Reviews (page 3 of 13)
It’s a 10. When we got Adele’s “21” over a year ago, I said that it might’ve been the album that defined the sounds of the 2010s. That’s partially true, but “Thinkin Bout You”, by itself, rewired the entire landscape. It’s the sound of hip-hop & R&B in the 2010s coming into light, in real time. Sure, Carly Rae Jepsen and Adele and Justin Bieber & whoever else set the tone for pop music of the decade pretty quickly, but this is the blueprint, right here. This became the mold to follow. Everyone hopped into it, old & new alike. It’s the catalyst for the whole decade, and its effects are still felt well into 2025, with a lot of moodier modern pop standards adopting Frank Ocean’s more intimate & vulnerable tone that he takes on the latter stage of this album & fully explores on “Blond”. It’s a consequence of this album taking off into the stratosphere, and for better or worse, I think it really has inspired a generation. Someone else will be able to write the words that I can’t, but this is a truly formative album for me. I don’t remember when it fully hit my radar, but I want to say it was around 2016 or 2017. With each consecutive listen that I gave this thing years ago, I just kept uncovering more & more. Everything from the Stevie Wonder-esque “Sweet Life”, to the slow smooth groove on “Super Rich Kids” (very grateful for the “Real Love” interpolation, by the way), to my first instruction to longer tracks on “Pyramids”, to the undeniable catchiness of “Lost” (took me YEARS & a Breaking Bad watch to get the proper meaning), & the perfect 1-2-3 punch of “Bad Religion”, “Pink Matter” (my introduction to Andre 3000 & subsequently OutKast), and “Forrest Gump” as effectively the final tracks of the album… god, it’s just so so good. I burnt out on this album for a while, so this is the first full listen I’ve given to it in years. Coming back to it with a lot of the wisdom I didn’t have opens the album up even more, and even on this listen, I found myself catching little subtleties that my brain just glossed over. The writing is a bit dated to 2012, but even then, I can’t really find any faults in it. It’s much more aligned to societal complaints & gripes as opposed to Frank Ocean’s more soul-baring stuff, but that’s partially why I prefer this to “Blond”. It's also because this just aligns a little more with my pop-influenced brain. They’re both great, great albums though. I know, I know – this album’s success & all the artists it inspired has opened up a Pandora’s Box of sorts, and if you want to blame Frank Ocean for a sea of mediocrity that may have emerged from the people who were inspired by this album (but without the talent to match it), then go ahead. Does he deserve it, though? Absolutely not. It is not Frank Ocean’s fault that the people inspired by him, for the most part, couldn’t quite capture the same magic. It’s why people still want him back; hell, it’s why I still want him back. I know the circumstances surrounding another Frank Ocean album make it kind of unlikely, but if it ever does happen… everyone’s ready & waiting, and I do mean everyone. As far as “channel ORANGE” goes though, it’s very obviously a 10 to my ears. It’s a formative album to my musical tastes & sensibilities, and probably one of the most impactful records I can think of in my lifetime.
Emotional and moving alternative R’n’B. Frank Ocean’s control of orchestration and lyricism is unparalleled.
Pure bliss from a raw talent that we may never see again.
A genuine favourite (alongside Blond). I am truly in the ‘Frank is a genius’ camp and can’t wait for more music from him one day at long long last, but if he never makes another song then I’m ok with that too because the ones he’s done are perfect and nothing can take that away. Started listing favourite tracks but there’s too many. Pyramids and Lost are particular all timers though. All round effortlessly cool and smooth and funky and easy to listen to.
Banger of course. Haven't listened to Frank in a while.
Smooth, great singer. Shouldn’t have waited so long to listen to this one.
Classic, a must listen.
Such a vibe listening to this album today. Incredible songwriting, the lyricism was on point and tackled a variety of topics big and small. Maybe I’ll regret this later, but . . . 5 stars
What can I say, this is one of the R&B GOATs. The songs are ear candy, with some incredibly evocative storytelling if you care to dig deeper. And I just have to mention my love for the ending track, the sound design just puts you straight into that scene, and there's something about it that makes it a comforting, if bittersweet, end to the album. I remember it taking me a while to get into his music, so had this been my first listen, it might have been rated lower. By now though, I have had many years and memories with it, and it deserves nothing but the fattest of 5s. Standouts: Sierra Leone, Sweet Life, Pyramids, Lost
modern classic baby
WOW.
I really love this album. I’ve heard of Frank Ocean, but wasn’t familiar until recently. I like this album better than Blonde, which is also great. But Channel Orange was refreshing and fun.
Very nice… Crack Rock
LOVE
Cue my 15 year old self singing Thinkin Bout You in the shower. Fire… absolutely fire…
Been listening to this over the years and its one of my faves. The dissection of the song pyramids just shows how many layers of theory, idea forming and consideration is taken on the longest track of the album. That thing with the notes being lined up on the ledger being shaped like pyramids to make up the bass line of the track, insane.
Listened to it before, amazing love Frank to death
One of my all time favourite albums. Glad I get to listen to it again! Easiest 5 stars so far
I love this album. Smooth, calm, while the lyrics are anything but. Great album.
In my view, there are three indispensable artists from the 2010s: Kendrick Lamar, who is still very much a cultural force, Chance the Rapper, whose Acid Rap greatly endures but who fell off thereafter, and Frank Ocean, w/ a minimal output that redefined experimental R&B. Ocean is the inevitable continuity of Marvin Gaye's workaday confessionals and social awareness, Stevie Wonder's melodic ingenuity, and Prince's casual, yearning sexuality. Whether he's singing about beach houses in Idaho, rich kids on suicidal roofs, or crack rock, crack rock, he incorporates heavy details into an aura that is at once existentially urgent and playfully tongue in cheek. 'You run my mind, boy / Runnin' on my mind, boy.' I'll never forget those words.
Yes yes yes
Liebs
Listened many times before, love as always
Okay, time to write this without letting any nostalgia or deep emotional connection to this album get in the way. For the moment. Let's review the non-interlude tracks which ultimately serve the purpose of making this album feel like you're flicking through radio stations (a fantastic companion album to QOTSA's which does the same). Thinkin Bout You is a straight-down-the-middle, stripped back R&B anthem, and has served Sunday Seshes, UE Booms on the beach and Cafes alike for 13 solid years now. Frank strains his voice a bit in the falsetto, but that's ultimately part of his sounds, and he pulls it off well. Sierra Leone is a hilarious lo-fi ballad about getting yo baby momma up the duff when you're a teenager. Fantastic bass line on this one, and the vocal harmonies are fantastic. Sweet Life is definitely one of the more refined tracks on here, though despite the groovy bassline and Rhodes piano accompaniment, one can hear incriminatingly N.E.R.D. style jazz chords played on synth horns in the background which Pharrel has obviously contributed. Tyler was also using these sounds a lot around the Wolf/Goblin album era which coincides with this record. Super Rich Kids follows largely the same theme, and nowadays I can't say it's too impressive track, but Earl's MF Doom level of syllable-matching is impressive over a beat like this. Pilot Jones used to be my least favourite song on the album. Frank's falsetto is annoying here, but the unique beat tides you over into the first verse, where things get better. The coda is the best part of this track. Actually... it still might be my least favourite, but I don't hate it like I used to. Then you have the sound effect of a plane landing which rumbles into the intro of.... Crack Rock, which is one of the BEST songs ever made in this genre. This is a spiteful condemnation of a former friend/lover who's gone off the rails on the rock. Frank's laid-back vocals at the start are quickly accompanied by lush harmonies. It's in the last 90 seconds of the song Frank shifts into top gear and delivers a scathing "how's the gutter doing?" while singing in his voice, one whose timbre you could not confuse with someone else's. I love this song. Pyramids... man... You get 3 insane instrumentals, the last one comprising "part two" of this track which also coincides with the halfway point in the album's runtime, as Nights does in Blonde. I probably wouldn't adore this song the way I do if I had no sentiment toward it. Lost is an inoffensive song off this album I've always enjoyed, but only so much. It's a great "show Frank Ocean to someone" track, but that's about it. White is fine... but to really understand this song you need to listen to the version with vocals on the Odd Future Tape, Vol. 2, where Frank delivers possibly the most charming and vulnerable verse of his career. This version is just John Mayer noodling on the geeetar. Monks, another track I used to hate. It's a groovy attempt at funk, but his bridge still just annoys me here, but the coda saves it with some very charming vocals. Bad Religion, aka I just got rejected by my first high school crush: the song. That is, until I realised it was about a dude. Anyway. This is probably the vocal climax of the album. It's a gorgeous, introspective conversation with his (islamic) taxi driver, grappling with unrequited love. I used to belt this fucking thing in the car at age 17. Still would if you gave me enough beers and a piano. Pink Matter, a horny but brilliant track about wanting to not wear a Johnny and bang your Sensei. Jokes aside, do you know how good an artist you have to be to have ANDRE 3000 agree to do a verse on your album? The bass line, like many on this album is just class. I love this track and it's probably the most frequently on rotation still to this day. Forrest Gump I've never been huge on, but I guess Frank needed a chance to tell the world he's gay and... here you go. Phew, now to talk about how I fucking LOVE THIS ALBUM. This, along with 2-3 albums (none of which were Drake, thank god) carried me from ages 13 to 19. As the years went on, different tracks became my favourites, starting from Pyramids and Lost, then to Super Rich Kids and Bad Religion (hope you're well, Emily) then to Crack Rock, and back to Pyramids. Blonde is a great album, but it wasn't there for me the whole time like this record was. The only reason I ever started enjoying singing was this album burnt to a CD, on my Ps, going up the highway to visit my folks. I wouldn't be the same person without this album. It's not the best work of its type, not even the best work by Frank, but it's so unbelievably important to me and I will cherish it as long as I live.
Ahh yes, I remember forcing myself to like this to try and get pussy in high school. The litmus test of any potential mate for a teenage girl in 2012-2015 is how tolerant you are to Frank Ocean. In my case, very. Unfortunately I was too intensely interested playing in Garry's Mod role-play servers in those years to pursue a girl. Not even gonna bother listening to this for the 1000th time before writing this review. This is the GOAT of neo-soul. A perfect album. This was a staple of year 10-12 in high school, so I'm not even going to deny the bias. I am shocked that this was included here, usually the writer of this book seems to skip all the important modern albums. No need for a long ass review, this is the defining album of neo-soul. Even if you don't like it, this album deserves its spot in the history books. I'd argue this album would make it pretty comfortably in the top 150~ albums of all time, objectively.
What kind of water is he drinking
Jeg elsker når der dukker et 100% velfortjent album fra efter 2010 op. Frank er smød som en rødspætte
Meget diverst og samtidig kun bangers. Virkelig fed produktion, ekstremt gode sange. Pyramids er farligt tæt på at være 10ernes bedste sang.
Pyramids
Quest for getting this album on vinyl still persists. “The only thing we share is the refrigerator” 5/5
This is an all timer. Takes me back to a really good place in my life
5/5
5/2/25. Forgot how much of a landmark album this is in my lifetime. Stands on its own in the R&B genre, and all the songs hit. Frank Ocean went above and beyond on this one.
The best song isn’t the single…I love this album. This one is an experience and it only gets better as the album goes along. On my shortlist of albums I wish would be released on vinyl.
What a beautiful album.
An easy 5 if obviously shy of what he hits on Blonde.
Fantastic
Frank ocean is good shit
Channel Orange is literally the last CD I bought. It was 2012, the summer after my freshman year of college. I, like most of my peers, had largely moved on from CDs by this point, unless you were *really* obsessed with a band. In our dorms, we mostly used Spotify, which was still completely free, or pirated music that played directly from our computers. I never had an iPod (lower-middle class kid problems that I just didn’t care to fix by the time I got to college), so I did have a CD player for when I was on the T or the bus, which was fashionable because I was going to film school, but even so, I mostly listened to the same few mixes. In fact, I recall my roommate and I having a hard time finding CD-Rs anywhere to burn new mixes. Since I knew my living situation already for the fall semester, though, I was able to put all my stuff into a storage unit, which meant I didn’t have a CD to listen to in the car that summer, unless I went back and grabbed my old emo CDs, which by 2012 were out of fashion and also not really my taste du jour. By then, I was *very* into R&B, hip-hop, and electronic music, which I had always liked, but this was a great era for those genres. Odd Future bridged the gap for me a lot, as well, so I was very into Frank Ocean, but so was everyone I knew in 2011/2012. “Novacane” and “Swim Good” were big party songs, but “No Church in the Wild” made him super relevant. The early release/leak/demo of “Thinkin Bout You” was inescapable if you were in college at this time. It was kind of heralded as an instant classic, so Channel Orange already had a lot of hype around it. I just needed a CD I knew would be a safe bet to play on my drive to and from the coffee shop I worked at that summer. There is very little I have to say about Channel Orange as music, mainly because it was and remains an instant classic. The nostalgia I have for this album– and, to some degree, for that final summer of my teenage years– makes it hard to not just love everything about this record. The beat switch on “Pyramids,” the André 3000 verse on “Pink Matter,” the fucking Earl Sweatshirt verse on “Super Rich Kids” that remains a classic, and yes, “Thinkin Bout You” with those violin swells. But there’s also the groovy smooth “Sweet Life,” the sweet tragedy of “Crack Rock,” the Californian soul of “Lost,” the guitar work on “White.” And if you’re a hip-hop nerd Millennial, you know “Pink Matter” would’ve even been better if they’d been able to include that Big Boi verse. I played Channel Orange nonstop the summer of 2012. I smoked to this record, I worked to this record, I partied to this record, it was just part of my fabric. Again, I was raised in small town New England, pretty lower-middle class, but I also was going to film school with a bunch of privileged hipsters, and grew up two towns over from the beach, which meant I had a lot of pretty well-off friends. The themes on this album of getting lost and drowning in wealth and privilege, especially when it’s not where you came from but rather a world you forced yourself into, it all really spoke to me at the time. Six months later, though, I had dropped out of film school, moved back home to help with family stuff, and just generally 360’ed my life. But I had gotten my first iPhone, and now had Spotify and YouTube everywhere I went. So Channel Orange and the CD itself kind of fell to the background. I may have revisited it once when Blond came out, but I really wasn’t a fan of Blond, and by then my taste were a bit more defined, so I kind of moved on from this record. This was my first time listening to it in at least a decade. Yet now, in the summer of 2025, I’m coming at it as an out-and-proud bisexual transgender woman who recently got laid off from her privileged nonprofit job after 7 years of working in fundraising, aka the most privileged, wealth-connected career ever, and because of that I’m considering just leaving that career behind since I don’t have those privileged contacts, and meanwhile New York City has had so many fucking heatwaves that it feels like I’m living on the West Coast. In many ways, Channel Orange hits even harder now. The channel surfing concept not only brings me back to my youth, but also feels like how I’ve spent my own summer nights, unable to go out but with no motivation to do much anyway. The existential narratives here are filled with the same fascinated empathy I’ve had at donor cultivation events and house parties hosted by a friend of a friend. I also think the queerness of this record stands out to me a lot more now. The self-pity of “Bad Religion” cuts deep, but it’s also present on “Thinkin Bout You” and even the straight-passing “Pink Matter,” let alone in the death-wish nature of “Super Rich Kids,” “Lost,” and “Sweet Life.” My palette for this style has also matured, so the connective tissue tracks that I used to just tune out on the CD like “Fertilizer” now feel essential, which is silly because now it’s way easier to ignore connective tissue tracks on Spotify. The only song I still have a gripe with is “Forrest Gump,” but it’s not like I dislike it, I just think it’s the weakest song and should not technically be the closer (even though it technically isn’t). Yes, my love for this record is driven by nostalgia, but it’s also just a definitive classic. It’s eloquently made, unstuck from time, and many tracks here have taken on a life of their own, see: TikTok song usage. To me, it almost feels more relevant now in the midsts of a recession than it did in 2012, post-recession. I’ve been thinking a lot about ditching streaming, for ethical reasons and to save costs while I’m laid off, and just putting $20 toward a couple cheap CDs that I know I’d spin constantly one time to hold me over. I still have a working CD player, and my wife has offered me her ancient iPod nano for fun. Now that I remember how perfect the last CD I ever bought is, maybe it’s a sign. Maybe I should find a used copy of Channel Orange and play out the rest of the summer just listening to this masterpiece. Maybe my life will look a lot different in six months again.
Listened on Spotify. So this will be my second listen of "Channel Orange", and this time I had a much better experience. Frank Ocean's voice is great and the lyrics are really good and touches on a lot of different things like unrequited love, privilege, loss of identity, sexuality and spirituality. It's a great album! Favs: - Pyramids - Thinkin Bout You - Lost - Super Rich Kids - Sweet Life 9/10
I do recognize that I have a strong bias for albums that came out during my formative years, in this case, my early 20's, and that I may associate big life transitions and emotional rollercoasters to these albums, but danggit, Channel Orange did capture that for me back in 2012. The lyrics of unrequited love, turmoil in love, or the hypocrisy of the wealthy, all backed by some funky synths - all changed the r&b game and I loved it. "Thinkin Bout You" is sad and lovely, and such a classic, but my favorite is "Pyramids." I remember listening to this for the first time while driving in Cincinnati summer, and just going "whoa" during the mid-song transition.
It's crazy to think back to 2012. OF mixed tap Vol2 comes out and you realize that the ceiling is so much higher than Goblin, and then Frank drops cO and you realize these punks are going to actually produce great music. It takes Tyler 5 years to release an actual album, and here's Frank producing great work in 2012. Now my white straight man take - this album also perfectly capitalizes on the chill-wave era in an unexpected way. You have bands like Neon Indian, Washed Out, and Starfucker creating really great bops but with slow-paced development. Even thinking about the xx coming out of this era, you have popular musicians incorporating sparsity in their albums, letting the lyrics trickle out over either an exciting or devastating backdrop. Frank never rushes into an album and there's so much more emotion in his music because of it. Also random observation - doesn't Bad Religion have the same organ sequence as Jesus Lord off Donda? It's the same 4 notes on the same organ looped over the whole track ...
I ofc love this album and everything about it. But my favorite barely relevant part is just the fact that the sheet music of "pyramids" actually looks like a series of pyramids
This is a fantastic album.
Top five all time for me
A modern classic.
A perfect album.
Favorite picks: "Thinkin Bout You", "Pyramids"
10 Stars.
Any songwriter should aspire to the high highs of “Sweet Life”
Initial thoughts: I really enjoyed this album, and the intro just gave me pure nostalgia
Have always enjoyed listening to this album, despite Frank Ocean not giving us much.
personifies the 90’s and 2000’s kids teenage and college years. Evokes those feelings and memories of youth and uncertainty in the most vulnerable ways
Great lol
It's probably more like a 4.5 but this album deserves the bump. Lots of standout tracks. Worth a few listens. Handful of non-singles that make my Liked songs.
classic . baller. no complaints. used to say it was better than blonde for me
I'm probably just biased towards more modern music but I tended to like the songs in this album more than most of the ones I've encountered from this website
Real good
I think this is a great modern classic of an album. Frank took a genre that had gotten pretty damn cheesy, and made it cool by incorporating a bunch of eclectic elements and themes that were different from the typical R&B album. Tons of highlights here, including "Thinkin Bout You", "Lost", "Pink Matter", "Bad Religion", and "Pyramids". 5 stars.
This album is the definition of "a whole ass vibe". Great album, favorite track is probably Pink Matter but there’s so many here. I expect Blonde will be on the list somewhere as well.
last living genius
I can't believe I've heard like 3 great frank ocean tracks and none of them were on this. every great album should come with a tumblr post.
Very very good
Excellent album. Love the psychedelic tinge and the production overall. Gets a 5 for making me love it despite not always loving that genre.
Would be real nice if Frank made another album this century.
Personal, romantic, groovy and understatedly chill. I think I got swept off my feet with Ocean's cool vibes.
I think this is a fantastic album, like a 4, even a 4.5 (and Blonde, which is definitely coming later, is a full 5 to me) but I’m bumping it to 5 for nostalgia. It’s just so classic!! I love it!’
Just some of the most beautiful sounds
Growing up, this album basically defined the sound of my generation. It's hard to over emphasise how big it was. I still think it's an excellent album and has stood the test of time
Thinkin Bout You Sweet Life Pyramids Lost Bad Religion
I knew a few from here already. Production is lovely. The songs all tend to follow a similar path that I don't find 100% satisfying, staying in repetition of certain sounds/melodies... definitely an issue of personal preference rather than the quality of the music. I don't see how he could've done anything better here, but I also don't think I'll revisit this too often. 4.5
Sublime keyboards and synths. Comes across as a very LA album, all shine and surface sheen. RnB isnt my genre but this transcends the boundaries.
4.97⭐️
Dynamic. The most excellent vibes
Easily one of my favorite albums of all time. As one other reviewer put it, this record made me learn how to love music all over again. Every single song is lovely, and the flow of the record is so nice and fluid. Frank's voice alone carries it, but his creativity with production and sequencing is so uncanny, it's such a breath of fresh air. He's mysterious, genius, inconsistent with releases, and that all adds to the allure of his career. Seemingly every song or album he's a part of is absolute quality. I cannot wait for whatever his next release is. Forever a Frank Ocean fan.
I fell in love with the album back in college. It still holds up to this day. Frank >
brilliant.
Great Great album i miss you frank ocean
All of 'em
The most influential and best executed R&B album of the 2010, as simple as that.
Amazing!
period.
Really creative album. My favorite part are the grooves, with the staccatos on the keys. It feels like the natural evolution of Outkast and I appreciated the Andre 3000 feature paying homage. Over the years I have revisited each track multiple times and it remains one of my favorite albums
Duh
Amazing album. So many memorable songs.
This came out of nowhere, wish I would’ve visited it sooner. This is the album JT wished he’d made. It’s smoove, definitely a late night drive album.
My favourite R'n'B album of all time and it's not even close
Potentially the closest an album from the early 2010’s will come to being “timeless.” Everyone, quick, remember what pop music sounded like in 2012. There was almost always some gimmick (a mandolin) or angle or hyper-emphasized genre (pop going EDM) about each hit song. Channel Orange, on the other hand, has songs that could’ve come out in the year 2001, 2012, or 2025, and I genuinely wouldn’t know which decade to pin it down to. This record is both generational, and generation-defying! On the whole, something I appreciate most about Channel Orange is how it’s kinda like the GTA V of albums (aside from the fact that they both came out within a year or so of each other). Both the album and the game are fantastical portraits/caricatures of aimless, impulsive, glitzy west coast life. Both explore the false promises, hard realities, and various methods of escapism used to deal with it all. And, holy shit, both the game and the album are masterclasses in world-building and defining an atmosphere. I can hear the pastel sunsets in the warmth of Franks crooning. A small nitpick I have with this album is the song Pyramids, whose first half is maybe the only time it sounds a little like it’s for sure from 2012. That synth line is cool, just a bit dated now. The second half of Pyramids switches into the simplest, coolest beat you could hope for though! Catching John Mayer in the midst of his best musical era and just throwing him in there for a little smooth guitar interlude, pulling a clever-as-ever Andre3000 feature, and getting a rising Earl Sweatshirt as the only named collabs on here too??? Incredible. I have to give this album all 5 stars. Frank Ocean doesn’t just present you with a great album, he pulls you into it’s decadent, hazy, hedonistic world.
Every song is top notch and sing-a-long-able. Also hot take that I’ve always liked this more than Blonde
One of the most important records of the millennium
This album played at least daily in our college apartment. Still love it as much as I did then. Very nostalgic and I think it’s the best frank ocean album still.
This is one of my favorite albums of all time. Its perfect. Its a 1000% perfect album. I wish Frank Ocean released music more frequently, because the world needs it. The hardest part of this for me, is coming up with the best song. Pyramids, Forrest Gump, Pink Matter, all worthy choices. I think I will have to go to the song I've replayed the most out of all of Franks discography, Bad Religion. Stunningly beautiful and genuine. Absolutely love this album. Best Song: Bad Religion Rating: 10.0/10 5 Stars
## In-Depth Review of *Channel Orange* by Frank Ocean Frank Ocean's *Channel Orange*, released in 2012, marked a pivotal moment in contemporary music, blending genres and themes that resonate deeply with listeners. This album is not just a collection of songs; it is a cohesive narrative that explores complex emotions surrounding love, identity, wealth, and nostalgia. Below, we will delve into the lyrics, music, production, themes, and influence of *Channel Orange*, while also discussing its pros and cons. ### Lyrics Frank Ocean's lyrical prowess is one of the standout features of *Channel Orange*. His songwriting is marked by a blend of personal reflection and social commentary, often employing vivid imagery and metaphor. - **Personal Narratives**: Songs like "Bad Religion" and "Thinkin Bout You" reveal Ocean's struggles with unrequited love and longing. In "Bad Religion," he poignantly sings about the pain of loving someone who cannot reciprocate his feelings, encapsulating the essence of heartbreak with lines like “this unrequited love, to me it’s nothing but a one-man cult”[3]. - **Social Commentary**: Tracks such as "Sweet Life" and "Super Rich Kids" critique materialism and privilege. Ocean uses sarcasm to highlight the superficiality of wealth, asking rhetorically in "Sweet Life," “Why see the world when you got the beach?” This lyric reflects a sense of complacency among the affluent youth he portrays[4]. - **Metaphorical Depth**: The song "Pyramids" serves as a metaphorical exploration of historical and contemporary issues faced by black women in America, juxtaposing the grandeur of Cleopatra with modern struggles[3]. This duality in his lyrics allows listeners to engage with both personal and broader societal themes. ### Music Musically, *Channel Orange* is an eclectic mix that defies easy categorization. Ocean seamlessly blends elements from various genres including R&B, funk, jazz, and electronic music. - **Genre Fusion**: The album opens with "Start," an instrumental piece featuring sounds reminiscent of video games and television static, setting a nostalgic tone. The transition into "Thinkin Bout You" introduces lush R&B melodies that are both dreamy and introspective[2]. - **Production Techniques**: The production on *Channel Orange* is rich and layered. Tracks like "Pyramids" showcase elaborate arrangements that evolve over ten minutes, combining smooth vocals with intricate instrumentals. This song transitions from a club-ready beat to an epic narrative journey through time and space[3][4]. - **Emotional Resonance**: The juxtaposition of upbeat instrumentals with melancholic lyrics creates a unique emotional landscape throughout the album. For instance, "Sierra Leone" features a cheerful melody that contrasts sharply with its darker lyrical themes about nostalgia and loss[2]. ### Themes Thematically, *Channel Orange* navigates a variety of complex subjects: - **Identity and Sexuality**: Ocean's coming out as bisexual prior to the album's release adds layers to its exploration of love and desire. His candidness about his experiences provides a refreshing perspective in mainstream music[3]. - **Nostalgia**: Nostalgia permeates the album as Ocean reflects on his past experiences with love and youth. He captures fleeting moments in time through his lyrics and soundscapes, allowing listeners to reminisce about their own memories[1]. - **Wealth and Privilege**: The critique of wealth is prevalent in songs like "Sweet Life" and "Super Rich Kids," where Ocean examines how affluence can lead to emotional detachment. He portrays characters who live in luxury yet remain unfulfilled[4]. ### Influence *Channel Orange* has had a profound impact on both music and culture since its release: - **Cultural Significance**: The album has been hailed as groundbreaking for its honest portrayal of sexuality within the context of R&B music. It opened doors for other artists to express their identities more freely[3]. - **Musical Legacy**: Ocean's genre-blurring approach has influenced countless artists across various genres. His ability to weave personal narratives into broader social critiques has set a new standard for songwriting in contemporary music[1][4]. ### Pros and Cons #### Pros - **Innovative Sound**: The album's fusion of genres creates a fresh listening experience that feels both modern and timeless. - **Lyrical Depth**: Ocean's ability to convey complex emotions through relatable narratives makes his lyrics resonate deeply with audiences. - **Cultural Impact**: *Channel Orange* has significantly influenced discussions around sexuality in music, paving the way for greater representation. #### Cons - **Eclecticism May Deter Some Listeners**: The wide range of styles may feel disjointed to those who prefer more traditional or cohesive albums. - **Emotional Weight**: Some listeners may find the themes of heartbreak and nostalgia overwhelming or difficult to engage with on repeated listens. In conclusion, Frank Ocean's *Channel Orange* stands as a monumental work that not only showcases his artistic talents but also challenges societal norms through its exploration of identity, love, and privilege. Its blend of innovative soundscapes and profound lyrical content ensures its place as one of the defining albums of its era.
Amaze
This may be the album I've listened to the most in my life. It was a sensation in my high school friend group and it was played at every function I attended for years. We played it while studying, hanging and smoking, and at parties. It fit perfectly into every situation a nineteen year old listens to music in. I went to college in 2012 and was feeling a lot of the normal discomfort, anxiety, and sadness associated with moving to a new place and undergoing a major life change. Channel Orange was the perfect nostalgic and melancholic accompaniment to those feelings. I listened to it close to daily for multiple years. Mutual love of this album was a common icebreaker as a freshman and sophomore. A girl I dated in sophomore year told me I wasn't allowed to play it anymore because it was all I ever had on. I love every track on this album. His singing is beautiful and the lyrics are sad reflections on what felt to me at the time like very 'suburban' and isolated feelings. There's a lot of 'non-musical' sounds that play throughout the album to break up songs and capture the mechanical noises of listening to an album or tape in real life. The features are all incredible. My favorite songs are 'Super Rich Kids', 'Lost', and 'Pyramids'. I wish 'Fertilizer' was a minute longer. I've never had an easy time deciding what my favorite album is, but if you put me on the spot I may just say Channel Orange. 11/10
Amazing album. It's poppier and more approachable than his later work but still a great album. Repeats: sweet life, pilot jones, pink matter, lost
Perfect
oh yes
Bisexual paradise Frank Ocean’s music lives in nostalgia - that unattainable feeling of what used to be. His first mixtape is literally called “Nostalgia Ultra” and this album’s cover starts with the sound of a PS2 booting up, and its title and cover reference Nickelodeon. The songs here sound like reminisces of summers past, where you’re old enough to be left alone, but not old enough to be responsible for your own life. So what else is there to do but lay around and fall in love?
Crack Rock. Instant 12 stars.
Ein gutes Album
Superb
First off this a fantastic album and no one has really match Frank at what he does best. I do think this is an album that grows as it goes and hits it peak in the back half with Pyramids, Lost, Bad Religion and Pink Matter. This album also reminds me of a very specific time in my life and I think that adds an extra layer of depth. While I think it's a 4.5 with half stars, I'm going 5 as it's just better than a 4.
To all my fellow gen Zs (and millennials) , I’m very happy to report this album did not disappoint. After listening to Thinkin Bout You, I had fears that this wasn’t going to click with me, but with each track I was further convinced that the incessant praise frank has received is deserved. Pyramids especially is fantastic, the R&B equivalent of a prog rock song. I guess he was right, the best song wasn’t the single. Giving this an enthusiastic 5
the best
A decade-defining album. Brilliant, diverse, witty, and clever from start to finish with great music and stellar features. A favorite.
FINALLY! A SURPRISE! At first I thought it'll be another generic modern hiphop/R&B but it just gets better and better over time. By the time it ended, my mind was blown and is fully believing that the happiest color, orange, can be overflowing with heartache. What a modern masterpiece.
Really goovy, motherfucker!
If I could give this album 6 stars I would. Frank Ocean changed the way I listened to music in my 20s. His music got me through some dark times and some bright times. Absolutely love this album. Frank can do no wrong. Musically, vocally, lyrically outstanding.
Love Channel Orange. The emptiness of a life of excess. Such a strong debut.
A modern day RnB masterpiece, though shocked this is now 12 years old, maybe no longer modern day. With Blonde being 8 years old too now, we really need another album Frank!
I'm a bitch for frank
A richly satisfying exspansion of R&B half to finally hear this album.
Fantastic album, a real journey to listen to
Can't do half stars but it's 4.5
Didnt knew who this guy was until my kid put on this album about a month ago and we listened to it. Its a true love and lost love story. You can feel this dudes pain in the songwriting and voice. One pf those wtf moments when you realized there was an album this good and you had never even heard the artists name before yet you become an instafan. Im going to give it 5 stars cause the smoothness of the tracks and the jazz and rap lyrics blend in ways I had not listened to in a while. This guy is real talent.
Frank Ocean proving himself to himself. Packed with so many now-classic songs, it has and will stand the test of time as one of the best R&B albums of all time.
This is one of those albums that has grown on me steadily over the years, and one I try to revisit at least once a year. R&B isn’t my favorite genre, but I think this album transcends typical R&B in many ways. While I probably slightly prefer Blonde, Channel Orange is a classic of this century and a masterpiece in its own right. Thinkin’ Bout You is his best song in my opinion. When he introduces his falsetto on that first “or do you not think so far ahead” it is a breathtaking moment. The album starts off with its best song, but it doesn’t really lose momentum. Sweet Life is super catchy, Super Rich Kids is great, and Pyramids is epic. A basically perfect album from one of our great current talents.
Most impactful debut of this millennium? Crazy start with 'Thinkin Bout You' setting up the entire atmosphere for the album. The synths on 'Pyramids' and 'Lost' + the trifecta of 'Monks', 'Bad Religion' and 'Pink Matter'. Great stuff.
Channel Orange is a cornerstone of modern R&B. The monolithic centerpiece of “Pyramids” followed by “Lost” is easily enough to make this album deserve its runtime. Also, I had forgotten that it starts with a PlayStation booting up. Love it!
Loungey and delicious. I'm four tracks in a it is a simply wonderful album that is outside of my normal sphere of listening. Peeping Tom feels similar. With that album Mike Patton was trying to reveal an alternate world where he was interpreting what he compose for various radio stations. While Channel Orange (so far) isn't as genre-swappy it is extremely diverse and densely packed. Alright, finished now. I'd put this up there as a modern masterpiece. Even the parts I am not fond of work as hallways to the next vista. Palette cleansers.
Fantastic song writing and production. I really want to listen to this on a hifi set-up.
Very good, first time listening
Peak music
# Playlist track - Super Rick Kids # Notes - This album is so weird. But it's also so interesting. - I love the "Street Fighter" sounds at the opening track. - I'm not really a hip hop guy, but there are so many things to hear on this album. It was hard to choose a favorite track. - Might be just me, but it doesn't seem that Ocean is a great singer. lol. That doesn't get in the way, tho. - Recommended for all. Five stars.
Incredible. Adding it to the roster. The Andre 3000 feature was so good.
9. absolute classic, one of my favourites. So so beautiful.
Fan, riktigt jävla bra skiva. Sämsta låten är nog den första, thinking about you, och då tänkte jag "fan, vill höra bra musik". Vilket definitivt sker på nästan resten av albumet. (Räknar bara de riktiga låtarna). Otroligt skön stämning. Första riktigt bra låten är sweet life och därefter, med undantag för pilot Jones är det riktigt hög nivå. Jag fastande omedelbart och har redan lyssnat mer (skivan har gått på repeat sen igår). Kommer garanterat lyssna mer, lägga till låtar på egna listor etc. Äntligen! Extra kul då jag aldrig lyssnat på FO. Har ju sett han i periferin. Kul att se Earl på en låt. Lyssnat lite på honom tidigare (han har en skön låt som heter "Chum"). Pyramids är nog bäst. Men det är jämnt skägg. Betyg då. Svårt. Det är definitivt en fyra. Jag lutar känslomässigt även högre. Jag kanske ska bjuda på en femma. Man lever bra en gång.
R&B har väl aldrig varit min genre riktigt, men det här är ju riktigt riktigt jäkla bra. Känns sjukt att inte haft bättre koll på honom.
With Frank Ocean, it's always gonna be either early mixtape *Nostalgia, Ultra* or this official debut album . I recognize *Blonde*'s impact later in 2016, but I would lie if I said that other Frank Ocean LP does as much for me. Whereas in *Channel Orange*, you got everything that makes this stellar artist hit all the right spots. At least *my* right spots. I almost never had the chance to understand (and then love) this album because of a pretty weird cut on its first side, "Sierra Leone"--really the second song on this record (filled with moody interludes I won't touch upon so as to leave room to discuss the real songs in this review). Now "Sierra Leone" is part of this record's perfect track flow in my mind, but at the time it was a no-go, so strange and seemingly pointless that it made me stop listening. Fortunately, I quickly fell in love with the individual highlights from this LP, which lead me right back to it as a whole. Needless to say, hose highlights slap.There is the delicate and subtle "Thinkin About You" (displaying an unobtrusive mood that would also be used to great effect on later cut "Pilot Jones"), the gently grooving "Sweet Life", Elton John's "Benny-And-The-Jets"-inspired "Super Rich Kids", and, of course, the absolutely epic two-part "Pyramids", where stripper 'Cleopatra' roams through Bladerunner-like soundscapes / cityscapes, her sad tale cryptically narrated by a protagonist who could either be her pimp, her soulmate or her best friend. The second part of the song is melancholic as f*ck, and imbued all sorts of fascinating, fully cinematic layers. High class art R'n'B here. And then it goes on and on for side two as well. "Lost" is a perfect smooth pop song with a killer synth hook. "Monks", just like "Crack Rock" some time before, brings some much needed funk-rock dynamism to the tracklisting. And "Bad Religion" is a terrific ballad supported by impressive string arrangements, and a song as awe-inspiring in the economy of the words it uses to effectively tell its story as it is mesmerizing on a purely musical level. Malay is one hell of a producer, and whether some of the unexpected chords modulations -- along with their wonderful, catchy harmonies -- come from him or Ocean himself, I gotta say they did a legendary work together in this record. The album keeps you on your toes until its very last seconds. And to this day, it still exudes a certain mystery as to the manner it brilliantly manages to hold all its odd swipes and discrete forays and sudden left turns into a single cohesive whole. Closer "Forrest Gump" unexpectedly ends *Channel Orange* on a surprisingly light-hearted, almost tongue-in-cheek note. The song is used in a humorous manner to close the subject when it comes to the nameless man who broke Frank's heart by not reciprocating the latter's feeling about him -- a subject that was way more painful on "Bad Religion"! Ocean finally sees his obsession for what it is, the first step to heal and mend his broken heart. When you rewind back to the beginning of the album, you soon realize what a rich, emotional journey it has been. There's indeed something that's also a little dissolute and slightly cynical about some of the album's vibes, at least in its first half--in keeping with the world of the "Super Rich Kids", from the song that bears their name. But then, it soon dawns upon you the record is really about Frank coming to terms with who he really is, and you understand why the journey had to start that way, by giving impressionistic portrayals of the sorts of environments he lives in -- the whole context behind the main plot of the unrequited love yarn. To be fair, I can't think of any other record that that makes the topic of bisexuality feel so vital, so artistically sound and emotionally engaging. And that's the cream on an already quite perfect cake. Number of albums left to review: 60 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 406 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 233 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 302
Bangin
All time classic, one of my favourites
such a great debut, a modern classic
A difficult and rewarding listen. This album is far out of what I would call my comfort zone and took me quite a few listens to really appreciate and has since become one of my favourite albums.
Can easily see this as being a future favourite… surprised me
Le doy un 10/10. Un hermoso un álbum siempre es grato escucharlo.
GOAT 5/5. Formative album during hs
Probably a top 20 record for me personally. Loved Frank since I stumbled over Nostalgia, Ultra — and Channel Orange is somewhere near the peak of modern R&B. Soulful without being saccharine, melodic without being showy, contemplative without being dour. Frank makes us feel it.
Prince vibes. Such a versatile album and unique voice. Relevant lyrics
Love it.
Thinkin Bout You is up there in my favorite songs list. His voice is so mesmerizing, and the way he emotes with his falsetto just serves the song so well. I'm surprised how many of the top ratings mention how he can't sing? Are we listening to the same artist? Anyway, I'm glad I had an excuse to put this one on and get lost in the Channel Orange soundscape for a little while.
Masterpiece, gay boi art at its finest. When will this fucking twink release another album? Pyramids is an incredible testament to his writing and creativity. Thinking Bout You makes me cry. So many bangers!
There is far too much hate here for this album. Some claiming this album marked the DOWNFALL of a generation. How stupid are you to miss the plot of this album? It actively details the degeneration of society as a whole and a young man stuck in the middle of morality and freedom. Perplexed, as to why one must sacrifice parts of themselves to become a productive member of society. Frank has such an eclectic music taste that contributes the overall betterment of the album. Using structure from the Beatles on songs like Fertilizer and then utlilizing ambience as an instrument to convey uncomfortable silences. It becomes a heartfelt nostalgic seperation from childhood dreams to adult realities and problems that come with it.
Unreal how good this album is. Like The Love Below 10 years later, even with an appearance from Andre 3000 himself spitting an amazing verse. Super catchy and the production is nearly perfect. Lots of sick drumming too love the Hendrix sample
Chill
This was great.
I mean, the most 5s an album can get. Modern classic.
One of the ones I wish I could erase from my memory and discover all over again. No clue how many times I've listened to this masterpiece.
Fun, sleek, full of meaning
Just loved. Great songs. New fan. Will be visiting often.
YOU DONT KNOW HOW LITTLE YA MATTER UNTIL UR ALL ALONE IN THE MIDDLE OF ARKANSAS WITH A LITTLE ROCK LEFT IN THAT GLASS DICK
Amazing musician, great album. First time listening straight through.
Been fire!
Classic album. Helped created the modern R&B fusion sound. Also shout out to first out bisexual R&B artist to top the charts.
“channel ORANGE” contains some of my absolute favorite songs of all time. Its blending of every genre that dance around r&b (hip-hop, electronic, dance, funk, etc.) is seamless and shows how multi-faceted Frank Ocean was this early in his career. Frank’s words and tortured singing give off a lonely yet sentimental feeling. His characters are ones of longing and all come together to paint a portrait of the flawed world Frank is forced to live in as well
banger
so, this has become one of my favorite albums in probably the last decade. i know i will consistently discuss Dissect, the podcast, with anyone who will listen. but, that season of about Channel Orange and Blonde really just goes to show much much of a musical genius Frank Ocean is. like no joke, the dude is incredible. 5/5 album. i can't even begin to explain all of the references in this album, and what makes it truly a work of art. its front to back incredible.
Day 21 of listening to 1001 albums, one day at a time. I had already listened to Channel Orange a little while ago but I thought why not go again. It felt a lot like going back watching a movie you had already watched. You were able to say along with some lines. But there were moments that grabbed, moments that hadn’t focused on much before. I think I truly had a surface level understanding of this album on first listen. Even song is so sonically beautiful it’s hard not to get lost in those sounds and truly listen. The way Frank Ocean talks about social class and how he can make it so whimsical and then remind how selfish it is. Or on Crack Rock talking about drugs addiction and how you’re outcasted, the government and people don’t care about you. Although we’re Frank Ocean shines is his songs about relationships. Thinkin Bout You, Pyramids, Bad Religion, and Lost. These touch a lot of different topics from unrequited feelings and people trying to work to help their partners. What I didn’t know about the album was that it comes from Frank Ocean’s grapheme color synesthesia. He associates the color orange with the time of summer and that were a lot of the ideas for these songs take place. There is something to be said about the way these song are just ear candy and transport you to another world. Channel Orange is an amazing that I didn’t give enough credit the first listen and I am glad I gave it another listen to truly understand how remarkable of album this is.
The further I got into this album the more I loved it. It has such a smooth feeling to it, and just has such polish but without feeling overproduced.
A landmark album that has influenced so many. Just amazing
all-time sexy music banger
fantastic. hasn’t aged a day. 4.5
Not my typical genre but just blown away
Pyramids fucking slaps dude what
#86: Channel Orange by Frank Ocean Moderately new album, and wow! I really like this album! Thinkin Bout You is a banger, so is Sierra Leone, this is great. I have seen a lot of 1 stars on this album but also a lot of 5s. I have to go with the 5 stars on this one! I just really love it
10/10 LOVE IT SO MUCH
no hesitation on this one bangers left right and centre
Unbelievable, if I could rate higher than 5 stars I would. Every song is incredible. I can’t pick out favs bc I love every song on this album Nr crying my eyes out to pink matter rn luv Andre 3000
This is the first album I've had on this generator that I have a physical copy of. This album was an integral part of my adolescence and it is perfect. My fave songs: - thinkin bout you - fertilizer - sierra leone - sweet life - super rick kids - lost
A modern classic, creative and immersive. He has a beautiful voice and his artistry is singular. I was lucky to get a rainy afternoon for listening ambience. Highlights: Thinkin Bout You, Sierra Leone, Super Rich Kids, Crack Rock, Pyramids, Bad Religion, Pink Matter, Forrest Gump
frabk ocean
Very relaxed album, e.g. Sweet Life. Vocally also on a very high level.
Last time I got an album that I had already listened to it was Yeezus and I didn't re-listen to it. But I can't see this album cover and not listen to this album. Is it a perfect album? Maybe not...but yes it absolutely is. 10/10
Crazy that this was released 12 years ago. So so good, elite vocals and production whole way thru. So glad that this album made it onto the list bc I thought it would be too Gen Z coded. Especially love Monks, and bad religion and Pink Matter are goated songs, except Andre 3000s verse doesn’t add anything for me. This cutesy imagery based lyric writing normally doesn’t work for me but I feel like Frank makes it work so well
woop woop
already listened
Understand the hype. Everything after Super Rich Kids was been incredible
Really cool and different style. Kind of like the Beck of hip hop. A) massive vocal range. That falsetto is spot on. B) the mix of ambient, trip-hop, 90s R&B, and even psychedelic is really engaging. You don’t want to stop listening because he keeps bringing in new elements. C) delicate at times. He doesn’t hammer you over the head with beats or melodies. Well-mixed.
One of the best albums ever made !
By far one of the greatest albums ever to have been released. This is a classic. I love this album so much. Pyramids is one of the best. Lost. Rich Kids, So many great songs
I could listen to this album probably another 20 times but I'm already behind and I gotta move on! Never really listened to Frank Ocean but it was such a diversity of sound. I was bummed I couldn't take the time to go track by track on samples and personnel yet.
Amazing album. Excited to see it come up on this list, I've been needing a re-listen.
Wow. I haven't never listened to a single Frank Ocean song before today. I knew nothing about him except a vague idea that he was a RnB singer. Not a genre I was ever invested in. But this album blew me away. The music is impeccable, mixing elements of various genres and influences. The content is free and vulnerable, taking on numerous voices vividly. I never expected that this would be an album I play on repeat, but it's incredible.
A tornado flew around my room before you came. Excuse the mess it made, it usually doesn’t rain in southern California, much like Arizona, my eyes don’t shed tears but boy they bawlin. I’m thinking bout you, oh no no no, Ive been thinking bout you, you know know know. I’ve been thinking about you, do you think about me still? Do ya? Do ya? OR DO YOU NOT THINK SO FAR AHEADDDD! CUZ I BEEN THINKING BOUT FOREVA OOOOOOOOO
The unique melodies and sparse percussion/beats in his arrangements give this a very minimalist, almost confessional level to his R&B/soul style. It's not overproduced and gets its messages across so clearly and cleanly. This is a breath of fresh air for R&B in a simple, accessible package. Lots of good tunes here - Thinkin Bout You, Sweet Life, Super Rich Kids, Crack Rock, Lost, and Pink Matter are the ones I was drawn to.
Frank Ocean is so good that I am actively annoyed that he's not as well known as someone like Beyonce, Usher, etc. He is one of the greatest songwriters/producers currently working. Channel Orange is a journey through genre and emotions. He works his way through R&B, funk, techno, hip hop, pop, soul and inflects everything with gospel like chord changes and melodic movement. In a way naming genres feels inappropriate for him because he truly makes those distinctions feel meaningless. His vocal delivery is perfect and the production and orchestration is sublime.
Awesome record from start to finish and all I wanted to do after playing it was play it again . Favourites were "Thinking about you" "Forrest Gump" "Pilot Jones" and "Lost"
whatever intangible element of frank ocean's music makes people obsess over it so much I do not get at all but like it's still all really good, just not very emotionally poignant for me
Perfeito
Lyrically a banger.
loved it pyramids was so good
Not an album I listen to very often but it is amazing.
When it comes to Frank Ocean’s discography you listen to Blond for the experience, but you come back to Channel Orange for the bangers. It’s amazing how fresh it still sounds over a decade from its release. Nearly every song on here has infinite replayability. Also big win for bi visibility ✊. Fav songs: every song that isn’t an interlude - Thinkin Bout You, Sierra Leone, Sweet Life, Super Rich Kids, Crack Rock, Pyramids, Lost, Monks, Bad Religion, Pink Matter, Forrest Gump
This being a debut album makes it all the more impressive. I’ve heard some songs from this album individually, but listening to them alongside the rest of the album made them make so much more sense. The sound of this album is timeless and artists today should take notes 📝. I get the Frank Ocean hype… Fave Songs: Pyramids, Pink Matter
I like this one. Had a couple 👍s before this project.
Such a good album. Definitely his best all the way through.
Forgot what a banger this album was. Front to back. Interesting sounds, great lyrics, and Frank's best vocal performance by miles.
Probably would have never listened to this one even though I've heard great things about the artist. I would have been missing out. Loved it. 5/5
This is what Stevie Wonder's dreams sound like.
Don’t change the Channel, this is the Sweet Life.
Indeed sounds very new. Not my cup of tea though
FRANK! I love this boy. Funny. Real. Beautiful. He's a hot and randy philosopher.
After a ton of 90s hip hop this was a nice break. I was surprised by how much I was into this. Beats were great, songwriting excellent and Frank Ocean seemed to appear fully formed.
One of my top five albums of all time. The production alone makes it a contender for one of the best albums of the 21st century. The lyrics are funny and touching in turn, Frank’s voice holds up against his lush backing tracks, and the features are all well placed.
Truthfully one of the better albums these last few weeks. Incredible.
Fantastic album. I fully understand the hype after listening to this and Blonde.
Modern classic
This is a knockout. I’ve been meaning for nearly 10 years now to listen to Frank Oceans albums. This was amazing. Sounds great, every song is a winner, never drops the vibe.
I've heard it before and I will continue to listen to it <3Fantastic album
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
Instant classic
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.
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.
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.
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
An all time favorite of mine.
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.
Just a fabulous album - no complaints
Very nice and smooth album. First one that I hadn't heard before. Greatly enjoyed this!
Super rich kids. Cool one. Deifinitely a relisten
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)
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.
Haven't listened to this album in a long time. So good. Pyramids is a highlight.
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.
Phenomenal storytelling. I would listen to this endlessly.
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. -
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.
!!! 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.
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.
Big surprise. Didn't want to skip a track.
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
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.
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.
Such a chill rap album. One of my faves!
Smoove. Catchy. Interesting all the way through.
Channel Into My Brain
I enjoyed it more than I expected and this has definitely expanded my musical horizon.
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.
A classic album that will be timeless to me for the rest of my life.
About as solid as modern R&B gets.
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
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
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
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
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.
A perfect and lyrically brilliant neo soul album.
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.
Perfect album
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
Not always my thing but def an album I revisit once in a while
Why the fuck did it take me this long to listen to this?
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
Awesome production, definitely on my list for future listens.
CLASSIC
I really loved this album. Each song was a vibe.
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 no album I'd rather play Wii golf to
Top two albums of all time. Thank you Frank please send another
One of his best. It’s an album you where you don’t need to skip songs.
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
Pyramids....my goodness.
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.
good
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
Vibezzzzz
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.
This album is fire
One of the best debut albums ever. Stupid good. Silky smooth vocals and incredible instrumentals. Must listen for Rnb fans for sure
One I think I'm going to return to a lot.
This is a modern classic from quite an enigma of the Industry.
No outstanding songs, but high quality across the board
Ok, I'll go 5. This was engaging, entertaining, and a showcase of talent. Revisited multiple songs already.
Very good album 8/10
amazing album
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!
ok. DISCAZO y eso que lo evité de onda por años pero me encantó realmente... 9/10 🫡
A genreless form of artistry that channel-surfs styles, transcends traditional trappings, and tunes into programming too seldom broadcast.
Frank Ocean PLEASE drop another album.
Beautiful
Absolute banger
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.
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)
Conflicted between 4.5/5, but this album rocks
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
Rating: 10/10
Great from front to back. Pyramids is a jam
Light 9