Frank Ocean

Odd Future member Frank Ocean is a strange fellar, and I don't mean physically. The man's lyrical approach, as well as musical choices, sets him apart from all of those major label backed crooners you may perchance encounter on a lonely Friday night on MuchMusic. The agony and the ecstacy of being Frank Ocean are fully exposed on this 40-minute romp; the private highs and lows of Ocean's heart are exposed, dissected and brought forward for the listener to assess. Also, where else can you check out an album that (illegally) samples heavily from The Eagles’ “Hotel California”, MGMT's “Electric Feel,” as well as a bevy of other hot, original beats?
 
Whereas most ladies' men brag endlessly about their ability to entertain/please (Jamie Foxx's recent street single “Yep That's Me” comes to mind), Ocean brings something rare to the table: earnestness. Unlike a Foxx or an R. Kelly, however, Ocean devotes an equal amount of time to crooning about being without love and the pain associated with it.

Dreamy opener “Strawberry Swing” acts as a perfect statement of purpose, discussing the lost innocence of youth for damn near four minutes. With that out of the way, Ocean spends the rest of the album exploring what occurs from that point onwards.
 
Second track, “Novacane,” starts the set in an earnest manner. The track's pulsating, bass-heavy keyboards and bouncy percussion set the tone, as Ocean details meeting a girl at Coachella ("I went to see Jigga, she went to see Z-Trip") and the ensuing problems that occur. Subsequent track “We All Try” has Ocean dropping lines about his beliefs when it comes to love, but also throws the listener curveballs with lines like, “I don't believe our nation's flag is on the moon.” It's this kind of inventive wordplay that makes listening to Ocean such an intriguing prospect; you're never quite sure where he's going all of the time, but damn is it an entertaining journey.
 
“Lovecrimes” sounds as if Ocean decided to take Kanye West's “Love Lockdown” instrumental and update it with an actual lyrical narrative, as well as pleasing vocal melodies. Ocean decides to up the ante by sneaking in various dialogue samples low in the mix that work well against the beat and force the listener to repeatedly listen to the song in order to decipher what's going on deep in the mix.
 
Album standout “American Wedding” (with the aforementioned Eagles sample) explores the various implications of long-term commitment, telling a taut story of to be and to be without through its 7-minute runtime. It is epic in scope, as well as being a testament to Ocean's ability to sustain an interesting narrative for so long.
 
All in all, a tight, out-of-the-gate showing from someone who is poised to do big things if he continues on this level of lyrical and musical excellence.

And on top of all that, you could get it for free, Earl. (Download link)

-Brian H hosts Countdown to Armageddon every Monday from 8-10pm