Reviews (page 6 of 13)
Very interesting vocal.
interesting sound, reminded me of electronic influences to R&B. Overall liked it.
-I’ve listened to a bunch of songs from Blond before but hadn’t actually heard too many songs from this album. It’s really good even if I do prefer what I’ve heard of Blond. Feels kind of like a reincarnation of early soul -Pyramids is one of the best R&B-adjacent songs I think ever -Favorites are Pilot Jones, Pyramids, and Lost
Great one, not a massive rap listener, but this soft rap, with really good and deep lyrics is making you travelling ! I recommend 100% and will probably keep listening to that
I needed more time to write an expansive review for this album but trust me, it's worth a listen.
Trip down memory lane, love this one
A great RnB album that sounded like a classic even when it was released. "Thinkin Bout You" is so heartfelt, and he really shows his chops on "Sweet Life". "Pyramids" is a trip... The whole thing feels like a slow, downward spiral. I think finding a non-ham-fisted way to include a DBZ reference is worth an entire stat alone. Fav tracks: Thinkin Bout You, Sweet Life, Super Rich Kids, Pyramids, Pink Matter
alli schwärmed vo dem album immer ide hööööchste tön. macht mich fast skeptisch aber bin offe. haha de PS1 startup sound isch funny. thinking bout you hani scho ghört (au vo vines glaub?). isch etz nöf so de sound und stil vo R&B wo mir gfallt. sierra leone hani etz au ehner langwilig gfunde. sweet life het coole bass cooli drums. daaa isch cool. sehr nice. würkli cool. erste richtig guete song. super rich kids kenni glaub au. geil mit de klavier viertel. er liebt major-7 chords. er singt huuuere guet. finds chli schleppend mit de ziit aber sehr cool. crack rock hani chli meh gfunde. pyramids coole bass. nocher sochli EDM time? aber de synthbass nocher au seehr geil. chli dark disco time meh als EDM. de song macht jo huuuere viel. find nöd alles glich cool. gitarresound am schluss isch schön. lost isch cute i guess. aso coole refrain. monks isch haaaard. riiichtig groovy seehr cooli chords bass amdumm goh. nöd meeeega mega geil. bad religion huuuere schös bild im taxi. huere geili chords. falsetto suuper. chords werded mit de zit chli four chord songig aber de prechorus lupfts. und de chorus um so meh. uuuuff. pink matter het wiedermol gitarre findi guet. song schleppt chli aber bass wieder cool wenner inechunt. aber ischmer chli zu seicht neoeoulig. uuuh andre 3000! aah charlie hunter isch glaub am bass. gump forrest gump. cute song geili dumfi drum machine und super giti parts.
omg start isch glaub d beste lied wo ich ghört han 💯💯💯 jap hahahah frank ocean isch sehr verbunde mitem drey für mich thinking bout forever kenni und isch für en mentig morge soo schön smooth han amugs nöd per se öppis geg interludes aber die sind bis jz echt arsch, respektiv wahrsch verstahn ich gad de kontext nöd gad super rich kids het en geile rhythmusitem mitem klaviiaaaaar FAST 10 MIN PYRAMIDS BETTER BE GOOD so allgemein isch bis jz alles sehr smooth und gentle gsii aber s isch alles chli ah mier verbiizoge UHH DÖ DÖ DÖ DÖÖ FUNNY STUFF jjjoo find das bis jz s erste lied wo nöd wüki guet galteret isch hmm de zweit teil findi chli cooler aber ja s isch nüt unglaublichs, au wenn immer wieder die funny synthis sache mached LOST RIIIESE BANGER monks het sehr cooli drums hmm end isch wieder absolut forgettable d highs sind unglaublich high mussmer sege, doch das sind jz für mich halt würkli 2 lieder gsi wo ich sehrsehr gern gha han, aes andere isch eifach chli gsi? aber ja er cha singe und es isch sehr kohärent, schwanke drum sochli zwüscheme 3 und 4
a potato flew around my room before you came
Very cool album with some great grooves. Never paid much attention to him before but it’s cool
If John Legend was more artistic and a risk taker he would be Frank Ocean. This is engaging, unique, avant garde music. Lyricism that explores off script concepts and abides by no rules. Excellent song structure and fantastic singing. The album hits its groove in the second half and I fully anticipate this will get better with subsequent listens.
Turns out odd future lived up to the hype
Too many white lies and white lines
I just realized upon listening that I have never sat down and listened to Frank Ocean before. Great lyricism and vocals, very introspective, Super Rich Kids is great. My only knock is that it has this stretched out, tired energy throughout. Maybe thats the intention behind it, felt like I was driving home in a downpour.
Superb Album. Big plus for the PS1 sound at the beginning
i'm gonna make some people mad: the biggest roadblock preventing me from fanboying over Frank Ocean's music (aside from his inability to get his worthless ass out of the piazza and back to the typewriter) is a problem he shares with another indie darling: Sufjan Stevens. despite their earnestness, despite their embrace of the "concept album", i still find myself drawn more to the singles outlining points in the plan rather than the project overall. obviously i enjoy "Pyramids", or "Thinkin' Bout You", or "Sweet Life" (i'm not some obstinate, no fun asshole), but i think that the scattershot concept of loves lost doesn't really hold up under inspection. in the uneasy balance of character acting and personal expression, i find myself disengaged from what narrative could be gleaned. is this album about a rich character who makes his girlfriend run coke deals, or is it about Frank Ocean, the man, dealing with issues of having his heart broken (again and again and again)? if it's a conflict between his desire and his reality, then sonically, i don't think it's a great display OF that conflict. the production is good, the lyrics are good, and the track-by-track flow is good; sitll, it's never quite great, never a true masterpiece, of which i don't think either Frank Ocean or Sufjan Stevens have had. i like Frank Ocean, but i can't bring myself to love him. what's so bad about that?
This must be what Xanax feels like. I don’t hate it. It’s just more relaxed and pared down than I’m used to. There’s a lot of good stuff here. I like that it’s quiet and mellow. Feels like the kind of record that gets better with every listen.
Heard this many times already. Good album, he basically comes out in this album and lyrically it’s centered around a love and relationship type vibe the whole time and it makes more sense when put together at the end
To be honest, R&B and soul aren’t really my thing, especially when it comes to modern R&B and soul. I remember when this album came out, and I skimmed through it briefly but never really gave it a proper listen. I overlooked it and never came back to it—until now. Finally listening to Channel Orange from beginning to end, I have to admit, I really enjoyed it. Frank Ocean as a vocalist initially came off as a bit cliché and average to me, but as the album went on, I found myself appreciating his singing more. The production is really good, with a laid-back, chill, and atmospheric, dreamy feel that pulls you in.
Great album, already new a bunch of songs but never listened to it in full. Favorites - Super rich kids, thinkin about you, lost, pyramids Least favorites - Pilot Jones
Not bad
this was a cool album and i'm glad it's on this list. i was aware of frank ocean but never really listened to his music when it was popular. there are some really well-crafted tracks here and plenty of depth on repeated listenings. to dismiss it entirely (like some reviewers clearly have) feels very ignorant and close-minded. favorites: thinkin bout you, sierra leone, sweet life, super rich kids, pyramids, forrest gump
I thought it was pretty novel. I know Frank Ocean, but I don't think I've heard many of these songs just the popular pop ones that made it big.
Mislio sam da ću odmah nakeljiti jedinicu kad sam pročitao o cemu se radi... ali reko ajde, neću biti zatucan i dat cu priliku i onda vidim ima zanimljivih colaba pa idem... Cujem paljenje plejke reko to je to XD Jebote, album je toliko chill, funky, jebeni aranžmani, toliko bogato, toliko instrumenata, prekrasni synthevi, prejebeni retro bubnjevi, cak mi nije ni njegov glas bio problem, dapače!! Fakat ima jeeeebenih stvari. Ali najviše od svega nisam ocekivao skoro DESETOMINUTNU progressivr psychedelic soul pjesmu... Ovo zaslužuje stvarno ozbiljo slusanje, sigurno cu ga jos koji puta poslušati.. Ovo mi je otvorilo vidike. Hvala! 8/10 Kad sam čuo paljenje plejke n
8.5/10 Doslo vrijeme i za nesto novije, sto mi je bas drago. Iako je proslo vec 12 godina od ovog albuma, jos uvijek zvuci jako svjeze i jedan je od najcjenjenijih u "alternativnom" R&B-u i indie glazbi opcenito u zadnjoj dekadi. Nisam ga nikad slusao u cijelosti a kad je izasao sam ga skroz izignorirao i nakeljio label "Fabo glazba koja mi se nece svidjeti". Zadnjih godina sam, izmedju ostalih, R&B sve vise zavolio kao zanr, a Thinkin Bout You i Fertilizer sam si zadnjih mjeseci pustio vec previse puta for my own good. Cak mi je i intro super jer koristi zvuk paljenja Playstationa jedinice i Street Fightera sto me na samom pocetku malo podmitilo jer eto, nostalgija. Kako album ide, samo nalazim nove favorite - Pyramids, White i Lost mi odmah sjedaju i kuzim da se popis samo povecava. Takodjer, dosta ljudi je suradjivalo na ovom albumu koje dosta cijenim, poput Tylera, Andre 3000 iz Outkasta, John Mayera i Pharrella. U isto vrijeme, puno zanrova i stilova se ispreplece ovdje - od soul-popa, nesto psihodelije, jazza, funka, hip-hopa, gdje je sve pomijesano u meni jako tasty blend. Ovo mi je ne samo prolaz, vec uzivam u svakoj minuti i u toj honeymoon fazi prema ovom albumu se bas trudim da mu ne dam jos visu ocjenu.
Lost White Monks Bad religion Felt Andre3000 in pink matter Lost me at Forrest Gump Overall excellent album, great listen
Some tracks were felt a bit too poppy, others were really enjoyable. 3.5 rounded to 4 just because of Pyramids being a great ttrack.
My creative goat, this has wonderful tunes and creativity on full display, but tons of taste too and restraint. Blonde is even better tho
Tycker det här var bra till riktigt bra. Trodde inte det men skivan levererade många bra låtar. Skönt stund, bra att jobba till Kommer förmodligen lyssna igen.
I somehow missed the whole Frank Ocean thing. I remember everyone talking about him and all my friends listening to him, but I never did for whatever reason. I was pretty sure I'd never heard one of his songs, but I realized I knew "Thinkin Bout You" and just never knew who sang it. I really liked this album. It sounds fresh, and it's vibey. He's got a great voice — sort of like a cross between Usher and Stevie Wonder. The lyrics are clever and often funny. The mix of R&B, soul, electronic, and rock is a good combo and reminds me of Prince or Janelle Monae. The guest features from John Mayer (or his guitar, really) and Andre 3000 were cool. The only reason I'm not giving it a 5 is because I'm just never going to be an interlude fan (even though they're more tolerable here than most). It's also kind of long — I wouldn't necessarily say overly so, but because Pyramids is almost 10 minutes, I feel like a couple other songs could've been cut to tighten it up a bit. 4.5/5
An absolutely phenomenal R&B album. I know that's not saying much, but this record stays fresh and interesting well beyond any single that it may have produced. Not quite Janelle Monet status but pretty good
Solid 4/5, loved it as an album, not too familiar with Frank’s work other than Ivy & pink + white. So was nice to listen to a full album of his. His music makes me feel lonely in a soothing but simultaneously heartbreaking way :-)
A decent R&B album. The vocals were solid. The lyrics were traditional R&B, nothing truly unique. Overall, a four star effort from Frank Ocean.
I wore this album out in 2012.
I just liked the songs that I knew. The album as a whole was ok.
This album is a little juvenile, and the songs where Ocean is in full crooner mode can be boring, but the best of the best are fun, inventive tunes. I completely understand why it rocked the worlds of so many high schoolers when it came out (i.e. my peers) and continues to to this day. 3.5/5
Interesting vibe. Good first listen.
i cant help but float in space your fading face is passing by
Fairly innovative and sounds are smooth, or rounded.. bmvery pleasant
Really enjoyed this album. Would listen to again
He is a good singer and I like the melodies. The song with Earl Sweatshirt is the best. And Pyramids is a crazy ride, some of the weird retro scales remind me of capcom games.
This might go down as a classic R&B/Soul album - Frank is a great vocalist - I liked this quite a bit.
FO a don
Very good but it is not on the level of Blond yet. The highlight was probably Piramids but I liked the ending of it the most. Ofc super rich kids is a classic too
Great songs
love Frank O
I knew some songs, i like the album.
Excellent vibes, lots of fun tracks!
I really liked the lyrics. Not my typical genre, but I would listen again.
To be honest, R&B and soul aren’t really my thing, especially when it comes to modern R&B and soul. I remember when this album came out, and I skimmed through it briefly but never really gave it a proper listen. I overlooked it and never came back to it—until now. Finally listening to Channel Orange from beginning to end, I have to admit, I really enjoyed it. Frank Ocean as a vocalist initially came off as a bit cliché and average to me, but as the album went on, I found myself appreciating his singing more. The production is really good, with a laid-back, chill, and atmospheric, dreamy feel that pulls you in.
You haven't lived until you've hit a bongload of DMT to "Pyramids"
Loses a point for not being as good as blonde or endless
Didn't hate this. A few songs were choice.
Beautifully crafted, raw, honest examination of the central themes of relationships within the context of addiction and economic difficulty.
Classic, Blonde clears it by a mile
Wow! Frank Ocean seems to fill that beauty-fusion space in between didactic, rhyme driven rap and melody driven pop/rock that so few have been able to populate. Lest I say his name, he’s like a Kayne with something to say. Lyrics like “Nah, I’m lying…down” from “Thinkin’ About You” (with such impeccable timing) and the entirety of “Crack Rock” and “Sweet Life” are art, allowing an inside view and understanding of another subjective reality.
Wow. I initially laughed at and rejected this. I made fun of it with Milla. I mocked it when Eduardo, Osama, and I were chatting on the weekend. And now I've listened to it. In its entirety. More than once. And I'm fascinated. By the music, by the lyrics, by the interludes, by the rich nature of its tapestry and its amalgamation of influences. I hear more than a half century of musical referencing through this album. It also makes me wonder if I'm wasting my life. I want to live in some of these songs. Well--maybe just take a vacation in them. I've never been so wrong in my first impressions. This album sticks and surprises.....my only reservation is that because of its veneer, because of its first impressions, it might get tangled in genre limitations and fail to reach beyond its initial audience. I never would have given this album a chance if it had not been for this exercise and two very persuasive friends.
I’ve been listening to this for the last 6 years and admittedly it took me a while to get into it, but again once it clicked, I really enjoyed most of it. Love pyramids, crack rock, pilot jones, and thinking about you. Most of it is very feel good and reminds me of being young and at the start of a relationship. Can hear Stevie, prince, and Marvin all throughout this album. Would have loved to listen to this in my mid 20s!
R&B without the same old tired lyrics! Love it.
It's got some excellent songs and some fairly average songs that I just don't get. His voice is obscenely good and he should be making more music than what he's already achieved
Amazing summer vibes. Just a perfect album to put on for a long sunny road trip. I much prefer Channel Orange to Blonde, probably due to the cool vibes on this one. Also lol at all the dad rock fans losing it in the comments
I heard it for the first time. I like it. Surprised me. I think I'll like it less the 2nd time without the element of surprise. Favorite song: lost
This album is clearly very influential on the next decade or so of pop music, and it has some great moments - Thinking Bout You and Pyramids stood out to me. I thought Blonde was a bit more coherent as a full album but this was still great.
The music is the vibe of tropical beach flavoured vacation house. But the interludes are very, I'm angry at my mother and the people I went to boarding school with. It did open up a few questions about his sexuality and why he writes the music he writes. Pretty good debut album.
First time listen. Overall strong album. Favorite track: Lost.
Even if modern soul/R&B isn't my favourite genre by a long shot, you can't deny Frank Ocean's voice and his songwriting abilities. This and Blonde are both great albums. All I will say is that Pyramids sticks out like a sore thumb by being so damn good.
7/10
My first Frank Ocean experience. Very enjoyable, very chill.
Well this was some good shit. I don't know if it's transcendant as many make it to be, but it's a hell of a groove. I do think this is one of the few albums, regardless of genre, that gets what sadness is. There's plenty of agony and ecstacy, I mean, that's what the blues are built on, right? But they don't do nuance -- and this album is all nuance. All the troubles -- sex, money, home, family, legacy -- they're all just there as inescapable as in the ambient buzz around us all.
franks voice and the production is always great on his releases. ive been listening to this on and off for a while prior to this generation. i enjoyed almost all of the songs here except for thinking bout you that just never clicked with me for some reason. consistency is kind of iffy for me, but i dont think its necessarily a bad thing here. i like the drums in sweet life and monks, and they ended up as my favorites because of that. 4 personal favs: sweet life, pyramids, monks
I liked this more than I expected. Definitely the more mellow side of rap.
I hear a lot of Stevie Wonder influence in this record. I love the production on this, especially how crisp the drums sound throughout. My complaints register that there may be a few too many interludes throughout, and that the album just kind of... ends. The songs don't really have much in the way of evolving, and the subdued nature of the record works against it at some points. That being said, the vibes are solid. Favorite tracks: "Super Rich Kids", "Thinkin Bout You", "Pyramids"
Already listened to, very good album and I personally liked it more than Blonde. I felt like it contained more interesting beats and a well executed theme.
Excellent album. Excellent time 2012.
I’m sooo close to giving this 5 stars that I’ve had to reflect on it for a couple of weeks. I really like the clever fill-ins of “radio talk”. It feels like being back in high school, flipping through the radio stations and finding a favorite song that’s already into the last chorus, but you’ve gotta stop and listen. My teenage daughter was shocked when I turned this album on in the car. I was shocked that she knew anything in this list. Lol
used to be obsessed with frank. blonde is better in my opinion but there’s some hits on here
Really great R&B - was pleasantly surprised that this album was included. Loved the themes of wealth and disaffection
Excellent album, listened more than 3 times
Man. This goes between a three and a four. There is some generic filler here but the good songs really work.
This is the first album that I had listened through all the way prior to the list. I consider myself a frank ocean fan. This is an interesting album, it goes all in on the electronic R&B sound and showcases Franks vocals. There are great tracks, thinking bout you, Super Rich Kids, crack rock, lost, monks, forest gump, and of course pyramids (which is the stairway to heaven of electronic R&B). However there are so many interludes. Start, end, white, pilot jones, fertilizer, its all a bit unnecessary. There are a lot of highs on this album and very few lows. These tracks have been with me so long I dont know how to assess them anymore. I think they're a bit aged and not to spoil it but I think Blonde is an improvement on every front.
Was not into this album when it released, but digging this now.
I love the PS2 and street fighter sound effects in the beginning of the album, then “Thinking bout you” is such a good song that the following tracks seem like a bit of a let down. “Super Rich Kids” comes close to that high then we get to “Pyramids”, which is better than it has any right to be at 10 minutes long. What a bizarre ass feature of John Mayer in “White”; it completely works as a break before the last third of the album. This album goes on a sinusoidal path of great songs to not so great songs and back. The lows aren’t even that low though; it’s all good stuff. There are a. Couple of skips for me toward the end but by and large this is great. Really good sunny day driving album, and on multiple listens the lyrics are great too. Really enjoyed this one.
its luh calm
You can see there's great things coming from Frank Ocean
Surprisingly enjoyable from beginning to end.
This is a pretty great mix of R&B, funk, and pop. The production is very "rich". I was actually quite blown away with how easy of a listen it was, and ran through it twice.
I’ve heard of frank ocean but I’ve never listened to his music before. He is very talented, I enjoy this album.
Pretty good, one to try again.
Awesome album
Beautiful album.
This is an album that I really should enjoy a lot. It's from the time when I was in my early twenties, I like Hip-Hop and soul and "Lost" is a great song. For some reason I have always had trouble getting in to the whole album though. I just get kind of bored after a few songs. The same happened this time but I still think it's a good album. There is something very good going on with the mix of soul and hip hop. A very chill listen but not many tracks stand out except for "Lost". A chill album with a great single, going to be generous and give it a weak 4.
Really good
I didn't really get into Frank Ocean until Blond (which is to this day one of my favorite albums of all time). I was into Odd Future/Tyler the Creator-adjacent music so I listened to Channel Orange when it came out and it didn't blow me away. I thought Frank had a great voice but what he did on CO didn't feel that groundbreaking or unique, especially compared to the projects that other OF members were putting out (Tyler, Earl, etc). In the years since, CO has really grown on me. It's the type of album that benefits from repeated listens and getting to know the songs/lyrics. What isn't present in experimentation is made up for with strong melodies and hooky songs: Thinkin Bout You, Sierra Leone, Super Rich Kids, Pilot Jones, Pyramids, Lost, these are all such iconic songs that really stick with you after repeated listens. There are still some in-between songs that I don't care much for, but most of what's here is great.
Very good. Never heard before
Off to a real interesting start on this RNB record. Sweet Life is good. A really good record that I have no idea what to do with or how to rate it.
I can definitely see how this album wouldn’t be for everyone. I specifically remember the first time I heard it I really didn’t like it but the more I heard a few of the songs I came to love it more and more. Super rich kids is my fave but thinkin bout you, pyramids, and lost are all great.
There are a lot of great songs on this album and Frank Ocean’s singing voice is fantastic. Easy to go back to for either the hits or to go through the entire album. It’s a nine out of ten for me, but on the five star scale I’m gonna have to round down to four.
Wow, well it was about time to give some recognition to Frank Ocean
Such a smooth album. Frank Ocean's voice is velvety smooth. Admittedly I've always struggled a bit to get into R&B but this record is quite enjoyable to me. Some really nice bass lines, keys, and groovy rhythms. There are some serious standouts. For the R&B genre, this is definitely a record that needs to be listened to. The perfect album to throw on in the background at a dinner party or something. I love the song Super Rich Kids.
I love this record, but its kind of a slow burn. It takes time and re-listens. I still don't know if I like Blonde more, I've spent more time with Blonde but this is definitely the framework. No Blonde without channel Orange. If I was to genre this record, I would say its "anti-pop r&b." It really is a true R&B album. Its got the blues, the jazz, the funk, the soul. There are parts of this record that sound like church. What makes it "anti-pop" to me, is that it takes elements of modern r&b and winks / nods at it, and then completely rejects it with style / lyrics and composition. It reminds me very much of what Tyler Childers is doing with country music right now. What's also interesting to me about this album, is that it doesn't really take off until about halfway through. The first few songs are a mix of samples and short sequences, before it picks up into longer more in-depth songs. I love the run from Super Rich Kids through Lost. Its a little more vibey and upbeat. It captures the listener. You get a quick palate cleanser provided by John Mayer with White and then it goes a completely different direction with Monks > Bad Religion > Pink Matter > Forrest Gump. It takes a slower, more emotional, soulful turn. Even the Andre 3000 song feels slower and more soulful. The lyrics are pretty emo, but he also plays with elements of SoCal culture like money, rich kids, fashion and even punk music with Monks and Bad Religion. This really is an album that I would not have gravitated towards 5 years ago, and even when it starts, I wince a little. "Thinkin Bout You" is not my favorite song and it first it kind of sounds like poppy r&b that I typically don't love. But as I've listened to this album I can hear the influences and really respect and love it. I can hear Stevie Wonder in his voice, Isaac Hayes in the stoner psychy composition, Marvin Gaye in the lyrics. And then an overall wink and nod and modern r&b while very intentional inventing something entirely new. It is fantastic.
never heard a song from him before, only hear his name sometimes. good stuff mostly, looking forward to 'blonde'
✅✅✅ not in my edition of the book. but an absolute classic. verses from Andre 3000 and Earl Sweatshirt are highlights. always worth a revisit.
I have a debate that I like to have which started with a bit in an Anthony Bourdain book. He talks about Orson Welles and how, if nothing else he ever made was as good, he was still up there as one of the greats because he made fucking Citizen Kane. I disagree with Tony on this, because I think that Welles directed quite a few other good films (as well as a whole load of shit) but also because I think the mark of a great artist, a great auteur, is the ability to consistently produce work of high quality. It’s the difference between a Harper Lee and a Shakespeare say, a writer who produced one work but a very good one, and one who had a much wider range of work, which is not all equally good, but none of which is actively bad. Of course, there is a secret third option, which I like to call the Tolstoy. Put out a generation definingly good piece of art every ten years or so. This ultimately means that you produce less work than some people, but that the work you do produce is arguably better remembered because of it’s brevity. This seems to be the approach taken by Frank Ocean, who at this point hasn’t released any new music in 8 years. Agent Orange is very, very good, a pioneering piece of minimalist Alternative-R&B that basically set the foundation for what R&B and other forma of black music would sound like for the next decade. And nothing can take that away from Ocean. But I do feel that if he wants to secure his legacy properly, he should release that third album, and soon.
3.5 oo 5
Solid album. Really good.
Ten years ago this would have been a no brainer 5 for me. I've cooled off of it a bit because Frank Ocean has since leaned into the weirder parts of this album, but there are some all time fave songs for me here.
The way this album starts fucks so hard. The PlayStation and Street Fighter sounds really put me into a different headspace right away. Then, Thinkin Bout You starts and it's so delicate and intimate. Very cool way to start an album. Wordplay and references were very enjoyable. Not my typical style, but I had a good time with this album.
Will be great on a sunny day with a drink
A really solid, if not a little inconsistent album, that in some ways have aged [i]really[/i] poorly. There's more transcendent jams here than clunkers, but man there are some absolute [i]stinkers[/i] on this record (Sierra Leone, Pilot Jones) and a couple highly rated songs that just sound so narcotized and bland a decade plus on (I'm looking at [i]you[/i] "Super Rich Kids"). The light conceptual structure of this album, with it's commercial jingle interludes and start-up sounds contributes absolutely nothing. At it's best this is wry, disaffected commentary on the cultural and social cesspool that is Los Angeles, but having not lived in California for almost 8 years now that speaks to me less and less with each passing day. Except in the case of "Sweet Life" which just reminds me more of the ignorant folks I still know from CA who ask things like "Whats it like living in [i]the south[/i]?" even though my city and community is far more diverse and interesting than their wholly gentrified neighborhoods in like Highland Park or where ever. There's no questioning how much of an event the release of this record was and I have vivid memories of listening to this upon it's midnight release and immediately understanding how much of an impact this would have. It's better than [Album7630705], which I am due for a revisit of but is an album I recall as being one of the most boring highly regarded records I've ever heard, which my be more of a signposting of shifting generational trends. There's also no questioning how much Frank Ocean's laissez-faire take on celebrity has chipped away at the mystique of these records. I got to see Ocean perform live once in the lead-up to this record and he was never a strong live performer to begin with and then every cancelled festival set (FYF 2015) or catastrophic appearance (Coachella 2023) didn't help the reputation. At the end of the day I'm pretty sure I'm just being needlessly critical and salty, this is still a really nice album I just don't think it shines quite as bright as it did on release, time has allowed a fair bit of rust to set in.
Surprised at this one. Not usually something I'd go for yet I found myself being drawn back to it. Great production, sharp lyrics, catchy hooks. I'm sold. Very impressed.
I had never heard this one. Pretty good sound, and Frank Ocean has a great voice. I enjoyed it quite a bit. But man, what I wouldn’t give to have a separate version of so many hip hop and R&B albums that removes all of the interludes/intros/outros/skits. You’re just getting into the groove by a master musician, then you have to wait through a skit that sounds like it was written by a middle schooler. Totally takes me out of it. It’s not unique to this album, and these aren’t the worst out there, it’s just a pet peeve of mine.
This album was in constant rotation for me back in the 2010’s, especially “Lost” and “Pyramids”. I was already a fan of Franks mixtape but when Channel Orange was released I was blown away. The strings on “Sierra Leone” are beautiful and give this album the first bit of magic, a hint at the surreal introspection to come. “Sweet Life” is the first highlight for me on this album. I love the interplay between the bass and keys and that chorus is huge! On “Pilot Jones” Frank really flexes his Psychedelic muscle, much the way Miguel did on Kalaidescope Dream and Wildheart. The reversed synth in the background gives me Radiohead vibes. “Crack Rock” has DJ Shadow, almost trip-hop type drums over chilled keys which takes me to the late 90’s. Then there’s “Pyramid”. This song is epic. It seems to travel through time to many points in history while sounding futuristic at the same time. The transition at the half way point is crazy and John Mayer’s guitar sounds other worldly at the end. “Lost” has that cool Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas sample hidden in the background on second verse that seems very fitting for the nature of the album. John Mayer makes another stellar guitar appearance on “White”. I also love Andre 3000’s verse and guitar contributions on “Pink Matter”. Channel Orange is full of heartbreak while living life through the lens of excess that comes with fame. It feels like a movie more than an album. Intense moments are in slow motion allowing you to take in the emotion just as much as the spectacle. I give this one a 4.5.
Lots of really good stuff going on here, I love the layering of sounds and the smooth vocals. I can see why the hype exists. In the end, really enjoyed it, but it’s not quite up there with some of my favorite hip hop / R&B that I’ve heard on this list. A strong 4 from me.
Huge inspiration for my producing. Makes me want to leave my set half way through
Ordentlicher klarer und melodischer Rap mit passenden Klang und Popelementen. Man kann das Album chillend im Hintergrund laufen lassen ohne das es stört. Ein ordentlicher Song ist “Pyramide”. Insgesamt ist das Album zu lang. Oceans ruhige Stimme kompensiert dies zum Glück.
понравился волнами - сначала показалось вторичный микс Мигеля и (того как я представляю) Дона Гловера, потом втянулась (Мигель фтв!), потом как-то всё-таки хорновато и дженерик
A very solid hip hop album with a nice variety of supporting sounds implemented. Didn't care all that much about the subject matter and maybe was a little heavy on the high vocals, but I still liked it
3.5
Favorite track: "Thinkin Bout You"
Man what a great album, amazing performance by Frank on basically every song, and to think he has an even better album then this. 4.5/5
Drop some new music please Frank. This album's pretty great, I liked a lot of the songs I was less familiar with, though I don't particularly like any of the short tracks/interludes, they just feel like a waste of time and disrupt the flow. The album in general doesn't flow well for me at all. Pyramids into Lost just feels wrong. Because I love Blonde so much, and this album pales so much in comparison its hard to even consider a 5, but there are so many great pop songs on this one - it delivers something different to Blonde that is still a great listen but for different reasons. For me though something about the album feels disingenuous - instead of the vulnerability and raw emotion that Blonde has, it has shiny synths and stories about strippers, mosh pits and wet tits and rich kids living in LA. With hindsight it doesn't feel right. Fave Tracks: Thinkin Bout You, Super Rich Kids, Pyramids, Lost 4.3/5
Favourite tracks: thinking about you; pyramids; crack rock; sierra leone
Loves: Sierra Leone Sweet Life Pyramid Pink Matter Dislikes: Super Rich Kids Pilot Jones Notes: The vibe is so close to being there. I love the experimental elements, the genre blending, the vocals, and the whole idea, but it needs to go a little further.
Classic Frank, great album, not much to say. Favorite Song: Lost ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Punched me straight in the nostalgia glands as starts with the original noise from the PS1. After that it continues with smooth, soul/hip-hop and its pretty solid. Some tracks kinda fade into background but overall this was a pleasant experience
This is someone I'd been interested in checking out for quite some time and didn't get to it. I can understand the hype. It's a good album. Lyrics and performance come off as authentic, which is always important to me. Some good tunes here. Walks the hip-hop/soul/R&B/pop line really well. I like the way the songs were fleshed out in the studio. Good use of backup vocals, something I think a lot of artists in these genres forget about today. Reminds me a little of Pharrell, and I hear Prince coming through on some tracks.
cool cool cool summer music vibes, a bit
if i could give this a 9/10 i would.
Really good album beginning to end. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Faktiskt ganska bra, inte tråkigt nån gång och bra produktion. Vissa trumbeats var väldigt groovy.
Frank Ocean voelt als een kruising tussen John Legend en Pharrel Williams met een vleugje Stevie. Hij heeft een uitstekende stem, uitgespreid op een bedje van beatjes en scratches. Maar er zit ook af en toe een lekker gitaartje in. Alles bij elkaar klinkt het eigenlijk erg lekker en luistert het fijn weg. Het is niet helemaal mijn muziek, maar het stoort me geen moment. Waarschijnlijk omdat de beste man een prima potje kan zingen. Ik heb niet eens gemerkt dat het meer dan een uur duurde. Ik zit me nu te bedenken of ik dit nog een keer op zou zetten. Ik vraag het me af, want we hebben nog genoeg huiswerk te maken natuurlijk, we zitten immers pas op de 400 albums. Maar ik denk eigenlijk dat ik dit prima nog een keer kan opzetten en dat ik me weer goed kan vermaken. Waarom zou ik er dan niet gewoon een keer 4 sterren voor uitdelen?
I thought this was a solid debut when it came out during my time at the radio station/beginning of college/end of high school. He's got a great voice and this was a very extravagant album. Fertilizer, Pyramids, Forrest Gump, Thinkin 'Bout You, Crack rock, Super Rich Kids, Sweet Life and Bad Religion are my standouts. The album may be a little long and every song isn't for me but even if the whole album tires on me the songs that hit are too instant to ignore.
That was pretty good, plus I really like the album cover
A classic. I didn’t “discover” Frank Ocean until high school and this album reminds me of junior/senior year. So for that reason alone I cannot give it all 5 stars
Very cool album
Good, not for me.
I can see why people like this album. I couldn’t listen to it all the time, but it’s a really cool album.
Nice to listen to, set a good theme for the day
A pretty sexy little album. pyramids is a favourite. Some of the tracks are a miss but overall I think this has had some lasting influence on music. Pyramids followed by lost was a treat
This one takes me back. Super essential album that served as a powerful examination of the relationship between wealth and desparation. As an added bonus, it is infinitely listenable considering it's vocal hooks, production, and overall focus on groove that spans from electronica influences to callbacks to Stevie Wonder. I'm no where near as obsessed as some of the fanatics out there (please explain, someone...?) but this is a killer album.
Took me several attempts over this years but this time it just clicked for me! I get it now, great stuff.
Greta and chill vibes, lyrics are sometimes a bit simple or maybe it's just the flow that bothers me
I’ve listened to this album on and off since around the time it was released, although not as often the past few years. It is still excellent, its sound hasn’t aged poorly.
Frank has a great sound
Honestly I am kind of amazed that I never really listened to this record when it came out. It was the hottest shit and everyone was into it. I don't know what I was expecting this record to be but this isn't it. This is lovely and interesting and strange. It's in one of those sweet spots where you could play it at a party or at dinner or while you're cleaning or while you're doing homework. I love that. I could obviously do without the John Mayer feature but tbh I didn't even notice it when it was happening and only when I looked at the track listing so there's that. The Andre 3000 feature is dope.
I've listened to very little R&B, but I enjoyed this quite a bit. I like that it varies up its song structures and borrows from a bunch of musical styles, from soul to funk to that bit in Pyramids where it turns into a buzzy electronic song. It helps that Frank Ocean has a good voice and good lyrics. The bit on Crack Rock about drug addiction leading to your family not trusting you to hold a baby anymore is a good example. There's a level of detail and specificity that makes it come off as honest.
Very lovely, never listened to the full album. Some real classic songs on here for me.
I have listened to this album a ton. Super sick when it came out but I am not as into it anymore.
A quintessential summer album of the 2010's, feels like sun on my skin at the park Best Song: Sweet Life Worst Song: N/A
This album would be for mi mandarina linda if I ever had one
It’s good, love the variety of songs on this album. Seems to have been captured at just the right time and place.
R&B has always been a very hit or his genre for me, with greats like Marvin Gaye or Stevie Wonder being masters of not only their craft, but tend to run circles around others, whilst groups in the 90s tend to annoy me at best, be some of the worst music I've heard at worst. When we get to the modern era of R&B, however, I'll admit I'm very in the dark. I mean, I know artists like Drake hit those mainstream checkmarks to count as a R&B artist, and there are smaller cases of stuff I know, but it is assuredly a blind spot in my music taste. So, here comes Frank Ocean to open up that horizon a bit more for me. Now, I obviously know of Frank Ocean (although I'll admit I didn't know the difference between him and Billy Ocean at first) but I had literally never heard a single track by him, other than a meme video parodying it back in the Vine days, so this was a new experience. However, I knew the modern classic that is Blonde existed, and plan to listen to it very soon, but I knew very little about this release. Frank Ocean with this single album, though, has completely opened my eyes to one of my blindspots. That's not to say I now know every little thing on the genre; Hell, this is technically "alternative," so it could very well not represent the genre at all, but at the very least this release puts into perspective a big portion of music I've been sleeping on, and I hope to correct that soon. The instrumentation is catchy and funky whilst still oozing you into the groove, no drugs needed, and can allow any emotion to seep into the music without much issue. Ocean's lyrics are also very poignant, reflecting on moments that are easy to relate to whilst still having a deep sense of personal feeling sfrom him himself. Every feature also fits into the album perfectly, never being overused to make up for what may be lacking elsewhere. It is a very cohesive project that is extremely good at its own art. Not every track is something worth going crazy over, and I do think that is the biggest flaw here, is variation. There is plenty of changes in tempo and subject matter, but it all feels like one coat of paint, and that would be great on a shorter record, but at almost an hour long, things can wear thin in seemingly random places. The amount of interludes feel unnecessary, and it can sometimes feel like the same style of track get thrown back-to-back, rather than being spaced out, leading to awkward pacing, but when this album gets it right, it really nails it. If there's one thing this album does for me, its that it gets me hyped for Blonde better than any one figure's word of mouth does, and I'll be looking into listening to that record in the coming days. Until then, this was a solid venture into unknown territory.
It's hard to say that this album is bad. It dances on the line of great and bad so well. Frank really has a thing for hyper specific pop culture references, awkward spoken word, and ectremely literal descriptions of life. But the sound is great throughout, and sometimes when the sound, vocals and lyrics intertwine it really feels like an all time classic record. At the very least, it's one I'll revisit in the future.
Nice surprise! Although it's not my style, I rate these kind of surprises with ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I had never listened to Frank Ocean before, I really liked this album. I can definitely hear the Stevie Wonder influence, and the tune Sierra Leone could almost be on Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” album. I did think that “Pyramids” went on too long and that the end of the album slowed down too much, although I did like all the songs, just felt that there could have been some more variety in the feels/tempos on the tail end. Overall though I enjoyed this album very much.
I really liked this album but did not care for the last three songs
Great voice, great chill vibe to this album. I particularly enjoyed Pyramid, Crack Rock, Lost, Bad Religion and Pilot Jones
Mellow artful R&B perfection. Every song weaves its own fascinating story. Love the beats and his buttery-smooth vocals. I have listened to this one before and loved it for a long time so I am biased. Even if he doesn’t know how to perform live. Best song: Pyramids
Muy elegante. 4/5
Chill, enjoyable album typical of early 2010s rnb/hip hop featuring simple samples and a strong emphasis on aesthetically pleasing lead vocals in the style of John legend.
A fascinating R&B fusion record that incorporates storytelling, singing, and samples to communicate honest perspectives on a range of modern experiences. Frank Ocean has impressive vocal capabilities, jumping from tenor to falsetto range for acrobatic dynamic control. The beats are mostly minimal, but serve as a driving vehicle for the vocal hooks and verses, which are impactful and catchy. Frank Ocean weaves his lyrics nimbly between humor and solemnity, and his guest features match the tone. A genre-bending triumph of a concept album. This was my first official foray into Frank Ocean, though I recognized tracks along the ride, and I really enjoyed it. The interlude tracks were a highlight too, and the features (Andre3000 and John Mayer especially) contributed a lot to the story. Stand out tracks include “Thinkin Bout You”, “Super Rich Kids”, “Crack Rock”, “Pyramids”, “White”, and “Bad Religion”.
greatest artist for me
Really a beautiful album that I probably should have revisited more times since its release. Definitely deserving of the accolades it got back then. Frank has such an effortlessly cool and understated vocal style, really enjoyed listening through this.
Any album that has a 9+ minute song I actually like deserves high praise. I remember this album being a critical darling when it came out, but for some reason I never listened. I’m glad this exercise forced me to do so cuz I really liked it! We had a family dance party to Pyramids this evening. Plus, there’s a love song to Forrest Gump. Maybe it’s a metaphor or some dumb shit, but I like to think Frank is literally in love with Forrest. Maybe a tad long front to back, but there’s too much good shit for anything less than a 4 in my mind. 4/5
Toen dit uitkwam in 2012 heb ik vaak gelezen dat dit zo’n goed album was. Dat is het ook zeker, met het muzikale Pyramids als hoogtepunt.
Pleasantly surprised by this album
Another very strong 4 - we’ve been on a bit of a roll as of late. There are some skits/interludes in here that don’t add anything for me but otherwise it’s a really solid record, with the big singles being clear highlights but the supporting tracks adding a lot to the vibe as well. Side note: why do Frank Ocean and SZA both low-key want to fuck Forrest Gump?
Fantastic album - imma need that new music soon my squire.
POV a tomato just flew around your room
Wouldn’t it be funny if ‘Crack Rock’ was called Black Cock. 4.5/5
Absolutely love this one. Not only is it groovy but (TMI warning) it is like the best sex music ever to be produced.
Spannendes Abwechslungsreiches Album. Werde ich definitiv öfters hören.
Not an album I have heard before. Interesting start with the video game sounds. Think it's great that it is a full album, not just singles. And there are some "filler" tracks.
Great album. Very little fat.
is the best
Modern klassiker.
Never gave it a shot when it came out but I really dug it. This kind of music isn't really my style, but the production and his lyrics actually did it for me, which is very against how I usually am.
Wel goed, niet helemaal mijn genre
Un tipo de R&B suave. Me ha gustado.
Smooth
Good album with some big tunes like Lost, Pyramids (with legendary beat switch) and of course Pink Matter. The only downside is that Blonde (2016) is simply better than this.
Some bangers I already knew and really like, but I didn't love any of the songs I didn't already know. Good vibes but a lil boring sometimes
Smoove
This is a really impressive album. Lots of interesting sounds, and lots of just straight up good songs. I would have enjoyed more hooks throughout, but I'm sort of a dummy like that. I don't know how often I'll come back to this, but I quite enjoyed my listen.
- Great singing and feels vibes - Slow for me to listen to on a regular basis, but Frank is talented
- this guy’s kind of a jerk-off but damn can he sing - sometimes feels like the song and/or lyrics lacks structure - there are some absolute bangers on here
Music for making love to. Will get this on in Spain. Might have got 5 stars had I listened to it whilst balls deep.
Album flowed really nicely, enjoyed it from start to end!
Shout out to Frankie Ocean. Big fan. My favorite of the albums we’ve listened to so far (I know, not a ton…).
Quite liked this, liked the singing, the lyrics, the whole mood of the album. The only nitpick is that a lot of the songs seemed to have the same kind of rhythm/flow to them — I didn’t dislike it so much as that I was hoping for more variety.
Thinkin Bout You is an all-timer. The rest of the album doesn’t quite hold up to the standard set there, for me. Plenty good, but nothing that gets to that high. Bad Religion comes closest.
The lyrics are so dumb, but the music is pleasant to listen to. It also just reminds me of a fun time in my life. :)
I have listened to this previously. There are so many great songs of this project. Standouts for me are "Sweet Life", "Super Rich Kids", "Crack Rock", "Pyramids" and "Pink Matter". I think "Crack Rock" is probably my favourite off the album. Great lyrics and beat to boot. The lyrics are effortless and find a way to be relatable even if you have not experienced what Frank Ocean is talking about.
A nice change from the older albums over the last while! I've never got myself to listen modern RnB albums, so this was a great chance to properly listen to a whole great modern album. I loved the framing of the album, with the short radio/tv interlude. It was like each track is a new show, a different channel, but really effectively done. Highlights included Sweet Life, Super Rich Kids, Lost and Bad Religion
Very nice will listen again
I didn’t understand the hype around Frank Ocean until I listened to Pyramids (and the bonus commentary provided graciously by my friend Ayva), realizing that it is, indeed, a fantastic song. Arguably one of the greats, although Bad Religion is my personal favorite. I’m like everyone else now, patiently waiting for his third, more and more convinced that it will be as remarkable as his previous two.
I always wanted to like Frank Ocean but never could, until now. First listen left me wanting more but second listen making breakfast and cleaning hit the spot
B+ Start 3 Thinkin Bout You 5 Fertilizer 3 Sierra Leone 4 Sweet Life 4 Not Just Money 3 Super Rich Kids 4 Pilot Jones 3 Crack Rock 3 Pyramids 5 Lost 4 White 3 Monks 4 Bad Religion 5 Pink Matter 5 Forrest Gump 4 End 1 Great album. I was very happy when I saw it. Anything post-2010 feels so refreshing at this point.
Good
Liked it better than I thought I would but it became bit repetitive.
There are some great performances here but the production is a bit lackluster. Most of the tracks end up sounding the same except for a few standouts like Lost and Pyramids, which are my highlights off this album. Fortunately, his voice is just so good on some of these tracks I forget about the production and just get absorbed. It evens out.
I never listened to this because: A) I don't really like modern R&B; B) I never liked Odd Future, and this got mixed up in all the hype around them. Hey, it's a pleasant surprise! The music/production is good, and is really eclectic in an understated kind of way. It picks over R&B, hip-hop, soul, funk, and rock, but smooths them all together into a low- to mid-energy collage paste. Call me crazy, but it's like the R&B equivalent of vaporwave. The vocals and songwriting are really good! I love delivery and arrangement and the vocals; they are really clean and expressive, but arranged kinda organically to give a laid-back feel. The Andre 3000 feature is pretty killer. 4*
Solid, would listen to again
I enjoyed this album quite a bit. It is by no means my favorite music, but I might incorporate it into music I drive to sometimes.
Yes.
Not my kind of music but I liked it
Incredibly sensational. Production is amazing. I have genuinely no complaints, although I find that the album doesn’t stick with me as much as I’d hope. A really beautiful project. 4/5
Interesting and engaging thoughout and likably offbeat, with nice mix of big/bouncy and small/pecuilar beats ("Pyramids" has both). And he's a great singer. "Crack Rock," "Sierra Leone," "Super Rich Kids," "Sweet Life," and "Lost" are all better than good and approaching great. Might be slightly too determined to parade its own quirks and idiosyncracies and not sure how soon the synthy efects will sound dates, but one's fully in support of Frank O letting his freak flag fly. A memorable and important record that smoothly and winningly fused multiple trends in modern music. Will be interesting to see if his career trajectory is more like Prince, whose vocals he mimics somewhat too closely at times, or Stevie Wonder or perhaps Janelle Monae.
overall i really like this album, loved a lot of the songs when it first came out and those same songs i still really love. i liked the experience of listening to it as an album and in its entirety, it felt fresh, original and just very cool: frank ocean also has an unreleased song that lives in my heart as one of the best songs ever made.
Remember first listening to this late in highschool. One of the first R&B albums I ever heard and it stuck with me. Not quite as tight as Blonde, but just as soulful. *Heard before
Good beats, pretty chill
Amazing, some of bangers
Not my kind of music
At first glance, it’s “EasyJet: The Album”. On just slightly closer inspection, it’s the record that remodelled R&B and neo-soul in its own image, becoming one of the most acclaimed albums of the 2010s. Frank Ocean has only released one album since “Channel Orange” (2016’s “Blonde”), but what a hit ratio that is. As the world waits with bated breath to see whether he’ll ever top his previous work, it’s nice to take a deep dive into this full-length debut. Opening with the start-up tones of the PlayStation- a sure fire way to hook nostalgic millennials yearning for simpler times- we swing straight into the somber, soulful “Thinkin Bout You”. Immediately, the main attraction is Ocean’s vocal: rich, melodic, a pristine falsetto in the chorus, lovely subtle distortion and delay. The rest of the track is a fairly sparse trap ballad, but it tells us all we need to know: Frank Ocean has arrived, and he’s putting the best stuff upfront. “Fertilizer” is a fun interlude of a cover, and “Sierra Leone” continues the downbeat mood established in the opening, but then “Sweet Life” is arresting: what began as a low-key, mellow album suddenly bursts into a soaring, full bodied chorus as if Ocean couldn’t hold it back any longer. There’s a heavy dose of Stevie Wonder’s golden age in the vocal attack, social commentary and lush arrangement. Then, after the “Bennie and the Jets” adjacent “Super Rich Kids”, the lush sweeping soul of “Pilot Jones”, and the drum-heavy filler “Crack Rock”, we reach the album centrepiece in “Pyramids”. A ten minute epic in two halves, it recontextualises the downfall of Cleopatra in modern day, as a woman working at the Pyramid nightclub to make ends meet. It’s like R&B’s answer to Genesis’s “The Cinema Show”, forty years later (left-field prog comparison that should never be made again, but I couldn’t resist). The second half of the album is even stronger for me, with some standout individual tracks coming close to pop perfection. “Lost” is a catchy synth-driven number; “Monks” is a whirlwind of propulsive energy; “Bad Religion” is overflowing with emotion and makes excellent use of the organ; “Forrest Gump” is a lovely lightweight hook in the home stretch. Across the record, Earl Sweatshirt, Andre 3000 and John Mayer provide serviceable guest slots in what I’d consider slightly more forgettable tracks, but this is Ocean’s joint all the way. If he never rises to his former glories again, we’ll always have the joy of “Channel Orange” to come back to: what a gift.
Muy buen sonido, me gustó demasiado ☺️
I didn't know how to feel about this one going in, just because Frank Ocean is a name I've heard but had no association with what his music sounded like. But I actually found myself enjoying this quite a bit. Very chill, cool production. Frank's voice is great! I feel like I remember this album getting a lot of hype at the time, and I think it's deserved. Even a decade later, you can see how much of an impact he had on the course of popular music. I feel like I hear this DNA in a lot of what I hear today in general.
The hysteria over this record is maybe a tad overblown, but it IS really good, just maybe not transcendent.
Very enjoyable, quite chill album that was good easy listening.
Great album
At ten years old this album the sounds on this album are not as common today as they were in 2012. Channel Orange is a solid representative of the new soul sound: kinda druggy, kinda sad, kinda horny. Frank's voice sounds good and the songs -- though numerous -- keep my interest through the whole record.
Leziz Overall:7.8
Really enjoyed this album! Some of my favorite songs are Thinkin bout You, Sweet Life, Super Rich Kida, and Lost.
Love
Very fun listen. Would go back
4.5 stars. Expands the bounds of R&B by incorporating psychedelic, soul, jazz elements. Extremely listenable while also creative and not lacking in depth. "Pyramids" is the standout but there's not a bad track.
Possibly the best, might be a little less strong at the end
Very melodic with hip hop mixed in.
Pyramids, Bad Religion, Pink Matter were probably my favorites :)
Wow nice can’t believe I’ve missed out on this for so long. Sometimes the lyrics seem a bit low effort but overall this is so good!!!! Love the singing and music
Great upbeat, varied album, and Frank Ocean has a magnificent voice.
No standout tracks, but taken as a whole, great sound and a well mixed album. Thoroughly enjoyed this one
Frank manages to make me feel nostalgia for memories I have never had. Great collection of pop songs. I have now come around to the fact the Blonde is better though. Pyramids is still his best song.
Incredible voice, really cool and interesting artistic choices, but kinda horny for my tastes.
Nice :)
solid R&B album with interesting instrumental parts
Nice listen and surprisingly fresh as it is already over a decade old. Crack Rock, Pyramids, and Monks were favorites. Mellow and relaxing vibe over the whole album but also funky and rhythmic. Definitely a good album to put on if you want to kick back. Also he has a good singing voice-brought me back to when I first heard songs in the key of life.My first listen to a Frank Ocean album.
Didn’t did the falsetto so much, but really like the back half, have a few new songs on playlists.
Solid storytelling, a smooth, beautiful voice, simple but effective arrangements and grade-A production. At times I was getting Prince vibes. I've heard this album a few times before but have never been a Frank Ocean stan. Maybe I should listen to him a little more often.
Sierra Leone, Sweet Life, White
Soul-jazz-funky vibes sometimes. Well used interludes between main songs with what seems like random recordings.
A classic album
An amazing debut album - Thinkin' bout you, Sweet Life and Pyramids are top tracks for me. Frank Ocean doesn't miss.
First time listening to this album and it fully exceeded my expectations. I don't even really care for R&B all that much but really enjoyed it. The last several songs kind of feel short, so it ended on a little bit of a downer for me, but I was really surprised how much I enjoyed this.
Good music. Too long tho
i love u frank
Classic album
Amazing album. A bit too long.
Respectable album 2010 luku R&B, chilling and wibing sääntö uhkana mutta selvittää jotenkin.. Death of music death of indie.. Kiitos please 2010 luku ja ajanjatkumo tuonu jotain hyvää ihmisille..
Wonderful album, the first album I've listened to by Frank Ocean, and I love his voice! My favorite song from the album was Sweet Life.
Unsure: part of me wants to love this album as it's something and popular in this list especially in comparison to other album I've listened to. It's not my favorite recent rap album but honestly some of the samples on lyrics flow really nicely into each other. I can somewhat see the hype behind Frank Ocean but I'll give him some more time to cook before a definitive opinion.
4.0
chill
Great album. Fresh. Some lows, lots of highs.
I haven't listened to this all the way through in a long time, I forgot how good it is. Almost every song is a classic
Beautiful vocals, amazing production, and interesting concept. Channel Orange is a fun, yet thematically deep album from one of my favourite artists.
Chill but catchy, with rich arrangements and a bit of a burned out old school vibe, which I really like. Lyrically frank (pun not intended) and compelling, with surprising emotional rawness and a willingness to go quite dark. Fave Songs: Pyramids, Thinkin Bout You, Sweet Life, Bad Religion, Pink Matter, Crack Rock
I love the Street Fighter opening. This isn't my usual go-to genre, yet it's hard to argue with Ocean's smooth voice and mellow beats.
Sweet R&B sounds. Wish YouTube had a better option for playing it...
Had a lot of great songs but unfortunately didn’t really flow that well as an album
pretty good! wasn’t crazy about forest grump or sweet life. lot of filler interludes. and john mayer LMAO i’m glad they didn’t have him sing. but ya pretty good album!
Quite good. Way better than I expected. Not super structured, almost like hip-hop/rap/jazz.
There’s so much happening on this album, it can be easy to miss the good stuff. I feel this way about everything Ocean touches. Dude has a voice like Jesus, but I usually find myself getting sidetracked by the songs content, most of which I’ve just never been too interested in, and then I forget just how good the arrangements and vocals actually are. Yeah, this album is a modern classic. To me, some tracks feel a bit empty, and maybe there could be 10-15 minutes shaved off here, but the rest is good enough to forgive that.
I had heard all about this album but never taken the time to listen to it. I do think I like it, though I am not sure when/if I would revisit it or not. It's a different kind of R&B that feels fresh and not as stale.
I can tell it's a very good album, but it's been overhyped for me. Will listen again with probably a different rating so I'll give it the rating I think it deserves objectively.
High 4, but not quite a 5 in my opinion. I feel like it will definitely grow on me, I enjoyed it a decent bit, but it didn’t blow me away. I’ll give it another listen some day, but for now, I’m sticking with my rating.
A trust in an idea and a collection of brilliant collaborators. A fascinating juxtaposition and combination of youthful spirit with old R&B soul. Truely novel.
Really enjoyed this one. The song are just.. good. I could see myself listening to this pretty regularly. I think I'd like to stumble upon most of these songs on random, and less in the context of a full album though. Still, good album. 3.8/5
Very good
J'avais prévu d'écrire ma critique sur le récent mariage de Charles le Pirate, que vous connaissez sûrement pour être l'une des très mauvaises fréquentations d'eltrapeze, mais j'ai finalement décidé de me raviser en raison des poursuites pour diffamation auxquelles je m'expose.
Après trois ans d'interdiction par Robert d'écouter l'album Channel Orange de Frank Ocean tant que celui ci n'était pas généré, jai pu aujorud'hui vivre un moment d'exception en relançantle divin morceau Pyramids. Merci à mon maître Robert de m'avoir sevré de la sorte.
Frank is one of the most talented artists to emerge in the 21st century and I deeply respect his art (although he seems to kind of disrespect his fans in his public image). Channel orange is undoubtedly a fantastic album and has some brilliantly written and memorable songs with an amazing voice. Even though I don’t usually listen to it in full regularly I think i can give this album 4 stars based on its merits
Having heard nothing that I knew of by Frank Ocean and having no idea what to expect, I was nicely surprised by this. It has really blending of urban beats and soulful melodies that works just right for me.
I didn't realise that this album is over 10 years old! It feels as though Channel Orange has permeated our consciousness without being too overbearing, in my opinion. Frank Ocean isn't someone who I would normally gravitate towards, however I can appreciate what this album has done for hip-hop, soul and R&B in a modern context. Best: Lost Worst: Pyramids
R&B is not normally my kind of music but I warmed up to this, especially when I realized these weren’t the usual R&B lyrics.
Les premiers échantillons m’ont intéressée; ensuite j’ai été réticente, car le r&b me laisse plutôt de glace; mais finalement j’ai aimé la recherche et l’originalité. C’est caressant et enveloppant
very good very nice, did want to kill my self at some points though
Great album with some amazing songs like Thinking About You, Bad Religion, and my personal favorite, Pyramids. On top of the innovative instrumentals, Frank's stream of consciousness style lyrics turn the song into an intimate space where he explores life, love, and lust. Ultimately, though, the same stream of consciousness style holds back the album as there are points where it is a little too loose and freeform for my liking. Easy 4/5 and nearly a 5/5 for me
It’s alright.It’s pretty slow but frank ocean has a great voice and some of the songs have good hooks.I wasn’t super focused on the lyrics so maybe I’m missing something.
El álbum debut del cantante y compositor de Odd Future Frank Ocean nos deja en claro de inmediato por qué el talentosísimo artista se ganó el amor de la crítica y los fanáticos del R&B, Soul y la música alternativa por igual. Se puede argumentar incluso, en ocasiones, que este disco de 2012 envejeció bastante mejor que su seguidor “blond”. Un indispensable para cualquier melómano, simplemente una obra maestra. Un track destacado e imperdible de este disco es “Pyramids”, o en su defecto “Super Rich Kids”.
This might be a 5 at some point. I know I should say something (and it’s nice that I got two 4s in a row— it might be the first time) but I don’t have many comments about it. I like this one more than Blonde, which is surprisingly not on the 1001 List.
Lit as hell
Album hyper visionnaire, on peine à croire qu'il a été publié en 2012.
Hmmmm nykyhetkessä antaisin ehkä kolme tähteä, mut nostalgian takia yks lisää. B-puoli on yllättävästi parempi! Lost klassikkobiisi. Ihan hauskoja sanoituksia, vaikkei superoivaltavia, kaunista laulua.
The kind of music cool people listen to. I can't wait to bmget caught tapping my foot singing along to "crack rock crack rock crack rock"
It really stands out from other genre albums of the era
Täähän oli varsin hyvä vaikka karasatankin yleensä ”nykyhiphopin” suuntaan. 4/5
Acceptable. Actually some melodies are cool.
It's not as great or as interesting as he thinks it is. But it does give off the same sort of vibes you get from watching Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Trippy in a good way, but you'd like to tell the guy to just get over it.
I had a pretty hard time getting into this album until Sweet Life and it suddenly clicked. I fell in love with this project and Pyramids was an exceptionally strong track to me despite the length of it.
I've vibed to this more than I thought I would. Definitely gets hyped as a game changing album and some of the production highlights that. That being said I'm not mind-blown in some crazy way like people are with it. But I definitely enjoyed it. Crack Rock was my fav. Damn Lost is a banger Ooo Andre 3k Liked this more than I thought I would. Obligatory fuck Frank Ocean tho.
It was good in the beginning but the quality sorta started dipping after a bit
The more I listen to it, the better it gets. At first it was a 3/5, but now it's a 4. "Sweet Life" is my favourite
Some great songs here, Pilot Jones, Crack Rock. I wanted to back and listen again ad soon as it famished
Funky fresh rhymes. Nostalgic and honest. Highlight: Pyramids.
Vibes are high in general, some famous bangers (thinking bout you/lost) for sure, album keeps a chill vibe. Lyrically surprisingly deep (for me personally), intermissions kinda unnecessary but worthwhile in a whole listen-through. Definitely some songs added to playlists
I've listened to this album before, but for some reason, during my first listen, it didn't really stick out to me. However, this time, this album really stuck the landing with me. The music is beautiful, Frank Ocean's vocals are fantastic, and the lyrical content is deep and meaningful. This is a great album from start to finish, and I really enjoyed listening to it. "Sweet Life" and "Pyramids" were my favorite tracks, and I'm looking forward to listening to this again soon.
I like some modern R&B, but I think a lot of it is weak. I had heard of Frank Ocean but never gotten around to listening to him. The start of my listening did not go well. The first half of the album is the weaker half, and in particular, I was not impressed with "Thinkin Bout You", the big hit from the first half. I thought, this is typical, overrated R&B. But then the second half rolled around. This is good. Quite. (I revisited "Thinkin Bout You", thinking I might have missed something. I don't think so. It seems like a standard modern R&B song that might be a hit on pop radio but that isn't anything special, but the second half of this album saves the album.)
Me gustó bastante. Había oído cosas buenas sobre la música de Frank Ocean, y no me decepcioné, terminó siendo exactamente lo que esperaba. Aunque la primer mitad me parece un poco floja, la segunda es increíble. Por ello le doy 4 a la hora de escribir esto
Loved this! Can’t believe I didn’t listen to this before now.