Channel Orange - Frank Ocean
Channel Orange Image
Metascore

Universal acclaim - based on 46 Critics What's this?

User Score

Universal acclaim- based on 335 Ratings

  • Summary: Love and life in Los Angeles is the theme of the debut release on Def Jam for Frank Ocean, who earlier this month posted online the liner notes for this album describing a relationship he had with a man.
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 46 out of 46
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 46
  3. Negative: 0 out of 46
  1. Jul 24, 2012
    100
    Ocean brings substance with style, rather than style demanding to be considered substance.
  2. Aug 2, 2012
    100
    In throwing his emotional locker wide open, Frank Ocean has made a tender, engrossing classic.
  3. Jul 24, 2012
    100
    Channel Orange is so arrestingly smooth that all of its unusually shaped pieces fit together as a seamless whole.
  4. Sep 14, 2012
    80
    Sumptuous and sprawling, his major label debut comfortably backs up the hype. [Oct 2012, p.86]

See all 46 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 79 out of 89
  2. Negative: 8 out of 89
  1. Extraordinary, layered, textured, addictive and a chocolate box who's flavours may differ but are all damned delicious. My stand out tracks are Pyramids and Super Rich Kids. I'm a Whats Goin' On kinda guy and with a bit of nurturing and maturing I believe Ocean can give us all something equally as special - until then it's a 9/10 for me... Expand
  2. Demonios, la publicidad es poderosa, y aunque no soy fan de este genero, (Fan de Mr. oizo, Autechre, etc.)
    me parece un album que funciona, g
    racias a la maravillosa voz de Ocean. Tiene gran profundidad la musica, la produccion es impecable con una calidad excelente. Pero no todo es color de rosa en este disco, que a mi parecer esta un poco sobrevalorado gracias a la reciente confesion de la bisexualidad de Frank O.
    Los temas que toca son repetitivos y sus letras no tan profundas como su calificacion sugiere. El "AMOR" abarca un 90% de su album, y cansa un poco lo mismo en todas las canciones.
    Si bien no es para comprarlo, una escuchada claro que vale la pena.
    Expand
  3. I loved this album on first listen and enjoy it slightly less with the passage of time and plays. Another reviewer here refers to Ocean's genius and Janelle Monae. I experienced the same exhilaration with her last album and now can't bring myself to listen to it at all. Maybe genius' albums should have best before dates stamped on them. Expand
  4. Okay, in the realm of R&B albums, this is decent. Then again, modern R&B is generally a collection of the least interesting music outside of modern country. There are a few good tracks here, but the pacing is glacial at times and while listening one is hard-pressed not to check the time remaining time not only on the album but on individual tracks. It just becomes boring and painful at times. The universal critical acclaim for this album is disturbing in its uniformity. Ocean is obviously receiving points for being brave enough to reveal his sexuality just prior to releasing the album. I give him kudos for his courage, but I'm not going to bump up my rating of his album based on that. Expand

See all 89 User Reviews

Related Articles

  1. Metacritic Users Pick the Best of 2012

    Metacritic Users Pick the Best of 2012 Image
    Published: January 8, 2013
    After weeks of voting, we finally have the results of our annual poll. Find out which movies, games, TV shows, albums, and songs ranked among our users' favorites (as well as the most overrated) of 2012.
  2. The Best Albums of 2012

    The Best Albums of 2012 Image
    Published: December 21, 2012
    Sure, it's no surprise that Frank Ocean had the best-reviewed album of 2012. But which other releases filled out our top 40? Get the full list inside ... and check out the year's worst-reviewed albums, too.
  3. 2012 Music Critic Top Ten Lists

    2012 Music Critic Top Ten Lists Image
    Published: December 4, 2012
    Over the next two months (as we do every year), we'll collect the individual year-end Top Ten lists published by over 100 major music critics, websites, and other publications. Check back daily, as we'll update the overall standings whenever new lists are published.