’ve had to reflect on it for a couple of weeks. I really like the clever fill-ins of “radio talk”. It feels like being back in high school, flipping through the radio stations and finding a favorite song that’s already into the last chorus, but you’ve gotta stop and listen. My teenage daughter was shocked when I turned this album on in the car. I was shocked that she knew anything in this list. Lol

used to be obsessed with frank. blonde is better in my opinion but there’s some hits on here

Really great R&B - was pleasantly surprised that this album was included. Loved the themes of wealth and disaffection

Pretty good

Excellent album, listened more than 3 times

A perfect blend of every wimpy sound I hate. The parental advisory should be that your child might become infected by shit music.

Man. This goes between a three and a four. There is some generic filler here but the good songs really work.

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

One of the ones I wish I could erase from my memory and discover all over again. No clue how many times I've listened to this masterpiece.

How was that an important album?

This is the first album that I had listened through all the way prior to the list. I consider myself a frank ocean fan. This is an interesting album, it goes all in on the electronic R&B sound and showcases Franks vocals. There are great tracks, thinking bout you, Super Rich Kids, crack rock, lost, monks, forest gump, and of course pyramids (which is the stairway to heaven of electronic R&B). However there are so many interludes. Start, end, white, pilot jones, fertilizer, its all a bit unnecessary. There are a lot of highs on this album and very few lows. These tracks have been with me so long I dont know how to assess them anymore. I think they're a bit aged and not to spoil it but I think Blonde is an improvement on every front.

Was not into this album when it released, but digging this now.

I love the PS2 and street fighter sound effects in the beginning of the album, then “Thinking bout you” is such a good song that the following tracks seem like a bit of a let down. “Super Rich Kids” comes close to that high then we get to “Pyramids”, which is better than it has any right to be at 10 minutes long. What a bizarre ass feature of John Mayer in “White”; it completely works as a break before the last third of the album. This album goes on a sinusoidal path of great songs to not so great songs and back. The lows aren’t even that low though; it’s all good stuff. There are a. Couple of skips for me toward the end but by and large this is great. Really good sunny day driving album, and on multiple listens the lyrics are great too. Really enjoyed this one.

5,76

its luh calm

Fun, sleek, full of meaning

Just loved. Great songs. New fan. Will be visiting often.

You can see there's great things coming from Frank Ocean

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.

YOU DONT KNOW HOW LITTLE YA MATTER UNTIL UR ALL ALONE IN THE MIDDLE OF ARKANSAS WITH A LITTLE ROCK LEFT IN THAT GLASS DICK

Surprisingly enjoyable from beginning to end.

Not the greatest voice but some interesting beats and arrangements. I was attentive which says something.

Meh

Meh

It's fine for what it is, but R&B is not my jam so it's hard to rate this appropriately. 2.5

It was nice, but didn't really do anything for me.

This is a pretty great mix of R&B, funk, and pop. The production is very "rich". I was actually quite blown away with how easy of a listen it was, and ran through it twice.

Didn’t engage me that much but feel with repeated listens I’d come to enjoy more…. Might revisit…

I don't get it :(

Better than I'd expected! Quite chilled and jazzy. Expected more of a rap vibe

I’ve heard of frank ocean but I’ve never listened to his music before. He is very talented, I enjoy this album.

Pretty good, one to try again.

Half raw Alternative R&B instead of yummy half-baked.

Awesome album

120/1001 🌕🌗🌑🌑🌑

This kinda thing definitely isn't something I regularly would listen to. It's "fine?" Sounds like over-produced pop/hip-hop. Some of the grooves are good, but it just sounds so polished it has almost no soul? Ocean's vocals are silky smooth sure, but can't place it but it just feels too produced for my liking.

I'm not an r&b guy, so I'm not qualified to judge this. I'm told it was groundbreaking. Has some interesting lyrics, but I do wonder. Is he in love with Forrest Gump?

Amazing musician, great album. First time listening straight through.

Been fire!

Surprising find. 3.5/5

Surprisingly satisfying. One new favourite track.

sheesh

This did not need to be this long.

Some cool grooves.

Not my style...but OK

It was decent but I didn't really see what all they hype was about

Not my thing but interesting at least :) enjoyed it

Classic album. Helped created the modern R&B fusion sound. Also shout out to first out bisexual R&B artist to top the charts.

Beautiful album.

there's some really corny shit on here (super rich kids, rock, forrest gump). each track feels fairly fresh on a first listen but it's almost less than the sum of its parts because it lacks a cohesive sound. more of a collection of singles than anything, and way safer than an album so highly regarded ought to be. because this album feels so scattered, the skits end up coming across as forced and not serving any grander purpose. to give a comparison, 808's & heartbreaks may be rougher around the edges but its sound and production create a much more even landscape plus kanye writes hooks with far more pop and punch than ocean. not to dump on this the whole time though, thinkin bout you and lost were definite highlights even if they do kind of sound like drake songs. actually, in a way a lot of channel orange sounds like if drake was 20% more talented. im hopeful for blonde when it inevitably comes up though.

I had this over a weekend and really tried to get into it. I think there’s definitely the potential for a 4 or 5 star album in here somewhere - the production gets much more interesting after 25mins or so. But generally I found it a bit boring and formulaic. I don’t like the low end hiphop or the jiggy singing high bits. Could scrape up to a 3 if I was feeling generous, I’m not though.

Fun (but completely unrelated to the music) start to the album for a nerd like me, some throwbacks to the original Playstation. The first thing I noticed when starting the album on Spotify was how many listens it had. Also, this has flown straight over my head as I've never heard about Frank Ocean before. Now, over to the music. it opens with one of the most popular songs of the album, but I can't for the life of me see why that is so popular. And it continues along that same path for the rest of the album as I am a bit clueless as to why this album in particular is so popular. After putting it on now just before writing this review I admit it's quite a nice and mellow experience, and it's not half bad. But I still can't really see the supposed greateness. I must add that R&B is not really my forte. I found my favourite song in 'Lost', which also seems to be the most popular one on the album. Other than that I can't really single out something particular that I enjoy, but it was overall okay. I realize I am out of touch here with the rest of the public opinion, but for me a strong 3 feels like the right score. Was contemplating giving it a weak 4, but that would have been because I know it's a popular record.

This is an album that I really should enjoy a lot. It's from the time when I was in my early twenties, I like Hip-Hop and soul and "Lost" is a great song. For some reason I have always had trouble getting in to the whole album though. I just get kind of bored after a few songs. The same happened this time but I still think it's a good album. There is something very good going on with the mix of soul and hip hop. A very chill listen but not many tracks stand out except for "Lost". A chill album with a great single, going to be generous and give it a weak 4.

Really good

“channel ORANGE” contains some of my absolute favorite songs of all time. Its blending of every genre that dance around r&b (hip-hop, electronic, dance, funk, etc.) is seamless and shows how multi-faceted Frank Ocean was this early in his career. Frank’s words and tortured singing give off a lonely yet sentimental feeling. His characters are ones of longing and all come together to paint a portrait of the flawed world Frank is forced to live in as well

I didn't really get into Frank Ocean until Blond (which is to this day one of my favorite albums of all time). I was into Odd Future/Tyler the Creator-adjacent music so I listened to Channel Orange when it came out and it didn't blow me away. I thought Frank had a great voice but what he did on CO didn't feel that groundbreaking or unique, especially compared to the projects that other OF members were putting out (Tyler, Earl, etc). In the years since, CO has really grown on me. It's the type of album that benefits from repeated listens and getting to know the songs/lyrics. What isn't present in experimentation is made up for with strong melodies and hooky songs: Thinkin Bout You, Sierra Leone, Super Rich Kids, Pilot Jones, Pyramids, Lost, these are all such iconic songs that really stick with you after repeated listens. There are still some in-between songs that I don't care much for, but most of what's here is great.

Some real sad boi music here.

banger

Very good. Never heard before

6/10

so, this has become one of my favorite albums in probably the last decade. i know i will consistently discuss Dissect, the podcast, with anyone who will listen. but, that season of about Channel Orange and Blonde really just goes to show much much of a musical genius Frank Ocean is. like no joke, the dude is incredible. 5/5 album. i can't even begin to explain all of the references in this album, and what makes it truly a work of art. its front to back incredible.

Day 21 of listening to 1001 albums, one day at a time. I had already listened to Channel Orange a little while ago but I thought why not go again. It felt a lot like going back watching a movie you had already watched. You were able to say along with some lines. But there were moments that grabbed, moments that hadn’t focused on much before. I think I truly had a surface level understanding of this album on first listen. Even song is so sonically beautiful it’s hard not to get lost in those sounds and truly listen. The way Frank Ocean talks about social class and how he can make it so whimsical and then remind how selfish it is. Or on Crack Rock talking about drugs addiction and how you’re outcasted, the government and people don’t care about you. Although we’re Frank Ocean shines is his songs about relationships. Thinkin Bout You, Pyramids, Bad Religion, and Lost. These touch a lot of different topics from unrequited feelings and people trying to work to help their partners. What I didn’t know about the album was that it comes from Frank Ocean’s grapheme color synesthesia. He associates the color orange with the time of summer and that were a lot of the ideas for these songs take place. There is something to be said about the way these song are just ear candy and transport you to another world. Channel Orange is an amazing that I didn’t give enough credit the first listen and I am glad I gave it another listen to truly understand how remarkable of album this is.

Off to a real interesting start on this RNB record. Sweet Life is good. A really good record that I have no idea what to do with or how to rate it.

Fine, I sort of like the vibe but it’s too slow for me. Not really my style.

I can definitely see how this album wouldn’t be for everyone. I specifically remember the first time I heard it I really didn’t like it but the more I heard a few of the songs I came to love it more and more. Super rich kids is my fave but thinkin bout you, pyramids, and lost are all great.

Thinkin Bout You is one of my favorite songs. I always wondered why I didn’t vibe with the album back then. I feel like the album starts with the best song and the rest of it isn’t as memorable. I also wonder why novacane isn’t on this album.

There are a lot of great songs on this album and Frank Ocean’s singing voice is fantastic. Easy to go back to for either the hits or to go through the entire album. It’s a nine out of ten for me, but on the five star scale I’m gonna have to round down to four.

I thought I was going to like this more than I did. I didn't recognize any of the songs. It was good, but a little slow. Frank Ocean has an amazing voice, but that's about it for me on this album.

Wow, well it was about time to give some recognition to Frank Ocean

The further I got into this album the more I loved it. It has such a smooth feeling to it, and just has such polish but without feeling overproduced.

Another Surprise

Didn’t think I would have rated this so high considering it’s not my usual genre of music.

Not for me

Such a smooth album. Frank Ocean's voice is velvety smooth. Admittedly I've always struggled a bit to get into R&B but this record is quite enjoyable to me. Some really nice bass lines, keys, and groovy rhythms. There are some serious standouts. For the R&B genre, this is definitely a record that needs to be listened to. The perfect album to throw on in the background at a dinner party or something. I love the song Super Rich Kids.

I love this record, but its kind of a slow burn. It takes time and re-listens. I still don't know if I like Blonde more, I've spent more time with Blonde but this is definitely the framework. No Blonde without channel Orange. If I was to genre this record, I would say its "anti-pop r&b." It really is a true R&B album. Its got the blues, the jazz, the funk, the soul. There are parts of this record that sound like church. What makes it "anti-pop" to me, is that it takes elements of modern r&b and winks / nods at it, and then completely rejects it with style / lyrics and composition. It reminds me very much of what Tyler Childers is doing with country music right now. What's also interesting to me about this album, is that it doesn't really take off until about halfway through. The first few songs are a mix of samples and short sequences, before it picks up into longer more in-depth songs. I love the run from Super Rich Kids through Lost. Its a little more vibey and upbeat. It captures the listener. You get a quick palate cleanser provided by John Mayer with White and then it goes a completely different direction with Monks > Bad Religion > Pink Matter > Forrest Gump. It takes a slower, more emotional, soulful turn. Even the Andre 3000 song feels slower and more soulful. The lyrics are pretty emo, but he also plays with elements of SoCal culture like money, rich kids, fashion and even punk music with Monks and Bad Religion. This really is an album that I would not have gravitated towards 5 years ago, and even when it starts, I wince a little. "Thinkin Bout You" is not my favorite song and it first it kind of sounds like poppy r&b that I typically don't love. But as I've listened to this album I can hear the influences and really respect and love it. I can hear Stevie Wonder in his voice, Isaac Hayes in the stoner psychy composition, Marvin Gaye in the lyrics. And then an overall wink and nod and modern r&b while very intentional inventing something entirely new. It is fantastic.

A landmark album that has influenced so many. Just amazing

never heard a song from him before, only hear his name sometimes. good stuff mostly, looking forward to 'blonde'

all-time sexy music banger

✅✅✅ not in my edition of the book. but an absolute classic. verses from Andre 3000 and Earl Sweatshirt are highlights. always worth a revisit.

medio banana

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.

I have a debate that I like to have which started with a bit in an Anthony Bourdain book. He talks about Orson Welles and how, if nothing else he ever made was as good, he was still up there as one of the greats because he made fucking Citizen Kane. I disagree with Tony on this, because I think that Welles directed quite a few other good films (as well as a whole load of shit) but also because I think the mark of a great artist, a great auteur, is the ability to consistently produce work of high quality. It’s the difference between a Harper Lee and a Shakespeare say, a writer who produced one work but a very good one, and one who had a much wider range of work, which is not all equally good, but none of which is actively bad. Of course, there is a secret third option, which I like to call the Tolstoy. Put out a generation definingly good piece of art every ten years or so. This ultimately means that you produce less work than some people, but that the work you do produce is arguably better remembered because of it’s brevity. This seems to be the approach taken by Frank Ocean, who at this point hasn’t released any new music in 8 years. Agent Orange is very, very good, a pioneering piece of minimalist Alternative-R&B that basically set the foundation for what R&B and other forma of black music would sound like for the next decade. And nothing can take that away from Ocean. But I do feel that if he wants to secure his legacy properly, he should release that third album, and soon.

fantastic. hasn’t aged a day. 4.5

Not my typical genre but just blown away

I know this album is well regarded but it really didn’t do much for me, maybe I just don’t like this type of R&B but I was just bored for most of it

3.5 oo 5

He’s clearly talented but this album isn’t for me.

Solid album. Really good.

Perfectly fine R&B, but for some reason it had a truly soporific effect on me.

probably closer to 2.50 or 2.75 could i write poetry to this? n

Probably great sexytime music. Alone and in the daylight...not so much.

Ten years ago this would have been a no brainer 5 for me. I've cooled off of it a bit because Frank Ocean has since leaned into the weirder parts of this album, but there are some all time fave songs for me here.

The vocals and the music sound like they are from 2 different songs. Never been able to get into this album.

Nice variety.

Pyramids fucking slaps dude what

#86: Channel Orange by Frank Ocean Moderately new album, and wow! I really like this album! Thinkin Bout You is a banger, so is Sierra Leone, this is great. I have seen a lot of 1 stars on this album but also a lot of 5s. I have to go with the 5 stars on this one! I just really love it

10/10 LOVE IT SO MUCH

Non offensive not memorable though.

The way this album starts fucks so hard. The PlayStation and Street Fighter sounds really put me into a different headspace right away. Then, Thinkin Bout You starts and it's so delicate and intimate. Very cool way to start an album. Wordplay and references were very enjoyable. Not my typical style, but I had a good time with this album.

Not an R &B lover, so I’m going middle of the road. 3

frekar ljúft, sálarraul. sundurlaus hlustun. fær aðra umferð. 3,5.

Idk what to say it was weird. Felt forced

no hesitation on this one bangers left right and centre

Will be great on a sunny day with a drink

A really solid, if not a little inconsistent album, that in some ways have aged [i]really[/i] poorly. There's more transcendent jams here than clunkers, but man there are some absolute [i]stinkers[/i] on this record (Sierra Leone, Pilot Jones) and a couple highly rated songs that just sound so narcotized and bland a decade plus on (I'm looking at [i]you[/i] "Super Rich Kids"). The light conceptual structure of this album, with it's commercial jingle interludes and start-up sounds contributes absolutely nothing. At it's best this is wry, disaffected commentary on the cultural and social cesspool that is Los Angeles, but having not lived in California for almost 8 years now that speaks to me less and less with each passing day. Except in the case of "Sweet Life" which just reminds me more of the ignorant folks I still know from CA who ask things like "Whats it like living in [i]the south[/i]?" even though my city and community is far more diverse and interesting than their wholly gentrified neighborhoods in like Highland Park or where ever. There's no questioning how much of an event the release of this record was and I have vivid memories of listening to this upon it's midnight release and immediately understanding how much of an impact this would have. It's better than [Album7630705], which I am due for a revisit of but is an album I recall as being one of the most boring highly regarded records I've ever heard, which my be more of a signposting of shifting generational trends. There's also no questioning how much Frank Ocean's laissez-faire take on celebrity has chipped away at the mystique of these records. I got to see Ocean perform live once in the lead-up to this record and he was never a strong live performer to begin with and then every cancelled festival set (FYF 2015) or catastrophic appearance (Coachella 2023) didn't help the reputation. At the end of the day I'm pretty sure I'm just being needlessly critical and salty, this is still a really nice album I just don't think it shines quite as bright as it did on release, time has allowed a fair bit of rust to set in.

C'était générique.

Did not like it

Unbelievable, if I could rate higher than 5 stars I would. Every song is incredible. I can’t pick out favs bc I love every song on this album Nr crying my eyes out to pink matter rn luv Andre 3000

This is the first album I've had on this generator that I have a physical copy of. This album was an integral part of my adolescence and it is perfect. My fave songs: - thinkin bout you - fertilizer - sierra leone - sweet life - super rick kids - lost

Not for me.

Surprised at this one. Not usually something I'd go for yet I found myself being drawn back to it. Great production, sharp lyrics, catchy hooks. I'm sold. Very impressed.

I had never heard this one. Pretty good sound, and Frank Ocean has a great voice. I enjoyed it quite a bit. But man, what I wouldn’t give to have a separate version of so many hip hop and R&B albums that removes all of the interludes/intros/outros/skits. You’re just getting into the groove by a master musician, then you have to wait through a skit that sounds like it was written by a middle schooler. Totally takes me out of it. It’s not unique to this album, and these aren’t the worst out there, it’s just a pet peeve of mine.

A modern classic, creative and immersive. He has a beautiful voice and his artistry is singular. I was lucky to get a rainy afternoon for listening ambience. Highlights: Thinkin Bout You, Sierra Leone, Super Rich Kids, Crack Rock, Pyramids, Bad Religion, Pink Matter, Forrest Gump

I find it boring and lazy vocals, couldn't go past Super Rich Kids. Tried listening to Pyramid separately, as it is a single.

My first thought on seeing this album, Matt Pike standing in front of a wall of Orange amps playing some crushing riffs. This is not that. My second thought, who the fuck is Frank Ocean. This is not my usual jam, but I've been told my 15 old niece listens to Frank a lot, and since she's of the age of knowing everything, I'm going to believe this is good. The only track I really dug was Lost.

frabk ocean

Very relaxed album, e.g. Sweet Life. Vocally also on a very high level.

Good listen

Last time I got an album that I had already listened to it was Yeezus and I didn't re-listen to it. But I can't see this album cover and not listen to this album. Is it a perfect album? Maybe not...but yes it absolutely is. 10/10

Whilst at times overly self-indulgent and not an album I'd necessarily want to own, I also wouldn't be offended if someone were to put it on.

"I'm not sure why, but this album isn't resonating with me. Most of the tracks blend together, making it hard to distinguish one from another, and only few of them really stick in my memory. The standout tracks on the album for me are "Thinkin Bout You" and the absolutely amazing "Lost." I must have listened to "Lost" a million times. In fact, back in 2019, I was so inspired by the song that I wrote a poem based on it. It was published in a Danish literary magazine." I wanted to give the album a single star, but "Lost" made me bump it up an extra star.

This album was in constant rotation for me back in the 2010’s, especially “Lost” and “Pyramids”. I was already a fan of Franks mixtape but when Channel Orange was released I was blown away. The strings on “Sierra Leone” are beautiful and give this album the first bit of magic, a hint at the surreal introspection to come. “Sweet Life” is the first highlight for me on this album. I love the interplay between the bass and keys and that chorus is huge! On “Pilot Jones” Frank really flexes his Psychedelic muscle, much the way Miguel did on Kalaidescope Dream and Wildheart. The reversed synth in the background gives me Radiohead vibes. “Crack Rock” has DJ Shadow, almost trip-hop type drums over chilled keys which takes me to the late 90’s. Then there’s “Pyramid”. This song is epic. It seems to travel through time to many points in history while sounding futuristic at the same time. The transition at the half way point is crazy and John Mayer’s guitar sounds other worldly at the end. “Lost” has that cool Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas sample hidden in the background on second verse that seems very fitting for the nature of the album. John Mayer makes another stellar guitar appearance on “White”. I also love Andre 3000’s verse and guitar contributions on “Pink Matter”. Channel Orange is full of heartbreak while living life through the lens of excess that comes with fame. It feels like a movie more than an album. Intense moments are in slow motion allowing you to take in the emotion just as much as the spectacle. I give this one a 4.5.

I've heard the name Frank Ocean, but I've never listened. I see he has quite the following. The first four songs weren't grabbing me, they seemed uninspiring. I started really noticing the vocal talent on Sweet Life. Super Rich Kids is cool, good melody, and I like Earl Sweatshirt. Wait... I have heard Crack Rock before. I like Crack Rock, the song and drug.

Sweet Life! I first heard/saw Frank Ocean performing Forrest Gump on the Grammys, and I was captivated. I kept an ear out for more, but our paths didn't cross again until now. Conceptually, we hear Frank changing channels throughout the album with ear-candy interludes. Similarly, his voice alters between spoken word rap, Stevie Wonder funk (especially on the too-short "Fertilizer"), and a clear falsetto. Sometimes lush and warm ("Thinking About You," "Crack Rock") and at times minimalistic ("Pilot Jones," "White," the "Benny and the Jets" chords of "Super Rich Kids") the instrumentation stretches its wings comfortably, never showing danger of going too far. Maybe the whole would benefit by getting a little dangerous; it is equally possible that it would kill the vibe. With the exception of "Pyramids" (containing the intriguing imagery of "Cleopatra working at The Pyramid tonight"), the songs hover around 4 minutes or less (mostly less). If a song is not to your taste, something new and different is served moments later. However, I didn't find anything off-color on this album, save some of the occasional language which is relatively mild for the time. "Bad Religion" is the best track on this album, proving that Frank is not relying on clever production and smooth vocals; there is a true songwriter in him.

Frank Ocean, son of Billy Ocean (probably), is a new listen for me. This album takes familiar R&B, soul, and hip hop vernacular and dissects and reassembles it into an experimental and diffuse collage. Mary J. Blige's "Real Love" is stripped down, slowed down, and stretched out like Dali's melting clocks, in "Super Rich Kids" for example. Some interesting moments are here in the abstract soundscapes, but I couldn't really immerse myself in the material and connect emotionally. Maybe that's a "me" problem; I think I've aged out of the target demographic. I leave it to the children.

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'.

I tried to get the hype around Frank Ocean, I mostly know him from cancelling shows last minute. Still don't quite get it.

I don't really mind hip-hop taking a turn. Frank Ocean is the perfect example of that. He takes HH somewhere else, somewhere in between the genres. The whole album is a production masterpiece (maybe even a little over-produced, since Ocean's voice is alone enough to get to the listener). I get why people like his music. But I'm not the biggest fan.

Lots of really good stuff going on here, I love the layering of sounds and the smooth vocals. I can see why the hype exists. In the end, really enjoyed it, but it’s not quite up there with some of my favorite hip hop / R&B that I’ve heard on this list. A strong 4 from me.

Not my music

This won't be a first time listen. Soft fan of this album going in, already did it for Hook Club I think. Upon listen, not that impressed, a lot of yoo yoo yah yah stuff and ceaseless lyrical repetition on most of the hooks. BUT there are some solid tracks and it's not bad to listen to.

Huge inspiration for my producing. Makes me want to leave my set half way through

Its probably generational... I don't like it at all. The lazy crooning vocal style detracts from the lyrics and potential musicality. Yet I know that many will rate this at 5 stars

Crazy that this was released 12 years ago. So so good, elite vocals and production whole way thru. So glad that this album made it onto the list bc I thought it would be too Gen Z coded. Especially love Monks, and bad religion and Pink Matter are goated songs, except Andre 3000s verse doesn’t add anything for me. This cutesy imagery based lyric writing normally doesn’t work for me but I feel like Frank makes it work so well

woop woop

already listened

Ordentlicher klarer und melodischer Rap mit passenden Klang und Popelementen. Man kann das Album chillend im Hintergrund laufen lassen ohne das es stört. Ein ordentlicher Song ist “Pyramide”. Insgesamt ist das Album zu lang. Oceans ruhige Stimme kompensiert dies zum Glück.

Bland, boring stuff. The vocals sound horrible. One of the worst albums in this list so far. I usually give these albums three plays but this one grated so much...

Hip-hop / rnb but actually good and vibe-y. Stand-out: Thinkin Bout You

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.

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…

Understand the hype. Everything after Super Rich Kids was been incredible

понравился волнами - сначала показалось вторичный микс Мигеля и (того как я представляю) Дона Гловера, потом втянулась (Мигель фтв!), потом как-то всё-таки хорновато и дженерик

Really cool and different style. Kind of like the Beck of hip hop. A) massive vocal range. That falsetto is spot on. B) the mix of ambient, trip-hop, 90s R&B, and even psychedelic is really engaging. You don’t want to stop listening because he keeps bringing in new elements. C) delicate at times. He doesn’t hammer you over the head with beats or melodies. Well-mixed.

A very solid hip hop album with a nice variety of supporting sounds implemented. Didn't care all that much about the subject matter and maybe was a little heavy on the high vocals, but I still liked it

Impressive first offering, beautifully produced and sung. Not really for moi, though.

It's an odd album. Certainly well produced with the snippets of conversation and his sweet voice, layers of voices. It is jazz like in some respects but never hints at melody except in the cadence of his voice. It has a sense of languid sadness. I'll give it a 3, but I'll never listen to it again.

One of the best albums ever made !

Some interesting grooves. Story songs, but without much subtlety. I do feel transported into a world I'm unfamiliar with, I enjoyed that. Not Just Money, Super Rich Kids, and Crack Rock carry this whole thing for me. A lot to recommend but it doesn't make me feel anything. I like the minimalism and chill tempos. I would need more time with this. Seems like Frank Ocean (if that IS your real name!) is not that into making music and this was something he shedded like a snake skin from his lifestyle. It's ok.

3.5

Love Lost! Overall, a delicate feeling album.

Second half was better

Favorite track: "Thinkin Bout You"

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.

I’m finding R&B music isn’t really my thing, but this album was solid for the genre. Nice easy listening.

Man what a great album, amazing performance by Frank on basically every song, and to think he has an even better album then this. 4.5/5

What a great album for this list! It perfectly shows how terrible modern pop music is. Give me Billy Ocean any day over this horrible sounding crap. Is it auto-tune or does he really just sound this bad? There was one half decent track, Sweet Life.

3 - Some parts were cool, but struggled with it. Found parts a bit cheesy and grating

Drop some new music please Frank. This album's pretty great, I liked a lot of the songs I was less familiar with, though I don't particularly like any of the short tracks/interludes, they just feel like a waste of time and disrupt the flow. The album in general doesn't flow well for me at all. Pyramids into Lost just feels wrong. Because I love Blonde so much, and this album pales so much in comparison its hard to even consider a 5, but there are so many great pop songs on this one - it delivers something different to Blonde that is still a great listen but for different reasons. For me though something about the album feels disingenuous - instead of the vulnerability and raw emotion that Blonde has, it has shiny synths and stories about strippers, mosh pits and wet tits and rich kids living in LA. With hindsight it doesn't feel right. Fave Tracks: Thinkin Bout You, Super Rich Kids, Pyramids, Lost 4.3/5

An interesting change up. I remember this being all the rage. Not really my thing though.

worth a deeper listen

It's fine background noise.

Some of it is alright, bit artsy so I can see why a bunch of white people like it

Favourite tracks: thinking about you; pyramids; crack rock; sierra leone

Loves: Sierra Leone Sweet Life Pyramid Pink Matter Dislikes: Super Rich Kids Pilot Jones Notes: The vibe is so close to being there. I love the experimental elements, the genre blending, the vocals, and the whole idea, but it needs to go a little further.

Classic Frank, great album, not much to say. Favorite Song: Lost ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

"Pyramids" and "Pink Matter" are the stand out tracks.

I did not enjoy this album.

Punched me straight in the nostalgia glands as starts with the original noise from the PS1. After that it continues with smooth, soul/hip-hop and its pretty solid. Some tracks kinda fade into background but overall this was a pleasant experience

This is someone I'd been interested in checking out for quite some time and didn't get to it. I can understand the hype. It's a good album. Lyrics and performance come off as authentic, which is always important to me. Some good tunes here. Walks the hip-hop/soul/R&B/pop line really well. I like the way the songs were fleshed out in the studio. Good use of backup vocals, something I think a lot of artists in these genres forget about today. Reminds me a little of Pharrell, and I hear Prince coming through on some tracks.

cool cool cool summer music vibes, a bit

By far one of the greatest albums ever to have been released. This is a classic. I love this album so much. Pyramids is one of the best. Lost. Rich Kids, So many great songs

a dude repeating the title of the song over some beats super rich kids pyramids

if i could give this a 9/10 i would.

Been awhile since I got an album I know! I haven't listened to this in full since it came out. Aside from a few hits, I don't understand the hype of Frank Ocean. I wonder if he can be credited for kicking off the era of slow beats that defined the 2010's music? Wasn't much of a fan of that either.

I actually own this one! But ... I don't really revisit it. It's definitely got some great moments, but overall a bit too samey for my taste.

I started listening to this 4 times and it played all the way through each time, but my attention wandered. It was decent and I generally liked it, but nothing stuck with me or grabbed my attention

this is a 3.5 but I'm a 'round down' kinda guy. I'm sure that says something about me but I'll just move on now

I could listen to this album probably another 20 times but I'm already behind and I gotta move on! Never really listened to Frank Ocean but it was such a diversity of sound. I was bummed I couldn't take the time to go track by track on samples and personnel yet.

Amazing album. Excited to see it come up on this list, I've been needing a re-listen.

Wow. I haven't never listened to a single Frank Ocean song before today. I knew nothing about him except a vague idea that he was a RnB singer. Not a genre I was ever invested in. But this album blew me away. The music is impeccable, mixing elements of various genres and influences. The content is free and vulnerable, taking on numerous voices vividly. I never expected that this would be an album I play on repeat, but it's incredible.

eh, beats were good, raps were fine

Really good album beginning to end. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

2.5

Best tracks: Super Rich Kids Pink Matter

A tornado flew around my room before you came. Excuse the mess it made, it usually doesn’t rain in southern California, much like Arizona, my eyes don’t shed tears but boy they bawlin. I’m thinking bout you, oh no no no, Ive been thinking bout you, you know know know. I’ve been thinking about you, do you think about me still? Do ya? Do ya? OR DO YOU NOT THINK SO FAR AHEADDDD! CUZ I BEEN THINKING BOUT FOREVA OOOOOOOOO

RandB 3/5

This isn’t really my kind of music, but I enjoyed it enough. 7/10 Top 3: 1. Pyramids 2. Lost 3. Bad Religion

It's not quite my sound, but I'm glad I listened to this album - there's something absolutely hypnotic about the combo of Pyramids and Lost.

Ugh Like barbed wire in my ears. R n B . I just dont get it. This album is so self indulgent.

Modern R&B does not appeal to me, but I recognize the talent

Ok

Faktiskt ganska bra, inte tråkigt nån gång och bra produktion. Vissa trumbeats var väldigt groovy.

It’s not bad, but I just don’t see it as exceptional.

Ja, ook relaxt, maar als je net The Isley brothers hebt geluisterd, klinkt dit toch wel even een stuk ingeblikter. Alle nummers hetzelfde slaapverwekkende goedkope keyboardje, leuk geprobeerd hoor, maar zo bijzonder is dit toch niet.

Kwalitatief sterke R&B van iemand die kan rappen en zingen. Hij schiet graag een octaafje de lucht. Niet mijn smaak, maar hij kan het en het biedt wat variatie. Het is allemaal erg rustig van opzet. Je zou het ook gewoon saai kunnen noemen. Ik mis een uitschietertje hier en daar. Al met al een nipte 3.

Frank Ocean voelt als een kruising tussen John Legend en Pharrel Williams met een vleugje Stevie. Hij heeft een uitstekende stem, uitgespreid op een bedje van beatjes en scratches. Maar er zit ook af en toe een lekker gitaartje in. Alles bij elkaar klinkt het eigenlijk erg lekker en luistert het fijn weg. Het is niet helemaal mijn muziek, maar het stoort me geen moment. Waarschijnlijk omdat de beste man een prima potje kan zingen. Ik heb niet eens gemerkt dat het meer dan een uur duurde. Ik zit me nu te bedenken of ik dit nog een keer op zou zetten. Ik vraag het me af, want we hebben nog genoeg huiswerk te maken natuurlijk, we zitten immers pas op de 400 albums. Maar ik denk eigenlijk dat ik dit prima nog een keer kan opzetten en dat ik me weer goed kan vermaken. Waarom zou ik er dan niet gewoon een keer 4 sterren voor uitdelen?

I thought this was a solid debut when it came out during my time at the radio station/beginning of college/end of high school. He's got a great voice and this was a very extravagant album. Fertilizer, Pyramids, Forrest Gump, Thinkin 'Bout You, Crack rock, Super Rich Kids, Sweet Life and Bad Religion are my standouts. The album may be a little long and every song isn't for me but even if the whole album tires on me the songs that hit are too instant to ignore.

The unique melodies and sparse percussion/beats in his arrangements give this a very minimalist, almost confessional level to his R&B/soul style. It's not overproduced and gets its messages across so clearly and cleanly. This is a breath of fresh air for R&B in a simple, accessible package. Lots of good tunes here - Thinkin Bout You, Sweet Life, Super Rich Kids, Crack Rock, Lost, and Pink Matter are the ones I was drawn to.

Frank Ocean is so good that I am actively annoyed that he's not as well known as someone like Beyonce, Usher, etc. He is one of the greatest songwriters/producers currently working. Channel Orange is a journey through genre and emotions. He works his way through R&B, funk, techno, hip hop, pop, soul and inflects everything with gospel like chord changes and melodic movement. In a way naming genres feels inappropriate for him because he truly makes those distinctions feel meaningless. His vocal delivery is perfect and the production and orchestration is sublime.

So this was an award winning album huh? I didn’t think it was bad, I just didn’t think it was all that.

Awesome record from start to finish and all I wanted to do after playing it was play it again . Favourites were "Thinking about you" "Forrest Gump" "Pilot Jones" and "Lost"

2stars

Ok

this is a wholehearted 1

whatever intangible element of frank ocean's music makes people obsess over it so much I do not get at all but like it's still all really good, just not very emotionally poignant for me

Has to be one of the most overrated albums ever.

Trying to dick-a-girl-down kinda album.

This album is bound to drop some panties.

4-5/10 very mid album. I don't see the hype

Thinkin Bout You Sweet Life Super Rich Kids Lost Monks Bad Religion Why am I just now finding out where “a potato flew around my room before you came excuse the mess it made” came from. Maybe just not for me. Reminds me of Michael Bublé. It’s alright but idk I’m just not vibing with it. It sounds boring and basic

Not my style.

Liked Fertiliser - I'll take bullshit if that's all you got

Meh. Easy listening. Reminds me of Childish Gambino but not nearly as good. Not my genre to be fair, so not one I can talk about with authority, but just didn't quite vibe with it.

I was a bit late to the Frank Ocean game back in the day. I don't think I really dug into his music until college. I must've been too angsty to listen to him in high school, but I'm a fan now. I love his voice, but the catchy melodies are a bit too far and few between on this album for my liking. The exceptions are listed below, those are my faves. Other random notes: He spelled "Suite Life" wrong. The synths on "Pyramids" sound kinda crazy, must be a product of the time. I forgot that John Mayer is on this. Thinkin Bout You Super Rich Kids Crack Rock Bad Religion Pink Matter Forrest Gump

Perfeito

Very chill with good beats. Stripped back abd smooth, but not too fond of the production on his voice.

That was pretty good, plus I really like the album cover

Lyrically a banger.

loved it pyramids was so good

i wouldnt have listened to this if it wasnt on the list it was alright to be fair

Not an album I listen to very often but it is amazing.

This album is okay. Not to my taste. He is talented but this just doesn’t resonate with me and I would not listen to any tracks again.

nah, too much high pitched "ouh baby" and "yeah yeah yeah". Too many random non-music parts.

Lyrically mid, great sound and vibe. Based on my limited Frank Ocean knowledge it's what I expected.

A classic. I didn’t “discover” Frank Ocean until high school and this album reminds me of junior/senior year. So for that reason alone I cannot give it all 5 stars

Feels a little too much like it's the favorite album of the most pretentious man you've ever met, but overall not bad. Top songs: Sweet Life, Pyramids, Lost, Bad Religion

When it comes to Frank Ocean’s discography you listen to Blond for the experience, but you come back to Channel Orange for the bangers. It’s amazing how fresh it still sounds over a decade from its release. Nearly every song on here has infinite replayability. Also big win for bi visibility ✊. Fav songs: every song that isn’t an interlude - Thinkin Bout You, Sierra Leone, Sweet Life, Super Rich Kids, Crack Rock, Pyramids, Lost, Monks, Bad Religion, Pink Matter, Forrest Gump

This being a debut album makes it all the more impressive. I’ve heard some songs from this album individually, but listening to them alongside the rest of the album made them make so much more sense. The sound of this album is timeless and artists today should take notes 📝. I get the Frank Ocean hype… Fave Songs: Pyramids, Pink Matter

Sad Nice songs, I like most Don’t understand the in-betweens of like 30s

Very cool album

Not my cup of tea. Over produced.

Con "Channel Orange" Ocean se mostró como uno de los mayores revitalizadores del R&B y se destacó como uno de los grandes compositores contemporáneos dentro del género. A pesar de su larga duración, destaca el tema "Pyramid". También la exuberante "Monks" o la brillante "Sweet Life", en la más firme tradición actualizada del R&B.

I like this one. Had a couple 👍s before this project.

This is not for me. I hated it. Uninteresting and unpleasant.

Good, not for me.

I can see why people like this album. I couldn’t listen to it all the time, but it’s a really cool album.

Such a good album. Definitely his best all the way through.

Frank Ocean received significant critical acclaim for his first album, Channel Orange. This is a collection of almost-rap, almost R&B, and maybe soul songs. Generally, the tracks are not particularly melodic, not danceable, and not that interesting. Ocean's storytelling seems bitter and frustrated with the world. This album is hard to listen to. He has a good voice, but doesn't seem interesting in creating melodic work.

This is an album that really shows me my age. I think you absolutely had to be there for this one and I wasn’t so it does nothing for me. A lot of the reviews for this album seem to rely heavily on nostalgia. Very much not in my wheelhouse and this album made me feel old for it being so lauded and yet so lost on me. But now I’m seeing that Frank Ocean is older than me. I don’t know, man. Maybe I’m just padding this review out to avoid the Steven Stills album I see is up next waiting for me.

I was super-excited to get this, as Frank Orange is so obviously a major cultural touchpoint that I have yet to really experience. A bit like Kendrick in that sense. What I found was a real mixed bag. There were some absolutely brilliant tracks full of social and political commentary, with Crack Rock being the undoubted highlight. Then there was quite a bit that I would have expected on an Usher album from 2004.

I've only heard Frank Ocean as a guest appearance on other artists songs. I assumed he was some sort of producer that would ad some vocals. His vocals occasionally remind me of Stevie Wonder, musically though it's generic R&B, nothing extraordinary, it wasn't bad, I just don't see myself listening to it again

Forgot what a banger this album was. Front to back. Interesting sounds, great lyrics, and Frank's best vocal performance by miles.

Nice to listen to, set a good theme for the day

More R&B than I'm normally into but the overall tone pace and vibe is super chill and contemporary.

A pretty sexy little album. pyramids is a favourite. Some of the tracks are a miss but overall I think this has had some lasting influence on music. Pyramids followed by lost was a treat

Probably would have never listened to this one even though I've heard great things about the artist. I would have been missing out. Loved it. 5/5

This is what Stevie Wonder's dreams sound like.

Don’t change the Channel, this is the Sweet Life.

the future may be bright but it isn't orange. Mumbling rap to irregular beats with an occasional falsetto is not an album I need to listen to before i die.

One hour of auto tone

This one takes me back. Super essential album that served as a powerful examination of the relationship between wealth and desparation. As an added bonus, it is infinitely listenable considering it's vocal hooks, production, and overall focus on groove that spans from electronica influences to callbacks to Stevie Wonder. I'm no where near as obsessed as some of the fanatics out there (please explain, someone...?) but this is a killer album.

Not my cup of tea

Indeed sounds very new. Not my cup of tea though

3.5

Took me several attempts over this years but this time it just clicked for me! I get it now, great stuff.

Greta and chill vibes, lyrics are sometimes a bit simple or maybe it's just the flow that bothers me

3.5

FRANK! I love this boy. Funny. Real. Beautiful. He's a hot and randy philosopher.

Lost is a good track, not bad overall

I have never heard anyone sing about a crack rock with so much passion and soul. Also, much like I am quite confident that Annie is not OK, I understand that Cleopatra is employed at the Pyramid and is scheduled to work this evening. I know this appeals to a sizable niche, so I won’t leave it in the basement. 2

I’ve listened to this album on and off since around the time it was released, although not as often the past few years. It is still excellent, its sound hasn’t aged poorly.

After a ton of 90s hip hop this was a nice break. I was surprised by how much I was into this. Beats were great, songwriting excellent and Frank Ocean seemed to appear fully formed.

It's good and nostalgic, especially the PS1 booting from the first track, but it was too mellow for me.

One of my top five albums of all time. The production alone makes it a contender for one of the best albums of the 21st century. The lyrics are funny and touching in turn, Frank’s voice holds up against his lush backing tracks, and the features are all well placed.

Truthfully one of the better albums these last few weeks. Incredible.

Fantastic album. I fully understand the hype after listening to this and Blonde.

It was good, there were some good songs but it was kinda boring and bland.

Frank has a great sound

Enjoyed. Had the blend of hip hop and cool jazz that makes it good background while gardening.

Modern classic

2* not my genres of music, although I appreciate his voice.

This is a knockout. I’ve been meaning for nearly 10 years now to listen to Frank Oceans albums. This was amazing. Sounds great, every song is a winner, never drops the vibe.

Pretty underwhelming, which is a shame because I’d heard it talked about as a great modern soul album. I was hoping to discover another gem like Good Kid Maad City. It shares the same hyper-active production as that record and To Pimp A Butterfly, which I also really enjoyed (thanks Paul), but while those albums feel inventive, this just felt gimmicky. Hip hop maybe lends itself better to a magpie approach as it’s always relied heavily on samples and mixing up genres. This just felt confused.

Channel ORANGE I remember there being a lot of buzz when this came out and we played it a lot for about a month at work. I listened a few times and then completely forgot about it until now. I still can’t really remember anything about it so it feels like listening for the first time Wasn’t really into the first half much on the first listen, it definitely picked up in the second half with Pyramids, Lost and Monks. Pyramids is superb, a nice synth bass riff underpinning things before it wanders off, in a good way, into a minimalist spacey jazzy RnB thing. Much of it did pass me by, with the minimalist production and melodies, but the moments when when I really listened to it I got quite a bit out of it. I liked it more on the 2nd listen, I wish Fertilizer had been a proper song. Super Rich Kids was was noticeably good, as was Crack Rock. And the very George Martin strings on Bad Religion stood out. Overall I liked it, as a slightly left of centre RnB album. It got better with each listen and I can hear how influential it was in that genre too. However some of it still felt a little forgettable and it is long. I enjoyed the production, composition and sound - quite full and rich while being simultaneously pared back and muted. Maybe it’s an album of some good songs with some great moments within songs rather than a great album - although with more listens I think it might improve. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I've heard it before and I will continue to listen to it <3Fantastic album

felt longer than it was a lot of similar songs nice voice

Most of this album I don’t get, at all. Slow, boring beats with mumbling vocals, which is a shame, cause he can really sing. When I get to Pyramids, the pace picks up a little, the beat hits harder and it has an interesting buildup. Lost is my absolute favourite on the album, and it’s such a summer banger. That’s why it’s a shame that White enters the chat to lose all momentum. Bad Religion is actually quite nice, but it stops there. Will occasionally spin Lost again, but nothing else.

No thanks

Decent in places.

nah

Honestly I am kind of amazed that I never really listened to this record when it came out. It was the hottest shit and everyone was into it. I don't know what I was expecting this record to be but this isn't it. This is lovely and interesting and strange. It's in one of those sweet spots where you could play it at a party or at dinner or while you're cleaning or while you're doing homework. I love that. I could obviously do without the John Mayer feature but tbh I didn't even notice it when it was happening and only when I looked at the track listing so there's that. The Andre 3000 feature is dope.