Reviews (page 4 of 14)
#87/1001 🇺🇸 🟧 This is a near damn perfect album with the exception of the thankfully short fertilizer. By the time we reach Sweet Life the album is in full swing, then before you know it we get the epic Pyramids right at the heart of the album. It's like everything else is built around this 9 minute track. The the second half of the record finishes really strongly. Something that i appreciate, not just loading the first 4 tracks with singles then filler in the second half. A masterpiece. Best tracks: Pyramids, Sweet Life, Super Rich Kids, Pink Matter, Bad Religion.
Contemporary R&B bores me in ways I can't even begin to explain.
Not bad...nit cimpletely my thing but not bad
I enjoy a few of the songs on this album but it’s not as revolutionary as many make it out to be.
5/5 one of my favorite albums of all time. Super Rich Kids and Pyramids are my highlights on this record. Perfect summer vibe on this guy as well.
Nothing special
I'd rather just listen to a D'Angelo album.
mid. Très répétitif , assez ennuyant.
Really good big band/ jazz production on the tracks that captures a chilled out California beach stoner vibes and builds on that landscape over consistently. Franks voice is also very warm and inviting just pulling you further into the album. I feel I never fully connected with the album though and I think it is due to franks meandering vocal lines that never settle in Melodie’s. That said in context this was far and above anything else in hip hop and r n b in 2012 apart from Kendrick Lamar and so should be hailed as a great show of what can be done when rnb is produced by a musical talent as big as franks. But for me it is not my favourite 6/10
Really not for me. Only liked two of the songs. He has a good voice though.
One of my favourite albums of all time, thuroughly enjoyed the vocals and the production and found peace in many of the songs lyrics.
Too bad his a big time lame-o in real life
So this is what the kids are into!!
No es de mi agrado el álbum, no me gusta el sonido ni el ritmo, para otra gente les puede encantar. Pero en lo personal, no lo considero agradable.
Can't believe I missed this album for so many years. Feels like a proto "Because The Internet." Crack rock, crack rock!
Some was interesting
Can’t believe I actually listened to all of that. Terrible!
Nothing of any interest, very dull.
The latest ghastly incarnation of smooth R&B, it’s evolving! I will always detest this genre, it all just feels so cold and leaves me feeling anxious.
This album had lots of hype when it came out. I tried several times and shrugged each listen. Why couldn’t I get the hype? It’s fine. Just not for me. I like Frank’s voice but this isn’t something I come back to ever. That’s said, his follow up album “Blonde” is an album I like a lot.
Brilliant album. Its concept flows, the lyrics cut deep, the music is great. This is a masterpiece of R&B.
Just bland and boring. Monotonous autotuned mumble-rap over reverb. The plus side was any time I looked down I'd progressed 3 tracks without noticing them change.
swietny album znam go lubie go :-) duzo milych wspomnien, szczegolnie z thinkin bout you, pyramids, czy lost pierwsze motyle w brzuchu przy tych utworach, duzo emocji wraca przy odsluchu
Expected more after reading the Wikipedia-article about the album. It's ok but not more.
Frank Ocean has a very unique sound, and in this album he’s starting to get his footing.
Bit of a surprise, I liked this album, not heard any Frank Ocean before, but a nice soul voice, and some great lyrics
I love his smooth delivery, and I appreciated the guest spot from Andre 3000 on Pink Matter. Pyramids was a bit long, but overall, the songs were listenable and well produced.
I really enjoyed listening to this all day today. I'd only 'really' heard Thinking About You before now, and the intended studio experience was a lot of fun, for both the song and the album it sits on. On a conceptual level I really appreciate the way the project turns and uses alternate sounds, from the aptly titled Start and End tracks, to the short song divisions that don't even deserve to be called skits. I also really appreciate the use of color as emotion, something about as abstract as sound as emotion, and the album pulls them both off really well. It's not exactly an unskippable effort, but everything is well thought out, and there's complex layers. This must be a really fun one to keep dissecting. When you strip it down, there's only a handful of songs on it that I really want to listen to, so putting the album on frequently feels less likely for me. Just puts into perspective how music works, despite understanding the artist's intentions. 4.2/5
I really really love just about every song on Channel Orange individually, and when I look through the track listing I cannot point to any one song that I don't like. Seriously, everything on here is incredibly catchy, or captivating, or thought provoking, often all at once. But when listening through the album as a whole, I can't shake the feeling that the experience as a whole falls a bit short, like the whole is somehow lesser than the sum of its parts. I'm unsure what it is specifically though that makes me feel this way, as I said I can't point out any one song specifically that falls short. It may be the length of the record, it sits just short of an hour and features 17 different tracks. Or it may be that of those 17 tracks, there are 3 separate intermissions, and two dedicated intro/outro tracks, that put together just drag the album on a bit too long. I'm not 100% certain, but for whatever reason while the tracks themselves are all fantastic in a vacuum (to the point that I struggle to parse one specific favourite), within the context of the album it doesn't quite come together for full marks. I'll definitely be revisiting it some more. Fav Track: 11 - Lost Best Three Track Run: 13, 14, 15
This is what happens when you mix R&B, Indie Rock & Hip Hop. It's not as great as Blonde but it's a masterpiece nonetheless. And the features are just so great. Perfectly placed too. Thinkin' Bout You, Lost, Pyramids and Super Rich Kids my favs but there's little not to love here...
No lo pude escuchar por la plataforma en la que está.
Sounds like a summer album. I like it, lots of classics
Experimental R&B that I sometimes got into and other not. Have a better understanding of what Ocean does now so I may have to explore more
I've heard the name Frank Ocean but don't know if I've ever heard any songs by him. I have zero expectations - good or bad - for this going in. 1st time through - Uh oh - not a good start. I literally fell asleep listening to this. Also, I didn't recognize any of these songs. Since it was so popular, I thought maybe I would recognize something just from existing in the world. 2nd time through - this didn't get better and didn't connect with me at all. What is it that is supposed to make this be so good? I really don't understand. This guy actually seems super bored recording this most of the time. Some of the songs seem like he could be more enthusiastic about the material but is purposely trying not to get too into it. If you told me he recorded this while in a hospital bed loaded up with pain meds right before he died I would believe it - AND that would make a much more interesting back story. I guess I just don't understand this style. Also the instrumental song ("White") where he brought John Mayer in to play guitar also seems like he told John "Please don't do anything exciting at all". 3rd time through - only songs that seem to have anything resembling emotion or interest to it was "Sweet Life" and "Fertilizer" - but I don't really need to hear those again. "Fertilizer" in particular seemed to have a good groove but ended at 39 seconds just when it started to get going. Reading the Wikipedia article, I was excited to listen to this since it's supposedly a mashup of so many different styles. If that's true it seems like they must have taken the most boring parts of every style. I also seriously do not understand how it took so many people to make this and produce this and engineer this. I counted 25 musicians and 30 people doing production/engineering. What are all of those people actually doing??? I wonder if it's like a committee of people that collectively remove anything interesting or exciting about the music - where you end up with the most bland thing ever. I read the lyrics thinking there was maybe something that would be interesting there - not really. Recommendation -> if you are suffering from insomnia I highly recommend putting this album on repeat when you are going to bed. Liked songs on Spotify: 0/17 Rating: 1/5 (should be zero)
Fun, mysterious, complex, passionate, upbeat, distinctive.
Meh, this is slightly more interesting than some of the artists of this genre that I've been forced to listen to on this site but I won't be returning to it. Only one or two tracks stood out. 'Lost' was one of them.
GOURGOUSEAODNOMGLOVEITSOSOSOSMOCUH
So Peak, Pyramids one of the best of all time
Absolut briliant deci efectiv prea bun
Going in, while I'd heard of Frank Ocean, I knew virtually nothing about him. Alternative R&B, huh? This is fine, and despite Andre 3000 being involved, it's not great. Just a solid 3 all over.
Its got a good flow on most tracks, focuses on his vocals mostly which are solid and have more of that modern style vs some of the same type of singing back in the 80's. Feels specifically velvety and silky smooth for most of it lift drifting through a candle lit bedroom. I like that the content has some interesting themes in it, from growing up with family money and addiction, unsure what Majin Buu is doing in here but it made me smile. Sweet Life and Lost were notable to me.
Very good mix of different sounds and genres and good singing
Good sound. I like the instrumentals a lot. But the lyrics are just not it for me. I’d jam to the instrumentals though, which I find fire. Some of the tracks at the beginning and at the end are a bit boring and void. It feels like the whole album exists to make one or two main tracks shine. It’s not bad. But it could have been better if he had put more care in each track.
Musically astonishing, but lyrically subpar in a lot of the tracks. I would listen to Channel Orange a lot more if not for Blonde, which I believe outshines this album in literally every capacity. On its own merits, however, its an anthemic collection of songs about the debaucherous nature of being young. 3.8
Increíble álbum de r&b, como alguien recién iniciado a este género lo recomiendo para empezar a escuchar este tipo de música de forma contemporánea
Nice. Nothing truly memorable, but good production, and nice flow.
Beautiful and perfect
Балдеж
Yeah he hasn't put out anything good in like a decade, but Thinking of You comes on, and you're right back in. A top yearner album, the interludes really make the piece. Decent variety of tracks and styles, oozes cool, the piano added such an amazing depth to it. Fundamentally this album just fucks. Pyramids into Lost is an all timer.
This album is just perfect and yet I wasn't expecting it to be on this list. All the songs work as a love letter to the genre.
Lowkey fluid.
Nicely produced album with a few cool songs
My 200th album of this project begins with the PlayStation 1 startup sound. I feel like that's a good sign. There's very few sounds in the world that evoke excitement like the PS1 splash screen jingle. It's inbuilt in me like a deep Pavlovian conditioned response. So it's a clever move by Frank Ocean to tap into that nostalgic vibe at the very start of the album. This type of R&B isn't really my thing. That's the big mountain this album has to climb to win me over. There's no real reason behind it, besides growing up with grunge, Britpop, alt rock and a bit of electronica as the main soundtrack of my youth. Soul and R&B weren't really a part of that. But that's the whole point of this project, right? Broaden my musical horizons by listening to albums outside of my usual circle of taste, with an open mind, to hopefully discover a more diverse selection of music as a result. I mean, it gets difficult when I have to listen to some nonsense like Kid Rock, but after 200 albums in a row, I can safely say I'm much more of a fan of jazz, hip-hop and funk than before. I've discovered new artists I had never heard of, and am now a big fan of (Jane Weaver, Minutemen and Joanna Newsom to name but a few). And, I've discovered that I'm much bigger fans of artists that I already knew, like Brain Eno and Black Sabbath. While I've liked a few of the big-hitters of soul that have come up, like Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and Shuggie Otis, soul is still a genre that I don't fully, fully gel with. And it's relevant that I mentioned those three in particular, as I can hear their influence all through “channel Orange”. The use of real instrumentation rather than samples, coupled with the 60s equipment that they used, really brings a retro vibe to everything. The first time I listened to this through, I wasn't blown away. But on a second listen, it began to click. The first half of the album really grew on me. “Thinkin Bout You” is a great tune, with down-tempo dark tones and a great vocal performance. “Super Rich Kids” is catchy as hell, dealing with spoilt elites with a sarcastic tone. “Pilot Jones” is hypnotic with its reversed electronic textures and simple upbeat melody. “Crack Rock” has a Hammond organ and fantastic drum beat building up a really great chorus. Using bright, positive melodies to sing about crack addicts is pretty dark humour. The skits and sound effects that break up the tracks on the album add atmosphere and interesting moments. I loved when old hip-hop albums used to do this, and this feels like a throwback to that. I felt my attention waning on the second half of the album though. I really loved “Lost” and “Bad Religion”, but the rest of the tracks from “Pyramids” on was starting to lose me a bit. For an album that's almost an hour long, it kept me engaged a lot more than it didn't though. Frank Ocean did a lot with this album. For me, it’s definitely an album that sold me on what soul and R&B can do. So, after 200 days of this project, my musical taste is still growing, and I'm discovering more and more artists that I wouldn't have stopped to listen to properly myself. Frank Ocean is one of them.
he debut of well-known musical artist frank ocean. this album was everywhere on the net back in the day! and it was quite the listen i think, actually sitting my ass down and listening to it all for the first time. i feel like an oldhead when i say that i prefer the pre-2010s level of production especially with both r&b and indie, but despite these preferences i can't understate how good these songs are. channeling a bit of simple half-century-ago flair and with a clean singing voice that i feel like sounds like drake but absolutely not as annoying... it's understandable why people look at his music so fondly.
This is the album that makes me feel proud of my generation. I only wish End/Voodoo was released as a full track
There’s just something about Frank Ocean’s songwriting and delivery that separates him from almost every other artist. Favourite Songs: Thinkin Bout You, Crack Rock, Pyramids, Lost. Least Favourite Songs: Pilot Jones, Forrest Gump.
People just listen to anything really. Beauty and talent stripped away from music.
I do not like Frank Ocean. I almost hate him. pilot Jones was almost acceptable, 'till it actually started... Maybe it's just this specific album... I hope it is, if not, what is wrong with the world??? How does this guy have a career? Anyways, my ears hurt now... Pink Matter is the first song I am kind of vibing to. I have never been so glad that something is done!!!
Кто-то здесь сказал: - Представьте себе Стиви Уандера, но без таланта". Грустно, но это ровно то, что я чувствовал, но не мог сформулировать для себя. Бесспорно, Фрэнк обладает талантом, но всё его творчество для меня слишком невнятное, неудобное, часто неприятное. За исключением нескольких треков и микстейпа Nostalgia, Ultra, Френк Оушен, по моему мнению - это всемирный музыкальный скам.
I'd heard the name Frank Ocean but never actually gave him a listen. I was very pleasantly surprised by this album. 10/10 solid bars.
I still don’t think I get why he’s heralded as an absolute genius, & I don’t have any soft spots for this sound/time. But Lyndsie played this a lot when we were first dating so the nostalgia is high. Even minus that, this not being my genre of choice, real god.
I was pretty excited when the first track had the PlayStation start up sound but then the album started. I don’t think I’ve missed much by skipping almost all pop music since 2010
J’aime pas spécialement le RnB mais c’était sympa à écouter
If q-tip was reincarnated as Frank Sinatra and was down to f***
I understand the concept of this album being like scrolling through TV channels but the more I think on it the more I realize just how messy and inconsistent it makes the project. There are undeniable classics like Pyramids and Lost, but then there are all the interludes shoved into the beginning and lots of ups and downs in quality in the back half of the project. It's full of excellent music with a so-so execution.
I see that it's good but doesn't do it for me.
Love this one. Annoyed that I haven't listened to more Frank Ocean already.
I was pleasantly surprised by this album, there were a few songs on it that I would likely add to my rotation.
Commercial R&B really isn't my thing, so i recognise that this is largely a me problem, but this was impossible to sit through. I'd almost put a "did not listen" on it, as the skip button was very heavily used.
Nothing like some chit chat before the music starts. This feels like an album that's going to be full of these Odd Future guys being....odd in brief interludes and some found sound. Frank Ocean is the D'Angelo of Alternative R&B. I bet Frank Ocean must idolize Stevie Wonder. More talking. And I bet Steve Lacy idolizes Frank Ocean. The difference between the style and the content of Crack Rock is about as disparate as two things can get. His voice and Musiq Soulchild's are virtually indistinguishable. Pink Matter is amazing. I love Andre 3000.
The great example of a modern r&b, or “abstract” r&b, or “cloud” r&b, whatever you call it. Great in a sense of being representative of the genre, not being a great album. I’ll give credit where it’s due, for certain creativity and such, but this whole thing of “alternative” r&b (yeah, one more way it’s being called) should have existed for a year or maybe two at best (like some kind of a curious novelty, you know), and then should have been forgotten and left in the past. Cause there’s nothing in it to be praised.
Another album that was way too overhyped IMO. Some good beats in here, but I don't love his lyrical style or cadence.
My thoughts on the Frank Ocean album: The first couple songs I thought the album was going alright, but not living up to what I had heard about it. By the end though, this album really gets going and is just fantastic. It managed to weather past slow start and turn it into something special. 4.5 / 5
Took me 2 weeks to get through this. It’s not bad, it’s just dull. Boring.
Liked: Sweet Life, Super Rich Kids, Pyramids, Bad Religion, Pink Matter Added: Bad Religion
Not my cuppa tea
Nope
I have not heard this one before. I listened to a few Frank Ocean songs around the time this came out when some of my friends were talking him up and i was unimpressed, so it’s time for a reassessment. The first thing i notice is that a lot of the tracks on this album seem half thought out, like he was figuring out the song as he was singing it and then stopped right before he was getting it. There are several ok songs and a lot of songs where he just didn’t feel like adding much of a beat or a melody. I feel like i was being pranked. I just don’t get it, this is not for me.
The pressure to like Frank Ocean made me really listen to this album to see if I like Frank Ocean and I feel like a heathen for admitting that I don't particularly care for Frank Ocean.
Great album very nostalgic
Ich mag Frank Ocean nicht immer weil sein Gesang so getunt anklingt. Ich habe nur ein paar Songs in meiner Playlist und skippe sie immer weil ich sie zu oft gehört habe und mir nicht mehr so gefallen aber zu gut sind um sie rauszuschmeißen
Soul, 47 eme album =>1/5. Trop long, trop répétitif. Arrêt en cours de route.
Super Rich Kids, Monks, and Bad Religion stood out of the songs I haven't heard. Back and forth on this album. I would listen to certain songs again, but not the album all the way through. 3.5/5
I mostly don’t care for the “song” fragment mode that’s on full display. The fully developed songs are pretty good & Frank’s voice is nice, but it’s just not my thing.
A proper chill album so can have potential to seem boring if you're not in that sort of mood. Its a super clean sound with a good sense of emotion in the songs, and some songs being gems like 'Lost'. Known of Frank Ocean but had never listened to him apart from 'Pink + White', but liked it, again very chill sound but still some funky little parts to the beats. Overall a decent listen so 3 stars from me.
Orange album, but zero juice. 🍊
Not for me
I need to listen to it a few more times.
surprising album. I went in to this one thinking that I would really not like it. I ended up liking this a lot. Possibly not an album that I would buy but I will certainly listen to this on a streaming service occasionally. My only negative with this album are the less than 1 minute tracks of noise(?). By and large I liked most of the regular songs though. I do have to comment on the "About the Artist" write up on Spotify. I will have to confess I have never heard of frank Ocean (I guess I live under a rock) but I was kind of surprised with the "Visionary artist...., celebrated and critically acclaimed" bit. I liked it, but perhaps not quite up to these standards
Nothing else sounds like it. Ocean mixes up all kinds of styles & genres on here, but it’s cohesive in the way you might experience a trip through his mind. Gorgeous flows and a wistful, introspective mood - and a deep sadness that comes out in arresting ways. Crack rock. Great late-night album to get high and just ride with. Many haters giving one star sound fucking dumb or racist or both. Fix your hearts or die. Channel Orange.
Personal with experimental interludes. Fantastic production - I could melt into 'Sierra Leone'. Every track is gold, there's variety, there's depth. It is a modern R&B classic - I'd almost go so far as to say it might be the best R&B album of the 21st century. It's an album that I always come back to and will continue to do so.
Отличный альбом! Под меланхоличное настроение идеален. Bad Religion - бриллиант альбома! Невероятно красивая песня, а какой текст потрясающий!
The one or two really good tracks help bring this up to par. Otherwise it’s not really there
Poco atractivo para mi
Out of modern albums I enjoyed it a lot. Very nice to have on in the background. 9/10
It really had that "2010 pop song vibe"... I hate those.
loved
I liked it.
I hadn't listened to this since 2012 when it was a big part of The Discourse. I was shocked how much of it I remembered, like re-watching a movie you loved when you were a kid. I think I actually like it better now, unburdened from the discussion of what-it-all-means. The songs are great, and I think all the guest spots on here are really perfect. Five star album for sure.
Alternative R&B, progressive soul, neo soul.
not my usual, but a good late afternoon jam
Inbetween skits are kinda weird yo
3.5 - Enjoyed it way more than I expected to.
Well that's some real millennial/Gen-Z stuff there. Not annoying but also not for me. Seems more meandering than anything.
Much better than I thought it would be!
Channel Orange is thoughtful, textured, and carefully constructed. Frank Ocean builds a world of atmosphere and subtle emotional detail, blending R&B, soul, and art-pop into something introspective and modern. The production is nuanced and spacious, and the songwriting is often clever and observant. But for all its craft and reputation, the album doesn’t always land with emotional force. It feels measured, sometimes intentionally restrained. There are moments of beauty and sharp insight, yet the record can feel distant rather than immersive. You keep waiting for it to hit harder—to crest into something overwhelming—and it mostly stays in a controlled, mid-tempo emotional register. It’s clearly well-made and culturally significant. The restraint is part of its design. Still, if it doesn’t fully grab you, that’s not a failure of listening. It just means it resonates more intellectually than viscerally. Good. Thoughtful. Not transcendent.
i think frank ocean is popular for good reason because he really is great. ones that stood out to me were Sierra Leone, pilot Jones, crack rock, monks, and pink matter. i absolutely adore pyramids i think it’s so great and frank ocean has this superpower of making long songs and making it so engaging all throughout and you’re never bored which is rare for me at least. also super rich kids always makes me think of gossip girl lol. all round super cool album; i love playing frank ocean in summer.
Junto a Kendrick Lamar y Kanye es el referente de la música americana del siglo 21. Negro cristiano y bisexual... pero sobre todo respetado porque lo que importa es su música. Compositor para Justin Bieber, John Legend, Brandy o Beyoncé, lanzó este debut que fue aclamado, con todo el merecimiento. Es Hip-Hop, es soul, es lo que sea pero suena estupendo, con retazos de lo mejor de los 70´s (Stevie, Marvin o Pink Floyd). La canción sobre la que pivota el disco es Pyramids. Un clásico instantáneo al que llegamos pasando por Sweet life o Crack life. La única que desentona es Monks, demasiado Lenny Kravitz. Sin embargo Bad Religion recupera al Prince más melódico. La lista de colaboradores es cosa seria: Andre 3000, Tyler, The Creator), John Mayer o Pharrell entre otros. Y no hemos hablado de Blonde que es aún mejor.
Very listenable 3.4
Lots of fun sounds here. I love his voice and think I could listen to him sing the phone book.
Interesting. My kid loves Frank Ocean so really was interested to give it a good listen. It’s very smooth and listenable. Lyrically strong too. But I don’t love it. Good. Not great. Open minded about more Frank Ocean though. There’s plenty here to like.
great album
Cumple
I remember when this album came out and topped every single year end best of list. I was confused then and still am to a degree. The album is undeniably good, but I just don’t find it transcendent. I think some of the slower more jazzy tracks are just too mellow for me. I particularly think the first five tracks on the album are some of the weakest. The highs (“super rich kids” “bad religion”) are transcendent.
great fucking album i can't believe i have never listened it before. It definitely doesn't sound like 2012. It sounds like 2018/2019. Frank needs to come back
Not for me
A very long album, with a few nice little touches. Worth listening to again, I guess. 6/10
I'm a little surprised by how divisive this album seems to be. I'm also a little surprised by how literally some seem to be reading the lyrics, with no sense of narrative social commentary. Personally, I think it's a stunning work of art.
easiest 5 stars of my life better than blonde imo
I liked it less than I thought i would, but i love how Frank Ocean is a liar right out of the gate <3
I sang along to this album as I worked on chores around the house and kept trophy hunting in Five Nights at Freddy's: Secret of the Mimic. I listened to it again as I was driving down the freeway in the middle of the night to go dancing at a queer bar. For the first time on this list, we have come across an album which I was already incredibly familiar with; while I prefer Blonde as an album, and I am quite surprised that it missed out on being included here, channel ORANGE still more than deserves it's spot. Ocean proves himself as an incredible songwriter and storyteller on this album, capturing such a wide array of perspectives and voices across each song. In this album, you can hear the wave of R&B and indie pop artists which would come to follow in Frank Ocean's footsteps, with his sparse yet carefully crafted instrumentals and expressive vocal style which stays technically beautiful while still bringing in spoken flourishes like a theatrical performance. Every song here gets stuck in my head immediately, and the beats have worked their way into my being; plus, André 3000 gets to show off his knack for showing up as a feature on an album and completely stealing the show. Unsurprisingly, this album is still incredible. Highlights: Thinkin Bout You, Fertilizer, Sierra Leone, Sweet Life, Super Rich Kids, Pilot Jones, Crack Rock, Pyramids, Lost, Bad Religion, Pink Matter, Forrest Gump, End
Listens to that a bunch back in 2016 but then forgot about it
Bastante bueno, el primer disco de esta rotación que me imagino escuchando de nuevo intencionalmente, donde escuché melodías y cosas que me coparon, etc. El tipo canta bien, va perfecto con el estilo, etc. Como suelo escuchar más pop oriented music y lately estoy en el mood de algo más dancy, como que me terminó no copando tanto pero definitivamente es un artista para revisitar cuando lo sienta en el kokoro (?)
Dislike the lyrics revolving around status and women.
I mean, it’s just objectively a dynamic album with so many good songs. His artistry makes each song engaging in its own way
This immediately evokes a mall in the late 2000's or early 2010's. "Auto tune crooning"... R&B for people who don't know good music. Technically, well produced but essentially boring. The same themes, lyrics, samples, and music you hear EVERYWHERE. How did this album make the list? This was a slog to get through. What exactly makes this special or stand out from the sea of R&B that sounds exactly like this?? Background music for a dying mall... 1/5, one point for the talented producers who can effortlessly spit this crap out.
Had never heard of Frank Ocean before this listen, and rather than research I just pressed play. Immediate impression ("Thinkin Bout You"): this is mumble rap. This ain't my thing. But the beat was groovy and there were 15 more tracks, so I stuck with it and let it do its thing. The R&B vibes of "Sierra Leone" brought me back in, and I found the shades of Stevie Wonder in "Sweet Life" pretty encouraging. Three throwaway minute-or-less noise tracks in the first six was a little annoying, but there's some substance in there. Middle of the album had an experimental Tyler the Creator vibe with "Super Rich Kids", "Pilot Jones", and "Crack Rock," then "Pyramids" brought the term Prog Rap to mind, in a pretty okay way. "Lost" could have been a Gorillaz B-side, "Monks" a Childish Gambino C-side, and between the two, "White" had John Mayer in it, I guess. "Bad Religion" went from Prince (DEARLY BELOVED) to Phantom of the Rap-era in an unneeded way. "Pink Matter" definitely had Andre 3000 in it, and I have no idea wtf the point of that "Forrest Gump" song was. After the way the 2nd half of the album fizzled out, I found "The End" pretty unnecessary, but not altogether unwelcome...
Variety: 3 Adequacy: 5 Listenability: 5 Uniqueness: 3 Emotionality: 3 Never listened to this the whole way through despite some glowing recommendations from trusted sources at the time of release. I think around then is when I began to actively disengage from listening to much of anything new. This one has been on my list forever though, so glad to finally get a listen in. HIGHLIGHTS ( can they still be called highlights when it's mostly highlights?) - "Thinkin Bout You" is one of the few tracks I remember hearing, and holds up exceedingly well. The time has long since passed since I was able to pinpoint the decade of song's release by its sound ( maybe even agree with the theory that music and pop culture in general been frozen in time since the early 2000s with nothing to distinguish it from what came before or after), but to my ears this sounds as fresh and new today as anything recent I've heard. Very strong start out of the gate here. Dig the sparse instrumentation on this and damn... that falsetto... Listened to this track multiple times. - "Sierra Leone" - I also listed to a few times. Wow. No diluting the album with filler tracks yet. Bold move after that first track to drop another great one here. Love the Phil Collins-ish gated drum beat sound here. - "Sweet Life" - Ocean's phrasing here is giving me strong Stevie Wonder vibes, and he's able to get a completely different feel from the prior tracks. Upbeat and bright and dipping briefly into lushness. - "Super Rich Kids" - The Casio keyboard preset beat that gets layered into the "Benny and the Jets" piano hits hard for me. Lyrically probably my favorite track. - "Lost" - Highlight of the back half for me, and possibly the album itself. Going to go out a limb without even checking that this one had to have been a breakout single. Has pop crossover appeal written all over it, and stands out from the R&B-ishness of what's come before. Puts me in mind of a more downbeat, subdued Pharrell Williams. - "Monks" - Strong Parliament-Funkadelic vibes here, and dig those drums. - "Bad Religion" - Prince is all over parts of this one. Organ at the beginning reminded me simultaneously of the opening of "Let's Go Crazy" and Procol Harum's "Whiter Shade of Pale", but then the electronic strings elevate and change it into something completely different. - "Pink Matter" - Andre 3000! ( had to verify) but was the only guest on here I recognized. LOWLIGHTS ( few and far between) - "Pilot Jones" - As close to an inessential track as there gets on this album? In no way bad though. Just felt like a throwaway. Dig the airplane transition though. - "Pyramids" - Never felt toooooooo long to me because of how often it changed up, just not sure the length was justified for what felt like it could have been a couple of smaller, much tighter tracks. Carve out that middle section by itself though... - "Forrest Gump" - Had to look the lyrics up for this one to make sure I was actually hearing what I was hearing. Ok. Interesting choice. Feel like I'm missing something here. Change my mind about what I said about "Pilot Jones". - The interludes I'm not sure I have much to say about other than they ( mostly) didn't feel completely extraneous, and had some interesting elements, "White" might be my choice for the best telephone hold music track ever. Seriously could listen to that on repeat without much frustration. Though "Not Just Money" I think maybe I'd skip on future listens ( spoiler alert: there will most definitely be future listens). - The radio station changing gimmick ( not fully committed to here) didn't bother me that much, though felt it was just as unnecessary as it was on "Songs for the Deaf" by Queens of the Stone Age. Overall, was mighty impressed with this one, and slightly disappointed I waited this long for a full listen. Found myself struggling to pick a favorite track, and the production felt smooth and simple, but never too sparse. Was reminded of Prince in this respect. I never felt assaulted by effects and busyness. The emotional highlights stood out that much more for how subdued a lot of it was and I appreciated how cohesive it felt despite big swings into different sounds. If I had to knock this album for anything it would be length. I wouldn't call it bloated, but the hour and 2 minute run time is a lift to be honest. As many times as I replayed tracks I did have to listen to this in chunks. As listenable and varied as it was throughout, I do also feel that the first half is weighted with the top tier stuff. This is going into regular rotation for me for the time being, and several tracks will be going into the 5-star playlist. Playlist alteratons: - Drop "Pilot Jones" and "Forrest Gump" - Drop the interludes - Find a shorter edit of "Pyramids"
Not familiar with Frank Ocean, a musician I’ve heard of thanks to being a critical darling but I’ve never listened to yet. So I’m going to just jot down the notes as I go along. Early part of this album indulges in too many tangents. It’s distracting. When he finds his groove, though, the tracks improve. Appreciate the theme of frustration with affluence and proximity to wealth, throughout the album, though it is at times a bit muddied. Are we observing or participating? I can't decide. The complaints also feel a little halfhearted. Okay! The Track "Pink Matter" has a wonderful, if sincerely misplaced Dragonball Z reference. Mentions of Majin Buu earn points from this reviewer. I'm an easy mark. Also , I see you there Andre 3000. Finished. The second half of this album is high quality. Polished production, expected given the names associated, that gets labeled as neo soul. Matching storytelling with the R&B beats. I dig it.
I found this album to be pretty crap and although I shouldn't use someone else's review, but I couldn't have said it better myself - This is the answer to the question, "What would Stevie Wonder sound like if he had no talent for singing or song writing?" - I couldn't find the authors name but it was posted 31 August 2022. Well played.
I was excited to have an album from this century.... until I listened to it. I can appreciate Frank has some pipes - but this style of RnB is just not for me. Modern Rnb has always felt to me like overproduced slop, with ironically - zero soul. Channel Orange was ok as background music, but I didn't get anything from it personally, and I think sadly skits don't make as much sense in a post album, current streaming world (bring back full album listening and skits though I say!)
I guess I can see how he's experimenting with stuff, but I couldn't get into any of this.
I wish I had more time to examine Channel Orange today thoughtfully, but suffice to say that lyrically and musically, Frank Ocean is in a class all of his own. I'd point to the beat shift/modulation halfway through "Pyramids" as one of the most profound moments in music you'll ever encounter. Nearly every song features something innovative, insightful, and delightful. "Bad Religion" packs an enormous punch more than a decade later. Channel Orange is one of the all-time albums of any genre, and rewards repeated listens exponentially. And its follow-up, Blonde (criminally absent from this list), is an even greater leap forward and has a permanent spot in my top 15 or so albums.
It's a quality lounge album - would work with a comfy couch, a book, and a whiskey. Sweet life is a standout. Super Rich Kids is a bop - A+ beat and rhymes. Lost is great! Pink Matter - A+ Andre 3000 appearance.
Was already A personal favorite. I wouldn’t say a perfect 5/5 but definitely up there.
I liked this a lot - it's musically inventive, but Lost and Rich Kids in particular still have great tunes. I certainly don't think it's a harbinger of the end of society like the second-highest rated review does.
Um daqueles artistas que bancam muito o próprio hype, o disco é criativo e muito vivo, músicas como "Sweet Life" e "Pink Matter" se destacam DEMAIS. Uma escolha mais eletronica do que estou acostumado, poucas faixas pulavéis e as 17 canções terminam antes de uma hora, uma obra coesa!
Start - 3/5 Thinkin Bout You - 3/5 Fertilizer - 3.5/5 Sierra Leone - 3/5 Sweet Life - 4/5 Not Just Money - 2.5/5 Super Rich Kids - 4/5 Pilot Jones - 4/5 Crack Rock - 4/5 Pyramids - 4/5 Lost - 5/5 White - 3/5 Monks - 3/5 Bad Religion - 4.5/5 Pink Matter - 3/5 Forrest Gump - 4/5 End - 2.5/5
I don't know what it is about 2010s popular music that doesn't really do it for me. It almost seems like all the excitement and pizzazz left most popular music sometime in the later half of the 2000s and it was replaced by slow jams, lo-fi beats and overly hushed vocals that sound bored and uninspired. That's exactly how I feel about Frank Ocean and his 'Channel Orange' record. He's not a bad singer or anything, he's got a pretty decent understanding of rhythm and production, but for someone putting out their debut record (you know, the artistic statement you've toiled long and hard to get out into the world from obscurity), he sounds so bored and disinterested. Mixed among glitchy interludes, which is another complaint I have as I don't really understand how they're meant to build atmosphere, is nothing more than a series of relatively unexciting R&B jams that don't really do much for me. I don't really have much to say. It's produced well, but 'Channel Orange' is a great example of the bland and forgettable popular music landscape that made me retreat into 90s alternative rock. Best songs: Nil
I remember this being a big deal when it first came out, but I still don't get it. It doesn't resonate with me. The beats and music are too far off for my liking. I don't know. I guess I just don't get it.
Mwa. Dacht dat ik het leuk zou vinden na het eerste nummer. Maar viel vies tegen
Innovative, beautiful without doing too much. Minus points for pyramids
Even better than I remember, but somehow I think I still like blond better. Pyramids, Sweet Life, Pilot Jones, and Lost were the standouts for me
Sweet Life, Super Rich Kids, Crack Rock, Lost, Bad Religion, Pyramids, Pink Matter, Monks, like ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? Frank Ocean please come back, I would pay an irresponsible amount of money to see you in concert
Had such a good time listening to this. A couple songs weren’t as elite but still a great album
Big news for the bisexuals
listened to this shit maybe a billion times in high school and maybe one time since, not sure how i'll feel about it now It’s pretty hit or miss, peaks are super rich kids, pyramids and lost. I used to like pink matter but was so fucking bored listening to it today. Torn between 3-4 but I dont think this album is really ground breaking so gonna round down
Bro there’s no beaches in Idaho 😂😂
Look just think this album is very dull
no es mi estilo de música para nada sin embargo hay un par de temas que guardé. tbh me pareció muy largo para lo q tendría que haber sido a mi gusto.
Masterpiece
Great album. Frank manages to both create a coherent sound while testing the limits of it by experimenting with is flow, vocals and tempo. It holds the themes of love, drugs and social inheritence as its main themes, and while getting into interesting discussions it never really say anything conclusive.
That PS1 took a while to start up lmao
One of the most incredible albums.
I remember this album and Frank Ocean being huuuuuuge at the time of this release. But it kind of passed me by. I enjoyed it, its cool, theres some great stuff going on underneath the lyrics and the lyrics themselves are great, really well crafted and tell the story clearly. It’s quite out on it’s own in terms of what was out at the time i think, and stands up to task with that. 4.2/5.0 Best Song: Pyramids
Incredibly boring for me, everyone in year 8 loved this album but i feel like it might not have aged great, it feels very 2010s. I think there is a nice overall vibe to the album but generally every song is pretty dull to me and there aren't many standouts
Horrible singing, bland production. One of the worst things this list has thrown up so far.
i've had this cd for 13 years and tell me why this is the first time i'm hearing the hidden track 💔💔💔💔💔
I usually have a deep-rooted aversion to R&B - the soppy lyrics, the cranked up sweetness and the overuse of drum machines annoy me, and the high-pitched voices grate on my nerves like nails on a chalkboard. That being said, even if Channel Orange didn't exactly change my opinion of the genre, I have to acknowkedge that it's an extremely well-produced album, with a very peculiar soundscape and a talented and creative singer. The tone and lyrics are much darker than in most R&B albums, and I really enjoyed some of the songs, like Super Rich Kids and Pyramids. I really can't get past the falsetto, but that's just me. If I did listen to R&B, it would probably be something like this. So yeah - it was a bit hard to get through the whole album, but I don't have anything bad to say about the artist, my rating only reflects my own personal lack of interest for the genre. Frank Ocean managed to make me give more than 1 star to a R&B album, and that's already a feat in itself. 5/10
Rien d’exceptionnel ni rien de mémorable mais rien de bien mauvais non plus
I suffer through R&B more than I enjoy it, the syrupy feel, endless sex-and-romance themes, and constant vocal vibrato lose me fast. Still, I won’t knock this one: it’s pretty strong. The jazz-leaning cuts like Sweet Life, the low/high vocal shifts, and the slightly off-kilter rhythms make it feel like more than a standard R&B record. Lyrics also seems different, Crack rocks among others is quite depressive and I kind of enjoy some of the moods displayed. But the constant mid-tempo and lack of real lift flatten the whole thing, leaving an impression that fades quickly. Since I could listen to that again, I am going to be nice with this one.
Very boring to me and nothing special. A 2.5 for me but nothing makes me bring it up to a 3.
Nope, not for me.
When the world needed him the most, he vanished.
CRAZY GOOD
My introduction is Frank Ocean is very similar to most men’s, I was told about him from a female coworker. Which, no offense to her, wasn’t really a great endorsement. The same person was a huge Chris brown fan/apologist, so you could see why I would take her recommendation with a grain of salt. That being said, this dude is so much more than a pretty face and falsetto vocals. This dude can make some insanely impressive music. Like his production style and his beats are just amazing. Pyramids is a total work of art! One in a million song. The entirety of the album wasn’t this wild religious experience for me like it is for young women, but I really enjoyed the instrumentation in the whole album even if a song didn’t really click with me lyrically or in tone. That’s the real special aspect of Frank Ocean, his music is great. My only real fault is half of the album is too slow and emotional for me. A solid album, just not my cup of tea personally.
Listened before, awesome album
Great album love frank ocean i consistantly listen to him
kinda disappointing
Frank Ocean has been somewhat of an enigma to me for quite some time. I knew he was an accomplished artist, yet I never heard much about him and thus also didn't know much about him or his music. So picture me, curiously putting this album on, ready to finally (better late than never) experience what Frank Ocean is about. And the first lyrics I hear absolutely whip me back to my 15-year-old-self watching Vine compilations. All this time, Frank Ocean was the mind behind A Potato Flew Around My Room Before You Came???? I spent some minutes reflecting on this discovery and where I should place this information in my brain. So all I can say for the rest of the album, is that Pyramids and Lost are bangers.
I am a bit conflicted with rating this album. Pros: I like his voice, I sometimes like the instrumental and it is simply nice to listen to. Cons? It feels... empty? As if nothing is really being accomplished in some of the songs. Some mumbling, some random lyrics, some 'deep' lyrics which all don't do enough for me to make it a song I'd listen to.
-One of my favs ever, time to re-review -
Admittedly, I read some of the reviews before listening to this one. I teach high school and many of my students are Frank Ocean fans, but I'd never really given him the time of day. One song in and I don't see how you can rate this album 1 star. "Thinkin Bout You" is enough of an R&B gem to keep this out of absolute trash territory. "Fertilizer" sounded like it was going somewhere and then abruptly cut off, so I don't know what's up with that. The rest of the album was pretty solid as well. "Super Rich Kids" is catchy, "Pyramids" is a journey. Overall I thought this was a great R&B album. R&B might not be your thing, and that's OK, but maybe try to appreciate this album for what it's trying to do because it does it well.
Not my cup of tea but better than expected.
Skip. I did not like the rhythm nor lyrics.
AMAZING, FLAWLESS, FRANK OCEAN IS THE GOAT
Album was fine for what it is, I knew a couple songs already. Mainly the hits, I enjoyed it enough.
Yes
The second most popular review of this on here is the most racist/misogynist shit. Shouldn't be surprised with a user base this white and British. Frank Ocean really spawned so many sons with this one. The influence on modern R&B is immeasurable.
I don't think the overall sound is for me but I already had some songs saved like Pink Matter, End, Pyramids. I haven't sat to listen to this full album in so long, this was good to do
Definitely artistic, hard to pin down a genre. Can tell there is a lot of thought but not sure how groove of melodic bass it is, which takes it down a notch for me. Some good moment but not sure I would listen again.
I’m certainly not as high on this album as the press was when it landed. Over the years it has grown on me a bit more. It’s a good album and the storytelling is great, the beats are spacey and the mood is impossible to escape.
Might be a 5 but I'll give it a 4 for now
Not usually my kind of thing, but there were some good tracks on here and I liked Frank's vocals enough
Christ, this was a slog to get thru. His music is just not my speed. Could not listen to this album fast enough. If others like it then more power to them. I thought this was a shit album.
This album is really good and I think it deserves multiple listens to really absorb all of the textures and storytelling. Beautiful vocals, unique arrangements, interesting musical compositions, and poetic lyrics.
Just to be clear - people pay money for this stuff?
Frank Ocean has completely totally and utterly consumed some of my friends. Having listened, I definitely enjoyed it, but my life is unchanged.
My first time listening to this album. It wasn’t hard but had a chilll weeknd vibr
A little bit disappointed. Everyone speaks sooo highly of his music. It wasn't groundbreaking for me...
A very important album also for me personally, part of my soundtrack of my life, reminds me of Prince a lot…
por qué no acaba ninguna canción?
3,5
O esquema Ponzi é unha operación fraudulenta de investimento na que se prometen anormalmente altos réditos a custa do capital procedente de novos investidores máis que dos beneficios reais da operación. Constitúe unha forma sofisticada do venda piramidal que forma unha burbulla económica destinada ao colapso. O esquema débelle o nome a Charles Ponzi, un inmigrante italiano nos Estados Unidos, quen utilizou esta técnica na década de 1920, aínda que non foi el quen a inventou, pois xa Charles Dickens a describiu nunha das súas novelas. O esquema orixinal baseábase no cambio de Cupóns de Resposta Internacional enviados desde Italia por selo de correos estadounidenses, o que en teoría permitía obter beneficios pola diferente taxa postal entre os dous países, pero axiña derivou en que os novos investores paragaban os réditos dos investidores anteriores, facendo millonario ó propio Ponzi ata que foi detido acusado de fraude postal. (#18 dos 1.001 discos que escoitar antes de morrer: 2,5/5)
He escuchado este disco sin prejuicios preconcebidos porque no sé ni quién es este fulano (mi ignorancia en torno al r&b "contemporáneo" y similares es mayúscula). Me ha entrado guay para intentar dormir en el trayecto entre Soria y Calatayud mientras mi compañera de viaje no paraba de intentar rajar con el conductor. Sus disertaciones sobre el estado de las infraestructuras entraban en las canciones pese a la supresión de ruido y, bueno, igual hasta pegaba con eso de trabajar en las pirámides. Volveré a escucharlo alguna vez? Pues ya veremos.
Came into this with high expectations. While I haven't listened to Frank, I have listened to and enjoy what I would consider his contemporaries. And it kinda lived up the hype? There was a lot I really liked and vibed with and times where it just kinda went through me like air. Sometimes even in the same song, like Pyramids. Might have to put in on during a depression stage cause this sounds like depression music. 8/10, this review makes this album sound like it was meh but overall I really did enjoy it. Could easily get to 9 or 10 later, this seems like the type of album that rewards a relistening.
Pues... muy bueno
run Forrest run
Perfect album no notes
What an album.
this was really good i missed my indie rock
3 star album. The extra star is for Thinkin Bout You.
Misschien was ik te overprikkeld maar niet helemaal overtuigd
This was a seminal album of my adolescent years so will always have a big place in my heart. I’ll love you forever Frank, even if you have disappeared off the face of the earth musically.
The first half of this album was weird, and I was not digging it, but the second half, starting with Pyramids, was better. Overall ok, but not something I’d go out of my way to listen to again.
Like a hip hop Nick Drake, this softly spoken slow paced sad boy stuff for a mellow introspective mood - but the pastoral nylon string guitars are replaced with loungey synths and drum machines. The music is lush and swirly, slightly out of focus, hazy neo-soul slow jams with gospel singers and funky noodling bass. His singing alternates between a nasal croon, a falsetto, and an almost mumbling rap flow - none of it is really very good, but works for the overall feel of the album.
love this album
Leuk stemgeluid, verder heel bizar, maar het heeft wel iets. Het trekt me op één of andere manier aan
Écht niet mijn ding
Not really for me. Some cool sounds and beats, and Ocean has a good voice when he wants to use it but I didn't get anything out of this album. I thought a lot of the vocal delivery and lyrics seemed kinda phoned in and uninteresting. Not terrible but nothing really great. 2/5 for me.
好听，轻飘飘的
What I liked best about this record were the weird little 1-minute tracks in between the actual songs. I think I would enjoy a short collection of those; that would be fun. The rest of it? I didn't like it at the beginning, but it started growing on me with "Pyramids" and the rest of the second half. The imagery in the lyrics started to catch my attention and it all seemed to get a little more complex. I doubt I'll revisit this album anytime soon, but I'm glad I heard it. 3 stars
I don't know who this Frank Ocean guy is, but I've heard his name plenty. Is he a fisherman? Does he live in a lighthouse? Does he spend his days rending apart slices of seaweed and picking pieces from his teeth. Presumably, the answer to all these questions is yes. Turns out he's rap dude, which makes it all the more perplexing that his name isn't L'il Seagull or MC Kraken, or Phrank O'Shawn. On first listen this feels very much like those shitty 90s RnB groups who had a one but wonder about sex, but song in silky vocals to make it tolerable for uptight white ladies. You know, like Boyz To Men, but crap. On closer inspection you hear the off pitch vocals and understand why this saltwater dweller never had a hit. Filled with redundant non-skits and Temu beats, there is an impressive willingness to experiment which unfortunately overrides the good sense to make music which contains notes. As a result, this comes across as a rambling, incoherent, well-made mess. That said, there is a second half run of good songs which, had there been more of these and less nonsense, would have solidified this as a near 4 star album. Truly mystifying that, with more than half of the songs being nonsense, that this is getting so many 4 and 5 star reviews.
Ik ga deze review later aanpassen maar ik wilde alvast de nieuwe zien
4.5⭐️/5 02.09.2026
chillax
musique chill sympa mais pas mon style
J’avais jamais écouté mais je connaissais de nom. Au début pas fan puis on s’y fait, il fait un peu trop le mec mais je vais définitivement réécouter, c'était de mieux en mieux pendant l'album. Vraiment à la limite du 5 mais pour le début ça perd un peu. Gros flashbacks de Joji
One of my favorite R&B albums, he has to release another album soon... right?
It’s a much better album than I thought. Well done Frank, well done
fav song: Monks
Of all the 'modern' LPs listed on here, this is the one which has appealed the most so far. Frank has a beautiful voice, the production is modern without being repetitive, and Super Rich Kids (despite annoying lyrics) is fantastically catchy. Hints of Stevie Wonder and MJ in places. Just shy of a 5 because, annoyingly, SRK is SUCH a standout that most other tracks feel a little weak in comparison, but it's very very close. A deep, fascinating listen
my thousandth time hearing this album & loved it even more
There is so much I could say about this album. I remember being 15/16 and discovering Odd Future, which included Nostalgia, Ultra, absolutely loving it and then becoming a member of Odd Future Talk. I remember the day that the album cover was revealed and how much I loved the creative simplicity of it and talking with other member's about what we thought the album would sound like. Then him releasing his coming out letter before the album shipped and just being amazed by how eloquent of a writer he was outside of music as well. And then to finally get my hands on the album from FYE, pop it my car's CD player on the ride home from Chesapeake, and just get absolutely mesmerized by the record that Frank crafted. "Thinkin Bout You" became the runaway single from this, but man I could go into detail about so many of these songs. I remember when "Pyramids" was released on Frank's tumblr with the Simpsons cover art and just loving the first half of the song seamlessly transition to the back half with a 1 minute of so long instrumental section. To staying up late-ish to watch him perform "Bad Religion" on Jimmy Fallon and wanting his Sidian, Ersatz & Vanes blue and red mix shirt so bad (I still want that shirt even though I think that company is defunct). But the song that still sticks with me the most is "Super Rich Kids". That's the one my HS friends and I would play over the loud speaker over and over again while we drank and talked about life. So many great memories associated with this album that I'd love to experience again, but what makes the memories so special is that I was living my life to the fullest when I made those memories. With this album being such a critical part of them in that Summer and Fall of 2012.
So many good tracks that I loved.
9/10
4 - BAD
Modern classic that I've never fully bought into... The highs are undeniable. Earl Sweatshirt shows up, love how slow and lazy Super Rich Kids sounds throughout. Pyramids is straight up stunning. Great use of snippets and skits.
Never heard anything like this before, alternative R&B apparently. Some of it was great, especially the drums etc but some of it was truly awful!
i found its kinda boring, def not my type of music but some songs r cool ngl
I'm pretty sure I've heard all the tracks on this album, but possibly not in order, start-to-finish. I like this more than I'd expect I would. It's not my typical thing, but good nonetheless. Also, because this phrase isn't showing up on the page which lists the reviews: "A potato flew around my room"
Pyramids to Pink Matter is probably the most impressive string of consecutive songs ive ever heard.
I know this album, everyone knows this album, I love this album, everyone loves this album, everything is perfect about it, this is the first album in here that I’ve actually listened to the entirety of, and there’s a reason for that
not lyrically or musically good.
Really boring
Not my thing. I feel I am not the target audience for this - I know it's revered by many but it doesn't speak to me. The melodies don't grab me and the minimalist production feels unfinished to me, like a mixtape of sketches to be fleshed out later. Some parts were interesting but overall I was a little bored. Didn't love it.
Wasn't a fan at the start, but it grew on me
Välproducerad rnb men inte nydanande. Svag fyra
Frank! Oceannnn!!! Incredible album with highs and lows and variety of emotions that make him vulnerable in his lyrics. Outstanding album.
A couple of standout moments for me, but on the whole it's a 3 for me
Vibe
amazing vocals by frank ocean, he's too good
3/5
Vette stijl, iets te modern
Another Stevie Wonder wannabe. Yawn.
good album idk why people hate it
Fav- sweet life 4/5
Don’t finish but I liked what I listened to
❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
Album très sympa d’un artiste que je ne connaissais pas
14/20 L'album a une vibe envoûtante et vraiment extraordinaire. Ainsi, malgré le fait que j'ai énormément de mal avec la voix du chanteur, je me suis laissé porté sans difficulté. La musicalité de l'album est vraiment notable Dommage que la voix le me plaise pas car ça aurait pu devenir une magnifique découverte.
Let's start here: I'm over 50. Which is to say that I acknowledge that pop music since, say 2005 at least, is not made for me. But I think of myself as pretty open minded and I enjoy a number of modern pop artists. This, though? This guy? Does Gen Z actually think this guy belongs in the same sentence as Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Donny Hathaway, Teddy Pendergrass, and other male R&B legends? First, his voice is bad. Yes, he can falsetto, but everything sounds so nasal and flat. Second, his songs are also bad. Oh, wait, he's written hits for other people? Do tell! Ah, Justin Bieber, Brandy, John Legend, Alicia Keys, James Blake. A veritable murderers row of blandness. Anyway, he famously bombed so badly at Coachella that his second show was cancelled. So he can't perform live, can't write, can't sing. But he's totally better than Stevie!
Chill album. I'm not a big fan of r&b but I was vibing nicely to this album and even saved a couple songs.
3/5 Mmmmm yeah. Good R&B, though I wish there was slightly more variety. I love me some Frank Ocean though.
four five (six seven voice and hand gesture) Five as this captures the cultural zeitgeist of the 2010s more than any other album. Website bossman please add DS2 by Future I want to read the reviews
Can't say it's really in my bag all that much - as I'm not much into the R&B sounds. But I do really like the compositions, the moods and soundscapes. Very well made album and the songs are excellent.
Why yes I did enjoy this very much thank you
Odd Future was a bizarre early 2010s rap collective but their members went on to make some great solo stuff. Of all their solo works this is the magnum opus. Lo-fi chill synth soul to disassociate to on the beach with some epic stories and tender moments. Frank has only made one other album (Blond, which isn't as good) and has been dormant for a decade now, but like Rihanna I'm holding out hope he's got one more in him. Standouts: Thinking Bout You, Sweet Life, Super Rich Kids, Pyramids, Lost, Bad Religion
The songs in this album were good, but the album as a whole was better. This is an example of the strong correlation that I’m noticing between the quality of an album and its genre, and rap/hip hop seems to be a genre with many artists who care about their albums. This album specifically was more “rap” than “hip hop” in my opinion, and wasn’t as energetic as other rap albums. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, and it was actually a really nice aspect of the album.
Ehhh... it was not super interesting. I could've fallen asleep to this. Favorite Track: Super Rich Kids
Going into this album, I thought I had never heard any of these songs. But I have. Because they've been trending tiktok audios before. No hate to that as a concept, some amazing music and some terrible music has been trending on tiktok. Here's my thing, this sound in 2012 was revolutionary. Today? This sounds like everything else. I don't particularly like it. I remember liking songs from Blonde, probably because I was listening to them in 2016. This takes the sound of R&B but makes it almost digital. I don't want digital, I want the big band sound of sultry R&B. It's fine, I know he's super popular for a reason but that reason seems to be that it's a diluted R&B for the modern era. I'm not melancholy enough to enjoy this.
5/10
Beautiful from front to back One of the best vocalists and creatives of our time Excellent songwriting—he pains pictures with his lyrics One of my favorite albums of all time
A few real bangers on there. Like it a lot
64/1088 1.4429* Tough to get through but now I know we're they come up with the ridiculous SNL skits. This was brutal, would not recommend and makes me look forward to Throbbing Gristle.
Great voice and production. Mid songs.
Meh.
It's not my style, but it's really not bad. I dislike most thin, simple pop works. I definitely thought this was one of those. On first listen (and seeing some reviews) I was sure this was a waste of my time. But, I'm in this game, so I give everything two tries. On second listen, I thought it was actually ok. Not for me, but listenable. Most pop is simple keyboard, cicada drums, and someone warbling, rapping, or cooing over it. This has a little more musical depth than that. Still mostly keyboards, but at least there is a lot of variation. (Not a ton of lyrical depth, but not as misogynistic , gun-toting, and bitching as much of his ilk.) His voice is fine and I like that he's not doing any histrionics. Just crooning and vibing. Fine enough voice. I wouldn't mind having this on in the background for most times, but I wouldn't choose it either. I'd turn off "Super Rich Kids" "Crack Rock" and maybe a couple of the fillers near the end. Let's go with a 3 here.
Long and just not for me.
It would need to grow on me
Outstanding. More like a jazz album than R & B. Kept me fully engaged throughout
This album starts like so many albums of the early 2010s did — with a soundbite of them in their “real life”. The sound of a phone, a laughter. There were a few songs I enjoyed. But, there was a lot of bits of this album where I just wanted to press skip. Favorite Songs: Thinking About You - I remember this one. I know this one. I like it, it has fond memories for me. Super Rich Kids - I also like this one. I find the lyrics interesting. Lost - fun backbeat/sound, I like singing along.
maravilhoso. só não é perfeito pq perfeito só deus (ou seja, o blonde). amei a primeira vez que ouvi e amei agora de novo. bad religion é sensacional, thinkin bout you é perfeita, forrest gump incrível.
um clássico moderno. particularmente, foi o álbum que me mostrou que o R&B podia ser LEGAL, não aquela coisa brega tipo Usher, Ne-Yo, etc. muito legal reouvir de ponta a ponta, mais de uma década depois, mas não senti AQUELA coisa que eu senti em 2013
The reputation of this album precedes it, I went in fully expecting to love it. Someone will have to tell me what I'm missing.
What a huge surprise this album was. I came in honestly thinking it would be very average, but it was great songs from front To back.
Album #47 Frank Ocean: Channel Orange Since I’m Gen Z, I’ve always heard from people around my age that Frank Ocean is the G.O.A.T., and that Blond and Channel Orange are among the greatest albums of all time. Despite this, before listening to this album, I genuinely couldn’t name a single Frank Ocean song; it’s likely that I’ve heard one and might recognize it, but I wouldn’t have been able to tell you it was Frank Ocean. I knew that he was popular, but I didn’t expect for him yo have almost 40 million monthly listeners and multiple songs with over a billion streams, after seeing that I thought that I would for sure recognize some songs from this album, but the only thing I ended up recognizing was that the “potato flew around my room” meme was a parody of “Thinkin Bout You”. Going into this knowing all of Ocean’s praise and the mystique around his persona, I did expect something pretty spectacular, especially since I didn’t really have any idea how it would sound. Maybe it was due to my high expectations, but nothing about Channel Orange seemed that special to me. Don’t get me wrong, it is a good album, pretty consistently enjoyable, with no distractingly bad tracks on it; but there wasn’t really anything here that felt groundbreaking and blew me away. I suppose if it were the younger generations' introduction to R&B, it would have felt quite refreshing coming out of the indie-rock-dominated 2000s; however, what R&B that I do listen to is much older, and I definitely prefer the 2000s indie-rock to this. I never have related much to overly sexualised R&B, though I understand that it is the sort of music that is supposed to make you horny, I guess, which isn’t exactly why I listen to music; this is reflected in my pretty harsh score for “The Love Below”. Ocean’s lyrics at times seem a bit hollow to me, but overall they aren’t too bad, just with the way people talk about the guy, I was sort of expecting the next Bob Dylan with Marvin Gaye’s voice. On his voice, it’s obviously very good technically, but there are times when he goes really high, and I’m not sure if it is how it is mixed, or what, but I find it pretty grating. There is that one Carseat Headrest song where they say give me Frank Ocean’s voice, and I’ll be your rock god, but frankly, no vocal performance on this album matches Sober to Death, so I’m not sure why they were asking for a downgrade. This review seems harsh, but I did like most of the songs, Earl Sweatshirt’s verse was good, and though I’m not the biggest Outkast fan, I thought Andre 3000’s verse was solid. Bad Religion is a pretty powerful song, and the closest that Frank Ocean got to matching the praise I hear thrown at him. Definitely a solid album though, and I can see myself potentially enjoying Blond a good bit if it is meant to be much better than this. Best Songs: Bad Religion, Super Rich Kids, Lost Worst Song: Pilot Jones Score out of 10: 6
Really good album, with a few top tier tracks
3.5/5⭐️
Pooey boring boooo
surprisingly good compared to my expectations
Smooth beats and decent lyrics. Tracks to Track: Lost
4.5 egentligen
I have a very special connection to this album. I was living in Berlin in the second half of 2012. It was a ten minute walk from our apartment to the bar where my girlfriend worked. I used to listen to Pyramids on this walk. Putting this album on instantly takes me back there. Can't say I listen to it much anymore, but core memory = five stars.
eh I don't really like R&B. This almost went some cool places but I just didn't get it.
I think this album is a little hard to talk about, cause in someone else's discography it'd be their best album for sure, I think this is like a near perfect album. But unfortunately this album exists in a world where Blonde came out right after, so like it just feels very overshadowed cause that album is like a genuine masterpiece. This is still amazing though, I'm still gonna give it 5 stars but it's just like a little below where it could be. Favorites: Thinkin Bout You, Crack Rock, Lost
A nice listen. I think I'd even seek it out sometimes. Glad I got an R&B album that I enjoyed more right after the (for me) less enjoyable Ctrl by SZA.
warum man das gehört haben sollte, ist mir schleierhaft
I have listened to this before and loved it it is phenomenal and was on my Spotify tops honestly such a good listen still not my favorite album but definitely one my top 20s would give this multiple more listens. im writing this listening to channel orange I used to think it said Chanel as in the brand. was shocked to find out it was channel as in tv channel. But definitely would listen to again and I would give this a 7 out of 10 love this.
I love Frank Ocean music, hope he'll come back one day
Smoother, I like this
Honestly, I expected something different. More rap, less RnB, and I didn't find any song particularly great. Not bad, it's not boring or annoying, it's just forgettable. 2/5.
A perfect mix of RnB and Hip Hop. His voice is so pleasant on the ears. I feel lucky to have witnessed his iconic Grammy’s performance live in person - granted from the nosebleeds, but it was a standout that night!
A debut album that captured the zeitgeist of millenialism, released when most millenials were just finding their way in the adult world. Frank conjured a specific, highly-curated brand of nostalgia for the current moment. An apathetic, aimless, privileged cast of characters wandering through cinematic, sun-soaked settings, troubled by the dwindling prospects of an adulthood that bears any resemblance to previous generations. To quote his mother from a skit embedded within his next album blond, and referring to her son's penchant for weed smoke: "…sluggish, lazy, stupid, and unconcerned. Sluggish, lazy, stupid, and unconcerned." Within his hometown of LA Frank was also able to corral an impressive list of relatively unknown collaborators to craft a sound completely all his own — collaborators who in-turn would go on to blaze trails across the music industry bearing the Frank Ocean torch, a number of whom most recently collaborated with a Frank Ocean graduate Dijon, another artist capturing his current moment with neurotic, navel-gazing introversion and genre-bending production. To quote a one rating on here for Channel Orange, "The dire ramblings of someone with too much time and not enough tune". Couldn't have said it better, and a description that surely strikes at the core of all millenial's hearts — if they're listening to it beat at all.
This is not a 1 because it’s bad, but because it isn’t anything. Why is this included on this list? No part of this stuck out to me for any reason. This was my first time hearing frank and I’ve only ever heard one person mention him before. I somehow wasn’t exposed to any hype or promotion and I can see why, there’s just nothing about this album. There was a couple of times where I forgot there was music on. Is that what’s about this? Is this what you put on when you want music to be playing but don’t want to hear anything?
Not for me, but I can see why people like it. The PlayStation startup sound was a fun Easter egg
b o r i n g
The main word I can add is sonorous. The voice is incredible, and the musicality is also excellent, but the lyrics just don't quite make sense when wet against it. And then it develops. By the time it gets to Pyramids it's slightly doolally but engaging before becoming something you actually want to listen to.
Creative and enjoyable.
Growing up this is what we would call "Take Your Panties Off" music. The kind of music you would play to get your lady in the mood. In terms of R&B this is a pretty good album, not the best, but also not the worst. I can see people getting into this.