Reviews (page 11 of 14)
Love this album. Found myself really liking the bass tone, fuzzy yet still clear. Great ocals on the album with some iconic tracks.
Absolute masterpiece 5/5 🧡
+++ perfect
I liked this album more than expected. I like when sound effects are used in music, and that was done great here. I’m not a big fan of RnB though, so that’s where this album falls for me
Instant classic
Can’t judge properly as not my cup of tea. Inoffensive but a bit bland
Amazing
Oh the vine is a reference!
Je moet erbij geweest zijn zou ik zeggen, maar de mystiek rond Frank ocean early 10’s was op een ander niveau. Nostalgia Ultra grijsgedraaid op mijn vierkante iPod nano en toen kwam dit album. Als melancholische tiener dit luisterend op de fiets verdwijnen in de muziek. Bij deze nog een oproep dat Frank meer moet rappen.
Thumbs down
Lots of beautiful music and great singing which establishes a strong and consistent mood but on the downside, sometimes the gratuitously crass lyrics spoiled the mood.
Not really my style
Poco musical?
I've listened to very little R&B, but I enjoyed this quite a bit. I like that it varies up its song structures and borrows from a bunch of musical styles, from soul to funk to that bit in Pyramids where it turns into a buzzy electronic song. It helps that Frank Ocean has a good voice and good lyrics. The bit on Crack Rock about drug addiction leading to your family not trusting you to hold a baby anymore is a good example. There's a level of detail and specificity that makes it come off as honest.
Very lovely, never listened to the full album. Some real classic songs on here for me.
Des pistes intéressantes, une ambiance cohérente. A réécouter. 3,5/5
5/5. A collection of wonderful R&B/soul/pop songs that just hits back to back. Each song truly stands out on his own but I would only want to listen to it all the way through. Frank Ocean moved R&B and music to the next step, beautiful vocals and thematically appropriate lyrics to tell the story of his life.
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.
I have listened to this album a ton. Super sick when it came out but I am not as into it anymore.
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.
A quintessential summer album of the 2010's, feels like sun on my skin at the park Best Song: Sweet Life Worst Song: N/A
This album would be for mi mandarina linda if I ever had one
R&B from 2012.
It's a vibe that I don't think I'm ever on the wavelength of
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.
Good bit of variety, still coherent. If the region in your brain that enjoys pop music works I bet this is nice. music: hated. (⌐■_■)
So this is Frank Ocean eh? Pleasant, I suppose, but in a neutral way.
It’s good, love the variety of songs on this album. Seems to have been captured at just the right time and place.
R&B has always been a very hit or his genre for me, with greats like Marvin Gaye or Stevie Wonder being masters of not only their craft, but tend to run circles around others, whilst groups in the 90s tend to annoy me at best, be some of the worst music I've heard at worst. When we get to the modern era of R&B, however, I'll admit I'm very in the dark. I mean, I know artists like Drake hit those mainstream checkmarks to count as a R&B artist, and there are smaller cases of stuff I know, but it is assuredly a blind spot in my music taste. So, here comes Frank Ocean to open up that horizon a bit more for me. Now, I obviously know of Frank Ocean (although I'll admit I didn't know the difference between him and Billy Ocean at first) but I had literally never heard a single track by him, other than a meme video parodying it back in the Vine days, so this was a new experience. However, I knew the modern classic that is Blonde existed, and plan to listen to it very soon, but I knew very little about this release. Frank Ocean with this single album, though, has completely opened my eyes to one of my blindspots. That's not to say I now know every little thing on the genre; Hell, this is technically "alternative," so it could very well not represent the genre at all, but at the very least this release puts into perspective a big portion of music I've been sleeping on, and I hope to correct that soon. The instrumentation is catchy and funky whilst still oozing you into the groove, no drugs needed, and can allow any emotion to seep into the music without much issue. Ocean's lyrics are also very poignant, reflecting on moments that are easy to relate to whilst still having a deep sense of personal feeling sfrom him himself. Every feature also fits into the album perfectly, never being overused to make up for what may be lacking elsewhere. It is a very cohesive project that is extremely good at its own art. Not every track is something worth going crazy over, and I do think that is the biggest flaw here, is variation. There is plenty of changes in tempo and subject matter, but it all feels like one coat of paint, and that would be great on a shorter record, but at almost an hour long, things can wear thin in seemingly random places. The amount of interludes feel unnecessary, and it can sometimes feel like the same style of track get thrown back-to-back, rather than being spaced out, leading to awkward pacing, but when this album gets it right, it really nails it. If there's one thing this album does for me, its that it gets me hyped for Blonde better than any one figure's word of mouth does, and I'll be looking into listening to that record in the coming days. Until then, this was a solid venture into unknown territory.
Nice listen. Had a gamut of styles-smooth, bouncy, edgy.
Good modern soul album. This works more in a mix of other music for me than as a record that I want to listen to straight through. Basically, the autotune, while not as over-the-top as T-Pain, i still omnipresent enough to where I begin to find it grating.
It's hard to say that this album is bad. It dances on the line of great and bad so well. Frank really has a thing for hyper specific pop culture references, awkward spoken word, and ectremely literal descriptions of life. But the sound is great throughout, and sometimes when the sound, vocals and lyrics intertwine it really feels like an all time classic record. At the very least, it's one I'll revisit in the future.
4.75
This album is both experimental and traditional R&B at the same time. It established Frank Ocean as receiving the baton, giving R&B a fresh take for the millenial generation. Pyramids is this album all wrapped up in a single song: a 9 minute epic, broken up into distinct movements, that, on paper, should feel odd or out of place, but effortlessly flows, never taking the listener out of Ocean's dulcet tones.
Ihan vibes 🤌🏼
Weird‘ish okay!
Nice surprise! Although it's not my style, I rate these kind of surprises with ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Underwhelming. It was clever, I guess that's something.
I've been forcibly removed from the millennial generation by standing on the hill that Frank Ocean and this album are both terribly, terribly overrated
A modern classic. An ambience which is rare to find, a cohesive album with tracks that each stand their own.
Super diverse album. A gem in the 2010s of hiphop. I've spun this album so many times already and love it to death. Frank is a great composer and this album is his magnum opus. The second half is where it's strongest songs are. Standout tracks: Thinkin Bout You, Sweet Life, Super Rich Kids, Crack Rock, Pyramids, Lost, Monks, Bad Religion, Pink Matter 9 out of 10
2/5 serviceable R&B.
An all time favorite of mine.
I had never listened to Frank Ocean before, I really liked this album. I can definitely hear the Stevie Wonder influence, and the tune Sierra Leone could almost be on Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” album. I did think that “Pyramids” went on too long and that the end of the album slowed down too much, although I did like all the songs, just felt that there could have been some more variety in the feels/tempos on the tail end. Overall though I enjoyed this album very much.
I could write an essay on how good this album is but i’ll refrain. Nonetheless, this album is perfect. Each song fits into the flow of the project while also having the weight to standalone. Furthermore, the orchestration is fantastic across the board and the imagery portrayed deals with early pregnancy, opulence, unrequited love, and so on. I’ve been rocking with this since 2012 and will continue to do so forever.
Propsit ps1 startupista
Like a really boring version of the weeknd
I really liked this album but did not care for the last three songs
Great voice, great chill vibe to this album. I particularly enjoyed Pyramid, Crack Rock, Lost, Bad Religion and Pilot Jones
I've tried a few times to get into Frank Ocean's music a few times. While I do enjoy some of it, I just am not liking as much as I hope I would. Couple of fantastic songs on here I keep on repeat, but I could do without a huge majority
Solid sound throughout, but somehow not very memorable. Standouts are Pyramids, Bad Religion, and the Street Fighter startup music
Mellow artful R&B perfection. Every song weaves its own fascinating story. Love the beats and his buttery-smooth vocals. I have listened to this one before and loved it for a long time so I am biased. Even if he doesn’t know how to perform live. Best song: Pyramids
Just a fabulous album - no complaints
Very nice and smooth album. First one that I hadn't heard before. Greatly enjoyed this!
Muy elegante. 4/5
Super rich kids. Cool one. Deifinitely a relisten
Not bad overall. Kinda of soothing background beats. I probably won’t revisit this one, however. Nothing really stood out.
objective frank ocean is always on the cutting edge as an artist, and this is certainly embodied in his debut album. Risky and eccentric, this album brings the listener through a sonic roller coaster, with some familiar views as well as plenty of new ones. It was groundbreaking when it was released, and remains a bold artistic statement from a rare artist. personal I have been meaning to get to this album for years, and I'm not sure it was worth the wait. it has some very strong moments and some good features, but that was about it for me. I do appreciate frank ocean a lot as an artist; I love that he is bold and I actually like that his albums are packed with creativity and nuance. I just didn't connect on this one as much as I'd hoped. while the two are similar in their eccentricity, I actually preferred blond; I thought the highs were higher and more interesting.
Chill, enjoyable album typical of early 2010s rnb/hip hop featuring simple samples and a strong emphasis on aesthetically pleasing lead vocals in the style of John legend.
A fascinating R&B fusion record that incorporates storytelling, singing, and samples to communicate honest perspectives on a range of modern experiences. Frank Ocean has impressive vocal capabilities, jumping from tenor to falsetto range for acrobatic dynamic control. The beats are mostly minimal, but serve as a driving vehicle for the vocal hooks and verses, which are impactful and catchy. Frank Ocean weaves his lyrics nimbly between humor and solemnity, and his guest features match the tone. A genre-bending triumph of a concept album. This was my first official foray into Frank Ocean, though I recognized tracks along the ride, and I really enjoyed it. The interlude tracks were a highlight too, and the features (Andre3000 and John Mayer especially) contributed a lot to the story. Stand out tracks include “Thinkin Bout You”, “Super Rich Kids”, “Crack Rock”, “Pyramids”, “White”, and “Bad Religion”.
Dreamy soulful modern R&B with a mix of simple and tastefully layered instrumentals over spoken-word vocals which dip in and out of falsetto. I appreciate the way the background sways between simple chilled-out vibes and big brass with vocal accompaniments. Interspersed throughout the album are small interludes, ranging from the sound of the PlayStation 1 booting up to distant sounds of conversations in a car - the soundtrack to core memories you can't quite place, but are familiar nonetheless. This was my first experience with a Frank Ocean album, and I overall enjoyed it. Sounds modern and bold without also being hard to listen to. While I don't love the Drake-adjacent nonchalant vocals over simple 808-like machine backings generally, this album doesn't dwell on those moments for long.
2/5
greatest artist for me
I recognize the name but couldn't place any songs from memory. Some good jams here, really liked Lost.
Orange you glad you only had to listen to this just once all the way through?
Really a beautiful album that I probably should have revisited more times since its release. Definitely deserving of the accolades it got back then. Frank has such an effortlessly cool and understated vocal style, really enjoyed listening through this.
This didn’t really do much for me. I thought it was quite forgettable (especially considering the only thing I remember is the line about running out of Trojans in Sierra Leone and that was more comical for me). Do you remember that Dana Carvey skit where he talks about rock stars just looking around and making up words as they go? Choppin’ broccoli! This felt a lot like that.
Any album that has a 9+ minute song I actually like deserves high praise. I remember this album being a critical darling when it came out, but for some reason I never listened. I’m glad this exercise forced me to do so cuz I really liked it! We had a family dance party to Pyramids this evening. Plus, there’s a love song to Forrest Gump. Maybe it’s a metaphor or some dumb shit, but I like to think Frank is literally in love with Forrest. Maybe a tad long front to back, but there’s too much good shit for anything less than a 4 in my mind. 4/5
I started exploring music and developing my own taste as an angsty eleven year old who was perennially angry at everyone and everything, but mostly at himself. At that age, I listened to music primarily as an exercise in coping – I didn’t care for the artistic qualities of the songs I enjoyed, only that they were overwhelmingly loud and served as vessels for me to express All Of These Anger That I Feel. Naturally, I was obsessed with heavier genres and my early favorites were mostly nu-metal bands (not to say that those bands or genres don’t have artistic merit – they undeniably do and I still adore many of them). When I was about thirteen, I become tired of being constantly aggrieved and instead tried my hand at being pathetically sad – an emotional state that catalyzed my teenaged journey of discovery; one fueled mostly by an obsession with YA novels that haven’t aged well and tumblrs run by other depressed teenagers who were much better at curating their melancholy than I was. I discovered Pink Matter as a background music on one such blog, and I recall, for the first time in my life, being amazed at how beautiful a song was. I instantly torrented the album, and it's still the oldest file in my itunes folder (sorry frank but I promise you I’ve paid my dues by buying your overpriced trash merch every time you restock blonded.co <3). I was a little too young and much too earnest in my sadness to relate to Frank’s heartbreak and cynicism, but I absolutely adored this album. It was not loud and instead of numbing me it tore me apart, and it completely changed the music I enjoyed and why I enjoyed it. Because of this album, I started listening to other RnB and hip-hop artists and became obsessed with the craft of music writing. My CO obsession was soon replaced by my obsession with MBDTF, and when Frank released blonde, it instantly became my favorite album of his and the piece I go back to whenever I’m craving his sound. I listen to a lot of songs from CO regularly but the album itself hasn’t been in my rotation for a while – I don’t think I’ve actually played it back to front since I was probably 15, until today. I’m back home at the moment, and I’m listening to this beautiful work of art on repeat, sitting in the same room where I heard it for the first time ten years ago, and I have to admit I’ve bawled a couple of times. Life is beautiful, Channel Orange is Beautiful, and Frank Ocean is Beautiful (Frank Ocean’s merch is unfortunately quite ugly). All this to say that Channel Orange is the first album I fell in love with for its own sake, and I’m still absolutely head over heels for it. Thank you Frank (restock endless please <3)
I’ve listened to more Hip Hop in the 100+ days of this project, than in the whole of my life previously. And I’m still not a fan. This is not really bad, though. The soul aspect helps along. And the beats are more shuffling than pounding. But still too much fixed beat, too much mostly spoken vocals, not enough melody. Too much auto tune (anything more than none is too much). But there is some sense of these being actual songs, and that’s good. I was feeling generous, was going to give a three, but the longer it went, the more I lost interest. I found myself checking “how much more” when it was just past 1/2 through… too often. By the time I was about 75% through, I was down to a 2. Sorry, just too much. 2/5
Heard good things about Frank Ocean but unfortunately this is the first and last time that I will listen to this album.
not a big R&B fan. that said, dude can sing, and at least this is musically interesting in its unconventionality. Pyramids in particular has some pretty cool sounds/sections in it, and I was surprised to see it clocks in at nearly 10m while most of the other tracks were <4 (& some even <=1m).
I didn't love it as much as I was hoping I would.
Toen dit uitkwam in 2012 heb ik vaak gelezen dat dit zo’n goed album was. Dat is het ook zeker, met het muzikale Pyramids als hoogtepunt.
No thank you.
I didn't think much of it on first listen but decided to give it another go on my headphones and it grew on me. 3.25 stars.
Big ideas poorly put together. A struggle to listen to!
Pleasantly surprised by this album
not bad for this genre which is probably saying something
Another very strong 4 - we’ve been on a bit of a roll as of late. There are some skits/interludes in here that don’t add anything for me but otherwise it’s a really solid record, with the big singles being clear highlights but the supporting tracks adding a lot to the vibe as well. Side note: why do Frank Ocean and SZA both low-key want to fuck Forrest Gump?
Not a fan
Initially, this album kinda sucks. If I get half way through an album and it grates my nerves every step of the way, I just can't finish it. I tried, but dang it sucks.
Song 6 - I've heard just about enough, I can't stomach much more I'm out
Fantastic album - imma need that new music soon my squire.
POV a tomato just flew around your room
Wouldn’t it be funny if ‘Crack Rock’ was called Black Cock. 4.5/5
Absolutely love this one. Not only is it groovy but (TMI warning) it is like the best sex music ever to be produced.
Very pleasant! Worth another listen to really form an opinion
Eh
Gotta love anything that starts off with the classic Playstation opening sound. But really, this album is just fantastic and I'm really not into R&B. It's got a strong identity, and every sound feels like it was included on purpose. It never too much, and knows when to pull back or go hard. The mood is perfectly curated, and the lyrics (though not always my style) hit when they need to. Also references to video games and anime while also being heartfelt and soulful is a combo that shouldn't work this well. Final note, the features are so good, and provide just the right splash of color. There's so much about this album that I normally wouldn't be into, but it just works for me here. I've listened before but appreciate it much more now.
Spannendes Abwechslungsreiches Album. Werde ich definitiv öfters hören.
ein bißchen alternativ und mal was neueres. Rhythmus, Chromatik und Texte nicht völlig trivial
I liked it better than I expected but I had really low expectations from brief previous encounters. Won’t be going into my rotation but I can see how it would be important within its genre.
Haven't listened to this album in a long time. So good. Pyramids is a highlight.
why?
Truly a masterpiece for the genre. I remember listening to a bunch of these songs as a teen and loving them. I've never listened to the entire album front to back but there were some hidden gems I had never heard before. If I had to knock it for anything it can get a bit monotonous but I could listen to Franky's voice all day every day.
Weird but ok
Phenomenal storytelling. I would listen to this endlessly.
Not an album I have heard before. Interesting start with the video game sounds. Think it's great that it is a full album, not just singles. And there are some "filler" tracks.
Cool and snazzy
1. - 2. 4.9 3. 4.4 4. 4 5. 4.8 6. - 7. 4.7 8. 3.6 9. 4.7 10. 4.9 11. 4.8 12. 4.6 13. 3.6 14. 4.8 15. 4.8 16. 4.8 17. -
Great album. Very little fat.
Easily one of my favorite albums of all time, and I don't think I'm alone on that. I can and will listen to this entire album until I am dead in the dirt. For me it is a bittersweet and nostalgic album that will forever have a special place in my heart. Listening to Frank Ocean is a cathartic experience and Channel Orange is one of those things that, for me, makes life worth living.
is the best
!!! IT IS SO GOOD !!! Every song on this album is a masterpiece! I’m so glad this is on the list and I will listen to it over and over again forever.
Modern klassiker.
Amazing album front to back. Strong songs on their own but the flow of this album from one track to the next is really good. Fantastic follow up to Nostalgia, Ultra. I still go back to this album often.
Never gave it a shot when it came out but I really dug it. This kind of music isn't really my style, but the production and his lyrics actually did it for me, which is very against how I usually am.
Big surprise. Didn't want to skip a track.
Wel goed, niet helemaal mijn genre
have loved certain songs from this album for a long time (pyramids, lost, and pink matter) but never listened all the way through. some new faves this time around: sweet life, monks, bad religion
Un tipo de R&B suave. Me ha gustado.
Ovviamente conosco già l'album e devo dire che con lui si va sul sicuro, metti l'album in riproduzione casuale e sei sempre felice di quello che ti esce perché tutti i brani dell'album sono delle hit. La sua voce e le sue melodie, apprezzo molto questo album, ogni tanto lo riascolto per intero e non è mai una brutta idea.
I kind of like Start, Forrest Gump, and Golden Girl
Smooth
Good album with some big tunes like Lost, Pyramids (with legendary beat switch) and of course Pink Matter. The only downside is that Blonde (2016) is simply better than this.
Too repetitive in lyrics
Some bangers I already knew and really like, but I didn't love any of the songs I didn't already know. Good vibes but a lil boring sometimes
Some ok stuff, but not really my thing
Smoove
Incredibly overrated.
This is a really impressive album. Lots of interesting sounds, and lots of just straight up good songs. I would have enjoyed more hooks throughout, but I'm sort of a dummy like that. I don't know how often I'll come back to this, but I quite enjoyed my listen.
- Great singing and feels vibes - Slow for me to listen to on a regular basis, but Frank is talented
- this guy’s kind of a jerk-off but damn can he sing - sometimes feels like the song and/or lyrics lacks structure - there are some absolute bangers on here
This wasn’t for me at all. I felt nothing while listening except boredom, and disappointment when it failed to end, until I finally felt relief when it was all over. Even a song about Forrest Gump couldn’t take this to 2 stars.
There are a few tracks on here that I have listened to a lot over the years, but for some reason have not listened to the full album since it came out. What a silly boy I was back in 2012. Lovely from start to finish. No notes.
Music for making love to. Will get this on in Spain. Might have got 5 stars had I listened to it whilst balls deep.
This is a realy unconventional Album, and I really don't like it. Why are there 3 tracks under a minute? It just seems to slow the album down and make it disjointed. I could possibly forgive the first one at the start of the album, Because I can see what he's trying to do and I didn't mind the nostalgia hit. However the other two are just annoying and pointless. Then he goes and puts a track that on here that just under 10 minutes, MAKE YOUR MIND UP!!!!!. I have said it before, any song that is over 5 minutes needs to be something special and unfortunately pyramids isn't that. I would rather climb a pyramid than have to listen to that song again. Also don't like particularly hearing the N word in songs, most of the time there is no need for it. Also there are bits of talking in the songs that just don't work for me. I feel like this has been a pretty negative review so I will end on a positive I like how the first track is called start, and the last track is called end.
Album flowed really nicely, enjoyed it from start to end!
Is it just me or does modern R&B seem insincere, like they don’t mean what they are signing about. They’ve got the technique down but it’s missing passion and soul. 1.71
Последние две песни показались ничего, большую часть альбома собиралась поставить двойку))
No
Not my cup of tee, feels artificial with the singing
I don’t really feel like the hype matches the reality with Frank Ocean and this album didn’t really grab me for the most part. “Pyramids” and “Lost” were great, though.
Shout out to Frankie Ocean. Big fan. My favorite of the albums we’ve listened to so far (I know, not a ton…).
Quite liked this, liked the singing, the lyrics, the whole mood of the album. The only nitpick is that a lot of the songs seemed to have the same kind of rhythm/flow to them — I didn’t dislike it so much as that I was hoping for more variety.
Thinkin Bout You is an all-timer. The rest of the album doesn’t quite hold up to the standard set there, for me. Plenty good, but nothing that gets to that high. Bad Religion comes closest.
Channel Orange is bustling with a sort of nervous energy the whole time that suggests it is the handiwork of an early 20-something year old struggling to find his place in the world, trying to make sense of the many inconsistencies in the society he’s been placed in. frank ocean is expressive and raw in his songwriting, which is in part closed off and diaristic. i found the melodies to be a bit lethargic at times and the writing to be too reserved or specific to truly cut through, but there are songs here that truly punch: “Bad Religion” is the kind of backseat introspection that has plagued any slightly inebriated young adult unsure of life’s destination; or the searing account of longing on “Forrest Gump” too painful to find the words, that ocean lets another form of media do the talking for him. i think frank ocean would really sharpen and hone the balance between diaristic specificity and universal relatability on Blonde, and his melodies come to life and supplement the atmosphere better on the latter, but on Channel Orange the flashes of brilliance aren’t enough to truly draw me in.
The lyrics are so dumb, but the music is pleasant to listen to. It also just reminds me of a fun time in my life. :)
Such a chill rap album. One of my faves!
Sort of chill to have on background but a bit boring to actually listen and pay attention. [0115/1001]
Modern soul that at times moves dangerously close to Hip Hop. 2/5
I have listened to this previously. There are so many great songs of this project. Standouts for me are "Sweet Life", "Super Rich Kids", "Crack Rock", "Pyramids" and "Pink Matter". I think "Crack Rock" is probably my favourite off the album. Great lyrics and beat to boot. The lyrics are effortless and find a way to be relatable even if you have not experienced what Frank Ocean is talking about.
Not my cup of tea
Very mixed feelings on this album. Disliked it at the beginning but it grew on me as I listened
Maybe it just wasn’t for me? Once I started thinking of the old Vine, I was too distracted to care. That, and if I’m going to listen to this style of music, I’m going to just go with Childish Gambino, or Kendrick Lamar. I’m not sure if I’ve ever listened to frank ocean before today, but I probably won’t come back to it, unless made to.
It was definitely an album that was meant to be listened to completely as no song stuck out. His speaking rapping and singing voices are all so different. He’s talented but this didn’t grab me.
Could not get into this one. The sometimes very sexual lyrics did not jive with my day to day errands.
A nice change from the older albums over the last while! I've never got myself to listen modern RnB albums, so this was a great chance to properly listen to a whole great modern album. I loved the framing of the album, with the short radio/tv interlude. It was like each track is a new show, a different channel, but really effectively done. Highlights included Sweet Life, Super Rich Kids, Lost and Bad Religion
Very nice will listen again
Listened to this last year and wasn't blown away. Pyramids was a good song from memory but not one I'm rushing back to.
I give this album two stars because I can enjoy the content of the album in small doses. I am very impressed with Frank Ocean’s creative integration of many sound elements, and he has an extremely versatile voice. However, for the arrangements and production of the songs on this album, which are so heavily dominated by the drum tracks, a little bit goes a long way for me.
I like one track, White, which was an instrumental. That being said I didn't care for his voice or style R&B meets Rap with a depressed feeling.
...
I didn’t understand the hype around Frank Ocean until I listened to Pyramids (and the bonus commentary provided graciously by my friend Ayva), realizing that it is, indeed, a fantastic song. Arguably one of the greats, although Bad Religion is my personal favorite. I’m like everyone else now, patiently waiting for his third, more and more convinced that it will be as remarkable as his previous two.
I always wanted to like Frank Ocean but never could, until now. First listen left me wanting more but second listen making breakfast and cleaning hit the spot
B+ Start 3 Thinkin Bout You 5 Fertilizer 3 Sierra Leone 4 Sweet Life 4 Not Just Money 3 Super Rich Kids 4 Pilot Jones 3 Crack Rock 3 Pyramids 5 Lost 4 White 3 Monks 4 Bad Religion 5 Pink Matter 5 Forrest Gump 4 End 1 Great album. I was very happy when I saw it. Anything post-2010 feels so refreshing at this point.
Smoove. Catchy. Interesting all the way through.
Good
Liked it better than I thought I would but it became bit repetitive.
Channel Into My Brain
I enjoyed it more than I expected and this has definitely expanded my musical horizon.
There are some great performances here but the production is a bit lackluster. Most of the tracks end up sounding the same except for a few standouts like Lost and Pyramids, which are my highlights off this album. Fortunately, his voice is just so good on some of these tracks I forget about the production and just get absorbed. It evens out.
Seicht vor sich hindudelnder RnB, unterbrochen durch kurze Tracks mit Geräusch-Artefakten.
I never listened to this because: A) I don't really like modern R&B; B) I never liked Odd Future, and this got mixed up in all the hype around them. Hey, it's a pleasant surprise! The music/production is good, and is really eclectic in an understated kind of way. It picks over R&B, hip-hop, soul, funk, and rock, but smooths them all together into a low- to mid-energy collage paste. Call me crazy, but it's like the R&B equivalent of vaporwave. The vocals and songwriting are really good! I love delivery and arrangement and the vocals; they are really clean and expressive, but arranged kinda organically to give a laid-back feel. The Andre 3000 feature is pretty killer. 4*
Smooth and creamy.
Solid, would listen to again
I started in Blond and always love my first the most, but this is still such a solid entry. I’ve heard it before but it ages great. A few songs that don’t land but it doesn’t change my appreciation.
Pyramids and Lost are both fabulous songs in two very different ways; Frank Ocean very much could have made a 10/10 album here if he had stuck with that level of quality. Unfortunately, most of the songs here are much more basic and strike me as filler material, if still good songs.
Angenehm, nicht nervig, aber nicht mein Musikgeschmack. Fabi fand es ganz cool, Lina hat es total gut gefallen.
Nicht mein Stil, aber hörbar
Nicht meins.
I enjoyed this album quite a bit. It is by no means my favorite music, but I might incorporate it into music I drive to sometimes.
Every once in a while I’m really reminded how racist this site and project is. This is one of those times. 4.5/5
nicht meine musik
A classic album that will be timeless to me for the rest of my life.
Yes.
About as solid as modern R&B gets.
Not my kind of music but I liked it
Some catchy stuff I supposed. I didn't hate it but I did not like it.
wow this was really good! never really got into Frank Ocean before, but I totally get what all the hype is about definitely a very solid 2010s pop/r&b album - 9/10
I've never been a fan, don't get the hype and am sure I've listened this once and never thought of it again
Incredibly sensational. Production is amazing. I have genuinely no complaints, although I find that the album doesn’t stick with me as much as I’d hope. A really beautiful project. 4/5
I mean, there’s stuff on here that people obviously like. But not me. It just doesn’t do it for me. Billy Ocean is more my scene. Nice to see a positive and proud LGBTQIA+ artist thriving in the R&B community, which to my knowledge has been quite a misogynistic, sexist, and toxic landscape for a long time. Respect to Frank for using his art to express himself and speak his truth.
Absolutely amazing album. Love coming back to this one again and again
album perfeito, nenhuma skip, album perfeito para ouvir de forma seguida,tracks excelentes melhores musicas: thinking about you// sierra leon// sweet life//super rich kids// pilot jones// crack rock//pink matter 10/10
I can't find any merit in this. I know people rave over Frank Ocean and I've tried his albums before, but on a concentrated listen I didn't find anything that engaged me. Bland and boring.
Interesting and engaging thoughout and likably offbeat, with nice mix of big/bouncy and small/pecuilar beats ("Pyramids" has both). And he's a great singer. "Crack Rock," "Sierra Leone," "Super Rich Kids," "Sweet Life," and "Lost" are all better than good and approaching great. Might be slightly too determined to parade its own quirks and idiosyncracies and not sure how soon the synthy efects will sound dates, but one's fully in support of Frank O letting his freak flag fly. A memorable and important record that smoothly and winningly fused multiple trends in modern music. Will be interesting to see if his career trajectory is more like Prince, whose vocals he mimics somewhat too closely at times, or Stevie Wonder or perhaps Janelle Monae.
Some of the music was good. Just could not get into it.
Chilled, but not super interesting. Did not get why this is on the list. Maybe the lyrics? Cannot really tell...
Not really for me, just not in my wheelhouse really. It seems okay, but halfway through I found my interest really waning.
overall i really like this album, loved a lot of the songs when it first came out and those same songs i still really love. i liked the experience of listening to it as an album and in its entirety, it felt fresh, original and just very cool: frank ocean also has an unreleased song that lives in my heart as one of the best songs ever made.
Crack rock makes me appreciate Frank Ocean and I do think this album is better than Blond
Some songs were nice, some were just noises and 29 seconds long. Not great tbh.
Remember first listening to this late in highschool. One of the first R&B albums I ever heard and it stuck with me. Not quite as tight as Blonde, but just as soulful. *Heard before
My God this sucked so bad. It took me a week to get through this out of key garbage. Never again. I am now so behind because I could not stomach it.
got a couple of songs in and noped out. Bland r and B smooth crap using 400 notes when 1 would do. Pants
Boring, overproduced songs with a whiny voice. I don't understand the popularity of this style of R&B at all. I don't hate Stupid Rich Kids. It was the only song that I could tolerate listening to in its entirety.
really meh
forgettable
Blonde is one of the most deeply intimate and genuine experiences an artist has ever released. And I love it for that. But even with all the hits, I do feel as if his debut gets overshadowed slightly. If Blonde is the essence of love and intimacy, channel ORANGE is the essence of youth and summer. The kind of summer where you spend almost every second outside, and there is not a single day where the weather isn’t perfect. The kind of summer where every day is a memory you will have with you forever. This album is so smooth, and flows so elegantly. This might be one of the best paced albums ever. There is not one song that I feel goes on for too long. Even Pyramids. That song alone deserves paragraphs and paragraphs worth of discussion. I love how progressive and evolving it is. It’s Frank’s magnum opus. Every instrumental is immaculately crafted. The mix of R&B and soul is so well balanced, and Frank is just so open and available to the listener. It’s rare to find an artist nowadays who is willing to put so much of themselves into their music. But that’s the beauty of the medium. Rating: 9/10
Good beats, pretty chill
Amazing, some of bangers
Not usually an R&B fan but this is an obvious exception. One of the best albums of the decade and a work of art. Rating: 4.9
Not my kind of music
At first glance, it’s “EasyJet: The Album”. On just slightly closer inspection, it’s the record that remodelled R&B and neo-soul in its own image, becoming one of the most acclaimed albums of the 2010s. Frank Ocean has only released one album since “Channel Orange” (2016’s “Blonde”), but what a hit ratio that is. As the world waits with bated breath to see whether he’ll ever top his previous work, it’s nice to take a deep dive into this full-length debut. Opening with the start-up tones of the PlayStation- a sure fire way to hook nostalgic millennials yearning for simpler times- we swing straight into the somber, soulful “Thinkin Bout You”. Immediately, the main attraction is Ocean’s vocal: rich, melodic, a pristine falsetto in the chorus, lovely subtle distortion and delay. The rest of the track is a fairly sparse trap ballad, but it tells us all we need to know: Frank Ocean has arrived, and he’s putting the best stuff upfront. “Fertilizer” is a fun interlude of a cover, and “Sierra Leone” continues the downbeat mood established in the opening, but then “Sweet Life” is arresting: what began as a low-key, mellow album suddenly bursts into a soaring, full bodied chorus as if Ocean couldn’t hold it back any longer. There’s a heavy dose of Stevie Wonder’s golden age in the vocal attack, social commentary and lush arrangement. Then, after the “Bennie and the Jets” adjacent “Super Rich Kids”, the lush sweeping soul of “Pilot Jones”, and the drum-heavy filler “Crack Rock”, we reach the album centrepiece in “Pyramids”. A ten minute epic in two halves, it recontextualises the downfall of Cleopatra in modern day, as a woman working at the Pyramid nightclub to make ends meet. It’s like R&B’s answer to Genesis’s “The Cinema Show”, forty years later (left-field prog comparison that should never be made again, but I couldn’t resist). The second half of the album is even stronger for me, with some standout individual tracks coming close to pop perfection. “Lost” is a catchy synth-driven number; “Monks” is a whirlwind of propulsive energy; “Bad Religion” is overflowing with emotion and makes excellent use of the organ; “Forrest Gump” is a lovely lightweight hook in the home stretch. Across the record, Earl Sweatshirt, Andre 3000 and John Mayer provide serviceable guest slots in what I’d consider slightly more forgettable tracks, but this is Ocean’s joint all the way. If he never rises to his former glories again, we’ll always have the joy of “Channel Orange” to come back to: what a gift.
With how bad the album was I’m not sure I listen to the whole thing. I saw it in Spotify then the next thing I knew it jumped back like 3 albums so either I heard it all or it was that bad. Either way I did not care for it. .5/5
Definitely not a fan of this style of music; just boring to me and way too much autotune. 1/5
Good album. One or two songs got my attention.
Not for me. Auto tune really turns me off.
Not for me.
I can’t begin to explain the cultural impact this album had on me! Thinking Bout You, Super Rich Kids, Pyramids, Lost, BAD RELIGION, Pink Matter, Forrest Gump… a no skip album. Each song flawlessly enters the next keeping you enticed the entire experience. However, I can’t listen to Thinkin Bout You without thinking of the old vine “a potato flew around my room…” Not to be dramatic, but I would die for this album.
I wanted this album to be better, especially with the collaborators, but for the talent on the tracks it was underwhelming. Nothing stood out vocally and the instrumentals were lacking for my tastes.
Meh. Low energy lounge singer vibes. Not really my thing.
A perfect and lyrically brilliant neo soul album.
It’s a bit upsetting that this one doesn’t hit like it did in my mid 20’s
Never listened to Frank Ocean before this; I was afraid that it wouldn't be as good as I was expecting, but it definitely was.
Muy buen sonido, me gustó demasiado ☺️
I didn't know how to feel about this one going in, just because Frank Ocean is a name I've heard but had no association with what his music sounded like. But I actually found myself enjoying this quite a bit. Very chill, cool production. Frank's voice is great! I feel like I remember this album getting a lot of hype at the time, and I think it's deserved. Even a decade later, you can see how much of an impact he had on the course of popular music. I feel like I hear this DNA in a lot of what I hear today in general.
The hysteria over this record is maybe a tad overblown, but it IS really good, just maybe not transcendent.
Der allerfeinste Song ist Pyramids, der holt mich richtig ab
Very enjoyable, quite chill album that was good easy listening.
Perfect album
Great album
I don't like the vocals, there is no harmony with the music. Song are too similar. Interludes are boring.
Classic Frank Ocean. His beautiful songwriting and voice shine throughout the album and he still has some of the weirdness from his Odd Future days in the mix. A great listen all the way through
Banger frank ocean is the goat
I am not a huge fan of this style of music sorry frank
Not always my thing but def an album I revisit once in a while
Crap
At ten years old this album the sounds on this album are not as common today as they were in 2012. Channel Orange is a solid representative of the new soul sound: kinda druggy, kinda sad, kinda horny. Frank's voice sounds good and the songs -- though numerous -- keep my interest through the whole record.
avg
Why the fuck did it take me this long to listen to this?
When this album came out, I thought it was extremely overrated simply because I wanted to cut against the grain on all things pop music back then, and admittedly spent very little time with it at all. Let's see how that opinion aged. Uhh, significantly better than I expected? Pyramids is basically the only song that maintained my interest the entire time.
I’m glad I had the chance to give this album another listen. I had tried it when it came out thanks to the critical noise it was getting. But it wasn’t for me then. And, uh, it’s not really for me now either. But I can see why people who appreciate modern R&B would like it. Good for what it is, but not especially a kind of music I spend time listening to. 2.5/5 for me.
It's not a genre I like, but I pride myself on being able to appreciate excellence no matter what genre or artist. For example, I appreciate that Prince was genius, even though I didn't really like his stuff. That's not the case here, though. I couldn't listen to any track in full. A bit pants.
Such a classic love this album
I remember the hype this album recieved when it first released. I didn't pay any mind to it then - I certainly wasn't into that kind of thing back then. Nowadays, I'd still say that R&B isn't really my favourite, but I found myself enjoying Channel Orange more than expected. It's just a good album with a bit of everything, and while not the most intense or exciting album, it managed to keep me invested throughout. I can't help but feel like nothing in R&B really lived up to this level since though, all you get now is samey Drake drivel. This is a very good album though, and I could see myself coming back to it someday. Favourite: Super Rich Kids
Love channel orange
Did Start feature the old PS startup sound? The interstitials (?) between some songs are strange. I dig some of the sounds, but overall kind of meh for me. 2* because I didn't totally hate it. Enjoyed: Sweet Life
Awesome production, definitely on my list for future listens.
Hooray a debut album from a popular artist I know nothing about (Album 30/10001). Feel like this is something I'd hear in a hair salon or something. It's not my vibe. It has a ton of streams on Spotify, maybe I'm missing something. I'm bored, I'm hoping the back half is more entertaining. It's like emo r&b.. -- I wish it were funkier. Some of the best parts are the skits. Review of Reviews: People either really like this or are scathing considering it part of the "denigration of society." .. what a boomer thing to say. lol. Best Track: Fertilizer..
CLASSIC
A cool chill album with an interesting theme, good sound and his voice is great.
pretty mediocre
Leziz Overall:7.8
As soon as Frank Ocean started singing "Thinkin' About You" and I heard the autotune, I was snapped right out of the music. It was a lot less on the other tracks, but man that was bad. Fertilizer was so processed that I'm glad it was so short, but I was liked "what WAS that?" I thought "Super Rich Kids" had a real catchy (if not overdone) chorus. That was pretty good. So was "Monks," and "Pyramids" was epic. "Pink Matter," man, I forgot how much I lived Outkast and Andre 3000. His rhymes were great. But then it was followed up by "Forrest Gump" which just seemed dumb. It felt like the album had these moments of brilliance, then followed by a moment of goofiness. I liked Ocean's singing once they laid off the vocal processing, but it took a LONG time to get past it. I mean, come on Frank, you're more talented than that.
Great beats and great voice; Frank Ocean is almost a modern day Stevie Wonder in that regard. But terrible lyrics. Sierra Leone starts as a teenage sexual odyssey (fine) but all of a sudden pivots to singing about the narrator's baby daughter (that's f'd up). Keep it separate. And maybe it's that disparity in tone that I found jarring, where some songs have a sweeter tone (Pyramids, Bad Religion) and then other songs go full thug or explicit (Pilot Jones, Crack Rock, Monks) and I felt like one of the two wasn't authentic. Forrest Gump was too silly, and I'm sorry if I didn't get the joke or deeper meaning. Maybe I'm overreacting to the lyrics because the sound is super smooth. But the themes of the album were all over the place. The smoothest songs in my opinion were Thinkin Bout You, Sweet Life, and Lost. A definite 3 and maybe a 4 on another day, but today lyrical content mattered and I wasn't convinced.
This album did pretty much nothing for me. His singing and songs have no energy. The songwriting is formulaic. The word that sums it up is meh. Songs that were ok: Sweet Life (sounds like Stevie Wonder), Crack Rock, Pyramids (I actually liked this one), Pink Matter (liked Andre 3000 on it, but the lyrics are cringe).
Really enjoyed this album! Some of my favorite songs are Thinkin bout You, Sweet Life, Super Rich Kida, and Lost.
I really loved this album. Each song was a vibe.
Love
Very fun listen. Would go back
Frank Ocean is so talented, and this album blew me away. I've listened to most songs from this album before, but I don't think I've actually listened to the album itself all the way through, and wow. Just wow. Every song is great, but I think my favorites are "Thinkin Bout You," "Sweet Life," "Pyramids," and "Forrest Gump." Also, this is the way you do interludes in your album. They really added something and flowed from/into the previous/next tracks seamlessly. A really easy 5 stars from me.
There’s complexity to this album, it means that you really need to focus to get the most of it. I would argue that makes it less accessible..
4.5 stars. Expands the bounds of R&B by incorporating psychedelic, soul, jazz elements. Extremely listenable while also creative and not lacking in depth. "Pyramids" is the standout but there's not a bad track.
There's no album I'd rather play Wii golf to
Top two albums of all time. Thank you Frank please send another
R&B+Hip Hop touches with mumbled Rap in falsetto and tenor. Not a fan.
Frank Ocean as my third album?!? I had a strong love in my past that helped me believe in numerology and the fate of things, and she showed me frank ocean and loved the number 3.. We don't talk anymore, but this made me think of her and the love we shared. Overall, I've listened to this album so many times already, its an amazing album and frank is very very talented. I won't go too in depth with my review on this one because.. well its Channel Orange lol. Who doesn't know about Frank Ocean or this album. Listening to this album to review, I can definitely see more flaws now than when I was younger and first listening to it, but its still a great work of art. Overall: 3.8/5
One of his best. It’s an album you where you don’t need to skip songs.
Possibly the best, might be a little less strong at the end
This album is TIMELESS! It's a shame he basically stopped releasing music after Blonde. One of the best R&B albums I've ever heard. Best Songs: Thinkin Bout You, Super Rich Kids, Bad Religion, Pink Matter Worst Songs: Monk
Fav songs -pyramids -lost -crack rock
Not my type at all
Pretty chill at times
Maybe because I didn’t particularly pay attention to the lyrics I didn’t get the best office but really just didn’t vibe with it too much.
Nah, didn't like that
Very melodic with hip hop mixed in.
Pyramids, Bad Religion, Pink Matter were probably my favorites :)
Pyramids....my goodness.
Heard it before?: Yes Enjoy it?: I do but this is more of a moments record for me and it doesn’t quite make the mark all round as one of the greats it’s hyped up to be for me personally Favourite song: Track 2 - Thinkin bout You
eh not my type, kinda just sound scapey
Not bad, just not for me
Was already a fav of mine. Love all the interlude songs. Sierra Leone, Pyramids, Lost all go so hard. PINK MATTER is a forgotten fav. Sweet life and Thinkin Bout you are classics. Such a cohesive album.
The best parts of these songs were any times that frank ocean was not singing. Sorry the instrumentals were sabotaged by the sound of his voice. If I could give less than a 1, I would.
Wow nice can’t believe I’ve missed out on this for so long. Sometimes the lyrics seem a bit low effort but overall this is so good!!!! Love the singing and music
# 100 : a bit lame for my 100th album, but there you go. ok music, but not my style, I tolerated it but I wont go back to it. it is drawn out and samey. Favourite Track : Sweet Life Listened: 01/11/2023
Great upbeat, varied album, and Frank Ocean has a magnificent voice.
Some tones like Prince but way to much synthesized and dubbed for actual enjoyment.
No standout tracks, but taken as a whole, great sound and a well mixed album. Thoroughly enjoyed this one
Frank manages to make me feel nostalgia for memories I have never had. Great collection of pop songs. I have now come around to the fact the Blonde is better though. Pyramids is still his best song.
good
Totally not my listening style, but there is something special about this album. It played in the background while I was doing other stuff and it continually drew my attention. Maybe I'll enjoy it more after a few more plays.
Just straight rubbish.
I believe that Super Rich Kids can be taken as a microcosm of Channel Orange. The music is laid-back, but there's a steely underneath. Ocean's singing is sweet, but weathered. There's an interesting kernel, but it is stretched out too far. The lyrics, I'm not sure there's anything all that perceptive here. Sure, it's better than Drake, but so what? On the song, Earl Sweatshirt steals the show with his delivery, his rhymes, his tonal inflections. And therein lies my confusion. Surely, by featuring, Sweatshirt is indicating his respect and admiration for Ocean. What for?
Not bad considering it's not really my favourite genre. Though I was waiting for it to finish by the end.
Poucas músicas boas, esperava mto mais
Funky, laid back vibe. I like this sound, the chill vibe.
Not my style…
OK. Not for me
Not really my style, but it wasn't bad.
Awful. Couldn’t even get through it.
reminds me of high school, I do regularly listen to some songs still
Enjoyed most of the backing tracks. Not a fan of rap/pop, so album got tiring quickly
This is a pretty chill album but has alot of deeper meanings Im not the target demographic for this album but it still a good album. Super rich kids was my favourite track.
Genuinely one of the best albums of all time, not a dull moment throughout the album, and has defined a decade of music. Had it not been for MBDTF, this album would define the decade
Incredible voice, really cool and interesting artistic choices, but kinda horny for my tastes.
Not my style of rap