Reviews (page 11 of 13)
eh I don't really like R&B. This almost went some cool places but I just didn't get it.
Honestly, I expected something different. More rap, less RnB, and I didn't find any song particularly great. Not bad, it's not boring or annoying, it's just forgettable. 2/5.
b o r i n g
Didn't care for it.
Fluctuated between being something I really resonated with to music I didnt connect to within a single song. Its seems experimental and unconventional, but not in a typical way. Each song was as surprising as the last, in a way that kind of became a pattern?? I feel like the artist deserves more than this rating for sure, but Im going by first impression. Not my style, but I feel like I could reconnect if a friend offered.
Pyramids is a decent song, but this wasn’t a great album.
This really didn’t sit well with me. Garbage
Kind of boring and generic sounding.
Glimpses of good but mostly meh
Is Frank a pimp? Or perhaps a one man cult? Crack Rock, Lost, and Bad Religion are listenable - the rest of the songs are annoying to me. Would not recommend Channel Orange to a friend. (1.7*s) Didn’t really like his falsetto or pimpin’. Although no crotch grabbing and pointing, it’s just not my style.
Kanye West meets Stevie Wonder. Channel Orange starts out terrible. At the midway point ("Super Rich Kids" - "Lost"), there is some decent work to be found. Back 6 tracks return to pretty terrible. I can see why this album got attention though. It has some common themes people can relate to paired with not so common production and a softer singing style. I'm expecting a surprisingly high review from openmindz as this record would pair well with a Robbie Williams/Kendrick Lamar mix. 1/3 of the album is good and I would replay that middle section again. Also willing to check out his other album so for that...1.96 Crack Rocks.
Haut mich net um
mah
I never really liked this type of music. I found out about him during the COVID lockdown, when his songs were trending on the gay side of TikTok (I don’t know if they were trending on the entire app, since that’s the only side I’ve ever been on). I don’t get the hype at all. I can kind of understand why someone would like it, but I just can’t. I really tried to get into his music when I was a teen, but I couldn’t. It seems like I haven’t changed that much since then.
I didn't find anything particular about this album. It's ok, but I don't think it really needs to be on this list. Nothing that special about it. He has an ok voice but that's about it.
This record has some very nice production, sounds great. I just prefer it when Frank Ocean leans more into the classic R&B sound. So much of this album is boring rap and generic pop, the best tracks had the instrumentation and sound of a true R&B song, which he has a great voice for. Standout Tracks: Sweet Life
state of the art for 2012, but it feels very dated now - no significant songs, nothing memorable
Opera dal sound vaporoso, qualche guizzo interessante qua e là, ma nel complesso il disco scorre in modo piuttosto piatto. A parte l'ottima prova canora di Frank Ocean, c'è poco altro che mi abbia colpito. Sicuramente non il mio genere.
I don’t get this genre - “R&B Hip-Hop”? The talking lyrics that don’t always rhyme, with the [intentional?] terrible attempt (?) at trying to sing in an alto vocal (think Biz Markie).
Yeah, this is just not for me at all. I got bored immediately. I hate these relaxed, mumble-y vocals so much. In terms of the instrumentation, there’s also just nothing interesting at all. There are some somewhat interesting parts, like the more energetic passages on Pyramids, but not enough to keep me engaged. Although I can’t say it’s awful, this album was a slog to listen to for me. I just don’t like this relaxed R&B/Soul. Not my thing.
The "easy-listening" R&B thing is not really my style, and the popularity strikes me as a bit confusing. That being said, Ocean is clearly innovative, although most of the content is pretty shallow. Favorite Track: Lost
Almost gave it 5 stars immediately for opening with a PSX boot noise.
I think I would have loved to see Ocean spend a little more time to figure out how to say what he wanted to say before he wrote everything
I know the name but not a lot else. Felt like somewhere between Andre 3000 and Kanye. It’s way too long and it’s just not my thing at all. It’s not all bad, but that’s about as positive as I can muster. It gets 2 stars for now but I’m contemplating 1.
Understated and unfocused. Pleasant enough though.
Only good track was with Andre 3000
Meh. Supongo que si está en esta lista es un disco a tener en cuenta. Pues me ha aburrido bastante señores
I was excited to get an album prompt not from 1969. Too bad, it was the most boring thing I’ve ever had to endure. Thank you FO, for making me think of breast feeding babies AND crack rocks.
Fine with a few interesting stylistic choices on certain tracks but overall unmemorable
Not for me.
Listening to Channel Orange, I can completely understand why it connected so deeply with so many people, even if it never quite clicked for me in the same way. There is a real intimacy to the album, the sense that you are being let into very private moments and emotions. Frank Ocean’s voice is smooth and expressive, and he has a gift for atmosphere, creating these hazy, late-night spaces where everything feels slightly blurred around the edges. There are tracks here that I genuinely enjoy. “Thinkin Bout You” is beautifully written and emotionally direct, and songs like “Pyramids” show an ambition that goes beyond standard R&B, stretching ideas out and playing with structure in interesting ways. But as the album goes on, I start to feel a bit detached. The pacing drifts, and some of the songs feel more like mood pieces than fully formed ideas, which makes it harder for me to stay engaged all the way through. I respect Channel Orange more than I love it. It is thoughtful, well-crafted, and clearly important, but it does not always pull me in emotionally. For me, it is an album I appreciate in parts rather than as a complete journey. There is a lot to admire here, even if it does not quite earn a place among my personal favourites.
Not a huge fan of R&B in general, but I did find a little joy in the songs Super Rich Kids and Bad Religion. He was wrong for doing Forrest Gump that way though. Voting 2 because 1.5 is not an option.
Would not buy
I'm too much of a millennial to truly appreciate this album. Haha! My favorite song had Andre 3000 on it so I know that it's true. I can appreciate it for what it is but leans a little heavy on the Gen Z for me.
Not my thing personally
Not a post hardcore album
This isn't un-listenable but there's nothing here that would compel me to ever want to listen to it again.
Never heard of this guy but when the first track used a sample of the old PS1 startup sound it hit that nostalgia button and I was looking forward to this. Unfortunately that was the peak. It’s a fine enough album, just really dull. The one track that stood out was Pyramids but then that was ruined by going on for near ten minutes which was completely unnecessary.
Not sure what this will be.... OMG no way lol A tornado flew around my room!? lol Well we'll see if I last through this one.
Thought it was getting better at one point but then it only dragged on further
Not my cup of tea
Not for me
I think this album sucks. I know it's acclaimed but meh - not for me
Not really my genre. Didn’t find any of the songs particularly catchy. Unlikely to play again.
2.5
Uninspiring in every way. I didn’t hate it. I’m not sure it’s possible to hate anything this boring.
As a genre, there are few R&B songs that I like. On this album, all the obvious auto-tune songs I did not like. There were one or two songs without auto-tune, or without my knowledge of it being used, that I enjoyed more. And one mostly spoken that caught a groove in my head.
Not for me, found it kinda boring.
Prods variées, mais ptn pas mon style j'arrive pas à accrocher à sa musique ça fait 5 ans j'essaye d'être dans la hype mais j'ai rien n'y fait. Je sais que je passe sûrement à côté mais j'y arrive pas deso franck.
voor rap nog best aardig
Not my thing....
Album feels like rap soundbytes
Really well made stuff but balls are missing.
More interesting than entertaining. I might give it another chance some day.
i dont get it
This was just not for me. I found it to be boring.
Things I like: the interludes especially the PlayStation and Street Fighter samples in Start. The instrumentation in general is pretty solid. I dig the drumming and bass throughout. There’s a couple nice guitar solos like on Pink Matter. Things I dislike: the modern hip hop / poppy R&B vocals. I just can’t stand it. It also overstays its welcome quite a bit.
Liked one song, "Sweet Life", was very chilled and easy listening. The rest was not to my taste at all.
I don't get the hype with Frank Ocean, really I don't. What is everybody seeing in this shit that I am not? Sure I can give credit for the somewhat interesting instrumentals, but Frank's whiney whispering/singing/talking gets so annoying so quick that it destroy them completely. I was looking forward to 'end' if I'm honest.
not great just generic 2010s music
I didn't find it that interesting. I liked the organ-like synth on Bad Religion
i honestly cannot see what makes this standout from a plethora of R&B albums that puts it in this list. 2 stars
Was able to listen until we end so being loyal with 2/5.
Not my favourite style of music at all. There was some inventiveness here that kept it a bit interesting but I wouldn't rush back to this.
I was a little weirded out when I heard a sample of my own work in Frank Ocean's first album track, "A Start". I am sort of flattered, but also have mixed feelings. 5 tracks in and I'm not hearing anything to differentiate this album from sounds of the last 20 years of R&B. Unlike like some listeners, I don't mind the atmospheric samples, even kind of enjoy them, but while the production and engineering is top notch, the songwriting and pacing is plodding and tedious. Over stays its welcome like most albums that are released in Hip Hop and R&B these days. It probably doesn't help my enthusiasm much that this artist was a songwriter for Brandy, Beyonce, and Bieber, as I haven't yet really enjoyed any of their music. Typical victim mentality / self pity record of the type that has come out of the Hip Hop and R&B community for the past 40+ years. "Lost" has the most enjoyable groove for me, but the lyrics were the least enjoyable part of the song.
I feel bad saying I didn't like this album because I really do think Frank Ocean has a great voice. That isn't enough to save it, however. It was just kind of annoying. A bit of a childish way to explain it, I know, but there's no better way for me to explain the "impact" this album had on me. I wasn't a fan. I will give an extra point for the talent, but that's as much as I can give.
I'm curious about this one. I've seen the album cover around, though I'm confident I've never heard of this artist before. "Frank Ocean" is an interesting name. Is this gonna be another neo-soul album? Oh, this kind of sound. I wasn't expecting to hear this brand of contemporary R&B on the list. Does anyone care for this style of music? Evidently so, though in my admittedly cynical ways I've always thought of this music as inoffensive radio filler. Nothing wrong with that, of course, though I find there's little for me to sink my teeth into - my jaws always slide off the overpolished sheen. The vocals are pretty lacklustre, too. Overproduced and lethargic, they take me out of the admittedly competent instrumentals. All that being said, the radio/television gimmick is always a fun concept to base an album around, so I did get some degree of enjoyment from this album. "Thinkin About You" is alright. I think I've heard it before. The mellow, atmospheric instrumental is nice, though the squeaky vocals aren't my cup of tea. "Super Rich Kids" is decent. The reuse of the blinker sound from the previous track is interesting, and I enjoy how the piano is paired with those wavy synths in the background. "White" is a good tune, even if it is an intermission. The sensual atmosphere is pretty good, and I dig that lead guitar. My 2005 edition of the book sadly doesn't contain an entry for this album (believe me, I've checked), so I'll just mosey on down to Wikipedia. A wide sampling of genres. Unique vocal style. Commercially successful and a critical slam dunk. Best-reviewed album of 2012. Hmm. Seems this like a solid pick for a contemporary album. I guess I can't fault it - it's influence is definitely felt today.
not really my favourite.
The songs are not for me and the other stuff that isn’t songs brings the rating lower. ———————————— My non-musician scoring system. 5 - Love it. Would play anytime, buy, see live… 4 - Good music. 3 - Average playlist. Depends on time and setting. 2 - I can’t listen to entire songs…skipped ahead on all of them 1 - No.
I honestly don't know if that was bad or just not a genre I like. There was influence from Motown, Stevie Wonder in particular, but it's buried under way too much overproduced crap music that I can't tell if the vocals are actually good. There were 2-3 really good tracks where I thought I heard good vocals, but the rest were just bad. And even on the good tracks, the songwriting was bad. Of course, that could just be coming back around to this isn't my genre.
En kuunnellu ihan kokonaan mutta vaikutti aika kakkaselta. Jotain ihmeen äänitehosteita ja jotenki sekava
me aburrió un poco, siento que es música de fondo para momentos muy específicos. no está mal, el chabón tiene una voz muy linda y algún par de temas me gustaron, pero no es un álbum que escucharía completo
I was never really aware of Frank Ocean so was surprised to recognize a couple of songs on this album. Overall I did not super enjoy this one, but Pyramids was a banger
I find this album overall…fine. It doesn't sound bad, but you can compare it to any prefer Pharrell-produced album from 2012. His voice is at times interesting between tenor and falsetto but I just don't find it exciting. I think I don't have nostalgia related to this album which makes my enjoyment less intense. The Andre 3000 feature was awesome! 2.5⭐️
I have seen this album in alot of greatest of all time lists. I don't get is. It was hard to get through, guess its not my thing.
5/10
As one half of uk RnB singer songwriting powerhouses Houmous & Chutney I know good RnB when I hear it. 2.1 2/17 Thinkin Bout You
This was ok. I have listened before. I never got into Frank Ocean. I wasnt listening very closely
It wasn't bad, but it all sounded like direction less noise
kinda boring
Not for me. It was good background music, but I found the lyrics uninteresting or repetitive.
Don't get it.
I don't liked it. I mean, is not bad, but this isn't my type of music. I respect the ones who liked it. I didn't enjoy listening to it.
Still better than Kanye West.
Not a huge fan of R&B, but this was pretty good. Won't reach for it, but didn't skip it.
Muy cantantecito negro pop de generación actual yankee, no me va
Mehhh Muy copado que arranque con el sonido de la play Pero después bastante plano se sentía todo
My first thought was, 'I wonder if he's Billy's crap cousin or something' This somehow manages to sound more dated than some of the albums I've had from the 1970s. Why is the first track just a PlayStation booting up? It improved as it went on, but the voice was annoying. There's no way they're related. I'm sorry, Billy.
Impressively immersive but still not really my thing
Can't get chill about it
I like the first song, and for the others, I only liked the music, not the lyrics. I wouldn't listen to them again, but it's okay if you don't focus on the lyrics.
Never heard of the artist, so completely new to me. Not something I'd normally listen to and wasn't horrible (I could get through the album) but not something I'd revisit.
Bored
Very chill one or too great songs but also forgettable
It's somewhat better than a lot of contemporary R&B I've heard (e.g., Ocean doesn't lean onto autotune with his full weight), but the interstitials of voicemails or whatever they are deteriorate the overall vibe of something that in the end is pretty mid.
Kinda liked it but mostly explicit and no clean version to be found
Mazy rubbish masquerading as jazz influence. Early weeknd albums much better in the same vein.
Not made for me, but I thought the musical arrangements were good.
Not my cup of tea
I like what he’s trying to do but not how he does it. 2.5
Not for me
Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and the like in a more modern context is what Frank Ocean is going for, and this is meant to be a downtempo stream of consciousness series of hits that every hiphop and R&B artist followed up with for the last decade, but man this abum doesn't hit like his influences do.
I switched from Megadeath to this. Let’s see how receptive my ears are… If you took away the beats, the ability to spit meaningful rhymes and gave Kanye some sort of sedation, this could pass for one of his albums instead. Nothing blows me away, aside from my choice cut. That’s re-listenable again. Choice cut: Super Rich Kids
Tästä ei nyt saanut selkoa, onko tämä laulua, puhetta vai jotain siitä väliltä.
En pysty kuuntelemaan tämän tyylistä. Annetaan nyt säälistä ⭐️⭐️kun nuoret sentään yrittävät tehdä jotain uutta.
This is... Not terrible... Certainly not good... It's just... Meh!
I'll be at the pyramids, pyramiiiiids... Honestly, this album was immediately forgettable as a whole. Mid, as the kids say. 5/10
I knew nothing going in on this listen. While it is not something I personally would listen to, he has undeniable talent - his craftsmanship, emotional range, and sonic choices are clearly intentional and refined.
I lived in the Fairfax during a lot of the Odd Future hype. And in some part, it transformed the neighborhood in irrevocable and kinda bad ways, (including running out decades-old businesses because the leases got so damn high on account of the trendiness brought in part by that hype). So I hold the output that came from all that desolation of the Fairfax I loved for two decades against really bright light. I mean, if it means that because of some label hype and new fad storefronts I can't enjoy the best Sicilian slice in LA at Damiano's anymore it better be worth it. RIP Mr. Pizza. So yeah, you got me: I'm a little jaded. I first head Frank Ocean on Jay-Z and Fuckhead's "No Church in the Wild" and I was really impressed by the verses he sang on that piece: the phrasing and especially the lyrics were provocative, heretical, and pretty punk rock. That said, this was made for someone, but it was not me. It was likely 100% eaten up by some of those kids wearing $95 t-shirts posting weird pix up on Tumblr and skateboarding up the street from where I lived though. There are a couple standout tracks, and I can definitely appreciate breaking with the conventions inherent in popular R&B here. It's coloring outside the lines and that part of it is great. However, being it's not my preferred genre at all, I was never gonna really like this. Or at least put it into any kind of regular rotation. However, it did last the exact time—to the second—it took me to edge, blow, and mow the front lawn, so I'm grateful no other free time was taken up with the assignment. Even still, I would almost say I could have died without hearing this, but I did genuinely enjoy the lyric "If it brings me to my knees, It's a bad religion" as much as the aforementioned verses on "No Church In The Wild." "Crack Rock" hit me as kinda funny, even though it's not probably supposed to. PS perhaps I'm being pedantic, but although "Pyramids" was pretty fun lyricplay and sounds like a certified club banger, it's super misinformed to equate the image of a dark-skinned African queen with a Macedonian/Greek descendent of Ptolemy who was probably her darkest when her olive ass got a sunburn. (Okay, not pedantic - no apologies, I was an anthropology major in college. Deal with it Frank. [And get your facts straight]).
dull, nothing special, dont see the hype at all
pretty good album, once I got into it and was able to pick out the actual songs. I guess, I don't like this style much. Someone needs to explain to me why this won Grammys though.
No, no y definitivamente NO!!!. No encuentras música, pero sirve para otra gente, bueno, eso para mí es un misterio.
Man I’ve had a rough weekend. This sucked, the music is bland and uninteresting while also being super thin, his vocals bordered on hellish multiple times, it went on forever despite all of this. Ok it wasn’t actually that long but I didn’t like it at all.
Ugh. No me gusta~
Типичная современная попса, которая играет в магазине, меня не впечатлило
Start n/a Thinkin Bout You 2.4 Fertilizer n/a Sierra Leone 2.7 Sweet Life 2.8 Not Just Money n/a Super Rich Kids 2.5 Pilot Jones 2 Crack Rock 3 Pyramids 2.6 Lost 2.4 White 2 Monks 2.4 Bad Religion 2.5 Pink Matter 2.3 Forrest Gump 1.6 End 1.8 Score: 2.357142857
Not my Type of music at all. I enjoyed 1/2 songs
Not for me
Drake kinda vibes mixed with kid cudi and Chris Brown (💩). Kinda meh, uninspiring and standard modern R&B. Just nothing really to it, kinda empty, samey and whiney but nice to be reminded of ‘Super Rich Kids’ but even that kinda flat. Not sure what I’m missing in the “critically acclaimed” and “visionary” but not getting that at all. Enjoyed ‘White’ but probably mainly down to John Mayer. Quite liked ‘Monks’ Again, can dig the backing, but voice just meh/detracting. (2.5)
Music that sounds like done better in some other records, like it only belongs in the background, and half the time made me wonder if my sound system is broken.
This debit album was crazy critically acclaimed. I must be obtuse because I found this boring and uninspiring. I didn’t connect with any one song. Most of this sounds the same. The songwriting is awful. It sounds like a dumb person trying to sound intelligent. I don’t get it..
This was fine. I like Frank Ocean's voice and the beats are fun but sometimes it drones on and on and I wish the songs would GO somewhere. Hes a really good singer and producer, but I'd just like the songs to do something new. Actual rating...2.5 Liked Songs: "Sierra Leone" , "Sweet Life" , "Pilot Jones" , "Pyramids" , "Lost" , "Monks" , "Bad Religion"
#602. What do you get when you mix a bad rapper, a bad singer, and a bad musician? Frank Ocean, apparently. 2/5: alternately bad and boring.
It’s got like 3 good songs and the rest I don’t care for. What does that make - an OK album, maybe good-ish?
The Good: We’ve got Orange! The Bad: It has nothing to do with The Netherlands… The Ugly: Seems that there are people who can see colors while listening to music… I call those people charlatans Never heard of Frank Ocean. Read the Wiki page, and now I am an expert in Frank Ocean… while my memory last regarding this expertise… what were we talking about? There are plenty of comments about how one can hear the influences of a Stevie Wonder and Prince, and I agree. However, and here’s where my ears started to shut down, I also noticed that the period which is similar for Stevie Wonder and Prince is the period where most people stopped listening to Stevie Wonder and Prince. Did I like it? No. Did I hate it? No. Will I listen to it again? Maybe, by accident, as I will be removing the memory of this album from grey matter. 2 1/2*
Meh
Not horrible, but not for me either.
I’ve heard a lot about his talent so was interested, but I found this to be a snooze fest. R’n’b tends to bore me and this was no exception.
Man, idk. Boring ass album, mostly sex songs there. Didn't even listen fully, I just can't listen to that crap. Cringy songs for tiktok. Saved songs: 1/17
So underwhelming and boring. I find his singing so forced and so tryhard
Lightweight, kinda sounds like make it up as you go
Probably a good album but since I don’t have any appreciation for this style of music I can’t really say.
I didn’t like this album very much but there were a couple tracks I dig
I couldn't enjoy this what so ever. :( Every song seemed the same and this vibe was not for me.
Not my cup of tea, so propably not a fair grade.
I found this to be super whiney and lacking structure. Not my thing.
I like conceptual albums like this that include radio station "swapping". Similar to the Weekend's recent album. Sweet Life is a standout for me. I really wanted to like this, but it just isn't quite my style honestly. If there were more satisfying harmonies I think it would've pushed it up a star.
Not liking this much. Very meta and surreal. Great singer, but a lot of the songs are very self indulgent. Sweet Life is an excellent song. Super Rich Kids is good. Pilot Jones is good. Crack Rock is on the nose and depressing, but not terrible. Pyramids is ok. Lost is ok. Think it needs to be a 2.
Wtf no
Sounded whiney when singing…okish
I just didn't find anything exceptional about this album, and being a genre that isn't typical for me... it was pretty OK
A bit all over the place for me. Lost is a good track that I can listen to multiple times, but the rest of it sort of doesn’t catch my interest.
soft and not all that interesting
Not really my jam.
Mildly listenable but rarely memorable. Pyramids and Lost the most interesting followed by the worst song on the album (Monks)
I don’t really like this type of music. I get that he has a good voice, but I am bored
It’s creative but not my jam
Very mediocre R&B. Not bad, but not worth listening to.
I like this album, but I certainly don't love it. The highlights are fun, but the whole experience really doesn't blend well for me - too stop and start to maintain a consistent sound/theme. I do appreciate the range of sounds he's attempting though. The vocals are too high in the mix for my taste. Best Tracks: - Pink Matter - Thinkin Bout You - Bad Religion Worst Tracks: - Sierra Leone - Monks Rating: 5/10
It was fine at first, but jesus christ it drags towards the end. When an album runs out of things to say it should stop, not repeat itself for another 20 mins.
From the PS1 system-on opening, I kind of figured this was going to be something. Thinkin Bout You is pretty middle-of-the-road R&B for 2012; Sweet Life has maybe a bit more; Super Rich Kids had me enjoying Earl Sweatshirt more than Frank Ocean. The interludes are interesting. Back half of the album opens up a lot more with Pyramids, Lost. Ultimately it's eclectic and pretty cool, but I'm surprised it was as hot as it was in 2012. It doesn't really feel special most of the time.
While I can appreciate why people would enjoy this & it’s considered a triumphant effort, it’s not my kind of thing at all.
The start song has a ps2 starting theme in... I liked Thinkin Bout You but to a degree where i include it in the liked songs. Pyramids wasnt bad but long so skipped :D Lost isnt bad either. Idk but i guess not my type maybe. Some songs felt like he was just talking, but in a good way like how Rex does. Caught me off guard when he said allahu akbar hahahahhahahha in Bad Religion. وش قصده
Expected more
Artificial soul.
He has all the ingredients unfortunately I only found a few song I liked.
Fine for background noise but just not my jam
Nice soundscapes. The vocals didn't really keep me engaged though. It was pretty chill
Really not keen on this style of R&B, with over-the-top, drawly vocals. Reminds me of Drake, but not as bad.
I do not get the hype for this album, personally, but I also do not really have a reason
Not known to me. Not very impressed. An OK album at best.
Never able to get into this one.
Another not-my-cup-of-tea album. This one was nominated for a Grammy for Album of the Year in 2012 and I know it was quite popular and appreciated, but I don't understand the hype. I have no problem with this kind of music, but this one in particular sounded lukewarm to me. The only songs I would listen to again sometime are Pyramids (which lasts almost 10 minutes) and Bad Religion. The rest - meh.
Das ging ziemlich lang. Besser als ich es mir vorgestellt habe, aber hat mich nicht umgehauen. War bei drei, wegen der Länge eins weniger.
Autotuned? Too much filler. Not 90s hip hop, don’t need that much filler
Den här har jag väldigt kontroversiella åsikter om. Som inte försvinner när jag lyssnar om den. Den har absolut en hel del fantastiska highlights och jag älskar faktiskt Skits:en i denna. Tycker de tillför mycket. Men det tar lång tid innan albumet faktiskt kommer igång. Det är väldigt trevande i början och jag är inte lika stort fan av de tidiga sångerna som många andra är. Jag tycker de saknar något och därför är min rating inte starkare än en 2a. Men det är tydligt på denna skiva vilken otrolig potential Frank Ocean har/hade.
I can appreciate the album... But it's not my cup of tea.
While I'm a fan of neo-soul, this doesn't move me. Auto-tune makes me cringe. It feels like he's still working out what he wants to do, half-baked ideas jostling with positive directions. Feels like a mish-mash.
There might be greatness here, but apart from a couple of songs, I can't hear it.
Despite several attempts, I never managed to enjoy this album
Sure I remember liking this when it came out, but only recognised a few tracks and wasnt really that bothered. Quite liked Lost and Monks,Super Rich Kids is canny too. The rest is a bit samey, a bit too rnb for me
After some contemplation I did not use a private session for Spotify. This album was fine, nothing really jumped out at me, but nothing annoyed me. It was like drinking tepid water in a room temperature doctor's office. There is no point in giving it another listen.
Yeah this isn't really for me. I find it interesting that an album like this could make it on this list. It doesn't have anything unique going for it. I suppose the production was something that would be copied over and over after so maybe that's something. Though some might call it a plague on music production. And I hate the Auto Tune. It's so distracting and terrible sounding. He's got a really nice voice when he's actually singing, why make it sound fake and weird? It doesn't add anything to the music. But this album is also just boring, like I feel like there isn't really much to keep anyone's attention. This is one of those albums that I hate to play on Spotify because now my algorithm will be all messed up and I'm going to get stuff like this suggested for weeks to come. 1.5/5 rounding up because I feel generous today.
Not my thing, but it was ok.
Not my style
I hope I'm not judging this album unfairly since I've had such high expectations for it, but I truly don't think it lives up to the hype. It's decent thematically and lyrically, but it also doesn't offer anything groundbreaking, even for the time it came out in. I could think of several different r&b artists who had released similar albums around that time or earlier. My main gripe with this album though is the way it sounds—the instrumentals are for the most part boring, and by the time I got to "Pyramids", I was just glad to hear anything different. Speaking of, "Pyramids", "Super Rich Kids" and the instrumental "White" are the three best tracks in my opinion. I know that this review has been mostly me complaining, but I don't think it's a bad album, just nothing to go crazy about. I'm just surprised that this is for some people one of the best albums of all time. 2.5 stars
Too poppy for my taste, yet somehow also feels flat. Bargain-bin R&B masquerading as something more. I'll go listen to some Ne-Yo instead. I did enjoy Andre 3000 though.
Just not for me. It seemed a bit unusual, almost trying to fuse pop and R&B but it just felt very generic and blah to me.
I really want to like this, the production is amazing, and some of the music is fantastic, but I just can't stand his voice. When he's low it's that monotone Drake type voice, and when its high it's that high pitched R&B voice I dislike. He sounds a little more Bruno Mars on Bad Religion, which I don't mind, but still. Not a lot of heavy hitting songs either. Pyramids I guess, but a lot of downtempo R&B stuff. Forrest Gump is probably the standout for me, but even then it's a tepid standout.
Not for me
Frank Ocean has a brilliant voice but the album just doesn't click with me, with few stand out songs.
This was so not my taste. I found it mostly painful to sit through.
Don’t understand why this is on the list. There have certainly been worse but this is also not a good listen. It is not memorable in the least.
meh. pretty one-dimensional. don't get the hype on his lyrics-more like singing to stream of consciousness. ok as background music but that's about it.
Ohhh so this is why everything sounds like this now? Don't try and trick me with the Playstation thing, I'm more of an N64 guy anyway.
Every time I think I'll finally fall head over heels for it, and every time, I'm blindsided by how inconsistent it is
Almost saccharine.
Not my style, don't like his vocals
Need to lose the interlude pieces and the falsetto voice
I am not the target audience for this. At least I now have enough experience to state that I don't care for Frank Ocean? I didn't even know who he was before this album came up. Been living under a rock for the last 15 years, that's part of why I signed up for the 1001 albums in the first place. My middle aged horizons have been expanded in a direction I didn't particularly enjoy, but that's growth for you.
This was okay. Not really my type of music but somewhat interesting.
Pleasant enough but instantly forgettable. I know this because a few hours have passed between finishing listening to it, and typing this. And I can’t remember any highlights or lowlights. I know I wasn’t impressed enough to bother with a quick re-listen.
Certainly not Billy Ocean. This man has received lots of praise over the years from music press, and I can see why. It was a very interesting take on modern R&B, wuite experimental. I liked his voice too.
tres mid
Mumble rap. Just can’t get into it
Boring ambience that sounds like it should be playing in a starbucks
Inoffensive but not really my thing.
Not for me
Not a lot here I like, though there are moments. Not a big fan of modern R&B or its production.
A mixed bag of really good soul and really plain modern rnb. 2.5 best tracks sweet life & crack rock.
I know this one by reputation, it was popular and highly-regarded when it came out, but I've never heard it before, and can't swear I've heard any of the individual songs before either. It has kind of an interesting structure, sort of like Smiley Smile, a collection of short snippets and suites. The whole fits together well, but I don't really like any of the individual pieces. In particular I can't understand why it was noteworthy. It's fine R&B, closer to the 90s Boys 2 Men-type style than to Marvin Gaye. Ocean has a fine voice, but not enough to carry the CD, and there's basically nothing of interest going on musically. I guess you're supposed to get really into his lyrics - I don't typically do that, but would submit that there's nothing of interest lyrically on songs like "Crack Rock" either. I quote: "Crack rock (Ooh) Crack rock (Ooh) Crack rock How you feeling, girl? (Ooh) How's the gutter doing? Crack rock" Whatever. Post-2010 the pickings get real slim, if they want to include this one as their representative of the post-good-music era, fine by me.
OK. Quite dull.
I’d not heard this before and having listened to it, I doubt I’ll listen to it again
Correcto
I don't know if it was a genre defining album or just another album in the genre. It was not memorable in any way. I tried listening to it a second time with my girlfriend that's into that kind of music and we turned it off three songs in.
Just. o.k. but nothing remarkable for me. Far too much howling!
Frank Ocean’s Channel Orange has moments that shine when he really lets loose vocally. When he leans into singing with genuine emotion, the result can be captivating. Pyramids is a perfect example, blending intricate storytelling with an unforgettable melody, and Sweet Life has a warm groove that pulls you in. Andre 3000’s guest spot is a high point as well, bringing his signature energy and charisma to the album. However, a lot of Ocean’s vocal style on Channel Orange leans toward that reserved, almost monotone delivery that I associate with Drake. The detached, almost indifferent tone often pulls me out of the music rather than drawing me in. It’s as if he’s holding back, which makes it hard to connect fully with the album, even though I can see the craft in it. On a lighter note, I couldn’t help but mishear “set the cheetahs on the loose” as “said Vegeta’s on the loose,” which was a funny moment in an otherwise mellow listen. Overall, while there’s definitely artistry to appreciate, I just found it hard to engage emotionally. Standout Song: Pyramids Score: 2/5
I like the chill sounds and synth pads on Thinkin Bout You for the vocals - especially the falsetto - aren't doing it for me. Cool jazzy beat on Sweet Life and there's a really fat synth on Pyramids that is probably the best part of the album. Lost actually has a hook too. I dunno. I thought I would like more of this, it's a lot of slow, atmospheric tracks. And I still don't like the vocals. 2 stars for Lost and that part on Pyramids.
just not my thing
I enjoyed super rich kids and lost. Definitely not my style of music but it definitely sounded pretty good.
Just not my thing, I appreciate he is talented but it's not something I'd listen to again, found the album too long as well, 12 tracks are enough, one or 2 moments I liked, Andre 3000s short cameo being the stand out
Not my favourite
It's a bit too slow and smooth to really hold my interest for 55min. Didn't hate it.
2.5
Some okay beats and wild lyrics
Frank Ocean is someone I have heard a few tracks of. Found this album quite flat at the start, not much better in the middle overall very meh. Stand out tracks: - Sweet life - Crack rock - Pyramid - Pink matter
The producer failed, in my opinion. The songwriting felt hushed, and the whole album had an unfinished touch. Ocean, as a singer, is quite good for this genre.
Intetsägande.
Had high hopes for this, but is actually quite hard to find much positive to say about it. Annoying vocal, obnoxious lyrics, maybe a couple of backing tracks have a little interest. Most disappointed I've been at an album so far.
Lame
Frustratingly, there's some good things on the album. Ocean has a decent falsetto, the music has some pleasant dreamy sonic textures and I quite like the sound effects. On the downside, it's a bit disjointed and the songs are repetitively simplistic, incomplete or don't really go anywhere. For example, 'Fertilizer', sounded quite interesting, but tuned out to be snippet of an incomplete song. The vocals are another problem. In the lower range, his voice is rather lame. And sometimes he uses a speaking "response" (like on 'Sierra Leone'), which is really jarringly cheesy. It's s a good example of an artist who has good intentions, but uses the studio to masquerade half baked, lazy songwriting (or possibly just lacks the ability).
Album 555 of 1001 Frank Ocean - Channel Orange (2012) Rating : 2 / 5 This just did nothing for me. Isn't that it is a bad album...just doesn't appeal to me.
Frank Ocean zit in mijn hoofd altijd in een vakje met één van de beste hedendaagse hip-hop artiesten. Terwijl ik eigenlijk niet veel van hem ken, buiten natuurlijk Thinkin Bout You. channel ORANGE en Frank Ocean is eigenlijk veel meer een Urban of R&B album dan echt hip-hop. Ik begrijp dan ook wel de positieve kritieken op dit album en ben zelf vaak zelf iets meer liefhebbers van wat tragere/zing-'hip-hop' dan het harde werk. Maar toch moet ik bekennen dat channel ORANGE daarin iets te ver doorslaat. In bijvoorbeeld het nummer Super Rich Kids met Earl Sweatshirt vind ik de coupletten heerlijk; traag en laag op een slome beat. Het refrein is te zoet, te guilty. En hoewel Thinkin Bout You één van de beste seks-tracks is, doet veel andere nummers me ook denken aan Justin Timberlake (vinger-clips in Pilot Jones?). Sweet Life doet me enorm denken aan de meer pop-Stevie Wonder. Hoe raar is trouwens dat stukje Eurodance in Pyramids? Dus ja, het album is doordrenkt met geile soul, maar is voor mij net too much. 6,5/10 Highlights Thinkin bout you
Good but a little too generic imho 5/10
Not for me. Tried a couple songs but it fell flat so I didn't finish it
Meh. Was ready to like after few tracks but my goodwill evaporated in boredom. 55 minutes of not much going on.
Meh, Just not my thing.
Did not like it. Not my thing at all.
I just cannot buy into music like this which lacks melody. Lyrically it is surprisingly wide in scope but track after track of the downbeat mood is just a bit too much for me.
I made the mistake of going into this album expecting fun 80’s funk. Alas, I had mixed up Frank Ocean with Billy Ocean. I know that Frank is quite loved, but this genre of music has never really done much for me. The intro did leave me interested (admittedly because of the PS1 sounds) but after than it fell a little flat for my ears. I understand that people love this, I’ve just never really found the appeal myself. Each to their own, and all that stuff.
Just don't really like the genre. Some songs were good though. Will I listen to again: 1%
Seems to me largely aimless noodling, even if there is talent, a nice voice, and the odd snippet of excellence. Hard to gauge
Not really my kind of music.
it's ok, but nothing outstanding - background music
A decent listen but not sure why it is on this list
When this came out, everyone went crazy for it. I tried listening to it then and was extremely bored. I did not get it at all. I was a big odd future guy and he was with them. The only song I really liked was super rich kids. Listening to it now, I feel the same way. I don't get why this was so revolutionary. There was a whole genre of r&b that sounded just like this and I also found boring. I still see people posting about listening to this album and crying. I don't get it.
Bit boring, I few on there that I liked
Boring
Hair salon at the mall kinda music.
i understand why it was so popular but it's not for me
Ich weiss ehrlich gesagt nicht, was ich mit diesem Album anfangen soll. Es nicht per se schlecht, aber es gefällt mir einfach überhaupt nicht.
Probably great, just missed my taste by a mile
He trick me into giving him more stars by starting the album with PlayStation boot and Street Fighter character selection menu sounds...
Varies between insipid and dull, with the occasional hint of interest (Lost, Bad Religion). Fades into the background without being truly annoying, so 2 stars instead of 1
not for me
I can appreciate how fans of this genre would really enjoy this album, but that’s just not me.
this was boring
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
Meh
Didn’t engage me that much but feel with repeated listens I’d come to enjoy more…. Might revisit…
I don't get it :(
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?
This did not need to be this long.
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.
Some real sad boi music here.
Fine, I sort of like the vibe but it’s too slow for me. Not really my style.
Didn’t think I would have rated this so high considering it’s not my usual genre of music.
Not for me
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
He’s clearly talented but this album isn’t for 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.
The vocals and the music sound like they are from 2 different songs. Never been able to get into this album.
Idk what to say it was weird. Felt forced
C'était générique.
Not for me.
"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.
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.
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
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.
I did not enjoy this album.
a dude repeating the title of the song over some beats super rich kids pyramids
2.5
It’s not bad, but I just don’t see it as exceptional.
2stars
Has to be one of the most overrated albums ever.
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
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.
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.
Not my cup of tea. Over produced.
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.
Not my cup of tea
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
It was good, there were some good songs but it was kinda boring and bland.
2* not my genres of music, although I appreciate his voice.
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.
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.
Can’t judge properly as not my cup of tea. Inoffensive but a bit bland
Not really my style
Poco musical?
I enjoyed some of it but not enough of it to rate it higher. I like the slower emo tunes, not so much the 'rap-ier' ones.
This album was playing when I picked up my granddaughter. I asked her to wait to play her music until I finished my album. She commented that she'd never turn off Frank Ocean. Nice bonding moment.
Pretty dull. I don't particularly enjoy R&B and this did nothing to change my mind. It felt a bit like a throwback to 90s UK garage in places, but ultimately not worth listening to in my opinion. I was going to give this 2 stars for effort, then I saw Mr Ocean has some pretty nasty views, so 1 star it is.
Seicht zu hören. Hat mich aber nicht vom Hocker gehauen.