Reviews (page 12 of 14)
Not terrible, but not my style
Vibezzzzz
I completely hate this. There's no grit or emotion, every song floats from nothing into nothing. I don't know what genre this is, but I can't stand it. The singer's voice is much too high and incredibly annoying. There's no power in any of the tracks. It's thin and uninspiring. I do not understand why this album was selected, I could have happily skipped this before dying.
Nice :)
Not my wheelhouse for music but I can appreciate all the genres being pulled together here.
solid R&B album with interesting instrumental parts
Överskattat. Jag förstår inte hypen kring Frank Ocean och det är väl några spår som är bra, men överlag är det svårlyssnat, tycker jag. 2 av 5.
Funky, chill. Maybe suitable as background music on very quiet, when you're trying to relax. I wouldn't listen to this otherwise.
Never heard this guy before. First (real) song I was actually quite digging. The rest of the album seemed to phase in and out of semi-interesting to background music. I gave it a day for a refreshed listen the next day but felt the exact same thing happened. Nice to have non-offensive/outrageous hip-hop, but reading the reviews now on wiki I think I'm missing something. Wasn't particularly groundbreaking, wasn't bad. Just alright. Straight down the middle.
Nice listen and surprisingly fresh as it is already over a decade old. Crack Rock, Pyramids, and Monks were favorites. Mellow and relaxing vibe over the whole album but also funky and rhythmic. Definitely a good album to put on if you want to kick back. Also he has a good singing voice-brought me back to when I first heard songs in the key of life.My first listen to a Frank Ocean album.
Admirable for its abstract, challenging soundscapes. Not so much for its abstract, challenging melodies, which meander, unmoored from any foundation, refusing to resolve. The lyrics are unconventional, poetic, with perfectly timed stop-you-in-your-tracks lines.
Some cool tunes, soft hip hop / RnB; I liked the most "Super Rich Kids". Some Stevie wonder vives (in his voice..). Ok.
I think I get why people like it, but it definitely wasn't for me.
Lots of explicit songs. Not really my style.
Didn’t did the falsetto so much, but really like the back half, have a few new songs on playlists.
I love "Super Rich Kids". It reminds me of "Benny and the Jets" (strong complement). I was really hoping to find the same quality elsewhere in the album and I long delayed writing this review because I wanted to give it more time. But in the end I just didn't find what I was looking for. I kinda like "Thinking Bout You" and "Sweet Life". There's some of the same funk/vibe from Stevie Wonder. Kind of a borderline 3-4 album for me, but downgrading because even after all these listens I'm only so into it.
Read my essay, "Why I Know Channel Orange is Good, But Can't Quite Get Into It," now available from Penguin Classics.
I want to call him a Prince or Sam Cooke successor but his music is so thoroughly modern & his own, it's too hard to categorize.
1. ztart - 0 2. thinking about you - 1 3. fertilizer - 0 4. zierra leone - 1 5. zuueet life - 1 6. not juzt money - 0 7. zuper rich kidz - 1 8. pilot jonez - 0 9. crack rock - 1 10. pyramidz - 1.5 11. lozt - 1 12. uuhite - 0 13. monkz - 1 14. bad religion - 1 15. pink matter - 1 16. forrezt gump - 1 17. end - 0
Solid storytelling, a smooth, beautiful voice, simple but effective arrangements and grade-A production. At times I was getting Prince vibes. I've heard this album a few times before but have never been a Frank Ocean stan. Maybe I should listen to him a little more often.
Sierra Leone, Sweet Life, White
Rollo patatero zzzzzzzzz
Real good. Great production. Could cut off the last few songs and it might be better, but the run through the middle of the album is killer. I don't know enough about the genre to speak definitively, but hard for me to imagine a much better version of what this is.
This was a painful listen.
You can’t be serious to include this here
This album is fire
I don't get the hype. 2/5
7/10 - Upbeat, jazzy, funky, spoken word. Some Stevie Wonder influence. Large range of styles.
Soul-jazz-funky vibes sometimes. Well used interludes between main songs with what seems like random recordings.
fun, bit slow
Solid album, but not one I would play regularly
A classic album
One of the best debut albums ever. Stupid good. Silky smooth vocals and incredible instrumentals. Must listen for Rnb fans for sure
An amazing debut album - Thinkin' bout you, Sweet Life and Pyramids are top tracks for me. Frank Ocean doesn't miss.
First time listening to this album and it fully exceeded my expectations. I don't even really care for R&B all that much but really enjoyed it. The last several songs kind of feel short, so it ended on a little bit of a downer for me, but I was really surprised how much I enjoyed this.
I thought this was well done. He has a great voice and the Composition is nice.
This album meant like nothing to me, i just didn't like it that much
Good music. Too long tho
Not my thing
i love u frank
Vibey good
This album was really good. There are a handful of songs I really enjoy but at the same time there are some others I found annoying or didn’t enjoy. It is getting a 3, but a very strong 3/5.
Classic album
Not for me, but I see why people like it. Very relaxing, almost lo-fi.
One I think I'm going to return to a lot.
Pretty good but not my thing. I have a feeling this will grow on me with subsequent listens
This is a modern classic from quite an enigma of the Industry.
Amazing album. A bit too long.
Solid listen, good background music. The lyrics were pretty clever. Favorite tracks were Pyramids and Lost
No outstanding songs, but high quality across the board
Meh. This is not my jam.
I'm sure people love this for many reasons, but I am not sure what they are. This album was just meh for me. Sounds like old school R&B at times, but with a rapper who can't sing and tries to be "creative" with voice effects and sound effects.
Common Themes: Frank Ocean brings personal and intimate vocals to this album. Shorter "intermission" songs provide a short break from longer tracks. Reminded me of Adult Swim commercials in between shows. Latter half of the album discusses themes of love and being loved, once again intimate and sensual in a way. I wonder how Blonde innovates upon this formula.
Respectable album 2010 luku R&B, chilling and wibing sääntö uhkana mutta selvittää jotenkin.. Death of music death of indie.. Kiitos please 2010 luku ja ajanjatkumo tuonu jotain hyvää ihmisille..
Please, I don't like reviews. 3 for everyone!
It's alright
urgh...
Not my jam.
Too r&b on the vocals for me
Not my favorite
NIce laid back atmosphere, but also boring
Wonderful album, the first album I've listened to by Frank Ocean, and I love his voice! My favorite song from the album was Sweet Life.
I'll be honest, I had very low expectations, and half of this album met those on the nose. But once we got past the usual misogynistic dross, there were a few tunes in here that I kind of enjoyed - Super Rich Kids had me humming along, Bad Religion I liked. Enough to come back to it? I doubt it, but I don't regret listening.
Unsure: part of me wants to love this album as it's something and popular in this list especially in comparison to other album I've listened to. It's not my favorite recent rap album but honestly some of the samples on lyrics flow really nicely into each other. I can somewhat see the hype behind Frank Ocean but I'll give him some more time to cook before a definitive opinion.
4.0
2.5. Some good songs but mumble isn’t my style.
Ok, I'll go 5. This was engaging, entertaining, and a showcase of talent. Revisited multiple songs already.
chill
Very good album 8/10
Great album. Fresh. Some lows, lots of highs.
Oh dear Frank. Not sure what all the hype was for. An album bereft of any musical originality, a dirge of insipid tracks, conspiring to build an album of the mundane and banal. Amongst the dirge, Bad Religion is just about listenable. If he made money out if this dross fair play to him. There's millions of infinitely better musicians and artists out there struggling to make a pay check. The unfairness of it all stinks.
Nope
Not bad, but far from great. Sounds like standard modern r&b to me. Am I missing something?
Meh. I found it pretty dull.
Modern R&B in which I don't find anything particular or exceptional, but still... It was a pleasant listen.
I haven't listened to this all the way through in a long time, I forgot how good it is. Almost every song is a classic
Ziemlich unterschiedliche Stile gemischt. Jazzig. Aber irgendwie nicht mein Ding
Beautiful vocals, amazing production, and interesting concept. Channel Orange is a fun, yet thematically deep album from one of my favourite artists.
Enjoyed it, preferred Blonde.
Favourite songs: Lost, Pyramids, Thinkin Bout You, Pink Matter, Bad Religion.
amazing album
This album is depressing. Enjoyed Super Rich Kids and Crack Rock. Everything else was meh.
Funky and cool, even when singing about crack. Frank has an amazing voice range never know where it’s going and when. Easy listening, cocktail bar music
Chill but catchy, with rich arrangements and a bit of a burned out old school vibe, which I really like. Lyrically frank (pun not intended) and compelling, with surprising emotional rawness and a willingness to go quite dark. Fave Songs: Pyramids, Thinkin Bout You, Sweet Life, Bad Religion, Pink Matter, Crack Rock
I love the Street Fighter opening. This isn't my usual go-to genre, yet it's hard to argue with Ocean's smooth voice and mellow beats.
Sucks. Bis auf paar lieder
Sweet R&B sounds. Wish YouTube had a better option for playing it...
modern classic. i really love frank ocean. i just dont like how he treats with his fans because theres not even some kinda communication but i respect him for dealing everything private. nigga should make more vinyls for this record because timeless music deserved to land a place in my collection!
Had a lot of great songs but unfortunately didn’t really flow that well as an album
Good music but not my style. Would listen again and revise.
Interesting. There is so much to like about the beats, lyrical content and the general feeling of the album. However, it just sounds too sporadic and made for a modern audience with a short attention span. 3.5/5 May revisit later.
pretty good! wasn’t crazy about forest grump or sweet life. lot of filler interludes. and john mayer LMAO i’m glad they didn’t have him sing. but ya pretty good album!
Quite good. Way better than I expected. Not super structured, almost like hip-hop/rap/jazz.
Great voice. Interesting at times with a good flow between tracks. Jason tells me it gets better with Blonde.
Good arrangements, lovely in the fullest sense of that word. Excellent bass and keys (Rhodes?) tones. Drums competent; good beat, no groove. Varied somewhat, stylistically, but not at all in terms of melody or dynamics. Ultimately: highly polished, tight, laid back and unobtrusive to the point of being pretty boring. Really well made but I just don't care. Best track: Sweet Life. It's almost catchy -- starts to groove in the outro when Ocean stops singing.
ok. DISCAZO y eso que lo evité de onda por años pero me encantó realmente... 9/10 🫡
J'avais écouté quand il est sorti v'la plusieurs années. J'avais pas tant apprécié (genre 2/5), mais un peu plus lors de cette écoute. Grande variation de styles et de sons. Pas tous mes prefs, mais quelques uns bons
There’s so much happening on this album, it can be easy to miss the good stuff. I feel this way about everything Ocean touches. Dude has a voice like Jesus, but I usually find myself getting sidetracked by the songs content, most of which I’ve just never been too interested in, and then I forget just how good the arrangements and vocals actually are. Yeah, this album is a modern classic. To me, some tracks feel a bit empty, and maybe there could be 10-15 minutes shaved off here, but the rest is good enough to forgive that.
A genreless form of artistry that channel-surfs styles, transcends traditional trappings, and tunes into programming too seldom broadcast.
I had heard all about this album but never taken the time to listen to it. I do think I like it, though I am not sure when/if I would revisit it or not. It's a different kind of R&B that feels fresh and not as stale.
I can tell it's a very good album, but it's been overhyped for me. Will listen again with probably a different rating so I'll give it the rating I think it deserves objectively.
High 4, but not quite a 5 in my opinion. I feel like it will definitely grow on me, I enjoyed it a decent bit, but it didn’t blow me away. I’ll give it another listen some day, but for now, I’m sticking with my rating.
Frank Ocean PLEASE drop another album.
I find this album overall boring? It doesn't sound bad at all! His voice is beautiful and the general sound is as well, I just don't find it exciting. I think I don't have nostalgia related to this album which makes my enjoyment less intense. Some very high highs and it was a relaxing nice listen. The Andre 3000 feature was awesome
I have heard of him so that's a start. I always thought he was a rapper but he sings very well! Pop/R&B? Favourite songs: 'Thinkin Bout You', 'Sweet Life', 'Crack Rock', 'Forrest Gump'. This is a very good (unconventional and strange yet very well-executed) album but it's not really my kind of music. I did enjoy most of the songs but I won't listen to most of them again. If it was shorter I would probably like it more. One other 3-star review sums up exactly how I felt: 'Good music but not my style. Would listen again and revise.' 6/10.
Beautiful
It's a mixed bag. The lyrical and musical content of some of the tracks offer something deeper than average hip-hop; however, other tracks seem to fall back on the same old tropes.
I get why it is loved and respected but it sure ain't for me
Seriously I was just anxious for it to be over the whole time. I did not find it interesting or enjoyable.
Okay I really don’t like his vocal stylings or the lyrics or the modern R&B/hip hop sound in general. But this is an extremely solid album for its genre, one of the best of this style I’ve heard. I can tell a lot of care went into the music
Pleasant enough. Fave track: Lost
I found myself grooving with this pretty frequently actually. It was weird that so many tracks were so short. Ex: I loved the little thing he did with John Mayer called White, but it was only 1 minute long! "leave them wanting more"? I guess I think this record rates a solid 3 - there's plenty of inventiveness and creativity and it's well produced and sounds great. It's not my thing for the most part, and still I found it pretty enjoyable.
Absolute banger
So cozy and sweet. This album reminds me of NaissanceE, a really good video game. Same open and airy aura, a grand illusion of vastness. Pretty chill.
Not a big fan, sorry Mr Ocean
A trust in an idea and a collection of brilliant collaborators. A fascinating juxtaposition and combination of youthful spirit with old R&B soul. Truely novel.
I really liked the ambience and feel of this album. Lots to listen to besides just the singing, and Frank Ocean has a great voice too. Not my usual cup of tea, but I would listen to this again for sure.
Really enjoyed this one. The song are just.. good. I could see myself listening to this pretty regularly. I think I'd like to stumble upon most of these songs on random, and less in the context of a full album though. Still, good album. 3.8/5
Always found Frank massively overrated even before the Coachella nonsense. Decent but unimpressive soul music that goes through one ear and out the other. D
Didn’t like any of the songs
Very good
So, not my kind of music which gives me bad judgement on the album. Not all songs were terrible, I really liked crack rock and pyramids haha.
I got through 7 tracks, and that was a struggle. This couldn't be further from my wheelhouse. I understand it is accomplished musicianship and production but, to me, it sounds like a parody, like a sketch show, particularly when tough / statement lyrics float over Barry White backing tracks. It's not just Frank Ocean though, I really just don't like this style but it's not aimed at me so, if it yanks your chain, enjoy.
A landmark album which I listen to every year. I think I slightly prefer his 2016 album Blonde, but they're both 5's. Hopefully he makes another one soon.
Dare I say I felt underwhelmed?
This was pretty decent
Some of this was enjoyable, mostly it faded into the background.
I was expecting bigger and better things from this album. I’d heard the name but had not knowingly heard any of the music. Some of the lyrics seemed to fetishise motherhood which is an absolute turn off - so I did.
It was creative, but a little too over-produced and "eclectic" for my tastes. There is a talented team behind this album, but it doesn't do much for me.
A great album. So many amazing tracks. But I prefer Blonde (which would get a 100/5 from me). Fav tracks: Thinkin Bout You, Super Rich Kids, Pilot Jones, Pyramids, Lost, Bad Religion, Pink Matter, Forrest Gump 4.5 stars (rounded up)
I generally get a lot of ‘life is hard being rich, hoes on my dick’ Drake vibes from ‘Channel Orange’. Having said that, there are some good songs on the album, and Earl Sweatshirt, John Mayer, Andre 3000 and Tyler The Creator all make nice cameos, but overall there’s not quite enough quality to elevate this from just good to great.
not for me.
When this first started, I was kind of excited. I didn't expect it to sound like that at all, it has a nice sound to it overall. The lyrics really lost me.
It’s Frank…
Pretty decent, although I thought it had a lot of skippable tracks
Unmemorable
Conflicted between 4.5/5, but this album rocks
Its not bad just boring as fuck
J'avais prévu d'écrire ma critique sur le récent mariage de Charles le Pirate, que vous connaissez sûrement pour être l'une des très mauvaises fréquentations d'eltrapeze, mais j'ai finalement décidé de me raviser en raison des poursuites pour diffamation auxquelles je m'expose.
Après trois ans d'interdiction par Robert d'écouter l'album Channel Orange de Frank Ocean tant que celui ci n'était pas généré, jai pu aujorud'hui vivre un moment d'exception en relançantle divin morceau Pyramids. Merci à mon maître Robert de m'avoir sevré de la sorte.
Frank is one of the most talented artists to emerge in the 21st century and I deeply respect his art (although he seems to kind of disrespect his fans in his public image). Channel orange is undoubtedly a fantastic album and has some brilliantly written and memorable songs with an amazing voice. Even though I don’t usually listen to it in full regularly I think i can give this album 4 stars based on its merits
Having heard nothing that I knew of by Frank Ocean and having no idea what to expect, I was nicely surprised by this. It has really blending of urban beats and soulful melodies that works just right for me.
im a frank ocean hater
I liked "Pyramids" and some other songs here and there. But otherwise not my type of music. Very american, it tries really hard to convince you it's coooool, but effortlessly.
I didn't realise that this album is over 10 years old! It feels as though Channel Orange has permeated our consciousness without being too overbearing, in my opinion. Frank Ocean isn't someone who I would normally gravitate towards, however I can appreciate what this album has done for hip-hop, soul and R&B in a modern context. Best: Lost Worst: Pyramids
R&B is not normally my kind of music but I warmed up to this, especially when I realized these weren’t the usual R&B lyrics.
Best frank album
Les premiers échantillons m’ont intéressée; ensuite j’ai été réticente, car le r&b me laisse plutôt de glace; mais finalement j’ai aimé la recherche et l’originalité. C’est caressant et enveloppant
It's as good as people were saying at the time isn't it? It feels like the sort of album Prince might have made had he been born 30 years later. Thinking, Pyramids and a few others are very impressive. I wish it had a little less of the "I'm up in my penthouse feeling alienated" crap in there, the curse of 2010s music - leave that to Drake and his army of simpleton fans to simp over. But other than that, a work of a very clever musician.
I like when Frank guest appears on other people's albums. I don't much care for his individual stuff. To be honest I couldn't even listen to the whole album
very good very nice, did want to kill my self at some points though
Great album with some amazing songs like Thinking About You, Bad Religion, and my personal favorite, Pyramids. On top of the innovative instrumentals, Frank's stream of consciousness style lyrics turn the song into an intimate space where he explores life, love, and lust. Ultimately, though, the same stream of consciousness style holds back the album as there are points where it is a little too loose and freeform for my liking. Easy 4/5 and nearly a 5/5 for me
5/5 you already know i fucking love this album right here. frank comes alive and tells us stories via song. W. No skips. Pyramids is prob my favorite but idk man its hard.
As soon I hear the PlayStation startup sound, I know I'm home. This is an obvious homer pick for me (why isn't Blonde on here, by the way?), but Channel Orange is still so unbelievably lush, luxurious, smooth as butter and worried sick about itself ten years after release. Turns out that money doesn't solve all your problems, especially when you're a socially deprived anxious wreck coming into the picture. The centerpiece that the whole album runs around, Pyramids, is solidly up there with the best moments of all time in music-- even compared to the highs that Frank would go to later on. If you hear drum machines and a black bi boy singing and instantly go into a defensive pose... please chill out. I can feel your racism peeking out from the veil. Stop being afraid. Just pop an edible or something and enjoy a beautiful and important record that doesn't need guitar for once. A crystal-clear 4.5/5.
Great singer
It’s alright.It’s pretty slow but frank ocean has a great voice and some of the songs have good hooks.I wasn’t super focused on the lyrics so maybe I’m missing something.
Rating: 10/10
El álbum debut del cantante y compositor de Odd Future Frank Ocean nos deja en claro de inmediato por qué el talentosísimo artista se ganó el amor de la crítica y los fanáticos del R&B, Soul y la música alternativa por igual. Se puede argumentar incluso, en ocasiones, que este disco de 2012 envejeció bastante mejor que su seguidor “blond”. Un indispensable para cualquier melómano, simplemente una obra maestra. Un track destacado e imperdible de este disco es “Pyramids”, o en su defecto “Super Rich Kids”.
This might be a 5 at some point. I know I should say something (and it’s nice that I got two 4s in a row— it might be the first time) but I don’t have many comments about it. I like this one more than Blonde, which is surprisingly not on the 1001 List.
ouagadougou type mfer... Ocean wanted to approach sound and song structure differently on the album. ensinnäkin, miten vitussa valtameri pystyy tollasia tekemään heh...toiseksi, mitä vittua blud vohveloi... tosi hyvä albumi, 2 tähteä. joku sanoi että Not a fan of the language. jos tarkoittaa englantia niin samaa mieltä.. pyramids
Está chill, tiene buenos termitas. Muy popero por partes y medio gaturro por otros.
Lit as hell
Great from front to back. Pyramids is a jam
I enjoyed different stretches here and there, but overall I found this album to be fairly tedious. It just kind of wanders -- which is how I feel about most R&B. That's OK. I'm not the intended audience; I am neither "urban" nor "contemporary". I can, however, recognize this album is better than most.
Use of natural sounds in and around the music was interesting, but did not particularly care for it.
I don't like rnb it seems
Album hyper visionnaire, on peine à croire qu'il a été publié en 2012.
black cleopatra song was topical but other than that it was run of the mill
What the actual living hell is this album?
Really just not my thing. Good, but not my thing.
Light 9
Less annoying than pure hip hop, but utterly irrelevant
Hmmmm nykyhetkessä antaisin ehkä kolme tähteä, mut nostalgian takia yks lisää. B-puoli on yllättävästi parempi! Lost klassikkobiisi. Ihan hauskoja sanoituksia, vaikkei superoivaltavia, kaunista laulua.
Ennakkoluuloja hälventäviä hittejä yhdistettynä ennakkoluuloja hälventävään tuotantoon, joka kantaa hätkähdyttävästi laulelun ja fiilistelyn läpi. Hyvä.
The kind of music cool people listen to. I can't wait to bmget caught tapping my foot singing along to "crack rock crack rock crack rock"
It is without a doubt that Frank Ocean has an incredible voice and is an excellent producer. Channel Orange is an album that just sounds *nice.* I really enjoyed the concept of the album and the time I spent listening to it was a journey through the mind and feelings of Mr. Ocean. Tracks like Pink Matter and Bad Religion stood out to me. Putting to words the confusion of desire, comfort, and understanding sexuality. As well as songs like Super Rich Kids that weaved a story into the topics explored. I think that Channel Orange is a good album, however, despite the above statements being true, it's just not a good album for me. I would absolutely recommend others to check it out, but I don't see myself wanting to come back to anything here. I can't rate it highly with that being true.
Let me start off with the good. Love the album name and cover. Mom's favorite color was orange. Miss you, momma. After listening to Aretha, then reading about this album, thinking another R&B day, I was excited. I say quite a bit, I love me that R&B. Then I listened..... Excuse me while I go on a boomer rant. What the hell happened to modern day R&B and rap? I can't think of anything since the end of the 90's that actually make you feel the music, groove in your seat and can't wait to get home and grab your girl or boy or whoever you spend the day thinking about and love them up. This guy tried, but lyrically, just a big meh. Just doesn't get there. Have to say I was really disappointed here. At the end of Pink Matter, I heard motherphuggen this, motherphuggen that and then get to song called Forrest Gump. In a perfect world, he followed up Pink Matter with a song called Diehard and used the line Yippee Ky A motherphucker. I guess it wouldn't help the album, but it would have made this guy smile. I really wanted to like this. I didn't. I'm going to score a 2, but just because I loved the album cover and I thought of Diehard. And his voice was decent. 2 His voice was fine and I even liked the first song, Thinking About You. That was about it for me.
Exceptional. Stevie Wonder and Childish Gambino in one. Love it. 5
2.5 Oh, Frank Ocean - back when he was still a hero to us, before having a career just long enough to become the villain. I’m familiar with some of his stuff, though this is my first time giving him a full album listen… and unfortunately I just don’t feel that anything was gained from it. His musical style involving a fusion of pop, R&B, and jazz is something that I feel should be iconic and enjoyable on paper, especially in relation to a lot of his pop contemporaries, yet nothing about it really jumps out to me, including the vocals, which, yeah, sound good, but really feel far from the more standout or unique performances I’ve heard. Overall, the songs here do just sufficient enough of a job to at least stand out to me from a lot of other 2010s pop, but not quite to a point where I feel the desire to go back and give another listen. My favorite part wasn’t even really a song - it was hearing the Playstation startup noise at the beginning. It’s such a cool sound effect and super nostalgic, so I thought I was in for an exciting listen with that at the head - I was wrong. However, the inexcusably worst part for me? Somehow it makes André 3000 feel kind of mediocre - not even sure how one does that. It’s like a bowl of vanilla ice cream - not particularly exciting or my preferred, but I wouldn’t complain about having it served to me. I really, really want to like this guy because I know he’s considered a modern musical legend, but for the most part, everything I’ve heard just lacks a certain hook to really pull me in. I do admittedly enjoy the song Ivy on his follow-up album Blonde though, so I’m willing to give more of his stuff a chance to see what all of the hype is about. This could maybe be a 3 on a good day, but for now I’m airing towards a 2.5. Anyway, album and Coachelle fiasco aside, I do want to say I have respect for him for his advocacy of gay and trans rights - Happy Pride everyone!
Good but not great, catchy but not super long lasting in the memory, mostly decent but also plenty of filler, a cool concept that doesn't actually add anything to the album. Sounds like 3 to me!
I don't linke it much
Some great shit there. Also loves the downtempo-sounding tracks.
It really stands out from other genre albums of the era
meh.
I know a decent amount about Frank Ocean for having never really listened to him. I first saw him on SNL back in 2012 performing Thinking About You (which is his most well known song to me), I know he’s only had a couple albums that have been super critically acclaimed, and that he’s been outspoken for LGBTQ rights, too. Bottom line: this album was awesome and a great discovery. The tracks are great, with strange and amazing music and Frank’s neo soulful voice. From Wikipedia: “ Noted by writers as musically unconventional, Channel Orange draws on electro-funk, pop-soul, jazz-funk, and psychedelic styles, as well as nonmusical sounds such as film dialogue and ambient noise that function as interludes. Vocally, Ocean uses a free-form flow as well as alternating falsetto and tenor registers throughout the album. His songwriting explores themes of unrequited love, decadence, class, and drugs through the use of surrealistic imagery, conversational devices, and descriptive narratives depicting dark characters. He titled the album as a reference to the neurological phenomenon grapheme–color synesthesia, through which he had perceived the color orange during the summer he first fell in love.” A solid discovery and an album I’ll come back to.
A true tour de force, disparate sounds coming together to form a symphony. All hail Frank.
Täähän oli varsin hyvä vaikka karasatankin yleensä ”nykyhiphopin” suuntaan. 4/5
Tää menee mulla vähän samaan sarjaan kuin Lauryn Hillin ja Kanye Westin debyytit, kun tuntuu, että tajuton määrä lahjakkuutta ja luovuutta purkautuu kerralla. Jollain uudella ja hyvin kiinnostavalla tavalla. Mutta samalla niin vaivatonta, luonnollista ja helposti lähestyttävää. Tykkään todella. Hieman ylipitkä, mikä vähän suututtaa, koska levy on muuten niin timanttinen, mutta jääköön sakottamatta. Eli 4,5 pyöristyen ylös.
Frank Ocean ei koskaan sillee iskeny, mut en kyllä enempää moitittavaakaan löydä. 3/5
Acceptable. Actually some melodies are cool.
Nah
A pleasant and chill album with amazing quality of production. My issue is that it's too chill for me with songs having similar rhythms, tempo, no highs and lows. Nothing is too memorable on it (will I remember any of the songs? no) but overall the listening experience was fine.
Yes I like it!!
It's not as great or as interesting as he thinks it is. But it does give off the same sort of vibes you get from watching Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Trippy in a good way, but you'd like to tell the guy to just get over it.
Frank Ocean is the GOAT. This album is literally perfect from beginning to end. Definitely one of the greatest album to come out in the 2010s. Should have won AOTY. There’s not much I can say that hasn’t already been said. “A tornado flew around my room..”
I couldn't even finish this. I found most of it horribly annoying. Lyrics were lazy and cringy, and I'm really not into the vocal styles on most of the album. Some of the music was ok, but not enough to redeem the rest of the album.
I had a pretty hard time getting into this album until Sweet Life and it suddenly clicked. I fell in love with this project and Pyramids was an exceptionally strong track to me despite the length of it.
Frank Ocean has a top tier voice. RnB and early Usher vibes from this album. If you are into this music I can easily see this being 4-5 stars.
Not for me
Glad to get some modern day R&B, excited to listen to this one again. This album gets you hooked with some nostalgia bait right from the get go. Frank's voice is great. One gripe is the intermittent audio that's from movies or videos, kinda takes me out of the whole album. Super Rich Kids is a bop. The drop in Pyramids got my amped up. I like the overall variety and beats on this album, and I think it was a very good album; but I think I went into this one thinking I would like it more. I know it's critically acclaimed, but I think a lot of juice is in the lyrics, which I am not always paying attention to. I'm sure I'd give it higher marks if I was reading along with the songs.
Sure does like singing about crack rocks Pyramids gets hella fun P cool album nothing spectacular but I liked it
I've vibed to this more than I thought I would. Definitely gets hyped as a game changing album and some of the production highlights that. That being said I'm not mind-blown in some crazy way like people are with it. But I definitely enjoyed it. Crack Rock was my fav. Damn Lost is a banger Ooo Andre 3k Liked this more than I thought I would. Obligatory fuck Frank Ocean tho.
Really didn’t know what to expect going into this. Not my normal genre of music at all and never heard any of his stuff. But this was a very pleasant surprise. His voice is gorgeous, the sound by turns smooth, and funky, and lush Never quite knew what was next Think I’m going to listen to this a lot more to fully make up my mind
It was good in the beginning but the quality sorta started dipping after a bit
Alright but the sole existence of Not just money pulls this down a star. Like the first few but it got worst. Doesn’t help I’m not a rap fan but some songs are still definitely a 5 star
The more I listen to it, the better it gets. At first it was a 3/5, but now it's a 4. "Sweet Life" is my favourite
There is pretty much nothing interesting in this album
10/10
Didn't know a ton about Frank Ocean prior to this. Good chill jazzy funky style. 1996 me would really enjoy this. Modern spin on D'Angelo + Usher + minor Prince vibes. Thinking Bout You was good and think I had heard it before. I liked the jazzy rap songs more than the more R&B-ish ones, but that's just my personal taste shining through. Honestly not really sure why it is on the 1001 list besides being probably a shining star of originality in the year it was released.
This was fine. Not really my style. I can see why people like it. Would be fine background music to work to.
Some great songs here, Pilot Jones, Crack Rock. I wanted to back and listen again ad soon as it famished
Funky fresh rhymes. Nostalgic and honest. Highlight: Pyramids.
I was twenty-seven and going through a months-long breakup the summer this album came out. Of course I’m biased. But hot damn this album is good. Nothing like it before, nothing like it since.
Vibes are high in general, some famous bangers (thinking bout you/lost) for sure, album keeps a chill vibe. Lyrically surprisingly deep (for me personally), intermissions kinda unnecessary but worthwhile in a whole listen-through. Definitely some songs added to playlists
Meh, not bad not great.
I've listened to this album before, but for some reason, during my first listen, it didn't really stick out to me. However, this time, this album really stuck the landing with me. The music is beautiful, Frank Ocean's vocals are fantastic, and the lyrical content is deep and meaningful. This is a great album from start to finish, and I really enjoyed listening to it. "Sweet Life" and "Pyramids" were my favorite tracks, and I'm looking forward to listening to this again soon.
A big artist and record that passed me by at the time because I was busy being the parent of young children. I found it grew on me with a few listens
Pas sûr au debut mais pas mal chill album au final
ну это вау! стыжусь, что раньше не слушал его и, можно сказать, не был знаком вообще с творчеством в е л и к о л е п н о
Вот они люди современности, которые творят сейчас и ты понимаешь как меняется музыка из-за них. Супер классная музыка, если не следишь за трендами музыки, но еще более классная если понимаешь как этот человек повлиял на все вокруг лучше всего рассказано у брокэн дэнс https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUkDAfsnt2o&ab_channel=%D0%91%D0%A0%D0%9E%D0%9A%D0%95%D0%9D%D0%94%D0%AD%D0%9D%D0%A1
Это что-то очень крутое. Не могу понять почему. С одной стороны, это звучит как Кендрик Ламар, с таким же солнечным и одновременно напряженным калифорнийским вайбом. С другой стороны, заменив вокал на женский, мы получим Taylor Swift/Lorde/Adele/ещё какую-нибудь поп-певицу из середины 2010-х с переживанием проблем через слезливые до жути песни. Влад рекомендует посмотреть видом Коли Редькина с Брокен Дэнс: в целом, про музыкальную составляющую там как раз очень мало. Но про культурный контекст и тексты - вполне всё хорошо разъяснено. Это было кайфово.
I like some modern R&B, but I think a lot of it is weak. I had heard of Frank Ocean but never gotten around to listening to him. The start of my listening did not go well. The first half of the album is the weaker half, and in particular, I was not impressed with "Thinkin Bout You", the big hit from the first half. I thought, this is typical, overrated R&B. But then the second half rolled around. This is good. Quite. (I revisited "Thinkin Bout You", thinking I might have missed something. I don't think so. It seems like a standard modern R&B song that might be a hit on pop radio but that isn't anything special, but the second half of this album saves the album.)
Me gustó bastante. Había oído cosas buenas sobre la música de Frank Ocean, y no me decepcioné, terminó siendo exactamente lo que esperaba. Aunque la primer mitad me parece un poco floja, la segunda es increíble. Por ello le doy 4 a la hora de escribir esto
Strong but ultimately not as interesting as it could be.
Loved this! Can’t believe I didn’t listen to this before now.
BL: Frank Ocean is a figure I almost detest. I think this is mainly due to his fan bases mentality that he can do nothing wrong despite repeatedly screwing them over. I respect his ability to create such a solid business acumen from releasing different colours of the same record that came out over half a decade ago. And people still eat it up. I like a couple of his tracks “crack rock” is good. I’ll see how I feel about this album, I will listen without prejudice AL: it’s a very mixed bag to be honest. I can see why some think Frank is a genius, on some tracks some very good ideas and instrumentals shine through, however to me so much of the album feels like filler to make the (very) high highs feel not quite as monumentous as they could be. While I definitely get the hype I think the Frank Ocean hype train has definitely always been too strong, and this has reinforced this. FT: “Pyramids”, “Lost”, “Pink Matter” 3/5
Frank Ocean takes you on a drive. You discuss relationships, substance abuse, prostitution, the income gap, trade folktales, and encounter characters. At the end, he invites you inside.
I will never like this album as much as seemingly everyone my age does. And that's okay. I never have understood why I don't seem to like Frank Ocean as much as everyone else. I mean... talk about iconic stuff. Hits packed with hits. Every song on this album is a soundtrack song for nearly everyone in my life, especially around college. And I appreciate the "album"-ness of it. It feels cohesive, directed, Frank's singing is iconic. Beyond that... yeah? I just don't find myself coming back to it. Nothing against the record at all, it's just not something I connect with. And it's not over-the-line enough for me to be stunned, track to track, like a good kid m.A.A.d city, which came out right around the same time and for whatever reason I unfairly compare against. Were my standards way too high for this era? I lived through it. This was a special time for music, and everywhere you looked there was a brilliant concept. At least, that's how it felt. This one feels like we're getting a taste of that, but it's maybe too sleepy for me. I dunno. Maybe I'm just standing outside the coronation, feeling a little disoriented or sour for no good reason. Still, great. 4/5
It has been [5] years since the last Frank Ocean album. On April 26th 2012, Frank Ocean tweeted "5 albums before 30". To date, he has released [3] albums and a mixtape. He is currently [35]. This is how Frank Ocean fans tend to talk about him, and for good reason. Ocean creates some of the most captivating R&B over the 2010's. Every song explores a new dimension of sound without feeling too disjointed or removed from R&B roots. The greatest aspect of Ocean's songwriting is, by far, his lyricism. While he certainly has a great ear for production and instrumentals, his lyrics reveal how much a wordsmith he truly is. Ocean is distinctly in touch with his feelings and the people around him, making for damn good songs. Combined with how the songs are structured, Channel Orange is an album that made a man into a legend.
Real good
Beetje psychedelic soms. Relaxed maar trekt me niet heel erg.
Groovy and different, at once smooth and likably woozy. One digs deeply the interesting vibes and space-age feels of deconstructed R&B. "Crack Rock" and "Pyramids" and "Lost" are particularly good/dope. The vocals are terrific throughout – FO's got a great voice, straight up. One isn't exactly swept away by the narrative, likely because seems pretty far outside the target audience. Still, high quality is consistent, though one's not fully convinced that the synths and SFX will age all that well. A bit more conventional flow woulda added muchly in countering the willful obliqueness.
I was actually planning on listening to this album today anyways so I’m glad it came on! This album is my personal favorite of Franks. My favorite thing to pay attention too on this album is the drums, and the different tones of voices he uses throughout the project
2. There's just something so boring about this. Like, I can't even hate on it, it's giving absolutely nothing.
It's okay, just doesn't grab me.
Yoooo det jo Frank :))
ah this is is where the “potato flew around my room” Vine came from “Pyramids” is dope, how have I missed hearing the songs on this album for 11 years Can’t explain the musique concrete interludes, but it by no means ruins the flow of the album. Might be too early a call, but I think this is a fascinating project and a great intro to Frank Ocean (besides the random couple of songs I’d hear on the radio) HL: “Pyramids”, “Thinkin Bout You”, "Super Rich Kids", "Pilot Jones", “Crack Rock”, “Sweet Life”
This isn't my genre and it didn't pull me in.
I really enjoyed the album. Chill and good vibes
It's cool. Not mind blowing for me. Pretty uneven.
Although not every single songs hits 100% for me, I still definitely love this album with my whole heart. Another one from my high school years that I remember bumping while driving around with my pals. Very fond memories of this and will consistently come back to Frank forever. 8/10
W frank ocean
Solid album. Great production. Frank Ocean is dope
Melodic enough, but not really for me
Classic. Nostalgic. Amazing.
An incredible album made by one of the greatest R&B artists of his generation and it was very important to me in my formative years. No real misses on this album for me. My favorite song is Sweet Life but you can't really go wrong with any of them. I think the weakest track on here for me have to be White but it is still okay (like a 5-10). The rest of the songs range from a like 7-10.
It has its moments
This just faded into the background and not in a good way.
Bargain bin D'Angelo
When I first read Frank Ocean this morning, my old ass associated it with Billy Ocean, the 80's pop singer. Once I realized that's not who it was, I realized I've never heard of Frank Ocean before. From my research, I learned that Pharell Williams helped produce this album, and there is a song on here that features Andre 3000. I'm a big fan of Pharell, and Outkast! Pharell has quite an ear for new music, so I figured this would be a good listen today. Frank Ocean is an R&B/hip hop/pop singer. The first few songs didn't really captivate me. They were heavier to the R&B side of the spectrum, and I am not a fan of "modern" R&B, so I didn't know what to think. But once the song Sweet Life came on, it was all uphill from there! Frank's sound reminds me of a cross between Childish Gambino, John Legend, and The Weeknd. It is obvious that Frank isn't one of these fly by night artists that are so commonplace these days. Frank has a good ear for what music should be, and is a real talent for sure!! The only downfall of this album is the fact that hip hop/R&B artists are obsessed with putting skits on their records. They do nothing except distract from the flow of the record. They are annoying as fuck. Overall, however, this was a phenomenal album! I was pleasantly surprised, and will 100% listen again. I actually listened to it twice today! Favorite songs: Pyramids, Super Rich Kids, Crack Rock, Sweet Life, Pilot Jones, Lost Least favorite songs: all of the stupid fucking skits (Start, Fertilizer, Not Just Money, End), Thinkin Bout You, Sierra Leone 4/5
I’m a victim of the hype here - it’s understandable how Ocean’s debit earned massive critical acclaim, given its introduction the soft, R&B-inspired vocals on top of heavily electronic instrumentals that still dominates popular music to this day. With that being said, however, I’m not blown away by the performances here, especially given the almost life-changing status they’ve been raised to by most indie heads. The production is exciting and creative, but most tracks seem to meander and attempt to stuff several songs into one which leads to thematic burnout. Definitely see myself returning to several tracks here (especially the dark centerpiece that is ‘Pyramids’), just a bit disappointed this one didn’t live up to the atmospheric expectations that have been built up around it.
I love this record. One of the few popular contemporary albums I got really into in my adult life.
Everybody was so obsessed with this album when it came out and I just never really understood it. There’s nothing to dislike, it’s a very palatable record but I just think it’s so boring. I feel like it gets praised for its production, but I find it so underwhelming despite having every single engineer in LA and being recorded at EastWest. The credits list is absolutely stacked too, Andre 3000 and John Mayer on guitar, Charlie hunter, lalah Hathaway, Pharrell. But idk everything just sounds so flat and thin to me, and I don’t find his voice interesting at all. Guitars sound horrible on this record somehow. all the synths/keys all sound like midi even though I’m sure they’re not. I guess this is a three, but the disparity between how this sounds and how this should sound based on the credits is staggering
Best lyric: “You don’t know how little you matter until you’re all alone". Loved Pyramid. My favorite was probably Bad Religion. I remember the first time I listened to this, I didn't understand the hype. I think its a good album but I don't really get the "one of the best albums ever created" thing.
I figured this would get the rating it is getting, if not higher. Pretty close to a four, but not quite there. It wasn't bad, but many songs just didn't do much to stick with me. Still better than a lot of modern music I hear. Didn't expect to have a song called Forrest Gump on here, but it was an interesting framing device. My favourite songs were Pink Matter and Pyramids.
Great sound, good vocals. Not the biggest R&B fan but found it to be a good album
Slick and smooth sounding, but didn't really engage me enough to care about what the songs were about. It was nice to listen to, I liked most of it and I didn't have the urge to turn it off, which is a good thing.
A solid and forgettable album.
There are much better R&B options out there.
I don't like it. My wife says "no, you don't like R&B". Either way there is one thing that I do know; I don't like Frank Ocean.
Absolutely cracking album packed with bangerz!! By 2012 I had kind of moved away from R&B music more into indie and folk music. Otherwise I would have been all over this though from Frank Ocean!! Also explains why I never got super into Frank Ocean back then. Now I am super into this music though I have more space for different music in my life. I was missing out! There's the obvious hits like Thinkin Bout You and Super Rich Kids, but also other highlights Sierra Leone, and Pyramids. Agh it just has really great relaxing, fucking cool, sexy vibes throughout. Never gets boring, no filler, super inventive but also reliably great. Also covers some really interesting/important topics. Love the more conversational elements. Inspired by the meaning behind the name and album cover with his grapheme colour synthesesia - very interesting! Love the interest from pieces of ambient sound and soundbites from films etc. Very creative! It's got to be a 5 from me - LOVED it!
I have to say I'm a bit confused about Frank Ocean and perhaps controversially don't just think he's fucking amazing. I really like a good amount of his songs and enjoyed this album enough (bit long) but I'm not necessarily thinking it's ground breaking like everyone else seems to... Is that a bad opinion?! Some of these massively passed me by.. others I really enjoyed. Same with the other butterfly album. Expected to be blown away but wasn't all that bothered. Soz not soz
This was pretty darn good. Not my normal thing to listen to but really enjoyed it. I only knew Super Rich Kids but it's a banger
Not my style, but really good musically
this is a very long album
One of my favorite Frank Ocean albums!’
Not for me, this, I don't understand the acclaim. It's not impressive in terms of overall sound, he's not a great lyricist not is there anything special going on there with structure or rhyme, the beats aren't memorable, he can't sing (plus there's some autotune guff and I hate all of that, it comes across like a stream of consciousness he's put on record rather than doing something coherent, and it's no better than lots of R&B from 10 and 20 years earlier.
This was a weird one - I started out not really liking it at all, the beginning part of the album (after a pretty interesting opening sequence) felt like hip hop's answer to easy listening. Then you get to Pyramids, and from then onwards it's so much more interesting, there's more energy to it. That half an hour would be a 4 on its own, but the rest is a bit too beige, so drags it down to a 3 overall.
>>>>
Absolutely stellar album
4.0
Really good modern R&B/rap. My favorite songs are the ones with great lyrics, like ‘Super Rich Kids’ and ‘Crack Rock’.
I have a profound love for this album. Frank’s voice is beautiful, I think Bad Religion and Pink Matter are some of his best tracks vocally and listening to them is like massage therapy for my mind. Sweet Life and Super Rich Kids, and conversely Pilot Jones and Crack Rock, are so unrelatable on the surface for opposing reasons but the evocative picture of misery in excess and having contradictory feelings to what is happening around you reflects a sentiment that I feel permeates younger generations right now. The tragedy of loving someone fruitlessly as referenced in Thinkin Bout You, Bad Religion, and Pink Matter define this album in my memory as the de facto “lonely hours” album of the 2010’s. The way the album pivots during Pyramids from the general depression and loneliness of the first half to heartsick yearning, bargaining, and acceptance through the end speaks to Frank’s skills in crafting not just individual tracks, but in curating an album as an experience. channel ORANGE doesn’t seek to advise you on how to find what you’re looking for in life, but it’s success illustrates that it doesn’t hurt to know you aren’t alone in that search.
New school rnb. Alot more chill than I was expecting. Not really my thing, but nice for low down vibes
Brilliant. So good. 5 stars.
LOVE THIS ALBUM
⭐Thinkin Bout You
Best Frank Ocean album
Very disjointed and struggles to keep me engaged.
Could very easily be a 4, some songs on here are very good. others bore me slowly
I know this is an iconic album, but I can't remember if I have ever heard it before. Heard Blond for sure, but not this. Didn't know there was a song with Andre 3000 on this album so I'm looking forward to that I guess. It's definitely a good album and I can enjoy listening to it passively, but so far nothing is really catching my ear. Right now it's not really my cup of tea so to speak. I've really liked Frank Ocean in other songs that he features in, and there are some songs on this album that I really enjoy, but I can't get into this album the way I want to. I really want to like it, but it's too slow for me.
sweet life was good. the rest were cut from gambino's Kauai but still fine.
some of the better stuff this list has introduced me to
Back before he went off the rails
No.
5.0 + I've spent many hours listening to this album, even unpacking it with the help of the excellent Dissect podcast series that examines it track by track. And yet I still find myself struggling to wrap my head around its awesomeness. It shares a rarified space with "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea" and "DAMN." as a record that truly strips the artist to their very core. Just take a deep breath and press play. And press pause when things feel overwhelming. Then, keep going.
era álbum do Felipe mas escutei algumas músicas no carro e algumas das músicas achei o groove legal, mas ele canta gemendo e de forma arrastada e não dá pra entender o que está falando não pretendo escutar por conta própria
Acredito que me falte conhecimento musical para conseguir entender a razão deste álbum estar nessa lista de 1001 para se ouvir antes de morrer. Não gostei e não achei muitas qualidades redeemables, tirando algumas batidas de poucas músicas. Certamente iria apreciar mais o álbum se fosse apenas instrumental, visto que achei a voz muito gemida e arrastada, o que definitivamente não é do meu estilo. Não só não irei adicionar o artista nas minhas playlist como irei fazer um esforço para evitar ouvi-lo.
A clear 5 for me at the time of its release. Just very strong songwriting - in particular the back-to-back songs Pyramids-Lost. Now listening to it again, I still like the many highlights of the record, but some other songs have become slightly annoying. Still 5 stars, but just about.
I can see the appeal of this album to some, but it is not for me.
Pleasant to listen to and suggesting great depths.
Good stuff.
Pretty good R&B. Loved the first song. Major nostalgia.
Loved it. Whole album was great. Great for active listening or having on in the background. Frank Ocean is so talented.
Not for me but acknowledge its the best of a genre that is not for me.
A really good album with some instant classics. I'm a blond guy though.
Top 5 album of all time for me
I was only vaguely familiar with the name Frank Ocean but couldn't really name much about him or his music. I can appreciate it but I wasn't that impressed. It was fine but like many things on here, it didn't exactly blow my mind or anything.
I'm a little conflicted about the 4 stars but I also continue to be intrigued by this album after the first couple of listens and want to give it more time. In other words, only time will tell if I was too generous. I know it's not a five star record for me all things considered.
Het was oke, niet zo super goed (wat ik er van verwachtte door 2 personen in deze groep) Ze hadden de lat te hoog gelegd. Pyramids & lost sla ik wel op.