channel ORANGE - Frank Ocean

SHIT, I wasn't home at all Sunday until about 8:30pm and I got home from a weekend. So that's why I didn't have a review go up. Well today I'm going to do one, and I will do one everyday until the 22nd, because I missed that on day. This is a review of the debut album by Frank Ocean of OFWGKTA. He recently came out as bisexual, which I don't think ends the world, but I am curious to what Tyler has to say about it. Anyway, this is was released by Def Jam Recordings, and it has a few features on it. John Mayer, Andrè  3000. It also features Earl Sweatshirt and Tyler, The Creator both from OFWGKTA. Frank also collaborated with a couple producers on this, and also songwriters. In the songwriting credits the name that appears most is Frank's but the second most is James Ryan Ho, better known as Malay. He helped write 11 of the 18 tracks on this album. I was actually surprised to see that 1 or 2 of the tracks didn't even feature Frank's name in the songwriting credits.Well anyway, I was excited to hear this, until I forgot about it, then I heard about it again and lost track of time and tada its on iTunes. And honestly I didn't care for it first time through. But I heard it twice so yeah.

1. Start: This is the intro, it kind of gives me a vibe of Nostalgia, Ultra. Like the intro to that.
2. Thinkin Bout You: This song isn't that bad of a song, and a good start. I think that this is a pretty cool song to. I honestly think that this beat and the vibe of it is smooth. The high pitch vocals kind of remind me of Marvin Gaye, but he can't sing as good as Marvin.
3. Fertilizer: This is just an interlude. This is only 40 seconds long. The concept about it reminds me a little of The Who's 1967 third album The Who Sell Out. The way they had like "commercials" in the album.
4. Sierra Leone: This song is ok. I don't think that it's that amazing. This reminds me of the atmosphere on Echoes of Silence and Houses of Balloons. When the strings come in it kind of sounds like Marvin Gaye's 1971 Whats Going On's title track.
5. Sweet Life: I could care less for the lyrics in the song. The music in it is pretty and kind of jazzy, but I don't care for the lyrics. I like the concept, again, but not some of them. I think that it would be more accurate to say certain lyrics. But that's how I felt with American Wedding off his mixtape. This is really a R&B song though. There is this piano sounds on it that reminds me of part of the song Bitches Brew off the 1970 album of the same name by Miles Davis.
6. Not Just Money: This song sets up the theme of the next song. It has people talking
7. Super Rich Kids: Though Earl is on this song, I think that this song is pretty solid. I like the concept and idea, but I don't like parts of the song. The chorus of this song just irritated me. I was pretty turned off first listen. But second time though it grew on me. I like Earl's verse to. This is a slow, stomping, beated song. I feel like it is perfect where it is. I honestly feel like Tyler, The Creator produced this song.
8. Pilot Jones: This song reminds me a little of Houses of Balloons. But not as good as the mix tape.
9. Crack Rock: I don't care for this song that much either. I think it's ok, but it doesn't keep my intrest. I don't like the chorus.  I kind of feel like BADBADNOTGOOD might of helped with the beat on this song.
10. Pyramids: This is a really cool song. Probably my favorite song on the album. I think that the instrumentation on this is really cool. The lyrics talk about Egypt, Cleopatra, prostitution and other stuff to. I love the feeling I get when I hear this song This song starts out with this feeling of "epicness". Kind of like this is going to be a long trip. When Frank's voice comes in I think that is is pretty. I think that the song doesn't necessarily have to be so long, but what ever. The first instrumental break is very pretty and cool sounding. It sounds like synths engulf the song. The synths kind of reminds me a little of the final section of MGMT's 12:10 epic Siberian Breaks, off 2010's Congratulations. A part of the keys to remind me a little of I Found A Whistle, which is on the same MGMT album as Siberian Breaks. I do really like this song, but I kind of think that around 5:30 is where the song gets kind of old. I don't think it has to be a 9:54. If the song wasn't kind of boring in the middle of it, then it would be different. But I do think that this is still a really good song. I couldn't though, picture it shorter than 10 minutes. I feel like the song kind of goes into too much repetition, like seiously. The ending also kind of reminds me of the Siberian Breaks. Actually I'd be shocked if they didn't sample that song.
11. Lost: This song is ok, but it's not as good as the last song. Usually, for me, after an epic it's hard to live up to the greatness of the big song. Well I think it's fine, but its not that mind blowing.
12. White: I like this song, it's an instrumental, but it's a good break form the album.
13. Monks: I feel like the title Monks gives a prelude, though it's over 3 minutes long, to the next idea on the album. I like that this also starts out with a church organ intro to it. This is kind of a song that I could be seen being played, with different lyrics, at a church of African Americans. But not the entire song, just certain parts.
14. Bad Religion: I liked this song. I think that the intro to this song fits the song and idea. The whole religious feeling that is going on fits perfect. This really is a very good religious song about his true feelings about religion and beliefs. I respect that he does that, and that he is willing to share it. After listening to this, I don't know how many times, I finally understand the song. It mentions he has problems with religion because it forbids him from loving his "man". Though, from what I understand, he isn't in a relationship with. Like if he wanted to it couldn't happen.
15. Pink Matter: This song has Andrè 3000 on it, and first time through, it was one of my favorite tracks on it. This song is ok for Ocean's part, but Andre makes it. I think that this kind of reminds me a little of The Weeknd. Specifically more of a The Birds Part 2 off his 2nd mixtape Thursday. Then when Andre comes in it kind of reminds me a little of the way Same Old Song off Echoes of Silence ends with the guys voice at the ending. But it also sounds pretty cool.
16. Forrest Gump: Honestly, the way this song starts out, I could see this being more Bad Religion. This is a pretty sounding song. I honestly don't know if this is about him loving another man, or about the character, or a tribute to him. This is a pretty song though. I actually like this song. I think that it's a better song on this, and one of my favorite songs on this.
17. End: I wish that Forrest Gump and End flowed together better. This is a cool sounding song. But I am not huge on the underwater feeling. I do kind of like it, but I wish it wasn't that way. I could care less about the sounds around it. This song kind of reminds me of Nostalgia, Ultra. in the way that is kind of has sounds

Overall I give this a 8/10. I couldn't say what I thought first time through. I kind of got a feeling of The Weeknd's third mixtape Echoes of Silence. Which bugs me because I feel like he is trying to be more like him. Just the way some of the beats on some of the songs are. Like Sierra Leone and Thinkin Bout You. There is other stuff going on, but The main beat. I do think that this is kind of like Whats Going On, in way of this is his. It's a sweet thing and I think that you may enjoy it. I feel like my feeling contridict at times, but like his last mixtape, some tracks grow on me, some don't.

Nostalgia, Ultra - Frank Ocean

This is the only, at least to my knowledge, mix tape released sole by a member of the hip-hop collective Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All. This guy is the member who sings and sings pretty good. I guess that Kanye heard this mixtape and ended up collaborating with Frank and Frank met Beyonce and Jay-Z. I'ma let you finish but I think that this looks like it might be a good listen. I already heard American Wedding and Swim Good and that's it so far.

1. Street Fighter: The beginning of this song is sounds. It is just the sound of him moving tapes around and playing them.
2. Strawberry Swing: This song is upbeat and pretty good. It doesn't sound like Frank is offbeat on this song. It is also a very pretty sample going on in the background. It irritates me that Frank could have been more on beat with American Wedding because he is right on with this. I love that song, actually more than this one, but I don't think its good how he did it. The sample is a Coldplay sample and the song ends with a sample of the song where Chris Martian sings. That fades out while an alarm clock fades in. The song ends him turning the alarm clock. {8/10}
3. Novacane: This song is a song that I could see someone dancing to. Like a '90s song, not so much the lyrics, but more the song. This song is a pretty good song. This song is also intresting, by that I mean it made me want to listen to the whole song. I think that this song also reminds me of that rapist Michael Jackson. That effects the enjoyment of the song a little. But I can over look that. There is this almost over powering feel that makes me want get Straight Up with the one and only Paula. I guess this song is about a girl who wants to get throught dental school so she becomes a porn star. And the singer is in love with the girl and she goes to drugs, and because he loves her he does it to. {7.6/10}
4. We All Try: This song is a pretty cool sample. This is like his political song, I guess. He mentions he believes "that marriage isn't between a man & woman, but between love and love". I kind of disagree, but what ever. I still like this song a lot. This song is pretty solid and his vocals actually work with the entire song and it sounds good. This is one of the good songs on this album, by that it's not put together poorly. 
5. Bitches Talkin': This song is another "cassette change" song. But it does contain a Radiohead sample. And there "Bitches Talkin'" in the background.
6. Songs For Women: This song sounds like a '70s, I want to get laid song. By that I mean this is what you would play if you want to get laid. This has that old school '70s R&B vibe to it. This songs title even hits at that theme. This song is actually good, and pretty neat. I don't think this is the best song, but it is one of the better songs. I also really think that the "do, do, do, do" beat in the background sounds pretty cool.
7. Lovecrimes: This song has this classic rock/jazz feel to it. The piano actually reminds me of Van Halen's song Right Now off For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge, released in 1991. It also gives me this Peter Colins/Genesis feel to it. And a little African influenced music. There is a voice sample in the background that is buried and he is on beat with this one. Towards the end of the song it slows down and it is a pretty cool idea. The way the song went was that it reminds me of a vinyl record that fades out.
8. Goldeneye: This is a "Cassette Change" song.
9. There will be Tears: This song has this type of dubstep beat. Not like the ones that The Weeknd uses, like actual dubstep. It's not extreme, but it's more powerful in the song. This song is kind of  uplifting, and it has a good vibe to it. I could see this song being on the radio. There is enough autotune and it's upbeat enough so yeah. This is a pretty cool song. I'm not in love with it but its pretty chill {7/10}
10. Swim Good: This was the first solo song I heard by Frank Ocean. I liked it the first time I heard it and it has only grown on me. This song is probably the second most emotional song in this mixtape for me. I think that it's neat that he is going to drive in the lake/river/ocean because of a girl left him. He mentions he is dressed for a funeral. That is a pretty good image of what is going to happen. I like when people make songs about suicide, but do it with taste. It obviously depends on the style, but if Frank had one and it said "I want to slit my fucking troat, chop off my cock" that'd be a little extreme of his type of music. This song is also pretty upbeat for a song about suicide. I also love that seagull ocean sound at the end, like he drove into the ocean.
11. Dust: This song is pretty cool. I think that this song is a more "normal" song. This has more of a radio R&B, Hip-hop, Rap sound. This reminds me very much so of something that I would hear if the radio was on a pop station.
12. American Wedding: This song. I think that this is my favorite on on the Mixtape. The thing about it is that it is Hotel California without vocal track and Frank's vocals instead. This is my favorite song for the fact that it is awesome. I love the way it sounds and the feel I get from it. The new lyrics give this song a new perspective to it for me. I think this song helped revive Hotel California, the song, for me. The song is really good but there are down sides. The vocals are off a little. Like the singing doen't sound like it's on temp. The lyrics aren't that good either. They don't go with the flow of the song. Look at this "it's an american wedding they don't mean too much but we were so in love, we had an american wedding, now what's mine is yours, thats american law". That doesn't work, at all. I love you Frank but don't do this to me. PLEASE! It hurts my belief that you might have a really good album coming out this year. Another things is that this really hurts trying to sing along with it, after you learn to get over the offbeat vocals. I would give this a 10/10 but because of all the negatives it gets this. {9.3/10}
13. Soul Calibur: This is the same like mix tape song switch as some of the other songs. This one has a couple seconds of MGMT's song Future Reflections off their 2007 digital, 2008 physical, full length debut Oracular Spectacular.
14. Nature Feels.: This song has a MGMT sample, and guess which one it is. It's Electric Feel, that makes sense after you see the title of the song. This song has so much potential, he's fucking sampling MGMT's song Electric Feel. But he doesn't pull it off. After many listens I still can't really get into this song. It seriously bums me out that it's like he gave two shits. This is worse than, offbeat, than American Wedding. The lyrics are ok, but the way he performs this is just.... god awful. The only good part where it flows is on the chorus. The breakdown of the song he also flows a decently. And it think that it's better that he used the outro of the song to end it until he took the tape out {7/10}

Over all I'd have to give this mixtape a 7.8/10. It was not as good as I wanted it to be. There are its moments where it is awesome, but there are downsides. This could of been so much better, and so much potential. I think that I really want to hear another solo mixtape from Frank. Either that or maybe a full lenght album or something. And also I think that he should rap more, he was very suprising on Oldie. But from my gathered thoughts I believe this isn't a mixtape set up like an album/ep. No it's just a compilation of songs he recorded. But the over all theme I get from this is that its a guy who wakes up and is singing along with his favorite songs and changing some in the process. I have no idea if thats right, but that how it seems to me. And it also seems better in my opinion if you look at it like that. Hopefully this bitch will grow on me. :(