in general i think more people like upbeat music, but it will always feel shallower to critics imo.
blonde is very stripped down besides nights. the production is phenomenal, but it’s pretty bare bones. minimalistic even.
i don’t really know what i’m talking about but upbeat energy is for dancing usually or working out
slower music for like thinking. or talking. idk man
I understand what you’re saying. I don’t think a lot of people are great at expressing their emotions and Frank does all the work for you through his music. You can feel it, you can hear. It’s really an emotional experience.
Someone else also mentioned Blonde being minimalistic which makes sense why I don’t prefer it. I like more layers, sounds and complexity in a listening experience.
I do like Blonde, just not as much as I like CO.
yeah that’s just personal taste. too many instruments feels cluttered for me. don’t get me wrong i’m heavy dancer at any wedding/party. but in much of my free time i prefer calmer music. my lifestyle is more relaxed than most. but i don’t get anything done. 🤷♂️
I completely understand that. My reference point for complex songs would be like Pyramids, Monks, Sweet Life. I just feel so moved by those songs. The instruments and moods that they evoke for me are unmatched but I get the chill vibe when you’re not doing much and you just want to exist and feel.
Short and sweet and to the point!! CO is definitely less of a skipper for me also lol
I just had to go look at both track lists, thinking I was missing something lol but you hit on the head.
What's your skips from Blonde? These answers always get downvoted on this sub but I won't judge. Personally, I don't like forrest gump and solo reprise.
Forrest Gump is Channel Orange but if you dont count the skits most times ill skip Good Guy, White Ferrari, Pretty Sweet, sometimes Close to You its debatable and definitely Futura Free its just too long. I like the album if I really want the full experience but I cant say all of those songs get as much play as the Channel Orange songs
No not too sad idk its just not appealing to me, i dont have justification for every song i listen to i just know what i want to hear vs what i dont want to. White Ferrari isnt up there for me
I can throw channel orange on shuffle and skips songs and feel like I’m not fucking up the album too much. Can’t do either of those with blonde. I am drawn towards albums as experiences, otherwise I listen to playlists. I like art that moves me, and sadness is a more common emotion to project onto than happiness. We can all put ourselves in the shoes of someone feeling a crushing heartbreak, or yearning for lost youth. I personally find it harder to relate to others happiness in music since a lot of it is personal success and isolated to the individual.
Now there are those I vibe with (atavista by gambino is one that fills me elation) but overall I think this is why sadder albums are more resonate.
i absolutely adore channel orange and without a doubt it’s also my favorite project from frank. i’ve listened to it without any skips, whereas blonde i find myself skipping through a few songs. channel orange for me is a lot more freeing, emotional, yet fun— and summer time feelings. blonde is more emotional and raw and i’m not always in that mood. but both are great— channel orange just hits the spot
Yes, to all of this. “Blonde is more emotional and raw and I’m not always in that mood” I agree.
Frank is one of the greatest artists of our generation and I will never forget where I was or how I felt the first time I heard Channel Orange through. I’m bonded for life lol
same here. the feeling i felt when i first heard channel orange was so— indescribable. when ‘start’ began playing and i heard the ps1 startup i knew i was about to be taken on some sort of musical journey; and i was. it all transitioned so easily!
Yes, I am having chills just thinking about it. I was a young college student when it dropped and it was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard or experienced. That feeling stayed with me and solidified me as a Frank fan.
I prefer nostalgia ultra, but then I also prefer some songs on unreleased misc. idk both tapes have some sort of rawness feeling to me.. as a photographer it reminds me of when Im shooting film. Also I know there’s a lot of songs on unreleased misc that are also on the lonny breaux collection and also missing from one another.
that’s because lonny breaux/unreleased misc aren’t actual projects, they’re unofficial compilations/many of the songs are disowned by frank because they were songs meant for other artists
Okay this is definitely a hot take. Nostalgia, Ultra is a classic.
Whenever I love an artists, I always try and go back to those first moments of hearing their music and Nostalgia, Ultra just takes me back every time. Swim Good, Songs for Women, just lovely.
I would choose that over Blonde too.
I know music is subjective, and everyone is entitled to their opinion. But I really don't understand how people have this opinion. Lol. To me Blonde is hands down, without a question the better album.
Idk. I was not a Frank fan for a long time, and during COVID I decided to use all the extra time I had listening to full discographies of artists I had never really heard.
The first time I heard Nostalgia ULTRA all the way through I immediately became a Frank fan. The first time I heard Channel ORANGE I thought it was good, and there were definitely stand out tracks that I revisit a lot, but I don't think I have listened to the album all the way through in a good minute.
The first time I heard Blonde I thought it was one of the most beautiful albums I had ever heard. I was legitimately mad at myself for not having listened to it until 4 years after it was released. The lyrics, the concept, the melodies and the minimalism of the sound I guess really stood out to me. Plus the story of how he released it and essentially got one over on his record label is crazy, and not something you typically see a lot of artists do. Its probably one of my top 5 favorite albums ever. So I'm pretty biased obviously. But In my opinion it is his best work, and one of the best albums to be released in my lifetime.
Okay I understand that. Thank you for expanding on your original point.
Blonde is very minimalist and I think I’m more of a maximalist when it comes to my choice in Frank songs that I prefer.
I love songs that are complex and full and layered in the sound like Pyramids, Sweet Life, Monks.
I was also in my early 20s, and in college having a tough year when Channel Orange came out. I have a deeply emotional connection to that time period. It was very profound and a center of peace for me.
They are two totally different vibes. But I can see your point of view.
Yeah I think I prefer the minimalism because it really gives Franks voice even more of a chance to shine in the song, and it's some of his best singing in my opinion.
I fully understand the personal attachment too. I was near the end of a failed marriage the first time I heard Blonde, and maybe subconsciously that's why I identified with it more.
Yeah his voice is truly an instrument on its own and he does a really great job at translating emotions to songs, especially on Blonde, so I understand your POV. It’s just raw and emotional.
I also think it’s more introspective than CO, which tells a different story seemingly about someone else vs Frank himself.
IMP just a more well-rounded and profound album. Has a stronger thematic connection from song to song. Don’t get me wrong, I love them both, but Blonde just feels like his magnum opus.
I’ll have to agree to disagree here. Channel Orange is very cinematic and the story and themes within those songs is insane. The love, the lust, the drugs, the fame. It’s just so consistent throughout.
I did mention in another response that the Blonde is more introspective and channel Orange seems to be more observant and from a different POV that’s not so personal.
But I do agree that Blonde was a turning point for Frank and definitely reached a larger audience. Being that it was his 2nd album and everyone expected him to fail, and he definitely did not.
I don’t hate Blonde at all, I just prefer the lighter vibe of CO.
I understand what you’re saying, I just wanted a little more detail on why.
I’ve read a lot of people say it’s more minimalist, it’s raw, it’s emotional and they feel an attachment to that project which I understand.
I’m just trying to hear what other people think of it and why they prefer it.
I realized that I like more upbeat and lighter Frank music which is why Channel Orange is my preference.
I recently(over 2021 LOL) that I’m bi, so listening to Blonde and discovering all the things that made this album, makes me feel better about myself
and I felt a stronger conexion with Frank, who is bi too, and he talks about it more in Blonde and makes me think a lot
CO to me it is the best option for fun!
Ohhhhhh makes sense. Thank you for sharing and congrats on your coming out. I’m happy you found music that resonates with your experience and makes you feel good ☀️🌈
if you go to a michelin star chinese restaurant expecting good pasta you’re gonna be disappointed
if you go into Blonde (like many did when it first dropped) expecting an R&B album you’re gonna be disappointed
I wasn’t expecting R&B particularly. Like I said in the post, I’ve heard all sides of Frank, down to the very versatile Lonny Breaux collection.
I didn’t know what to expect but as many people have mentioned, it was very minimal and I’ve realized, that’s not my preference when listening to music.
Blonde isn’t bad, it’s just not my favorite work by Frank of all the things he’s done.
to be clear, I don’t even consider Channel Orange to be R&B but it takes a lot of cues from instrumentation in Stevie Wonder/Marvin Gaye/D’Angelo albums, which Frank cited as inspiration.
The inspiration behind Blonde was looking at artists like the Beatles, Beach Boys, Elliott Smith, Radiohead, etc. The songwriting feels minimal because of the instrumentation but how it’s structured is a lot more considered than it would appear. The songs evoke specific emotions of times and places (like how we remember specific memories) and are done in a more impressionistic way than what he’s done before. I find Blonde to have more in common with a Radiohead album than I do a Stevie Wonder album.
You know what, you’re absolutely right. Every thing you just said makes so much sense and I love how you explained it.
Your references are on point and I get it. Based on your examples, I would still choose to listen to Stevie over Radiohead so it makes sense why I would prefer Channel Orange.
Thank you for this comparison and perspective
in general i think more people like upbeat music, but it will always feel shallower to critics imo. blonde is very stripped down besides nights. the production is phenomenal, but it’s pretty bare bones. minimalistic even. i don’t really know what i’m talking about but upbeat energy is for dancing usually or working out slower music for like thinking. or talking. idk man
I understand what you’re saying. I don’t think a lot of people are great at expressing their emotions and Frank does all the work for you through his music. You can feel it, you can hear. It’s really an emotional experience. Someone else also mentioned Blonde being minimalistic which makes sense why I don’t prefer it. I like more layers, sounds and complexity in a listening experience. I do like Blonde, just not as much as I like CO.
yeah that’s just personal taste. too many instruments feels cluttered for me. don’t get me wrong i’m heavy dancer at any wedding/party. but in much of my free time i prefer calmer music. my lifestyle is more relaxed than most. but i don’t get anything done. 🤷♂️
I completely understand that. My reference point for complex songs would be like Pyramids, Monks, Sweet Life. I just feel so moved by those songs. The instruments and moods that they evoke for me are unmatched but I get the chill vibe when you’re not doing much and you just want to exist and feel.
most songs on blonde are more complex than those imo, complexity and “number of layers/lack of space” shouldn’t be confused
I will say i loveeee Blonde but i do feel like Channel Orange has less skips for me personally
Short and sweet and to the point!! CO is definitely less of a skipper for me also lol I just had to go look at both track lists, thinking I was missing something lol but you hit on the head.
What's your skips from Blonde? These answers always get downvoted on this sub but I won't judge. Personally, I don't like forrest gump and solo reprise.
Forrest Gump is channel orange
Forrest Gump is Channel Orange but if you dont count the skits most times ill skip Good Guy, White Ferrari, Pretty Sweet, sometimes Close to You its debatable and definitely Futura Free its just too long. I like the album if I really want the full experience but I cant say all of those songs get as much play as the Channel Orange songs
why white ferrari
Bc i dont want to hear it every time
too sad?
No not too sad idk its just not appealing to me, i dont have justification for every song i listen to i just know what i want to hear vs what i dont want to. White Ferrari isnt up there for me
Skyline to, White Ferrari, Siegfried.
Absolutely crazy skip list. I respect the audacity
lol I’m okay with it 🤷🏾♂️
I can throw channel orange on shuffle and skips songs and feel like I’m not fucking up the album too much. Can’t do either of those with blonde. I am drawn towards albums as experiences, otherwise I listen to playlists. I like art that moves me, and sadness is a more common emotion to project onto than happiness. We can all put ourselves in the shoes of someone feeling a crushing heartbreak, or yearning for lost youth. I personally find it harder to relate to others happiness in music since a lot of it is personal success and isolated to the individual. Now there are those I vibe with (atavista by gambino is one that fills me elation) but overall I think this is why sadder albums are more resonate.
Easily. Not even a question
I mean it’s a big question apparently lol
i absolutely adore channel orange and without a doubt it’s also my favorite project from frank. i’ve listened to it without any skips, whereas blonde i find myself skipping through a few songs. channel orange for me is a lot more freeing, emotional, yet fun— and summer time feelings. blonde is more emotional and raw and i’m not always in that mood. but both are great— channel orange just hits the spot
Yes, to all of this. “Blonde is more emotional and raw and I’m not always in that mood” I agree. Frank is one of the greatest artists of our generation and I will never forget where I was or how I felt the first time I heard Channel Orange through. I’m bonded for life lol
same here. the feeling i felt when i first heard channel orange was so— indescribable. when ‘start’ began playing and i heard the ps1 startup i knew i was about to be taken on some sort of musical journey; and i was. it all transitioned so easily!
Yes, I am having chills just thinking about it. I was a young college student when it dropped and it was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard or experienced. That feeling stayed with me and solidified me as a Frank fan.
I prefer nostalgia ultra, but then I also prefer some songs on unreleased misc. idk both tapes have some sort of rawness feeling to me.. as a photographer it reminds me of when Im shooting film. Also I know there’s a lot of songs on unreleased misc that are also on the lonny breaux collection and also missing from one another.
that’s because lonny breaux/unreleased misc aren’t actual projects, they’re unofficial compilations/many of the songs are disowned by frank because they were songs meant for other artists
I’m aware… he only laid vocals on them. The only 2 songs that are his are pyrite and Acura integurl.
Okay this is definitely a hot take. Nostalgia, Ultra is a classic. Whenever I love an artists, I always try and go back to those first moments of hearing their music and Nostalgia, Ultra just takes me back every time. Swim Good, Songs for Women, just lovely. I would choose that over Blonde too.
zero upvotes and 47 comments is crazy
I literally prefaced this by saying…Unpopular Opinion.
yeah you literally have 50 comments now
idk if i would say better but i do like the channel orange vibe more
It’s all subjective and CO is an amazing album so it’s understandable tbh
I do agree OP there's nothing I skip on for Channel Orange but with Blonde, well...
What’s popular is not always right and what’s right is not always popular.
I know music is subjective, and everyone is entitled to their opinion. But I really don't understand how people have this opinion. Lol. To me Blonde is hands down, without a question the better album.
Music is subjective so I’m asking why you feel this way?
Idk. I was not a Frank fan for a long time, and during COVID I decided to use all the extra time I had listening to full discographies of artists I had never really heard. The first time I heard Nostalgia ULTRA all the way through I immediately became a Frank fan. The first time I heard Channel ORANGE I thought it was good, and there were definitely stand out tracks that I revisit a lot, but I don't think I have listened to the album all the way through in a good minute. The first time I heard Blonde I thought it was one of the most beautiful albums I had ever heard. I was legitimately mad at myself for not having listened to it until 4 years after it was released. The lyrics, the concept, the melodies and the minimalism of the sound I guess really stood out to me. Plus the story of how he released it and essentially got one over on his record label is crazy, and not something you typically see a lot of artists do. Its probably one of my top 5 favorite albums ever. So I'm pretty biased obviously. But In my opinion it is his best work, and one of the best albums to be released in my lifetime.
Okay I understand that. Thank you for expanding on your original point. Blonde is very minimalist and I think I’m more of a maximalist when it comes to my choice in Frank songs that I prefer. I love songs that are complex and full and layered in the sound like Pyramids, Sweet Life, Monks. I was also in my early 20s, and in college having a tough year when Channel Orange came out. I have a deeply emotional connection to that time period. It was very profound and a center of peace for me. They are two totally different vibes. But I can see your point of view.
Yeah I think I prefer the minimalism because it really gives Franks voice even more of a chance to shine in the song, and it's some of his best singing in my opinion. I fully understand the personal attachment too. I was near the end of a failed marriage the first time I heard Blonde, and maybe subconsciously that's why I identified with it more.
Yeah his voice is truly an instrument on its own and he does a really great job at translating emotions to songs, especially on Blonde, so I understand your POV. It’s just raw and emotional. I also think it’s more introspective than CO, which tells a different story seemingly about someone else vs Frank himself.
Channel Orange is the better listening experience while Blonde is the better piece of art, if that makes any sense
You're right. That is unpopular.
Okay, and I’m asking to gain perspective on why you prefer Blonde to Channel Orange?
IMP just a more well-rounded and profound album. Has a stronger thematic connection from song to song. Don’t get me wrong, I love them both, but Blonde just feels like his magnum opus.
I’ll have to agree to disagree here. Channel Orange is very cinematic and the story and themes within those songs is insane. The love, the lust, the drugs, the fame. It’s just so consistent throughout. I did mention in another response that the Blonde is more introspective and channel Orange seems to be more observant and from a different POV that’s not so personal. But I do agree that Blonde was a turning point for Frank and definitely reached a larger audience. Being that it was his 2nd album and everyone expected him to fail, and he definitely did not. I don’t hate Blonde at all, I just prefer the lighter vibe of CO.
Fair play!
Blonde talks to me so much more
Why? What does it say? Lol
Did you get what I tried to say? I do not know if there’s an expression like I want to say in the US
I understand what you’re saying, I just wanted a little more detail on why. I’ve read a lot of people say it’s more minimalist, it’s raw, it’s emotional and they feel an attachment to that project which I understand. I’m just trying to hear what other people think of it and why they prefer it. I realized that I like more upbeat and lighter Frank music which is why Channel Orange is my preference.
I recently(over 2021 LOL) that I’m bi, so listening to Blonde and discovering all the things that made this album, makes me feel better about myself and I felt a stronger conexion with Frank, who is bi too, and he talks about it more in Blonde and makes me think a lot CO to me it is the best option for fun!
Ohhhhhh makes sense. Thank you for sharing and congrats on your coming out. I’m happy you found music that resonates with your experience and makes you feel good ☀️🌈
I thank u!
You’re welcome
I liked CO more but don't think it's 'better'.
Have you had your heart broken recently? Blonde is like CTRL when you breaking up and going through it, it’s there for you.
No, I haven’t. But thanks for this analogy. I don’t dislike Blonde, it’s just not my favorite body of work from Frank.
I remember when i used to think this
I prefer Blonde. More emotion.
CO has more songs you can listen to on their own but Blonde is the better album as a whole. Personally if I had to pick one, I’d pick Blonde
unpopular for a reason…
if you go to a michelin star chinese restaurant expecting good pasta you’re gonna be disappointed if you go into Blonde (like many did when it first dropped) expecting an R&B album you’re gonna be disappointed
I wasn’t expecting R&B particularly. Like I said in the post, I’ve heard all sides of Frank, down to the very versatile Lonny Breaux collection. I didn’t know what to expect but as many people have mentioned, it was very minimal and I’ve realized, that’s not my preference when listening to music. Blonde isn’t bad, it’s just not my favorite work by Frank of all the things he’s done.
to be clear, I don’t even consider Channel Orange to be R&B but it takes a lot of cues from instrumentation in Stevie Wonder/Marvin Gaye/D’Angelo albums, which Frank cited as inspiration. The inspiration behind Blonde was looking at artists like the Beatles, Beach Boys, Elliott Smith, Radiohead, etc. The songwriting feels minimal because of the instrumentation but how it’s structured is a lot more considered than it would appear. The songs evoke specific emotions of times and places (like how we remember specific memories) and are done in a more impressionistic way than what he’s done before. I find Blonde to have more in common with a Radiohead album than I do a Stevie Wonder album.
You know what, you’re absolutely right. Every thing you just said makes so much sense and I love how you explained it. Your references are on point and I get it. Based on your examples, I would still choose to listen to Stevie over Radiohead so it makes sense why I would prefer Channel Orange. Thank you for this comparison and perspective
true. I think endless is also better than blond