Metacritic are idiots.
Actually, Metacritic aren't to blame. The reviewers on Metacritic are idiots.
Have the reviewers even heard these albums or are they just supporting Frank Ocean because all of a sudden he is a symbol for everyone who needs to be liberated in some way? Have they heard TheArchAndroid, the album that is STILL the best album of the decade that Janelle Monáe released more or less on her own with little publicity? Have they heard Illinois which taught me that I like folk music even though I thought I didn't like folk music? Does Frank Ocean know me better than myself like Sufjan Stevens does?
I'm the kind of person who would give something a chance before passing a judgement. Before channelORANGE came out I knew a few Frank Ocean songs and I thought they were all very similar. Not bad, just similar. I could have just assumed 'Hey, I've heard one so I've heard them all,' but I didn't. Unfortunately for me, by the time I heard the album I realised that most of it was the same with a few exceptions. Seriously though, the much hyped 'Pyramids', which has been compared to the incomparably awesome "Purple Rain", is waaaaay too long and if I say that about a song, that's a problem because I listen to far longer songs; it needs to be artfully done. Maybe Frank Ocean has it in him to produce an iconic essay of a track later on but he's not in the position to do that now. Janelle's already done that! Have you even heard 'BaBopByeYa'?
And Sufjan does that ALL THE TIME in Illinois but seriously, "The Tallest Man, The Broadest Shoulders". I shall say no more.
Truth is (and no this isn't the hater in me talking) the best track on channelORANGE isn't better than the weakest track on The ArchAndroid or Illinois. Tried and tested theory.
I feel the need to release the anger and frustration I feel right now because this is an injustice! 'Why?' you ask. I'll give you five, just five, reasons.1. The publicity stunt:
You know the one. Frank did well here, expressed his true feelings, freed himself of a burden and all that jazz. But was it a coincidence that this was 6 days before the release of his début album? It probably was inevitable but the timing meant people who were like 'Who the hell is Frank Ocean?' are now like 'I like this Frank Ocean guy because he's bi and black in a homophobic group and he stands up for himself'. Not saying it's a bad thing to portray but timing... suspect. Janelle Monáe is with Bad Boy Records and while Diddy is sitting there promoting his pseudo-hip-hop group 'Diddy Dirty Money', her greatness is going to waste and she has to make it on her own. And Sufjan... well have you ever heard of Asthmatic Kitty? Thought not. Moving on.
2. The concept
- The ArchAndroid - Cindi Mayweather, an android, falls in love with human Anthony Greendown and has to escape the 'android authorities'. Sounds like a movie, right?
- Illinois - an album exploring places and journeys (in "Chicago"), people (in "John Wayne Gacy Jr.") and even events (in "Casimir Pulaski Day") related to the state of Illinois. So ambitious that it worked just fine.
- channelORANGE - explores the problems of having more money than sense ("Super Rich Kids") while once again subtly (but yet not so subtly) hints about his sexuality in a handful of tracks. Original?
3. The lead single
When no one really knew who she was, Janelle Monáe released this:
'Tightrope' is an awesome song, and if it was anyone else's song, it would probably be the best on the album. But it is up there...
Sufjan Stevens doesn't even really release singles. He doesn't need to. It doesn't stop the fact that he's actually got a signature song.
"Chicago" is so perfect. The arrangement and instrumentation should mean that it's over-produced but it's just not.
Frank Ocean's lead single was the overplayed "Thinkin' 'Bout You".
Truth is, it's not a bad song, not at all. Lyrically, it's great. However, it's a bit boring isn't it? And in terms of memorability, it doesn't touch "Tightrope" or "Chicago" does it?
4. Originality
This one's easy. Have you ever heard a crazy kinda funk/metal/pop fusion like this?
I've seen Janelle Monáe perform "Come Alive" live before and let me just say, it's comparable only to the most intense acid trip.
I could actually just write down the name of one Sufjan Steven's song and you'd give him marks for creativity: "The Black Hawk War, or, How to Demolish an Entire Civilization and Still Feel Good About Yourself in the Morning, or, We Apologize for the Inconvenience but You're Going to Have to Leave Now, or, 'I Have Fought the Big Knives and Will Continue to Fight Them Until They Are Off Our Lands!" Yeah. That's the name of a song. But I won't do that listen to this:
This is: "They Are Night Zombies!! They Are Neighbors!! They Have Come Back from the Dead!! Ahhhh!" The funniest thing is even though you don't think so at first listen, it could actually be part of a zombie movie cos it's so strange.
Then Frank Ocean's got "Pyramids".
This is no "Purple Rain". Good attempt, yeah, but he just doesn't have it in him... yet. I found myself wondering when this song was going to end because it felt like different songs stitched together, somewhat disjointed. Anyhoo, I think we can see that while Frank Ocean has a lot of potential creativity wise, he's just not there yet...
5. Repeatability
How many albums can you actually listen to from beginning to end at any given time? The ArchAndroid is one of them. Once you get past the UNBELIEVABLE first four tracks (which transition seamlessly one after the other) you'll realise you can't not listen to the rest of the album, especially because it doesn't have the 'second half of the album slump'.
Then there's Illinois which you carry on listening to for two reasons. At first it's simply because you're intrigued, then you realise that as you listen the album ACTUALLY gets better!! It's a beautiful upward slope =)
You may misunderstand this post to mean that I think channelORANGE is a bad album. I don't. Not at all. In fact, it is a pretty good album but not comparable to The ArchAndroid or Illinois. Truth is, a lot of the tracks sound very similar... or the same and I can't deal with songs on repeat and that's what it feels like most of the time.
channelORANGE is not and never will be better than The ArchAndroid or Illinois so don't EVER think otherwise. I have promised myself I'll never rant about Frank Ocean, or this injustice in particular, again so savour this moment. You might not get a more passionate post from me again...
@_bleggy_
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