Channel ORANGE Review

Usually, I write the reviews but I outsourced this one to long time friend and writer Jordan Marks. Enjoy.

Now for obvious reasons, orange is my least favorite color. It’s below every
feminine color that exists. But I won’t hold that against this artistically crafted
album, “channel ORANGE” by Frank Ocean.

Ocean prefaced the early released album with a story of love via his Tumblr (http://
25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m6me6uSdO81qdrz3yo1_1280.png). This story made
many of Ocean’s fans question his sexuality and therefore, as many have done with
gay issues, they turned their backs on the musician. I can honestly say, with a story
like this, I was even more excited to listen to “channel ORANGE.”

The feel of this album is fitting for Frank Ocean: quarter ‘til ten in a back alley
jazz lounge where only true music fans go to escape with their vice of choice.
Understanding what he was going through as he wrote his music now, I was able
to hear Ocean’s music from a different artistic perspective. Unlike so many albums
which tell a sequential story, “channel ORANGE” has a different story for each track
that does not relate to the previous or following.

Ocean starts the album with an interlude of him talking which leads into his hit
single “Thinking About You.” I think he put that song there, just to get it out of
the way so you could open your mind for the rest of the album. He follows this
track with a 39 second interlude where he talks about taking everyone’s bullshit.
Ironically, he dealt with that a lot the week leading up to his album release. I
reached track 4 and start realize what Frank Ocean was doing with this album, and
that I must listen to each track as it’s own tale. It was on “Sierra Leone” where I
begin to appreciate the wonderful writer that Ocean is.

“Sweet Life” is the point in the night where I ask the bartender for my second drink
and I shake my head at the girl who is staring at me from across the room although
she knows I have a beautiful lady at home (“why see the world when you got the
beach?”). I go back to tapping my foot and zoning out to melody of this track and re
alize that everything is everything life. I then realize that Ocean just took me on a
ride to the other side of the fence and made see that grass isn’t greener, and sends
me on with musical solo. So yeah, you can definitely say that this is one my favorite
tracks, because it does the same thing to me every time.

The interlude of “Not Just Money” and “Super Rich Kids” go hand in hand as a
woman tells her man that she has no money and it’s not money that makes her
happy, and Ocean then sings about how much fun he has with money, but that all he
wants is real love. As BIG said “mo money…” While not a hard life, the life of a super
rich kid does have it’s loose ends.

Now as a man who has talked to women from different backgrounds, cultures, and
ideals, “Pilot Jones” takes me… Well, we have all had a pilot jones… And as the song
ends it plays the seat belt sound, because at some point it’s safe to land from that
pilot jones.

Anywho, “Crack Rock” takes me on a journey through the black plight, simple as
that. It is tough being black in America; we have so many obstacles against us.
This song speaks on how the unheard tales of struggle still exist amongst the black
community because no one is there to hear them. Next up is “Pyramid” which is
practically two songs in one. The first part talks about a love lost and the hunt
for ‘Cleopatra’ to regain this love is underway. The upbeat tempo of the first part
is a resemblance of the cheetah that Ocean refers too. The second parts slows all
the way down, and ‘Cleopatra’ is working him. It is almost as if the second part is a
flashback to when Ocean and ‘Cleopatra’ met and the first part is him losing her.

“Lost” takes the listener through a relationship with two parties who don’t know
where they are in life, but being lost together sounds blissfully fine. Ocean then
gets the guitar of John Mayer to fill the “White” space on the page of his album with
some soulful sounds that lead into “Monks.” This track was one I honestly got lost in
the music more than the words. However, the beauty of the lyrics is one not to pass
over. Ocean relates being a monk to being a in a committed relationship with the
woman you love so dearly. Whereas no one may agree with the extreme measure
you’re taking your commitment, it’s something you feel you must do.

After much play of “Bad Religion,” I can all but deduce that it is the song that
correlates with the letter than Ocean sent out via his Tumblr. The song itself if a
beautiful track of love, but how love with the wrong person can lead to down a
destructive path of future relationships; it was short and to the point.

I’m not sure if “Pink Matter” needs an explanation. I’ll say these few things:

-Majin Buu is a fat pink character from Dragon Ball Z
-Andre 3000 on a track title “Pink Matter” says it all

That’s all I have to say. On to the next track…

For “Forrest Gump,” I’ve listened to this song so many times, I’ve gone back and
forth on it. There are two choices here, either Ocean was writing about a past love or
his creative genius spoke from the voice of Jenny—Forest’s love interest. Either way,
the track is beautifully crafted.

With all that said, Frank Ocean did some amazing writing for this album. Regardless
how people feel about his sexuality, I believe that his love letter opened the eyes
of his true listeners to see beyond the grand scheme of music, and listen to exactly
what he had to say.

Total Score:
9.2/10

- @poeticjustiZZ

Jul 16, 2012 | Categories: Article, Music | Tags: Channel Orange, Frank Ocean, Poetic JustiZZ, The Artistic Insanity, The Asylum | Leave A Comment »