Music Seen! Frank Ocean - "Channel Orange"
After dropping dozens and dozens of songs plus numerous collaborations Frank Ocean has finally released his highly anticipated debut album Channel Orange
.
With R&B music making small strides at a mainstream comeback, talented artists like Ocean have all eyes set on them as heads want to see if the genre has anyone who can spark a rebirth. Make no mistake though, if you don't rely on the radio like me, good R&B music definitely has never died(just gone underground.)
After the intro track, we get into "Thinkin Bout You;" though not a new song, it was definitely a well-thought out addition to this album. I remember playing this song alot while driving last year. It is just a lovely, well-written, well-sang song; I am even thinking of buying a copy of the single for my girl. "Sierra Leone" has a killer bass track that makes me want to upgrade my living room sound system, some smooth ish right there! The album gets even better on "Sweet Life" as song about living the priviledged life with none of the everyday struggles to worry about, and Ocean paints a nice picture with his words, "you got a landscaper and a housekeeper since you were born" and picturesque seaside spots "so why see the world, when you got the beach?"
My favourite joint (pun intended) on Orange is "Crack Rock." Frank Ocean takes us into the daily lives of crack-addicts, their struggles and somehow makes them seem like street stars, albeit without encouraging the listener to partake of the lifestyle. Peep the chorus "you hit them stones in glass homes/ youre smoking stones in abandoned homes, crack rock, crack rock." The song has a thumping drum kick and bass track that ensures you enjoy this journey into addiction alley.
What partly attracts fans of Ocean to his music is his courage to be unconventional and experimental. "Pyramids" is a good example of this, and is one of Franks most succesfully excecuted "experimental" R&B songs thus far. This ten minute song about exotic dancers won't be getting old any time soon.
I haven't really been feeling Andre 3000's music of late, but he made a great choice collobarating with Frank on "Pink Matter." Andre kills his verse and the song has a chilled out vibe which grows on you.
I have been going over whether this album can already be considered a classic. O.K, let me put it this way. I haven't heard many R&B this good in years, they are few and far-between nowadays. Frank Ocean has landed with a big splash on his debut release even amid all the controversy. The music speaks for itself. So far, Channel Orange is the best R&B album of the year so far. Yes, a modern classic; tune in.
::KC:: Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
With R&B music making small strides at a mainstream comeback, talented artists like Ocean have all eyes set on them as heads want to see if the genre has anyone who can spark a rebirth. Make no mistake though, if you don't rely on the radio like me, good R&B music definitely has never died(just gone underground.)
After the intro track, we get into "Thinkin Bout You;" though not a new song, it was definitely a well-thought out addition to this album. I remember playing this song alot while driving last year. It is just a lovely, well-written, well-sang song; I am even thinking of buying a copy of the single for my girl. "Sierra Leone" has a killer bass track that makes me want to upgrade my living room sound system, some smooth ish right there! The album gets even better on "Sweet Life" as song about living the priviledged life with none of the everyday struggles to worry about, and Ocean paints a nice picture with his words, "you got a landscaper and a housekeeper since you were born" and picturesque seaside spots "so why see the world, when you got the beach?"
My favourite joint (pun intended) on Orange is "Crack Rock." Frank Ocean takes us into the daily lives of crack-addicts, their struggles and somehow makes them seem like street stars, albeit without encouraging the listener to partake of the lifestyle. Peep the chorus "you hit them stones in glass homes/ youre smoking stones in abandoned homes, crack rock, crack rock." The song has a thumping drum kick and bass track that ensures you enjoy this journey into addiction alley.
What partly attracts fans of Ocean to his music is his courage to be unconventional and experimental. "Pyramids" is a good example of this, and is one of Franks most succesfully excecuted "experimental" R&B songs thus far. This ten minute song about exotic dancers won't be getting old any time soon.
I haven't really been feeling Andre 3000's music of late, but he made a great choice collobarating with Frank on "Pink Matter." Andre kills his verse and the song has a chilled out vibe which grows on you.
I have been going over whether this album can already be considered a classic. O.K, let me put it this way. I haven't heard many R&B this good in years, they are few and far-between nowadays. Frank Ocean has landed with a big splash on his debut release even amid all the controversy. The music speaks for itself. So far, Channel Orange is the best R&B album of the year so far. Yes, a modern classic; tune in.
::KC:: Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
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