Channel Orange

I liked this album a lot when it first came out, but didn't think it quite lived up to all the hype. I still feel a but like that, but can see with hindsight now how influential it proved to be. I find the second half of it pretty uneven, first half is great though!

Nice one

Pleasant surprise to see this album here. I mean, if you wanted a single album that encapsulated the vibey, slow, sentimental R&B sounds of the early and mid-2010s, it would be this one (I'd say even moreso than Frank's follow-up, Blonde). Frank Ocean's vocals are the standout on this album, ultimately, above all the trippy, low-key, and evocative production. I'd say that's clear right off the bat on 'Thinking Bout You' where he perfectly balances his falsetto high with his deep and sort of raw vocal delivery. And I call it raw because there's just something about Frank's vocals when he's in his lower register that sounds so down-to-earth, human, and flawed. The production is still solid, though, especially on maybe my favorite song here, 'Pyramids', which has to be one of the most epic-sounding R&B songs ever. A 10-minute track filled with heartbreak, confusion, and haziness - its scale rivaled only by a song like 'House of Balloons/Glass Table Girls' by the Weeknd. The song is soundtracked by a heavy dance beat, analog synths, and gorgeous arpeggios that really allow it to thrive in the tracklisting here. I also really love 'Lost' - it's just the catchiest thing here. It's a feel-good song, but there's something about the melodies, lyrics, and imagery that is so filled with yearning and sadness. And shout out to the rap features here, 'Super Rich Kids' has fellow Odd Future member Earl Sweatshirt doing his thing. His and Frank's styles mesh oddly well; I'd say it's something about the feelings of unfulfillment underlying the song. And I can't NOT love 'Pink Matter' with 3K doing his thing as he usually does. I think I love his guest verse on Blonde just a little bit more, but this song also has this sick, dirty guitar solo...so not really sure which song's better at the end of the day. Really good, iconic stuff, though I'd say it's definitely trapped in the decade it was released (not a bad thing at all, makes it super nostalgic for me personally). Too bad he'll never drop again :(

Rich with beauty and intimacy. This definitely deserves further listens.

warme atmosphäre, manchmal ein anstrengender wechsel von normal zu falsettstimme. alles in allem aber easy listening und eine entdeckung.

Take me back to Unterstufe in Corona Zeit. All Time Klassiker Fav Lied: Lost, Pyramids, Bad Religion

Great first listen, I enjoyed it and even though a lot of songs like super rich kids, Thinking about you and Bad religion I discovered other songs like Lost and Pyramids which I feel becoming favorites in the future.

Frank Ocean has always been a singular artist, with a style so unmistakably unique yet smooth and appealing. He has been a leading force in modern R&B for over a decade, and Channel Orange really showcases how much talent he had even early on. This album is so evocative for me, makes me think of warm summer days and simpler times. It might not be as emotionally vulnerable and explorative as something like Blonde, but I don't think it needs to be. Sometimes it's good to just have a nice, flowery, romantic summer album to remind you of warmth during cold and dark days. While the singles are absolutely stunning, with Pyramids being one of the greatest R&B tracks of the 21st century, I think the album as a whole works incredibly well in creating a cohesive vibe. In a weird way it reminds me of Songs for the Deaf, probably because of the whole television theme, but more so because it's eclectic bunch of songs that work together as a way of exploring different avenues of life. Each track drips with exploration and creativity while still managing to maintain their orbit around a beautiful, warm, tight R&B sound that Frank Ocean has mastered. Though I may have some criticisms, there is no album that is more reminiscent of the joys of summer than Channel Orange.

Smooth soul with a voice. But yet it’s not. This feels years beyond 2012, it’s amazing this album is old already.

Solid R&B

I get it. I've listened to this album and the past and didn't enjoy it, but something clicked on this listen. I don't think every track is a hit, but pretty close. It certainly didn't change my life, but I had a good time listening to it.

Nice

Awsome new soul journey, pyramids is the highlight track for me

It's really interesting how nostalgic Frank Ocean's music can feel. I don't even kind of relate to his music, but something about the feel of the music and the lyricism feels like remembering old times. Also his voice is wonderful, I could listen to him sing about anything. Give me a Frank Ocean album about fighting pink robots and contemplating how short life is and I'd listen to that all day. Anyways, I feel like there's only so much "I did drugs that I shouldn't have with people that I shouldn't have" and different words for breasts you can fit into a double LP before it starts to run a little thin, and it definitely does towards the end of the album, but it's his voice that really keeps me going. That and the pretty cool instrumentals.

4.9

Pyramids is great

Pulled me in from the Start.

Pyramids is such a belter. Great album

Franktastic. Such a good album, would have been 5 stars if it wasn't for some of the filler. I still remember hearing Pyramids being debuted on the Zane Lowe Radio 1 show and having my mind blown. Also, why didn't he put Novacaine on this album?

Hella vibes I like it

I’ve apparently been living under a rock because while I was familiar with Frank Ocean’s name, I hadn’t heard any of his music to my knowledge, nor was I aware of the hype around him being one of the greatest musicians of his generation. And while this is fundamentally not my thing, as albums with songs about the ennui of rich kids tend not to be, there was more than enough here to keep me interested and listening, and the nearly hour-long running length passes quickly. Glad to be introduced to this.

How can people rate this as a 1....wtf?! Thrombing Gristle is a 1!!! This is a solid 4. You can swing your hips for ages.

THIS Gentlemen prefers Blond. But this is still such a steller proper debut from one of the most important musicians from his generation and a critical voice in the modern r&b landscape, kinda like Gen Z D'Angelo. The Earl Sweatshirt verse on super rich kids is probably a top 5 favorite rap feature all time for me. Andre 3000 also kills it on his feature.

Frank helped pave the way for most of 2010s R&B with his free-flowing style. I really like the production and its blend of multiple genres from old-school soul to electropop.

I was so gay in 2012

listened

This is super cool. Lots of chill beats and Frank Ocean's voice really is incredible for this type of music. "Sweet Life" and "Pyramids" are standouts to me. I think the back half of the album is where it shines, or maybe I'm just vibing with it. Either way, this is excellent! Really enjoyed it. I can't decide between 4 and 5 stars today so I'll err on the side of criticism.

Great album. Chill vibes.

4 stars Frank Ocean came around at a good time for me. Based on a lot of the mixed perception of this album I think if I were younger or older I might not have appreciated it. But I was one of the people anticipating the drop of this album after his mixtape Nostalgia Ultra. And he delivered on it. There are better and worse tracks, but no true skips, sans interludes that are not necessary even if they are supposed to add a connective element to the album. It doesn’t feel too long even though it could be shorter. This is definitive 2010s R&B and will get plenty of replay from me over the years, as it has since it was released.

Nu-soul? Nydelig stemme, vokste på meg.

I’m a fool for having never listened to this all the way through before now.

One thing I've learned while doing this list is that I don't really like R&B, it's not that I dislike it, I just find it very bland. This however is one of the better albums. Not something I'd return to, but I see why people like it. It right in-between a 3 and 4 for me. Low 4.

Really enjoyable. 4 *

A fine R&B album, for the most part. Pyramids, however, was nearly 10 minutes of nearly constant soulless empty bass tone. Put my sub to work. Not my jam, but a good album, methinks.

Finally an album I’ve heard of before today. Start is elite, thinks bout you is one of the best songs of my generation. High school banger ever for how emotional it is. Production lyrics aiming all top notch. Fertilizer is a fun bridge nothing more to it. Sierra Leone is fine, hard to follow up thinks bout you. Great songwriting though. Good subtle base line too. Production and songwriting once again elite on sweet life. Very 2000s with the skits/bridge songs. Not just money works so well. Super rich kids is another banger and a massive part of my childhood. Again just great production and songwriting. I like the chorus to pilot jones, production is pretty good. Ultimately a good not great song. Not really a fan of crack rock, good transition into pyramids tho. Pyramids production🔥🔥. Lyrics great, sweet flow ditch up in the middle. Great song. Guitar outro is amazing. Lost has the best production of any song so far. What a song once again. White was cool enough. Nothing really special. Monks was just fine as well. Coldplay sample on bad religion?? Looks like it’s not credited but opening sounds just like fix you. Good song. Great production. Pink matter🔥🔥. What a feature from 3000. Guitar solo also so sick. Forrest Gump is very interesting. Love the movie quote interpolations. Song itself is fine. Really good album but not his best. Plus some points for significance to me. 3.7 stars

Very poetic and about superficial things: drugs, sex, etc. Sonically - production-wise - really strong. Quite impressed

Frank'd my Ocean all night long to these chill vibes

Liked the overall vibe but lyrically wasn't always my thing

Classic

Hell yeah, Frank Ocean! “thick girls were made for cuddlin!”

Love this album; I've been listening to it since its release.

The heights are really good, like Prince, but there's a bunch of short bits or joke songs that kind of mess up the flow for me "Sweet Life" and "Pilot Jones" "Crack Rock" uses the drum beat from Led Zeppelin's "How Many More Times" "Pyramids" is awesome

I will say before I listened to this album that I'd heard the name Frank Ocean before, but that's as far as my knowledge went. I'm a lyrics guy, I can deal with vocals I don't love when the lyrics hit right. In Frank's case, I don't love his falsetto, but his regular voice is just fine. Also, Andre 3000 nails his verse. John Mayer guitar solos. Album really has everything. It surprised me. I thought after the falsetto in Thinking Bout You that I might hate this album, On second listen though the falsetto doesn't bother me at all. I will absolutely listen to this again. It grabbed me.

Great

Absolutely a scenario where I rate this five stars but I think I settled on a four. Nearly perfect album, loved every track on it. I avoided anyone involved with Odd Future forever because Tyler is not a good dude and unfortunately that kept me from Frank Ocean. Plan to listen to this one a lot more. good enough that you're even willing to ignore John Mayer shows up Favorite track: Super Rich Kids, Pyramids, Sweet Life, all of them really added to collection

Oj det här var riktigt bra! Hört mycket OM Frank Ocean men inte PÅ. Inte jättelättsmält men unikt och spännande.

Incredible highs even if a few tracks dragged slightly - crazy I've never properly listened to this as a whole album before. I love a little found audio snippet track- also fan of fertiliser

It was a bit underwhelming but it still had some heaters (e.g. lost, thinkin bout you, super rich kids, etc.) solid 7/10

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS: i've never listened through the whole album before, knowing only thinking bout you, lost, etc. - definitely not a traditional r&b album! loves how there's absurd drumlines, groovy guitar lines, and electronic/synth elements FAVE TRACK: lost NOTABLE TRACK: pyramids - a 10-minute synth-funk track that feels like a trance, also feeling like the intermission, transporting you to a more vulnerable second half of the album A FUN FACT: he typed lyrics on a laptop for the first time for this album, previously only composing lyrics in his head

Imagine if Stevie Wonder was thirty years younger and grew up with modern R&B, hip-hop and himself as influences. It would sound something like this, and the result is fabulous. I could do without the track with John Mayer though...

Dreamy & surreal. I love this album.

3.5/5, but round to 4.

Smooth melodies and lyrics that produce vivid mental pictures

Great songs

"Start" has a cool vibe. Maybe it does represent the album well. "Thinkin Bout You". I wasn't expecting this at all lol. Love this. Such a shock. Maybe a little repetitive. "Fertilizer" is so short, but it doesn't need anymore duration to hit hard. "Sierra Leone" has a sexy beat. Love it. Too short, maybe, but with an interesting sound. "Sweet Life". Love the beat and the evolution of the song. "Not Just Money". Love this message. I find very original that this album has these short tracks in the middle with so meaningful words. "Super Rich Kids" has a very flat melody, but the real impact is on the lyrics. I like that they did it that way. "Pilot Jones". Such a good start. "Crack Rock". Definitely not my favourite. Not bad. Just not for me. "Pyramids" has such a cool beat and a very interesting lyrics. A bit too long. Could've saved a lot of blank spaces. "Lost" represents perfectly the days we live in. Love this. "Monks" has some cool moments. Not my favourite. "Bad Religion". Finally some balaaaddd. "Pink Matter". Angelic. "Forrest Gump" has such a funny beat. Love this. Banger. "End" is a perfect ending for the album. A very interesting album, honestly. Some songs are not for me, but it discovered me a new style that I didn't know I liked. Also not my favourite, but I'll keep exploring it.

Wonderful vocals, beautifully produced. Sometimes the lyrics are a bit too freaky though.

me gusta mucho frank ocean, muy lindas canciones, muy lindo album, ok unica queja es q es verdad es medio musica de instagram o un poco muy pop q hace q baje un punto, tb algunas letras son como muy literales y ñe

I prefer Blonde over this album, but still, really great stuff!

A stellar offering!

Not as amazing and profound as I thought it was when I was 18 and it came out but this album still rocks and I love Frank

Frank is good and this is his best but i don’t really love frank.

I've been aware of this for so long but was waiting for it to come up here and listen. I think there's a lot to digest here, but I was immediately impressed with the detail of the craft. It may one day be a five, but I couldn't really say without giving the time to understand it better.

🍊

Glad I heard it, but his off-key singing sometimes made it hard to really get into. 4/5

A good RnB album with some great lyrics and vocal performances. The instrumentation too is great, with some nice sounding instrumentals. Overall, a 9/10.

damn...................................

que produção é essa, meus amigos? pyramids excelente música!!!!

Really enjoyed this, I knew the singles but the album as a whole is really great and worthy of all the admiration it gets. Will listen again for sure.

I loved nostalgia ultra and Channel orange built further on that. He manages to bring something new whilst conjuring up a level of nostalgia. The songs feel more personal than a lot of music out there.

I had heard the album once or twice before, but never paid much attention to it. Now, having played it again, I think it's rightly regarded as a groundbreaking album of the neo-RnB movement. Especially the multi-layered "Pyramid" and the irresistible "Lost" are amazingly produced, very special soul pop songs by an amazing songwriter and singer. Right now, I'm rating it four stars, but this has the potential to become even better for me.

So close to a 5

This album is really chill and the content matter is pretty unique to me. The tragedy of some of his songs is presented so smooth and soft, even calm, and it really works.

Took me a while to get into it as it's not my scene but I yeah I get it now I Understand

Love the album, it has so many great tunes. Pyramid made me smile particularly, it felt like it was an edm banger but actually a different song than you'd expect. I was surprised about how much loneliness plays a role in the album, as a theme. Generally it feels a bit melancholic.

A bit more annoying then I remembered ; he's whiney

That was quite pleasant. It had a tiny bit of an edge at times but it does feel a bit shy somehow - it is a debut album I guess so for that I think it has some merit.

Badaba

Good album that is great on occasion

I'm not sure why it's been years since I listened to this, because it's great. Maybe I just have to be in the mood for it? This is the kind of album that rewards multiple listens because there are so many textures and ideas happening. I think I need to be in the mood for it more often.

Personally, my favorite Frank album. The remnants of his Odd Future time bring balance to the more sultry aesthetic and content. Although seeing his Coachella "performance" in person has soured me a bit on him as a person over the years, and I've always felt his music was a liiiiittle bit overrated *ducks*, this collection of tracks no doubt approaches the heights of modern pop R&B. Listened to: at 5MW. Favorite tracks: Thinkin Bout You, Pyramids, Lost, Forrest Gump

3.5/5

Through this album I found out Johnny Cash played at a prison which is pretty cool. I am not a fan of live music on an album that I listen to in the car. I’m still pretty young and I thought the music was okay but he had a good voice.

It was good

I've listened to this one through a handful of times and its damn good.

This sounds as fresh as the day it was released. Super Rich Kids is the high point for me - the opening piano chords always put me in the mood for this project. It's far from unimpeachable, though. I think Frank Ocean's writing is vastly overrated - there are some genuinely toe-curling bars here (Cotton candy, Majin Buu, close my eyes and fall into you - Ocean's part of this track is like listening to Jayden Smith free associate to the word pink). In virtually every song, I can count on being sucked right out of it by an equally terrible idea by Frank. However, the overall standard here is very high and it's very easy to go back to.

A marvellous debut. Demands repeat listens. Feels like the blueprint for much of the R&B that followed throughout the 2010’s (for better or for worse). Ocean’s style teeters on an obnoxiousness that his imitators tend not to get away with. In the hands of other artists this kind of music gives to the much maligned mumble rap subgenre. But here, Ocean hits a home run. Creative and confident. Favourite tracks are Super Rich Kids, Lost, and Bad Religion. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Songs of my youth, pink matter andre 3000 verse is forever goated.

Good, very well made, enjoyed my listen (:.

83% Best: Sweet Life; Pyramids; Lost; Monks Must-Hear? Sure

Peisisirbkau dar keleta dainų, bet nepatiko ilgi intarpai be nieko, dainavimas labai ištęstas.

Personal enjoyment: 4/5 Relevance to this list: 5/5

Great neo soul. Lots of subtle hooks that keeps the listener engaged after multiple listens. Pyramid is a perfect mid-album peak.

Very sexy and very real, with syrupy smooth vocals and stellar instrumentals throughout. Only bad thing I can say is that it makes me kinda sleepy.

Forrest Gump, Pyramids, Super Rich Kids, Thinking About You are all amazing records that I grew up with.

Muutamia oikein hyviä biisejä, aikoinaan tuli luukutettua paljonkin.

The anthem of my shared university kitchen, Channel Orange is far better when properly listened to instead of as the soundtrack to cheap spagbol cooking and cheap beer sessions. An eclectic, escalating album that zigs and zags between every track, never happy to settle into one genre. I think on a few relistens, this will elevate to a 5, but on initial pass it's a really solid 4.

Good to hear! Like his voice, r&b roots. Rich kids song - great lyrics.

Favorites (almost the whole album): Thinkin Bout You Sierra Leone (beat and layering) Sweet Life Not Just Money (just noisy sampling) Crack Rock Pyramids Lost White Monks Bad Religion Pink Matter Forrest Gump End Intriguing recording gimmicks/techniques - the album playthrough feels a lot like listening to the radio or watching TV. Calling the album R&B seems reductive too. Lots of color imagery (Pink Matter, Forrest Gump) which makes themes through the album interesting.

I have heard many great things about Frank Ocean such as he is the greatest song lyricist of this generation. I would have to agree as his songs carry many metaphors and double meanings that it makes you analyze each lyric. I love the fusion of the music genres such as R&B, funk, techno, psychedelic. My favorite songs were Sweet Life and Lost. I did enjoy the Earl the Sweatshirt collab since I like that artists music. Solid album.

frank ocean is solid but icl an entire album of him is a bit much for one sitting mmmm mmmm mmmm mmmm

i think blonde is better. fav track: pyramids

I've heard this before and didn't appreciate it when it came out. Going between the structured lyrics and songs to more smooth but formless makes for a fun album. It's got themes but the album is a vibbbeeee

The absolute chokehold this album on me had on me the summer it came out....

I was expecting some generic R&B sound, but was surprised by how wrong I was... 4 stars

love it

I liked this a lot, but not as much as I expected to with how popular this album is in my generation. I really like the more up-tempo and rap songs. There were too many interludes for my taste.

Hvorfor kender jeg flere sange?? Sweet life og Super Rich Kids kender jeg begge fra tik tok Kan også meget godt lide de der små intermissions Kender også Lost??

An extremely consistent and incredibly well produced R&B album. This record may feel very straightforward in terms of ideas and mood, with almost every song that is not an interlude having similar structures, way of singing and beats. However, the quality of the sound is so good that is doesn't matter how monotonous the album may be, it still makes the experience very rewarding and pleasent to listen to. Besides, there's one single song in here that feels very different from the rest. It feel grandiose and epic and it also is the greatest and longest track of the album. That song is 'Pyramids'. My god, this song didn't have the right to be this good. The instrumentation and the chord progressions make this track spectacular. This record is a very very high 4 stars.

I liked this one and will be relistening. some of the songs were a little meandering and it was a tad too long.

Smooth

New rap

Хорошо, много разного по чуть-чуть, есть какая то история, нужно будет переслушать 7.7/10

Ganz ok. Ich mag den beat.

Me gustó, definitivamente hay algo ahí. Seguramente lo escuche de vuelta. No esperaba nada y me dió bastante Nota: 3.7

I like Blonde better, but this album is what introduced the world to Frank's sound. To think he got a jump start from Odd Future to now making world classics. The album itself is experimental, but has these ethereal moments.

Real good time listening to this. Pyramid was the top track

A consistently great album - always interesting production - why is Blond not on here

Already liked a few songs off this album so was worried the rest wouldn't hold up but was pleasantly surprised that enough of them held the standard. Couple of lame skits but it happens.

Unlike yesterday's record (Hotel California), I went into this completely blind. A friend had raved about the artist. But apart from 'it's awesome!', he gave nothing away. Frank Ocean sounded like something indie. Also, I was lying on a beach, staring up at the clouds. Not lying exhausted in bed, cursing that I had to give away my time to listen to the The Eagles. What a difference it may have made. So, I was pleasantly surprised when the intro had the Playstation start up music in it. The synths and drum machine entered, and then voice. I like it. The melodies in each song are a bit strange and don't necessarily stick, but this guy is a talented singer. From track 2 and 3, I got a 'The Love Below' vibe. Think Prototype, hip hop sensibilities, but something different. I was then not surprises to see that Andre 3000 himself makes an appearance on the album. The instrumental is what I really like. Nice mixture of orchestral, drum machine and synth. Then, I was pleasantly surprised to hear a cool guitar line at the end of Pyramids. Then! John Mayer turns up on an instrumental track! My track of the album (the one being added to my playlist) is 'Super Rich Kids', a melody that I can't put my finger on. Cool inclusion of rap, nice backing. This isn't something I'd normally listen to. I get the vibe of it being blasted inside a trendy cafe or a boutique clothes store. I like it. However, I wouldn't see myself walking the streets listening to this, soaking everything in, singing along... Perhaps one day. I'll add it to my rotation. 4 Stars Tuesday 22nd July - Album 2/1001

chill vibe

favorite song: super rich kids

really smooth and pleasing sound and great lyrics! Had a good time listening! 7/10

Rather lovely

Fun album which lost me at times with some of the singing near the end. But still, hearing an album start with the og ps music and street fighter 2 was nice for nostalgia.

Very good record and another amazing debut. Flow is killer and lyrics are incredibly well composed. Will keep it in rotation.

Look I know I'm giving this 4* and even I think that's sort of sacrilege. I just slightly prefer Blond and never quite clicked with all of this, but it's importance in shaping modern music can not be overstated. All the cretins in the reviews talking about degeneracy and other racially coded terms to describe this record, we see you, we hear you, and we hate you <3

very new soundscape for the time, but it's been beaten to death in pop now. Favorite track: thinking about you| other picks: super rich kids, sweet life, pyramids, lost

Schon banger album

Better than expected. I felt like it had a lot more to offer then many if the rnb albums in this list. I did feel like his flow seemed recycled for a few songs but other than that very well rounded as far as style and content.

تو قطره‌ای از اقیانوس نیستی، تو تمام اقیانوسی در قطره

it’s channel orange

Great album

Coolio. Crack rock to pyramids is great. Still a lot of fluff in this one compared to Blonde. 8/10

Interesting if not really my genre

Þessi kom mér skemmtilega á óvart. Rúllaði alveg frábærlega í gegn, alls konar stílar og ekkert leiðinlegt. Mjög góð tónlistarsjávarsúpa.

Good back in the day. Good now.

This was a treat because this is the album I am most familiar with since I started the project. Interestingly enough I haven’t listened to the whole album in full but it’s totally been on my list. I didn’t realize how experimental this album was and I really dug it. In addition to the songs I already knew, I picked up some more bops.

Great album. Pyramids is one of my all time favorite tracks, and there's plenty of other bangers on there - Serra Leone, Super Rich Kids, Crack Rock, Pink Matter, Lost. I also like the colour Orange, so there's that. 8/10

Had listened to this many times before but its not his best album

Really impressed with this, only criticism is it could have been slightly shorter with the track Pyramids disrupting the flow due to it's length.

7/10 This is a funny old album. It felt like a bit of a pick and mix at the beginning and the interstitial pieces didn’t really bring much to the party, but boy does this grow as it goes. Honestly, if you’d had started at Super Rich Kids, I think I would be ranking this much higher. Albums with little micro-tracks and interstitials can sometimes work really well, like in ArchAndroid by Janelle Monae, where they tie the concept of the album together, or in Boards of Canada albums where they just add little musical flourishes, but here, I think they don’t necessarily add much to the overall feel of the album. His voice is like cream in places, although there were times (particularly Thinking Bout You) where the vocal line didn’t work for his voice. There were also quite a few moments where his voice was way too dominant in the mix, but I think that’s probably due to the hip-hop production style. First time I listened through, there were bits that I liked, but on the second listen, I really started to groove with it, especially during the second half of the record. I think there’s a *really* good 35 minute album in here. But he released a 55 minute one, which just drags it down for me. Start - It’s an intro. Like he pocket dialled when turning on his arcade machine. Thinking Bout You - The verses have a nice groove, but I cannot gel with his falsetto in the chorus on this at all. Sounds so thin and forced. Fertilizer - The snippet of tune here is actually quite good, but I don’t really get the point of it. Sierra Leone - This has some potential, but it doesn’t really seem to settle on an idea until half way through, and then it’s over too quickly. Sweet Life - It feels like we’re getting into the swing of things now. The lead vocal is oddly high in the mix and the rest of the track gets a little bit lost because of it, which is a shame. Otherwise, this is a good one. Not Just Money - This interstitial seemed to actually have a bit more of a point to it, particularly followed up with the next track, but it was also hard to hear what was being said. Super Rich Kids - Another good track. His vocal is definitely at its best here. A good blend of hip-hop and Neo soul, and a nice juxtaposition between the very staccato rhythm and the smooth vocal during the sung parts. Pilot Jones - The falsetto sounds a bit better here. Again, there are elements of this that I really like, but it does seem to build momentum that then drifts away a little too much. Crack Rock - I liked this one too. A nice groove, but I didn’t feel like it added enough variety to different sections of the song. Pyramids - I really love some of the stuff in this track. Went a bit ‘dance floor rave synth’ in the middle, which I was less keen on. But as a whole, this was pretty strong for a ~10 minute track. Lost - This is a great track. A good groove, smooth vocals and all tied together with really nice instrumentation. White - Nice little instrumental. Not much to write about, in reality. Monks - I liked this one too. A little disjointed in places, but it was decent enough. Bad Religion - This is a great track. Soulful, a powerful vocal, a solid groove and plenty of dynamic in the backing. Really good. Pink Matter - Another good one. Again, a powerful, soulful vocal. The bass slaps (literally) in this one too. The track (minus the vocal) sounds a bit like it was pulled together from some Prince deep cuts, or something from The Plant Life. Like it. Forrest Gump - Another nice one. Perhaps a bit less interesting than some of the preceding tracks, but it’s not bad at all. End - A little drift away from the tail end of the album. Worked as a closer.

good

I decided to listen to this album on Friday as I didn't have much time. The inclusion of the classic PS1 startup sound in the intro hooked me in. A few songs in, I got the hype surrounding Frank Ocean. There's so much to like about "Channel Orange". The skits aren't bad either. 4 stars for "Channel Orange".

Favorites: Suoer Rich Kids, Bad Religion, Pilot Jones. “If models were made for modeling than thick girls were made for cuddling”

This is the kind of album that could just be the most basic, boring, and enjoyable of all listens. Its chill vibes could take over and lend itself to a lack of creativity and just go along with the flow. But I think Frank here does an excellent job of going apart from this and still using exciting fun sounds and using a creative theme via the “challenge orange” to express what he’s trying to say musically. These choices are what elevate Frank and his music above the other R&B pop artist of our generation. That being said this is no Blonde and the genre as a whole isn’t really my preference but I can recognize its objective quality.

Yeah. Im starting to get it

Een van mijn lievelingsalbums! Ja ik heb er veel. Maar bijna elk nummer op dit album is 10/10. "Pink Matter" is waarschijnlijk mijn fave.

The vibes of this are absolutely great. Really solid stuff, not a ton I'd maybe listen to regularly, but just solid.

I feel like this could've been a 5 if it came to me at the right point in my life. I've got a huge soft spot for earnestness in music and this has a lot of it. Plus the production value and all of the guests is awesome.

I knew about Frank Ocean before but had never heard a single song. Really enjoyed this. It kinda fell off toward the end, but for most of it, the vibes were immaculate.

To the reviewer who said “This music is the soundtrack for the beginning of the degeneration of music and society as a whole…” etc: how you gonna put that on Frank Ocean. I’m absolutely baffled. You don’t have to like his music, but to say the logical outcome of the musical industry after this is Takashi 69 is just batshit insane. Now that’s out of the way, this isn’t 100% my cup of tea, but on the right day, it 100% is. It starts with the boot up sound from a PS1, so points for nostalgia. Followed by Thinkin Bout You, which is an earworm if I’ve ever heard one. I enjoy that this is basically sad boy r&b which I didn’t know was ever a thing before i originally heard this album. “You know I’m something of a sad boy myself”

I personally enjoyed "Pyramids" in this album. Out of all the longer songs I've listened to, I would put this near the top of the list.

I had previously heard of Frank Ocean but was not familiar with any music. This album was a pretty big surprise to me. I didn't know what to expect, but this was really interesting. There is a lot going on but the music itself is also really good. I feel like I need repeated listens to really get everything this album has to offer. Would definitely listen again.

kudos to franks dog Everest who is credited as the exec producer 👏👏

i like this one, but it doesn’t hold a candle to Frank in the Oldie music video ❤️

Orange is my favorite Channel

Really cool album - added multiple songs to my playlists and really liked the production.

Finally I have the chance to hear this guy - listened thru twice I guess he is all that - one needs to listen to a frank ocean album from start to finish to get a real feel, I liked it!! Lots to say but no more space

Just cool. Unbounded musicality. Appreciated more than fully connecting.

8/10 Best tracks: Sweet Life, Pilot Jones, Pyramids

Belle découverte

i will never understand my peers’ hype for this album. good but not a goat

I was an odd future kid, so I've been playing Super Rich Kids and Crack Rock for over a decade now. No stranger to Frank's vocals, as I have loved his features over the years as well. I haven't listened to channel ORANGE all the way through since college probably, and so I was definitely due to give it another spin finally. There's for sure a sense of nostalgia attached to this album now, not to mention a lot of the jazz sounds already add to that nostalgia. Frank is a A STRONG, stunning vocalist, and I feel like this album was absolutely a pivotal and necessary step for the otherworldly stunner that Blonde would be. Frank was really getting to know himself on this thing and I think this was a proper introduction to these more realized modern jazz-rnb vibes as he was never exclusively a rapper. He's just SMOOTH as fuck and that is the Ocean modus operandi. The features are fucking great. While there are not a ton of features, they are equally super strong. Production is mostly quite warm with beautiful keys, strings, percussion as well, often keeping things pretty lowkey so the vocals can really take precedent. Like are they the best instrumentals ever? Not necessarily- but they serve as a palette for Frank to bring a fresh new bag to the table and he sure did.

An impressive display of potential more than anything, I still think this gets overshadowed by Ocean’s following album.

hotdog water strikes again

BANGER

🔥🔥

This was a nice chill listen. Sweet Life, Thinkin About You, and Pyramids all stood out to me, along with a couple great features. Would be interested to hear more.

probs 3.5+ but i rounded it up not my vibe but had some fire songs like lost

It's not usually my thing, but listening objectively this is a really good record. Found the over use of soul vocal runs a little tiring and didn't love all the lyrics, particularly uncomfortable with Bad Religion... but beyond that it's a great performance with excellent musicianship and incredible production. Listen to Pyramid with good headphones, it's an experience. Also, Andre 3000's guitar solo, fuck me!

Only knew Blonde and the singles, so it was a nice discovery

i loveeee frank ocean! i might prefer blonde to channel orange but god this is such a good album! His voice and the instruments are just smooooth (in a good way) and some of these songs just have a timelessness about them! I don’t LOVE every song but think as a whole listening experience it is excellent! Also think so many of these songs feel like they belong on a gossip girl episode Songs I love: Sweet life SUPER RICH KIDS (magnolia parks you will always have my heart!) Pilot Jones Monks LOSTTTT <3

classic 4-4.5

This was a rollercoaster I started by liking it, then went down a little but then picked up to the point where I will give it another listen later,

And with just one album, I have already listened to 50% of Frank Ocean's entire studio album discography. It's a shame. Frank Ocean's a talented guy, and Channel Orange is proof of this. I really like this album! There's a lot to say here with this album. I feel like my reviews as of lately haven't dived into specifics about each individual album as much. Maybe I'm just starting to feel the exhaustion of listening to nearly 600 albums at this point, but I feel like a solid chunk of my reviews as of lately could be interchangeable with each other. Let's avoid that issue with Channel Orange by talking about the specifics. I think the album has a pretty neat concept. The lyrical themes of love, sex, and longing are explored in very interesting ways. I think that's what makes this album appeal to me over other 2010s r&b artists. A lot of that stuff lacks substance in my eyes. I am using this as an opportunity to inform you all that I fucking hate Chris Brown. However, the songs on Channel Orange are meaningful and some of them are even stories. Let's get into some songs, shall we? "Thinkin Bout You" is a strong, chill opener that sets up the album pretty well. "Super Rich Kids" has great writing and good production. I mean, that applies to the whole album, but this song is a great example of that. I love long-ass songs, when they're done well of course. I have a whole playlist of them on Spotify. So, of course, I adore "Pyramids." It's probably the album's best song. The allusions to Cleopatra tell a captivating two-part story about a prostitute. The production on this one's amazing as well. I don't really need to address all of the songs. I just wanted to highlight a few specific ones. Frank Ocean's singing is quite good. The features are all great, with André 3000 on "Pink Matter" being the highlight for me. The pacing is excellent. I just really like this album. The fact that its followup, Blonde, is apparently better makes me really excited to listen to it eventually. It's not on the album list, but I'm sure I'll set away some time eventually to listen to it. Still, Channel Orange is an outstanding debut album. Not the best of all time, but quite a strong showing. High 4/5.

This is a great album that I think I will have to give repeated listens to as there is a lot to unpack

i re-listened to it as if didn’t know it by heart 4,5/5 🍊

Maybe it’s just nostalgia, but this album is so bloody good.

Beautiful album

Æ vet æ hørte på den to ganger, og det va en sang der æ har hørt før, men det va tydeligvis ingenting som festa sæ? Æ tror kanskje bare ikke det e for mæ? (Eller så høre æ ikke på musikk på en hensiktsmessig måte for det her prosjektet.)

tough one to rank. the songs that i recognize im kind of sick of, and but the ones i dont still sound good. i can definitely see the integrity of the album. if i were listening to this for the first time it would probably be blowing my mind but it was just so overplayed in high school and i didnt like it in high school. it really is a crazy innovative blend of r&b, hip hop, and pop with great production.. its quality

Good

I always heard positive things about Frank Ocean but never listened to his stuff apart from some collaborations. Now, this album didn't disappoint. I like that he is versatile enough to go through all the different styles even though he sometimes tends to fall into a mumble trap if you will. Also Ocean gets a lot of support by great instrumentation and production. My favourite track might be Pink Matter that features André 3000.

This took me a while. I remember trying blond a couple of times and never feeling like I got it. Same here for first couple of listens. But I gave it some more. This is cool. Vocals range from robotic auto tuned through r&b soul then Motown and even some smooth rap. Then the music production is pretty hip hoppy with consistent rhythms and looping melodies and chords, but it’s all with this otherworldly feel. The record kinda feels timeless and modern all at the same time. Four stars for me.

A pretty good album, I liked Pyramids and Lost the most.

Frank Ocean was a bit of a blind spot for me. I'd heard of him, and probably heard some of his music before without really knowing. I had never sought him out or paid much attention to him, though. Gotta say, I wish I had done so a while ago. Really enjoyed this one musically, really liked the artistry and composition. It felt like an ALBUM, you know? Like it was produced as a cohesive work to be listened to and enjoyed as a whole. The music was diverse, but well done; the rolling drums on Crack Rock transforming into a electronic dream on Pyramids was a good example of just how different the feels could get in a two-song span. The lyrics were loving and harsh, deep and shallow, literal and mystic at different points. Whatever the song called for, they provided. Also, the songs hit. The slow ones were purposeful and meaningful. The more upbeat ones were full of feeling. Some were incredibly simple, others very complex. I can't give him enough credit for bringing the songs to life the way he did. For the negatives, I have to bring it down a bit for the lyrical content despite how strong it was at times. Some of the content just seemed to be bordering on pandering to a lifestyle instead of sticking with the sincerity in the other tracks. The description of the girl we got on Lost, or the girl in Monks, were a bit much for example. It wasn't as over the top as some artists can be, but it still just seemed a little generic. The vibes were definitely geared towards intimacy for listening, so it makes some sense. But it does take away a bit when you're just listening to the album without that setting. The album also felt a long. While of few of the tracks aren't actual songs but bridges between songs, there are still 17 listed tracks running over 55 minutes. I was expecting it to wrap up at one point and saw there were still four songs left. Those last few songs seemed weaker, but maybe that was because I was ready for it to end by that point. Either way, the payoff for continuing to listen wasn't anything special. So, I'd say it's a cohesive album of diverse, well-composed songs with lyrics that range from great to unimpressive. It starts strong, but dwindles toward the end. Even so, it's a very good album. I'll listen to it again. Overall: 4/5

Album No. 4 I've heard a lot about Frank Ocean but I've only ever really hear Pink and White (not on this album) and I have been meaning to listen to him. I love the relaxed energy coupled with the nice vocals, it feels very pleasant to listen to and its an overall nice, pretty experimental album. The production is very nice too and creates the sort of ambience the album has. Favourites: - Thinkin Bout You - Sweet Life

You know what? This is pretty good. Better than I expected such a famous pop name to be.

Never cared much for Frank Ocean, aware of the fact he's had a lot of hype around his name, especially during the 2010s. I was initially dismissive of the album, but a few of the tracks stood out as R&B hits, especially "Lost". I've actually got that one one replay right now. His voice reminds me a lot of Prince, were Prince to have switched genres.

Fav: Lost Notes: Some bangers. Takes some getting used to

4.5

Favorite Track: Crack Rock

This was a fun one to listen to

You know, I didn’t get the hype when this came out, but now I get the hype. Good for you, Frank Ocean!

frank ocean plz drop this one of the albums of all time and i need more then just this and blonde i beg

Loved this.

This was not what I expected at all. It was way more soulful. Most of the tracks were very easy to listen to, nothing too hard or abrasive. I could quite easily listen to it again.

I liked this lot when it came out, but it really didn’t grab me the same way this time. Still thought the beats were real good.

Pleasant album, but not jaw dropping. Pyramids is a good song - nice beat. Lost is a very nice song.

This is really good. Super Rich Kids is a standout. I wish I could spend more time with the lyrics, but I couldn't pay that much attention on this listen and spotify hates working properly while playing this album for some reason.

This album is pretty close to a masterpiece. Incredibly soulful and catchy songs. Numerous hits and lots of repeatability. An R&B standard. I don't like all the other artistic expression stuff with Frank but can separate the art from the artist. 8.5/10 (4.25/5)

Fav: Pyramids Least Fav: Pilot Jones Orange is the best colour, so it’s no surprise that an album titled ‘Channel Orange’ is actually pretty good

Amazing album. Really good songs.

average falsetto enjoyer. idk halt modernere (finally) chillige musik

Erstes Album was ich kannte. Lost + Pyramids sind banger, der Rest ist auch ok

High highs, high lows

This is a great album, but the problem with it is that it has like four AMAZING songs, another four REALLY GOOD songs, and the rest is just nice, good, well performed. Like, it's consistently good, but some of it can't help but seem less good when right next to some legitimate masterpiece-level songs. Still a must listen! 114.

Really good, didn’t listen to it all. Will need to give it a full play, but all the songs are really original

Classic, year 10 vibez

Overall: 7/10 Frank has such a beautiful voice and the ability to convey so much passion and emotion into his lyrics. I was feeling a little anxious this morning and this album helped me chill out immensely. Modern R&B doesn't tend to be a genre I listen to a lot but I really respect it. Fav Song: Crack Rock Least Fav Song: Bad Religion

This is pretty terrific. A post 2000 album that is worth listening to on this list. A laidback feel, anticipating drake, but does it much better. It’s a grower too. 4 stars

I think I slightly prefer "Blonde" to this one but no matter what's your favourite, you're always eating good with Ol' Frankie.

This album seems to be incredibly divisive, with people either loving or hating it. While I probably wouldn't have listened to this without it coming up on this list, I liked it. I didn't really connect like I do with most music I enjoy but his voice is very nice to listen to and everything is very well produced. Solid.

Incredible post work chill down vibes

Sick beats used very sparingly indeed and various organs humming away. If you know your Rhodes from your Wurly you’ll have a field day. Franky’s charismatic, slow-ooze vocals come from somewhere between not quite rap and not quite soul. It’s a good specimen.

Some excellent songs! My 15 and 13 year old Kids love this album, I do totally understand!

Lots of interesting ideas here and while it doesn’t always work or drags at times, it’s a great listen

Haven’t listened to this one in years so it was fun to revisit. A unique artist with a lot to say.

Cool, maybe too cool for me.

Immaculate vibes, love the sampling and production.

3.5 - I see the vision and I think I really got into it but I just didn’t find it as entertaining Reminds me a lot of the first half of because the internet. Lacks the hits that blonde does, but has all the talent, thematic elements, and overall scope of a great album

8/10.

Powerful vocals - Frank Ocean has range! Meaningful lyrics, too. Cool incorporation of other sounds into the music. I enjoyed this album.

I have a pretty basic car with a pretty basic stereo. The only thing my car has going for it, sound wise, is that the engine and frame are quieter than my old car. I listen to a lot of this music in the car. So a lot of this music sounds ... muddy, muffled ... in my car. It's not the music's fault that it wasn't EQed to sound good in my car. So I shouldn't give this album extra points because it somehow just sounded *really good* in my car, but it did. Optimized for basic soundsystem? I guess? In any case I really enjoyed this album.

Hoy martes toca artista que sólo ubico de nombre. Música tranca, ideal para reuniones (destaco siempre esto porque siento a la música como ideal para cada situación diaria y las juntadas con amigos son algo fundamental para sortear estos momentos tan complejos en el mundo, en Latinoamérica y Argentina). El comienzo tocó mi corazón con los sonidos con los que la primera Play Station arrancaba. Todo el disco está muy bien. Gran debut de mi tocayo. Hasta mañana.

really lovely

3.5-4ish.

sexy pyramids greatest song all time gets better as you listen..!@@ ?

3.5/5

Bit of a 2010s classic and a nice juicy mix of RnB, neo soul and bedroom pop with tangs of hip hop. Synths are super succulent and crooning is richly vitalistic. Highlights are Thinkin Bout You, Sweet Life and Super Rich Kids which simmers things down to a Bennie And The Jets notch. Second half isn’t as good and is a bit too orangey for crows. Had me channel hopping a little bit but overall really good.

8/10. I knew this would be as good as it was. Catchy compelling tunes with a jazzy aspect to them and very interesting lyrically. The album is very consistent as well with no songs that really made me lose interest. As to why I'm not giving it a 5, for me there is something missing to keep it from being there. I can't put my finger on what exactly but it is there, maybe after after more listens I can come back and update this.

A unique sound.

A phenomenal album that puts you in a specific space while listening, though the next album does all this but to another notch

So, the interpolation was clever, but when it was glaring (Elton John's Bennie and the Jets and Coldplay's Fix You) it took me out for a bit, but it wasn't like total turn off. Monks is another highlight than the ones in other reviews. https://youtu.be/_591yozrv9o

Don't call it a comeback. Or do cause it took me 10+ months. But here we are listening to something that I put off for over a decade and I'm kinda glad I did. I don't think I would've appreciated it as much then as I do now, but I also have the lens of the future to say I don't think the hype was ever real. Very solid album though, lots of highlights and I don't find anything to fault it for personally. Just good solid R&B by an immensely talented young artist at the time.

I'm gay i like gay people this album was everything to me when i was a teenager in highschool. Pyramids and super rich kids are always going to be in my head because they are insane songs. I have no idea what the majority of the odd future guys are up. --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- First musical connection I remember having is talking to someone about odd future, asking them about it and starting to listen to them all. This album stuck out so hard to me and it made me feel a bit normal about being me. I still felt weird about being a young queer guy in school but eventally that friend found out and tried to link me up with their friend who was making whatever hyperpop was called before it was called hyperpop. I felt happy and seen. Eventually my teacher learned I was gay and his response is always in my head where he was shocked cause he thought i was asexual. --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- I love being gay i love gay people i love being nb and they them and queer and everything i love u frank ocean but u also made blond so this cannot be a 5 even if super rich kids and pyramids are

This is an album I would've rounded up to a 5 if I had just had to skip the day and just gave it the credit of its memory. It was formative and inescapable, but Blonde is better to the point can I cannot reconcile the two. Perhaps Endless as well, but that's a sticking point for somebody else to make. Channel Orange is slower and longer than I remember. If you forget nostalgia,ULTRA. exists it comes across about as intentional as a debut possibly could. The deeper cuts are somewhat forgettable, yet vibe-y, and the run from Crack Rock to Bad Religion still slaps.

8/10 Significant album for me in high school, still really good now although it definitely doesn’t feel as fresh and bold as an album like Blonde. I think more than anything it’s a display of “holy shit this dude is going to be big”, and now we have millions of people begging for his return like it’s the rapture. It’s greatly admirable in retrospect and it definitely spoke to my baby gay awakening at the time. Pyramids is still fucking insane though what the fuck He makes cock rings now, gotta respect the grind

really can track this to the exact beginning of my consciousness... being 15.. and looking back at the absolute list of all timers that came out in 2012... just an incredible time to be alive and into music... anyways it has aged pretty well, honestly i havent revisited this one in a while ...

This was excellent. Fell short of a 5 mostly from my being unfamiliar and nothing exactly sticking with me — that'll take a few more listens. But this defied easy classification in the best way. Ocean's singing is superb, but it's the odd chances he takes and strange structure to the melody that really set him apart. The material was interesting, the production bang on. Sylvia really likes Ocean, and this album in particular, and it's cool to know my kids can ID great music when they hear it. I'll definitely be spinning this one again.

Fantastic. I was a big fan of his Blonde album, but for whatever reason, I never got around to checking out this one. I love it. Maybe not quite as epic as Blonde, but damn close. And if I had time to spin it some more, I might even bump this up to 5 stars.

I loved this. Sylvia has played this for me in the past because it’s one of his favorite albums. I knew the album title reflected his synesthesia. I was enraptured with the storytelling across all the songs and I’ll be spinning this one again.

Pleasant. Probably his best album, i would say i really dig many songs and so i will be listening again

Love the diversity of styles and what a great voice. Everything works.

Well that was a surprise! Not sure how this guy had completely passed me by, but it’s just what I hoped to get from this exercise when I embarked upon it. Here is an artist I’ve never listened to (never heard of him TBH) likely would otherwise never listen to due to my hatred of everything R&B from the 90’s and noughties, yet with enough of an eclectic mix of tunes and influences to lift it way above the mediocrity of that genre. I heard a funky Stevie Wonder base and keys, a little Prince, some jazz influence, and it was no surprise that the OutKast sound offered up Andre 3000 as supporting cast. I really liked this.

Channel ORANGE is like a soundtrack to a car trip: its melodies transport us to another universe created by Frank on the album. They are relaxing songs with sincere lyrics where Frank poured his soul and his heart. It is a very well produced album with intros and interludes that add a lot to the rest of the album.

very good, as expected. this was my first time sitting down and listening to frank ocean and i was not let down. excited to check out Blonde

I've heard this album before, possibly when it first came out. Seems like he's disappeared a bit though. Thinkin Bout You, Super Rich Kids, Pyramids and Lost stood out. The beats and construction of the songs I liked - the lyrics are inane and a bit on the edge for me. Having said that, I enjoyed the album a lot more than I was prepared to, heading in. Easy to work to.

Pleasantly surprised. Will listen through again.

Really liked it and sometimes reminded me a little of Prince.

Rating: 8/10 Incredible highlights (Thinkin Bout You, Pyramids, Lost, Forrest Gump), most of the other songs are around a 7/10. Did not care at all for any of the interludes/intro/outro. Amazing production and mixing as well.

I tried listening to Frank Ocean a while ago and it didn't do it for me, so I was excited to give this a listen. I absolutely loved it and I am so glad this was suggested for me. It's not exactly a genre I spend a lot of time in but every song was so well done and well orchestrated and just easy to listen to. Big fan of this one

Anybody else's loins get really warm and tingly listening to Frank? Pyramids fantastic Monks has great drumming

I like this album surprisingly a good ton! I remembered listening to blonde back then 2 years ago but never having a good grasp of the enjoyable parts of RnB. And Channel Orange is just FULL of those moments that just feel good to be in, to listen to and all that. Mostly talking about the sound, while the lyrics are fairly sad or hazy in tone.

Vibes on vibes on vibes. "Super Rich Kids" and "Forrest Gump" are favorites.

Frank Ocean probably the artist of the decade for his great production and nice range of vocals.

this sounds like nothing i've ever heard before: probably because i barely listen to american music. but i like it a lot! it's very chill and comfy, it kind of feels like flying through the stars, or swimming through a coral reef. its hard to describe i guess. it's very special. i want to find more stuff like this!

Reminds me of "What's going on?" The album needs to be heard all together to enjoy it at its best. Excellently preformed and great to hear people still successfully trying something new 4*

Very good album. Very sexy, while also being very emotional as well. Frank's voice is elegant, and I liked the instrumentals quite a lot, especially the use of organ throughout. The features also kill it. The only criticism I have is that a lot of the songs blend in with one another. It gives the album a good vibe overall, but it makes it hard to differentiate one song from another. Overall, a perfect soundtrack for the kind of sex you cry at the end of.

listened mostly as background noise so i don't know if i can give a proper review on the album, but i really liked it. good chill vibes album, definitely had some standouts. might listen another time or two to focus on the lyrics

Enjoyable. Really liked the 'Pyramids' track. 4/5.

4.5

Her er det mye chill groovy musikk som er digg å jobbe til, men som kan forsvinne litt i bakgrunnen for min del. Men det er også noen låter med en sykt kul unik sound jeg ikke har hørt så mye før. Særlig Pyramids er fantastisk, et heftig produsert lydbilde som bygges opp. Begynner å skjønne hvorfor alle musikknerder på nettet digger frank ocean

Me gusta este disco, pero me resulta demasiado largo.

Great album to put on in the background of doing just about anything. Found a few songs that I really like. Overall, chill vibe!

In my opinion, context shouldn't matter for the quality of an album. However, for Frank Ocean's proper studio debut the context surrounding it mattered a lot. This album's annoucement came with a Tumblr post by Ocean about his first romantic experience with another man at the age of 19 and how that moment from years before influenced his songs. I turned 20 in 2012, so about that same age, and dealing with similar experiences myself so the annoucement immediately stroke a chord with me. I was only vaguely familiar with Ocean prior to that, not being a hip-hop or R&B fan, although an album released a couple of years before had momentarily turned me on to these genres. It was the right album at the right time. A few of these songs were very relatable to me, particularly the ballad "Bad Religion", and there was also a lot variety of style throughout the runtime, something I wasn't used to hearing in a lot of contemporary R&B. In 2016, unlike the majority of the online music community, I found Ocean's follow-up Blonde to be very dull and uninteresting and I haven't been keeping up with his or other Odd Future-adjacent releases. I still think this is a great album and an essential one of the early-10's alternative R&B movement, regardless of its context. Key tracks: Thinkin Bout You Sweet Life Super Rich Kids Pyramids Bad Religion

I’m 19 and I’m on a London Overground train

Was looking forward to a complete listen of this album as it's acclaimed by my peers. Overall, the tracks had a nice, smooth R&B sound to them. Recognized Thinkin Bout You and Lost.

Haven't listened to this album in a very long time, I remember liking it a lot. We shall see. Yeah this is great, I bet it would be even better if I sat down and tried to follow the story. But he's obviously a great singer, I love all the layered harmonies. I think my one complaint is that it stays kinda one-note for the whole album, it's all kinda that same chill R&B vibe throughout.

Frank Ocean only made 2 albums and is still one of the most popular artists on Spotify. This isn't a coincidence as this album is on here for being extremely creative and just great in general.

Frank Ocean is a new age goat, this album is influential for a ton of modern rap/indie type of music. I think there's a couple tracks that are just lacking a little bit in here that brings it down to a 4, but blonde would be a 5 if it was on here

I've never heard this album before. I wasn't sure what to expect but I like a lot of this album. The experimentation works more often than it misses. The production is great, even if not all of the songwriting pays off. This is a great choice for this list, as this is so much more than "just" an slow R&B album. There's a lot more going on here and I'm glad I've heard it. Not my kind of music typically, but I might actually listen to this from time to time now that I've heard it.

Some of these reviews are insane. Definitely deserved as one of the top albums of that decade. Pyramids and lost back to back is just crazy

Wow! I remember hearing great things about this, but only heard a select few. Great great album. 4.25 but more listens may bump that up.

I downloaded this album in 2012 due to it's critical acclaim and its' topping of many year-end lists. I previously wouldn't have looked much into such an "underground" album, but I had recently graduated college and was looking to broaden my musical horizons based on tastemakers' recommendations. I'm sure my familiarity with the content boosts my enjoyment a bit, but this album also had a decent impact on the 2010s alternative R&B sound that I've taken for granted.

Sweet, sensual & melodic. Unlike my father I appreciate Frank’s falsetto. A very nostalgic album for me.

If I had discovered this album in 2018 I would have been obsessed. Currently it's not my style anymore, but I'm going to rate it high with that in mind!

I’m on some kind of futuristic R&B trip with that album. I confess that Frank Ocean was one of those artists that I felt that I should have listened to by now, so thanks to this list for giving me a ‘wassup’. There are some killer lyrics on this disc - “my television ain’t HD cuz it’s too real”; “unrequited love for me is just a one-man cult”; “you don’t know how little you matter until you’re all alone”…. Damn, dog. I like (but don’t love) the vibe of the music but those lyrics cut me to the quick.

The second side of the album really picks up from the first half. Never heard this artist before but would be interested in hearing other albums

Urgh kenn ich extrem gut bruv

I love Frank. Blond is a better album but this still rules. I haven’t listened to Channel Orange in a long time and it was cool to revisit it.

Gear: Abyss DIANA MR Artwork: 🟧📺✨ Production: 🎧😘🤌 Music: 💔🌈🌌✨🎤🫗🔑 Rating: 🍊🍊🍊🍊/5

Gut - aber anstrengend

4/5

Frank is great.

Don't change the station

Frank ocean can make any topic sexy. Fucking guy could make the Holocaust sounds hot. He even has a song about Dragon Ball Z. I normally don't seek this kind of music out unless I'm trying to get laid. But I enjoyed this quiet a bit. FS: Pyramids

A classic. Not franks best work, but still a great listen. Some songs are a bit lame, but the ones that shine are so good you can easily forget that. Best song: Lost Worst song: Pilot Jones Most underrated song: Pyramids

I've not heard this album in years (it's 12+yrs old?!), but I knew I enjoyed it coming in. It's a solid album and doesn't feel like an R&B album, lots of experimental aspects. Sweet Life, Pyramid & Pink Matter are standouts. There's a few songs that I don't love, but even in those songs, I typically like the music/beat. They really should have half & quarter stars on this. 4.5/5 so it gets rounded down, mainly because I feel weird rounding up in this instance.

I don’t like everything on this album but I do like Thinkin Bout You, Super Rich Kids, Pyramids, Pink Matter, Lost, and even sometimes Bad Religion enough for 4 stars. Also. The Cure album was meant to get 3 stars, not 4 and that’s really only for Love Song.

I love a lot of this album. "Thinkin Bout You" is a flawless song. Vocals/lyrics/instrumentation are incredible. "Pyramids" - I could listen to this ten minute r&b/pop/dance suite(?) ten times in a row and not get tired of it. "Lost" - fun little catchy beat on this one Andre 3000 and Earl Sweatshirt both drop a verse  A few too many weak points (Forrest Gump, Monks, Pilot Jones, Sierra Leone) to be five stars....but this does have great replay-ability.

This was not for me

I really liked this. It felt very coherent and complete with the arc of a full album. It reminded me of Outkast in a lot of ways. I didn't love all the music, but I liked most of it. The lyrics and musicianship were great. I'm coming back to this for sure.

I liked this a lot more than I expected. I thought it was going to be a rap album, but really I'd put it closer to something like 70's soul. At times I got a Stevie Wonder vibe from some of the songs. Good stuff.

I bought this when it came out given the hype and listened to it on repeat until I liked it. I have not listened to it much since then -so it was good to get reacquainted. For me its not quite a 5 as its a bit overlong and the quality does dip a little - but really enjoyed a number of the tracks. Stand outs being - Thinkin Bout You, Super Rich Kids and Pyramids.

obviously solid. I used to feel like I was just being cranky by thinking this, but now I think it's just not my style, but Frank doesn't really have a great singing voice...

I actually liked this the most of his albums, has some of his best songs, and it's very consistent throughout, definetly influenced by artist I like such as Prince & Kanye. A

Very nice. I definitely want to come back to this one.

One of the most controversial artists I know of at the moment, barring legendary figures like Kanye. Frank Ocean had a great set of albums and then disappeared from the face of the Earth, only dropping lackluster appearances at festivals. The disappointment from this is understandable - channel ORANGE is a fantastic album that touches on many of the anxieties experienced by my generation. The album doesnt hold a special place in my heart, but the appreciation for the craft is audible in every song. Andre 3K feature is a nice bonus. 7.5/10

I had the unfortunate introduction to Frank Ocean when he self-sabotaged his headlining performance at Coachella last year. Thankfully it wasn't streamed at home, but hearing about what happened made me feel bad for the people who paid to see and support him. I understand that the man is reclusive, and has a history of this behavior, but there was an opportunity to be there for his fans. With that anecdote out of the way, I went into Frank's debut album channel ORANGE with an open mind. What I found was that I genuinely appreciated the sprawling, eclectic alternative R&B sound that he played with. The man was influenced by the likes of Stevie Wonder and Prince in his tenor delivery that can hit those falsettos, lyrics that deal with unrequited love in a rather descriptive and metaphorical manner, and the mixture of jazz, funk, and psychedelia in the instrumentation and production. Frank knows how to command a narrative and make the experience engaging, most notably in the 10-minute "Pyramids" with its extended metaphor of Cleopatra and the pyramids of Egypt to describe a pimp falling in love with a sex worker, over multiple movements that build into a sensual club beat ending with spacious guitar soloing from John Mayer. Frank also made the most of his guest features with Earl Sweatshirt's excellent bars on "Super Rich Kids", Tyler, the Creator's production and John Mayer's continued guitar noodling on "White", and André 3000's verse on "Pink Matter". Yet as much as I enjoyed this album's sprawling nature, it goes on longer than it should. At the very least, I would have cut out the interludes in the first half since "White" is the only one that genuinely contributed to the overall tone. That said, I'm glad to have tuned in to channel ORANGE and come to appreciate Frank Ocean, after that unfortunate first impression. Give this album a chance.