Now Listening – Frank Ocean – nostalgia,ULTRA Download + Review

Part of/affiliated with the on-their-way-to-total-domination OFWGKTA and recently Twitter co-signed by the great Lupe Fiasco, Frank Ocean‘s “nostalgia, ULTRA” is, for lack of better terms, a real-ass musical trip down all kinds of different lanes, ultimately leaving you in a spinning world of stawberry swings and Lincoln town cars with bleeding hearts in the trunk. I said the album was a trip, didn’t I?

Upon first skim-through listen, it may be easy to dismiss Frank Ocean as a Chris Brown-sound-alike; their voices hit many of the same notes and they carry out their words in similar ways. However, while Frank Ocean’s songs touch upon some of the same subject matters as the fallen pop-star – sex, broken hearts, girls – Frank Ocean manages to maintain pop-sounding choruses when really, he is talking about the subject matter in the most stripped-down way possible, with ample doses of romantic touches. So that is where the comparison ends; their voices are a touch similar, but Frank Ocean takes you on a journey the Chris Browns of the world can’t even fathom, let alone conquer. Where Chris Brown sang “Run It,” as a seductive ode to grown women around the world in attempt to prove his sexual prowess, Frank Ocean sings “Nature Feels,” an equally sensual song, but instead of bragging about “running it,” Ocean wants you to know how is nature feels; it doesn’t take much to recognize what kind of nature he is referring to, and his references to Adam and Eve conjure images of new sexuality and shy nudity.

But that is just one comparison. I listened to the album in its entirety about a dozen times now, and have given you a summary/insight into a few of my favorites. However, upon further listening sessions, I am sure to have new breakthrough favorites and discoveries; the best music usually has surprises in store, and I have a feeling this album is keeping a few secrets. And the fact that this quality of music is being given to us for free reminds me that I have paid hard-earned money for some bonified garbage in the past. Artists like Frank Ocean have the potential to change the game of pop or its subsequent hybrids; the sound may be similar, but the content is upgraded to an imagery-geek’s taste and a stoner’s  listening criteria.

If anyone hates on this album I will punch him/her in the face.

…just kidding. Kind of. Click the link below the pics for the download.

DOWNLOAD – Frank Ocean – “Nostalgia, Ultra”

Strawberry Swing: This song manages to create a dreamy, effortless sound bite while simultaneously singing about the fucked up world we live in. This belongs on stage with a trippy life-sized screen-as-backdrop playing crackly home videos at the hypothetical Woodstock of the future, perhaps with a few more drums towards the end for emphasis.

Nature Feels: Set to MGMT’s “Electric Feel,” this song is Frank Ocean’s take on seduction, conjuring images of cherries blossoming at climax. To MGMT’s chorus (“Ooh girl/Shock me like an electric eel/Baby girl /Turn me on with your electric feel) Frank Ocean has “making love underneath the cherry leaves//babygirl//tell me how my nature feels/said aww baby  oh //up against the cherry tree.” An electric eel vs nature feels under cherry trees? I’m turned on. Must move on to the next song.

Nature Feels by Frank Ocean

Swim Good: One of my favorite songs and it name drops (and pays homage to) Kanye’s 808′s & Heartbreak with a little auto-tuned goodness in the mix, although in “Novocane,” he hates on auto-tune a little bit. He mourns a lost love/broken heart here and hopes to “swim good” when he drives his car off the road and into the ocean.

Novacane: i think i started something
i got what i wanted
did didn’t i
can’t feel nothing
superhuman
even when i’m fucking
viagra popping
every single record
autotuning
zero emotion
muted emotion
pitch corrected
computed emotion
i blame it on the model broad with the hollywood smile
stripper booty and rack like wow…”

American Wedding (genius!) Set to the Eagles “Hotel California,” this song can encapsulates every overnight wedding that has become so trivial in Hollywood and the notion that marriage is like a driver’s license – just as disposable or easily renewed. Marriage is the new boyfriend-and-girlfriend, haven’t you heard? “…but if you stay//girl if you stay//you’ll probably leave later anyway //it’s love made in the U.S.A.”

Share on Tumblr