The lyrics elevate the album from being just another above-average R&B record to a brilliant release sure to top many “Best of” lists. But by coming out, Ocean also gives C hannel Orange a context in which his heart-wrenching lyrics and despondent songs draw attention to his struggle with identity, sexuality and encroaching fame. Given that Ocean’s announcement came a week before his new album dropped, it could be viewed as a publicity stunt. ( MORE: Frank Ocean: R&B Singer and Rapper Reveals His First Love Was a Man) In a hip-hop world that is not known for being particularly inclusive of homosexuality, this is big news.
Afterward, Jay-Z, Beyonce and Russell Simmons all voiced their encouragement of the young star even Tyler the Creator, the notoriously ersatz leader of Odd Future, gave his friend a tweet of support. He is gay, or perhaps bisexual-which might seem irrelevant except that he just came out on July 4, via his Tumblr, telling the world that his first love was a man.
CHANNEL ORANGE REVIEW TRACK BY TRACK FREE
He’s a poster child of the free music generation-he gave away his impressive debut mixtape, Nostalgia, Ultra, via his Tumblr after feeling ignored by his label, Island Def Jam. He has written tracks for Justin Bieber, John Legend and Brandy under his given name of Christopher “Lonny” Breaux. He was featured on Kanye West and Jay-Z’s critically acclaimed album Watch the Throne. He’s a member of one of hip-hop’s hottest and most controversial collectives Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, also known as OFWGKTA or, more succinctly, Odd Future. Although it caters to a wide range of music connoisseurs, it is inconsistent in sound as it uses too many metaphors to describe his broken heart.Follow Ocean isn’t a household name yet, but there are a few things you should know about him. There is something for everyone on this album. Check you “Think About You” if R&B is your groove, listen to “Pyramids” if you dig Techno and dive into “Crack Rock” if you love to listen closely to intense lyrics. To really enjoy Ocean’s album, skip around. “Too many bottles of this wine we can’t pronounce … the maids come around too much/ parents ain’t around enough … too many white lies and white lines/ super rich kids with nothing but loose ends/ super rich kids with nothing but fake friends,” Ocean sings.
You hear him as if he’s plainly speaking and irritated – with super rich kids. Ocean’s voice takes an unexpected vocal turn. “It’s not just money/ It’s happiness/ It’s the difference between happy, being happy and sad/ It’s the difference between having a home and living on the streets/ That’s what it is,” the woman explains to her son. As you hear a woman speaking to her son, you can envision how important money is to some people. Check out the one-minute voice slide “Not Just Money.” This is the perfect intro and counterbalance for the next song, “Super Rich Kids”. However, if you are in a mellow, smoking or chill mood then “Start” and the 40-second third track, “Fertilizer,” might just give your ears what they need.Īlthough the melodies traveling through your ear channels might rub your eardrum the wrong was, give the rest of the album a chance.
How does that go along with the theme of “Start”? Who knows, especially when the third track does nothing for your ears but confuse you. With love lyrics like, “my eyes don’t shed tears, but boy they pour/ when I’m thinking ‘bout you.” How could you resist listening to Ocean crooning about his broken heart? This should be the first track you take time to really listen to. The second track, “Thinkin About You,” will have you thinking about Frank Ocean’s undeniably irresistible voice. As an R&B artist, you might expect Ocean to use his voice in a similar way as he did in his 2011 hit “Novacane,” but he used this album to experiment. At other times, the fusion of his voice and melodies are magical. Most of Ocean’s lyrics are phenomenal, but the melodies and beats do not compliment his voice, at times. “Start” begins the album on a creepy note and then you hear sounds that put you right back into your favorite Super Mario Brothers game.You have just won enough coins to get you to the next track! Frank Ocean’s 2012 album “Channel Orange” begins with the eerie and random “Start,” which sets the tone for the album.
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