FRANK OCEAN’S ALBUM EXISTS AND IT’S AMAZING
This review is for those of you who’ve been waiting for those long, painful 4 years.
Frank Ocean’s much anticipated album, Blonde, was released last month and if, just like me, you’re a fan of his music, then you can relate when I say that waiting for his new album to drop was worse than waiting for fresh-baked cookies to cool off. But as I lay on my floor listening to it instead of doing homework, I’ll just say: worth the wait.
Just like Channel Orange, Blonde delivers everything you would expect and more, with most of the songs being minimalistic, resembling soft rock, with little to no drums and Ocean’s dense, poetic lyrics. Fluidity seems to be a fundamental part of this album, delivered in thought out, trippy lyrics, making dizziness its common sensation.
Now, if you’re reading this I’m assuming you: A) Have been waiting for his album to finally be available on Spotify, or B) Have been so busy with school the past few weeks that you completely forgot about it, fret not! I’m here to tell you all about one of this year’s hottest new releases.
Nikes: The album’s lead single, full of unexpected jumps and meaningful lyrics about materialism, popular culture, Nikes and more. With this song Frank sets the album’s tone: It’s not all roses.
Ivy: This song brings back that melancholic, longing Frank we all know. With smooth vocals and a simple melody, it reminds me of Thinking Bout You, exploring love, youth and a past relationship all while comparing it all to ivy. Lovely.
Pink + White: One of the catchiest songs on the album , it explores the idea of love with more melody than Nikes and Ivy, while also featuring Pharrell’s signature pianos and vocals by none other than Beyoncé herself. Yeah. Let that sink in for a minute.
Be Yourself: I swear if I close my eyes, I can hear my own mother reciting this voicemail. In an unusual, but rather pleasant, twist, this song is a minute-long voicemail. We hear
a mom warning her son about alcohol and drugs, giving the album an even more personal perspective, touching subjects like individuality, and self-love with the mantra: “Listen, stop trying to be somebody else. Don’t try to be someone else. Be yourself and know that that’s good enough. Don’t try to be like someone else, don’t try to act like someone else, be yourself. Be secure with yourself.”
Solo: With previous songs talking about love and self-love respectively, we get to Solo – a song about loneliness in different angles from the perspectives of different people.
Skyline To: In this amazing track, we’re graced with a collab with Kendrick Lamar, and even though this is not the first time Frank and Kendrick have worked together, it feels like Christmas morning, except it’s September and there are no gifts. Still it is pretty freaking fantastic, though. This song is essentially a poem about sex, summer, and California – wrapped in a musical haze of mystery.
Self Control: Exploring his impulses, Frank sings this track with longing, either for a former lover or a stranger, he evokes emotion and sings about the desire of wanting to be with someone.
Good Guy: A quick story of Frank going out on a blind date. While on the date, he learns that the guy isn’t really into him and is just looking for a meaningless night, meanwhile Frank was likely hoping for something more. *Sniff. Sniff*
Nights: This song divides into two parts, the first being a rap with some light aggression, while the second part is much slower, with a sadder vibe, making his story of a past relationship more tangible.
Solo (Reprise): It pinpoints one of Blonde’s major themes: nostalgia. Frank uses this track as an interlude of sorts. It features André 3000’s quick verses and a few disses, with a similar melody to Solo.
Pretty Sweet: One of the bolder moments on Blonde, it starts off with a chaotic mixture of instruments. Don’t be fooled though, this song is still great.
Facebook Story: Lyrics tell the story of a relationship destroyed by social media, something we can all relate to. Similar to Be Yourself, this song is made up of a recording.
Close To You: Because it wouldn’t be a Frank Ocean album without a decent amount of love songs. Close To You gives a eulogy to another relationship in which Frank sings about feeling abandoned and unsupported, even though he doesn’t seem that phased by the end of the relationship.
White Ferrari: Simply heartbreaking, this song relates hopelessness with a sadness that feels three-dimensional. Frank sings this tune with such sadness in his voice, making it all the more powerful.
Seigfried: With lyrics that are a little difficult to follow, this track shows us a vulnerable side of Frank, who admits that he’s “not brave”, contrasting his beliefs and traits with those of Norse warrior Siegfried and his traditional masculinity.
Godspeed: Although we may not know who this song is about, Frank makes it clear that he’s giving himself closure with that someone.
Futura Free: Another song divided into two sections, the first part of Futura Free reflects on Frank’s life and rambles on about popular culture, while the second part is an old interview, making this track a perfect conclusion to an even better album.
Whether the four-year wait was worth it will be all up to you, there’s no arguing Blonde is full of honesty, emotions and controversy, allowing us to move with him from song to song all while delivering a great sense of intimacy.