kidfresh832 Posted August 21, 2016 Share Posted August 21, 2016 Just started listening to BlondeFrank Ocean Ends His Long Silence With a Variety of WorksIn this time of relentlessness and ubiquity, there is no art more potent, or shocking, than the art of disappearance. Silence may not be Frank Ocean’s greatest gift, but it’s one the R&B singer has wielded effectively for most of the four years since his last album, “Channel Orange.” The reactions to his evaporation from public life have been most intriguing to watch — his denial has been seen as a necessary balm against the scrutiny of fame, and then, after a while, a sort of insult, and finally, in the run-up to his just-released projects, a possible sign of failure on the horizon.Lest you mistake the silence of creative gestation for the silence of lethargy, Mr. Ocean has now swapped scarcity for abundance. Since Thursday, he has released, in effect, two new albums — “Blonde” and a “visual album” called “Endless,” both exclusive to Apple Music — a video for the song “Nikes,” and an oversize art magazine, Boys Don’t Cry, which includes a CD version of “Blonde” and was made available free at pop-up shops in four cities.Though “Endless,” with its meaningfully slow 45-minute video of Mr. Ocean building a staircase, came first, the pairing of “Blonde” and Boys Don’t Cry captures the range of Mr. Ocean’s ambitions and gifts.“Blonde” is dewy, radiant and easeful, with an approach to incantatory soul that evolves moment to moment. It’s feverish but unhurried, a slowly smoldering set that’s emphatic about loneliness. “I couldn’t gauge your fears/I can’t relate to my peers,” Mr. Ocean sings on “Seigfried.”Photo The cover for Mr. Ocean’s new album.Mr. Ocean writes impressionistically, and sings with a casual sternness, as if sauntering into the studio, smearing out an idea running through his head, then retreating. That’s reflected in the range of vocal approaches he takes on “Blonde”: heavy-sigh exhalation, digitally manipulated childlike singing, forceful spoken word, sleepy-eyed rapping, obscured conversation. Mr. Ocean’s previous projects — the 2011 mixtape “Nostalgia, Ultra” and the 2012 album “Channel Orange” — were products of an intuitive songwriter and a singer just getting comfortable with the outer boundaries of his power. “Blonde” and “Endless” show someone willing to forsake that progress in service of perfecting a mood.He excels on the ecstatically relaxed “Pink + White” and the mildly doo-wop-influenced “Self Control.” On the puppyish “Solo,” he’s as close to content as he gets here; mostly, he labors over romantic scenarios that leave him vexed, or worse. So often on this album, he’s pleading for recognition: “I’ll sleep between y’all, it’s nothing” (“Self Control”), “I’m not him but I’ll mean something to you” (“Nikes”).“Blonde” is also not precious about the sanctity of Mr. Ocean’s perspective. It includes a scolding voice mail from a mother (possibly Mr. Ocean’s) to a son; a story narrated by the French producer Sebastian about the paranoia of the digital age; and a kinetic, speed-racer verse from André 3000 on “Solo (Reprise)” that swallows all the air around it. Yet at the same time, Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar are here, in largely ceremonial roles. (A list of album collaborators appears in the magazine, but full writing and production credits were not immediately made available.)In 2016, the condition and circumstances of an album’s release are integral to its reception. For Beyoncé, the sudden drop of “Lemonade” underscored her militaristic precision; for Kanye West, the ever-changing album “The Life of Pablo” reflected his artistic restlessness; for Rihanna, the stumbled rollout of “Anti” matched her confident indifference.From a distance, Mr. Ocean’s return came in fits and starts, with release plans hinted at, then abandoned. But what Mr. Ocean has achieved with the complexity of this rollout — as well as his ability to mold corporate motives to his benefit — is an almost complete reframing of his public narrativehttp://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/22/arts/music/frank-ocean-blonde-endless-review.html?_r=0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquaria Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 Haven't yet, no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedSimba Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 I plan to listen when I get home! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bu. Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 I've been meaning to listen to both albums all weekend but my WIFI has been shit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utopia Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 oh YESH. Endless is a bit more interesting sound wise but i love both projects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DasSad Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 I have listened and I don't understand what people are so excited about. The songs were boring Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidfresh832 Posted August 22, 2016 Author Share Posted August 22, 2016 (edited) I have listened and I don't understand what people are so excited about. The songs were boring That's my impression also from listening to Endless so far honestly. And a couple songs on Blond...I mean hes gay and its nice that hes getting such hype and excitement behind his work but yeah Edited August 22, 2016 by kidfresh832 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rock & Roll Hall of Game Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 Too bad the music is shitTook all that time to make a shit album. I wasted a download. Oh well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotboy06 Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 It's.....chill and somber..I like a couple of songs, but it drags. There is nothing upbeat on the album.And he isn't gay like people claim him to be..he's bisexual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedSimba Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 I liked a few songs but I was a bit underwhelmed on my first listen. I'll see if it grows on me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquaria Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 It's.....chill and somber..I like a couple of songs, but it drags. There is nothing upbeat on the album.And he isn't gay like people claim him to be..he's bisexual.Lawd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotboy06 Posted August 24, 2016 Share Posted August 24, 2016 Lawd. You agree Frank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquaria Posted August 24, 2016 Share Posted August 24, 2016 You agree Frank? It's me, Roc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VelvetKnowledge1814 Posted August 24, 2016 Share Posted August 24, 2016 I haven't listened yet. But I feel like a lot of his hype comes from the fact that he's gay/bi. I remember that announcement/confession he made online had everyone vouching for him. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotboy06 Posted August 24, 2016 Share Posted August 24, 2016 It's me, Roc. I know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bu. Posted August 24, 2016 Share Posted August 24, 2016 (edited) Endless was kind of boring. Blond is tonight's listen. Edited August 24, 2016 by Dammn Bu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DasSad Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 It's.....chill and somber..I like a couple of songs, but it drags. There is nothing upbeat on the album.And he isn't gay like people claim him to be..he's bisexual.He is gay for pay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fanka Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 He is gay for pay. He's not that good looking to be gay for pay...I liked the album. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utopia Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 Ivy + Nights + White Ferrari + Seigfried Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidfresh832 Posted August 28, 2016 Author Share Posted August 28, 2016 Frank Ocean's 'Blonde' Bows at No. 1 on Billboard 200 With Third-Largest Debut of 2016Frank Ocean earns his first No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart with the arrival of Blonde. The set, which was released on Aug. 20, bows atop the list with 276,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending Aug. 25, according to Nielsen Music.Blonde logs the third-largest debut of 2016, behind only the arrivals of Drake's Views and Beyonce's Lemonade.The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption, which includes traditional album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). The new Sept. 10-dated chart (where Blonde bows at No. 1) will be posted in full to Billboard's websites on Tuesday, Aug. 30. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedSimba Posted August 29, 2016 Share Posted August 29, 2016 Nice. Oh yeah I forgot Channel Orange missed #1. Probably didn't help that the CD was released the week after the digital. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utopia Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 I know you're in there somewhereCan't wait some, something youSomeone out thereTrying to love the one you're with tonightTry to love the one you're withLate at night sometimes it helpsYou don't have to be all by yourselfIn the morning lightThis'll all be over withI know you're in there somewhereCan't outrun something you needIt's been so longSLAY ME Jazmine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kishi Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 I listened to Blonde while cleaning. I'll have to give it a proper listen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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