Channel Orange

Just the week before this album made its first digital release, I was complaining to my friends about how its almost impossible to find NEW quality R&B. That the only way you'd be able to listen to new good songs were if you knew about Frank Ocean, Cocaine 80s, and had Raheem Devaughn's latest mixtape. Right after that Frank Ocean drops this masterpiece and inspires hope in my heart for the future of R&B. Its soulful. The lyrics are romantic. He's a young guy but he's keeping it grown and sexy. His singing ability is phenomenal. The production is of top quality and the beats are very sophisticated. When he wants you to feel love, you will feel it. When he wants you to feel hope, you will feel it. When he wants you to feel dispair, you will feel it. But by the end of it all, you will just feel happy you took this emotional roller coaster. Its been a very long time since you could feel a new R&B artist's heart beat through his music.

Frank Ocean's Channel Orange is an stunningly fresh R&B album. Ocean is an extremely talented singer and rapper (he doesn't rap much in this album, though) and this album just proves it; he's simply an amazing songwriter. His vocals are hypnotizing and his lyrics are deep. My favorite tracks are "Thinkin' Bout You", "Sweet Life", "Super Rich Kids" (w/ a standout verse from Earl), "Pilot Jones", 'Crack Rock", "Pyramids" (very refreshing and almost surreal), "Lost" and "Pink Matter" (w/ another standout verse from Andre 30000). Overall the whole album is amazing, listen to any of these tracks and you'll be amazed. It also has amazing and versatile production that compliments his vocals. Buy this album because it's great, not because of the "hype". This album will be played for a long time and it's the perfect summer album. I highly recommend it for fans of music in general.

Frank Ocean has built up ever-growing career from pretty much ground zero, from residing in New Orleans until Hurricane Katrina back in 2005 losing every prized possession he owned and forming a brand new life in California, Frank Ocean has experienced some struggles throughout his life. As the main R&B Crooner from Odd Future, as well as establishing his own name by collaborating with some of today's biggest artists from Kanye West to Beyonce, John Mayer to Justin Bieber; Frank Ocean has quite the resume for a fresh new artist. Frank Ocean's main genre is R&B, however he incorporates sounds from Electro, jazz, gospel, etc. to form a very unique brand of music that is undeniably his own. What makes Frank Ocean so distinct from the saturated market of R&B artists, is his artistic approach to his music. Yes, as an R&B artists he talks about sex and talks about love, the typical norm, however, Frank Ocean as an artist takes R&B to a whole nother level. Frank Ocean is one of very few R&B artists that touches on socioeconomic issues such as religion, philosophy, drugs among other things. As an artist (especially in R&B) Ocean is way ahead of the pack, his innovation in music is way ahead of everybody as of now. In my opinion he may never be as popular in R&B as Trey Songz, Usher or Chris Brown, but artistically Frank Ocean has proven himself to be a true original. If you're a fan of Frank Ocean, you will already have noticed that sonically, Channel Orange is very similar to his debut mixtape Nostalgia, Ultra containing various skits and interludes that often have cultural references mixed in between. Channel Orange is one of those rare albums in the mainstream that lets listeners delved into the artist's psyche, and thankfully Frank Ocean is an interesting person to listen to. Frank Ocean does not succumb to the pressure of making typical "lets make love" songs or "get up and dance", his lyrics are much more poetic and meaningful. The first track "Thinking Bout You" demonstrates some of Frank's storytelling ability; Ocean's lyrics are contain much more substance, filled with double entendres that are neither corny nor cliché. Songs such as "Bad Religion" & "Forrest Gump" contain some of the more personal lyrics from Frank, basically questioning his own existence and the reason to why he is the way he is. Don't get me wrong Frank has his "crooning moment" that are sex driven and about love "Pink Matter feat. Andre 3000", "Sierra Leone" are perfect examples. "Super Rich Kids feat. Earl Sweatshirt" and "Sweet Life" addresses social classes and the power of money manipulation (no illuminati reference) "Crack Rocks" and "Pilot Jones" also addresses drug addiction. Now while I may love this album, there are instances where I tend to become bored. The sound at times can become tiresome, the tempo of nearly every song is damn near similar with the exception of tracks "Pyramids" & "Monks". I don't mind as much because there are no songs on the album that sound the same, however there are moments where I wish Frank Ocean could be a little more optimistic on the album. With that being said Frank does not sound emo or anywhere like a b**** when he sings unlike some artists (*cough* Drake) Frank Ocean is a grown man being honest in his music and that is what I appreciate about him the most. The obvious scandal surrounding Frank Ocean as well is his "coming out" party; yes Frank Ocean is bi-sexual, he likes men and women, and it is clearly heard throughout the album which creates an interesting dynamic (to me anyways). Does it bother me? Not one bit; if anything it makes Frank Ocean more respectable as a person, being able to express himself honestly and openly to his fans takes some balls. Channel Orange is probably the most ambitious R&B album 2012 has to offer and should definitely be heard. Top 5 Tracks 1) Thinkin Bout You 2) Sierra Leone 3) Super Rich Kids feat. Earl Sweatshirt 4) Pyramids 5) Lost

Frank Ocean created an excellent body of work with channel ORANGE. It's hard to categorize his genre, really. He walks the line of R&B and pop at the same time. channel ORANGE, however, is so full of substantial topics and melodic ballads that you forget about genre. It's not feature-heavy, but the features that do appear are perfect. Earl Sweatshirt provides a good account of the mindset of a super rich kid in the song of the same name. Andre 3000 brings the wisdom in typical fashion on "Pink Matter". Frank is singing the entire time. His vocals are great, especially towards the end. After a few listens, it's nearly impossible not to listen to "Bad Religion", "Pink Matter", and "Forrest Gump" back to back. It flows like an actual TV channel and is a great debut album for Mr. Ocean. Album of the year, in my opinion.

Pretty good gonna play it soon

I wasn't impressed by the nostalgia/ULTRA mixtape last year, and I wasn't really going to purchase this. But once I heard "Sweet Life" with its throwback classic 70s vibe, I was sold. "Thinkin' Bout You" has a lazy, psychodelic feel to it, while "Super Rich Kids" clearly berates children who have it all and incorporates a piano back beat similar to Elton John's "Benny and the Jets." "Monks" infuses classic soul with a futuristic spin. "Bad Religion" in its confessional tone backed by an orchestra ends too soon when he really starts to belt it out from the heart...you just want it to go on as painful as it can be to hear him sing the lyrics. The Andre 3000-assisted "Pink Matter" is trippy and feels like it's high off something, leading into the coincidental "Forrest Gump" with its slick word play. And those are just some of the highlights--"Sierra Leone," "Pilot Jones," "Crack Rock," "Pyramids," and "Lost" compete just the same. As unbiased as I can be, without the hype--from the "letter" to the retailer lock-out over the digital pre-release--I'm sure that this album would've fell through the cracks, which often saddens me from all the really good R&B albums that have come out present and past that just don't get their proper due. So truth be told, it's good for business. But this is refreshing contemporary R&B music, in a crucial time where the genre frankly has been stalling for a good number of years, especially amongst male artists who all sound the same, look the same, and carry that same macho bravado that Frank Ocean is clearly the opposite of. He's beyond a great writer and I really can't recall this much excitement and buzz over an album since "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill." I won't call the album revolutionary, creative, deep, genius, the best, etc. etc. because for a lack of better words, this is what music used to sound like honestly: cohesive, effortless, detailed. I think people forgot (if you're around my age), or just aren't used to this (if you're younger) due to how the industry has gotten lost for the sake of the almighty dollar. This album plays like a project, just not someone who got in the studio and recorded a bunch of tracks and put something together. Some serious thought was put into this. I listen and can hear the influences (D'Angelo, Pharrell/N.E.R.D., Prince immediately come to mind), but its really besides the point. What this album accomplishes is proof that good music still exists, that it still touches no matter race, creed, status, and ultimately triumphs over all. In turn, one can only hope it will inspire artists and record companies to try harder to push the envelope.

AMAZING. I have known about Frank Ocean for a while ever since I heard the song "swim good". But I really became a fan when I heard "Pyramids" and "Bad Religion". As soon as I heard that his CD CHANNEL ORANGE came out like a week before it was due, I immediately ordered it on amazon. And When I received it in the mail like several days later, I popped it into my computer and just listened. He is an amazing artist with breath taking lyrics and beats. Franks lyrics are deep and thats what so good about it. It comes from the heart and it has meaning. If you're looking for a great album to just chill and listen to , whether in a car or at home on the couch. Get this CD

I started listing to this CD through my son who is constantly playing it on his I-phone and in the car. I love all the songs and some of them (music and voice and wise) give me a sort of Stevie Wonder vibe. It's so wonderful to finally pay for a CD that is good from beginning to the end; you can just kick back a listen to it any time. For those of you looking for a really great CD to listen to this would be it. One more thing I know there has been a lot of talk regarding this young musician's lifestyle and why some may be hesitant to listen to or buy the CD. What I have to say about that is I doesn't matter how he chooses to live, Frank Ocean is so very talented and this CD deserves a standing ovation.

hermoso álbum, bien empacado

❤️

アメリカのR&Bシンガーソングライター、Frank Oceanの1stソロアルバム。 本国では1stアルバムとしては異例とも言えるほどの大絶賛が相次いだ（ここ数年では最高クラスの反響ではないでしょうか？）本作ですが、たしかにそれだけの評価に値する名盤だと思う。 ゴーストライター等を経てL.A.のヒップホップ・グループOdd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All(OFWGKTA)の一員として活動しているFrank Ocean。 しかしソロとしての活動を始めたのはごく最近のことで、デビュー作であるミックステープ「nostalgia, ULTRA」を公開したのはなんと昨2011年2月。 同年にはOdd FutureのリーダーであるTyler The Creatorの「Goblin」や、Jay ZとKanye Westのコラボアルバム「Watch The Throne」などにも参加。 そして満を持して発表されたのがこの1st「channel Orange」。 あまりよそのミュージシャンと比較しすぎるのはどうかと思いますが、しょっちゅう指摘されるように声音やサウンドはDrakeに似ている部分も多い。 ただ、Drakeが昨2011年の「Take Care」（こちらも傑作でした）でヒップホップらしからぬ内向的なダウンテンポに最初から最後まで拘り続け、静かな高揚感を生み出したのに対し、Frank Oceanの基礎はあくまで従来どおりのオーソドックスなR&Bにあるように思います。 本作の代表曲のひとつである「Sweet Life」はその最たる例。もうびっくりするくらいの王道中の王道。 歌も非常に上手いですし、王道なだけあってサウンドも完成されてます。 しかしこれだけ取り出して聞いても「新人にしては良くできたR&B」くらいのものでしょう。 このアルバムの素晴らしい点は、王道の曲をメインとして多数収録しつつも、あえて要所を暗い曲で固めたことではないかと思います。 例えば、アルバム冒頭の「Thinkin Bout You」。 過剰なまでにシンプルなサウンド、ビートはまさにDrakeそのものですが、そこにFrank Oceanの高音域ボーカルが良く映える。 ラスト直前の「Pink Matter」もやはり静か。サザンヒップホップの重鎮、OutkastのAndre 3000をフィーチャーした良曲。 極端にリバーブ、エコーをかけられた犬や人(?)の声、ストリングスのサンプリング、ギター、Andre 3000の落ち着いた高速ラップはとても印象的。 声音はびっくりするぐらいDrakeにそっくりですが、こちらの方が音域が広く、伸びがあるように感じます。 そしてこのアルバム最大の見せ場といって良いでしょうか。アルバムの中盤に位置する10分近くにわたる大作、「Pyramids」は溜めに溜めた内向性が爆発した名曲。 派手なシンセサウンドを用いた前半の強烈なカタルシスと、後半の陰鬱とした展開には脱帽。 暗い曲がいいアクセントとなっていて、最後までだれることがない。 暗いサウンド一辺倒ではDrakeには勝てなかっただろうし、もちろん王道の曲ばかりでもR&Bの歴史を築いてきた偉大な先人たちには及ばなかったでしょう。 ボーカルとして優れていることは当然として、王道のサウンドもチャレンジングなサウンドも作れて、その上アルバムの構成にも長けているという三拍子そろった名盤。 これからの活動が本当に楽しみな新人の一人です。

Great album. Happy with purchase.

Muito lindoo, veio tudo certinho