The days are getting shorter, my friends. Lets celebrate the end of a glorious Summer with a few great songs. Volume 7 features the multi-gendered wonder Mykki Blanco, that song from Portlandia, the band my wife hung out with at Pitchfork (Purity Ring), and some hard-rockin' Sleigh Bells.
A lot has been said about Frank Ocean this year. Maybe you have heard that some consider his debut album, Channel Orange, a musical masterpiece. Maybe you were onto him early, and saw the promise of the 2011 mix-tape Nostalgia/Ultra. Or maybe, like most folks, you heard about Ocean's sexuality before you heard his music, thanks to all the press attention given to the open letter Ocean posted on Tumblr revealing his experience with unrequited love after falling in love with a man as a teenager.
I'm here today to say that there is something special about Frank Ocean that, in my mind, is bordering on genius status. I could write about this dude for days. I could write about the courage it takes for a man to talk about loving another man in the hetero-centric R&B/Hip Hop universe . I could write about how Ocean's vulnerable and emotive music is a refreshing step away from the peakcocking flash of R Kels/Usher-style R&B. I could write about how I hear Prince, Stevie Wonder, and Marvin Gaye in Ocean's voice and compositions.
Instead of going into greater depth on all that stuff, suffice it to say that Ocean is one major reason why R&B is great again, and worth a good listen. I figured I would put a couple of Ocean's best tracks and an interview here for you to check out for yourself. Below you will find 8 songs (and free downloads!!) from Channel Orange and Nostalgia/Ultra, including "Bad Religion", "Pilot Jones", "Novacaine", "Forrest Gump", "Swim Good", "Strawberry Swing", "Thinkin 'bout You", "Pyramids"
Personally, I think Bad Religion is one of the best songs I've heard in a decade. Make sure to check out the live performance of the song above. Poignant. Just wish there was a better quality video...
