Channel ORANGE

Editors’ Notes

On Frank Ocean’s Def Jam debut, the New Orleans native pours his heart out, using a honeycoated tenor to express what’s on his mind in a relatable, artistic way that calls to mind Jill Scott on her debut. This isn’t a set of Hollywood-scripted love fantasies. Still, after opening with falsetto-brushed musings about his first love (“Thinkin Bout You”) and spending too much time alone (“Sierra Leone”), the soul singer gives us an effervescent, sun-kissed view of life’s simple pleasures (“Sweet Life”) and a tongue-in-cheek glimpse of what it means to be “Super Rich Kids”—featuring Odd Future lyricist Earl Sweatshirt. There are also guest appearances by John Mayer and André 3000, who delivers masterful storytelling on the slow jam “Pink Matter.”