Frank Ocean - Blonde LP and Endless visual LP (August 19, 2016) Album • Page 44

Yeah, Nostalgia Ultra and Channel Orange are both far more diverse than this. On my first listen of Blonde, I was really taken off guard with how similar each song sounded. I've listened a few more times since then though so the songs are sticking out a little more now.

 

the lack of drums is kind of a mindfuck in terms of being able to separate out the sounds and songs

 

This ×1000

 

self control is great and I'm pretty happy about this album just because I feel like I could listen to it on my nightly walks since it's pretty mellow.

 

try listening more than three times, stuff will start to stick out. and if it doesn't well idk what to tell you

 

this album is incredibly dynamic y'all are silly

 

idk I found this album to be pretty dynamic. I've only listened once so far but I'm remembering some pretty big shifts between/within songs--I mean, think about "Nikes," I'd say the song changes quite a bit at the halfway mark. maybe you're looking for more abrupt loud/soft or quiet/loud shifts but I don't think that'd be necessary. I'd say that this album has a very organic flow but that it's also very overwhelming--like there's a lot going on that I know I couldn't grasp onto on first blush.

 

I mean there's singing, rapping, guest vocals, great electronic instrumentals and great real instruments. I don't know what else he could've done to switch it up.

 

Yeah incredibly dynamic and diverse album

 

Premature Evaluation: Frank Ocean Blonde

 

Chance said Francis worked on "Close to You" with Frank, maybe that's him, not Vernon.

 

There's a serious lack of memorable hooks on this album in comparison to Channel Orange and Nostalgia Ultra. Someone else said it before, but this album reminds me of Radiohead's A Moon Shaped Pool in that sense, as neither album revolves around massive choruses, but they instead focus on establishing certain moods.

 

Ivy is very memorable

 

Sure, diverse instrumentation and vocal techniques. Of course its beautiful sounding throughout. I guess i was referring to tempo, mostly. Id like to hear frank over a driving and booming beat-- how he'd fare with a more contemporary sound. Maybe he'll do more features now that the record is complete. I just want to hear Frank shock me. Tbh there is little on this album that really challenges my perception of Frank and his art, at least from the one i already held (that hes really really good at writing midtempo melancholy experimental r&b jams)

 

Obviously this is just my opinion and everyone is entitled to their own feelings about the album, not saying id prefer anything different over this record we have-- but that dynamic kind of writing is something id like to see more in his art

 

I'd say Frank already did that on Channel Orange ("Pyramids", "Super Rich Kids"). I do agree with you about wanting to see more dynamic writing from him on future projects though. I hope this isn't the kind of writing he'll stick to from now on. I really enjoy this album but it's not necessarily the direction I would've wanted him to go in.

 

Frank surprised me on this record many times on this record. The kind of song you want wouldn't make sense on this record.

 

I mean he could have very easily made an album of standard booming pop songs like he writes for other artists but does that really fit him?

 

Finally got around to looking at the lyrics, there is some serious shit here.

Can't stop listening to this record.

 

I presume full lyrics are up on genius? Anywhere else?

 

Goddamn, Siegfried is a fucking ride.

I'm just looking at genius, sure it's on all the standard lyric sites by now tho.

 

Really liking this album.

 

Yeah it was like listen 3 or 4 that made me really like it

 

I don't think anyone was saying that? My point was that it would be cool to see more songs with hooks like "Thinkin Bout You", "Sweet Life", "Lost", "Forrest Gump", etc. There's nothing like that on here. I hope one day we get some more of that. But anyway, with each listen I appreciate this album more and more for what it is and care less about the absence of traditional song structures. "Self Control", "Solo" and "White Ferrari" are among his best songs so in all honesty I shouldn't be complaining, haha.

 

^^agreed wholeheartedly