KWORB
Read here: https://fotpforums.com/topic/179982....
REVIEW #1: 91/100
There are boundary breakers and then there is Frank Ocean. Since rising to a breathtaking level of fame with his album Connect just over two years ago, Frank has been on the forefront of musical exploration. With each new project, each new video, each performance, he steps over the line to explore new territory and in the process he’s created a career that goes almost unmatched by other artists, no matter how hard they try. This new offering is no different, blending together a variety of different styles and inspirations to paint a picture of a man who’s at a different place in his life than when we last saw him. Billed as his most adventurous and creative album yet, the project arrived riding a wave of hype that would have potentially crushed other artists, but if anyone could survive riding that wave, it’d be Frank. And survive he does...and then some.
The album opens on an appropriately moody note with “Existential Musings”, a song that touches on a lot of different things in a short amount of time. Though Frank himself rejects the idea of his music being politically minded, it’s clear there’s a strong social influence on the song’s lyrics and it works in the song’s favor. Touching on social media culture, Trump’s America, and the isolation that comes along with recognition, Frank airs his frustration with grace. From a production standpoint the song is slow and brooding, a perfect accompaniment to Frank’s lyrics. Frank’s vocals are also emotive but controlled creating an interesting soundscape when combined with the music. It’s such a good opener that we can’t help but wish it was a tad longer, but we do certainly get our money’s worth with the current length. The album’s lead single “Pull Into Me” is up next and it still holds all of the majesty that it did when we first heard it. The production is insanely precise and detailed while also being simple, a combination that allows the song to wash all over you. Frank’s performance is also exceptional and ties so well into the music, linking the two together with care. It’s an effecting song from a lyrical standpoint as well, showing off what Frank unquestionably does best as a lyricist: painting a picture without having to spell everything out. A potential Grammy hangs over this song to be certain. “Rush” arrives with some heft to it. Being one of the longer tracks on the album, it’s an exercise in mood from the master of mood. Discussing addiction and the inner feelings of someone dealing with substance abuse, Frank is especially candid and matter of fact about the matter. The production of the song is by far it’s strongest suit however. It’s fairly minimal without many moments of show off style, but when it does reach those moments it feels like the floodgates temporarily open to allow us to feel what Frank felt as he works through the song. It’s a hard song to capture in words as it’s more of an experience that you must have yourself.
“Easy Come”, a song we heard prior to the release of the album, is another exampleof Frank’s talent behind the pen and in front of the mic. He’s the star of this song, though the production side of things has it’s moments to shine (especially after the second chorus). There’s an exceptional amount of bite to Frank’s lyrics and he keeps that attitude in his delivery. Frank has a way of making the listener feel like an active participant in the music and it feels here like he’s speaking directly to us, making for an interesting listening experience. The song's only “weakness”, if it can actually be called one, is that it’s chorus is far outshined by the verses, even though it’s still an incredibly solid section of the song overall. “Live Right” is without a doubt one of the most experimental offerings we’ve ever gotten from Frank (which is really saying something) and it stands as one of the album’s defining moments. The production on the song is impeccable from the synth line that lurks around the corners of each movement, the stunning orchestral section that dominates the later half of the track, and the vocodor effects that punctuate the verses. Lyrically the song hits like you a ton of bricks and it’s only made all the more impactful by Frank’s emotive performance. Without any question, this is one of, if not THE best song in Frank’s catalogue and one of the best songs of recent memory. By the time it reaches it’s conclusion (which is another immaculate passage of the song), you feel almost breathless, taken away by the song’s dense and detailed sound. A stunning, stunning addition to the tracklist without question. “Do You Know How It Feels to Be Alone?” doesn’t quite reach the peak of the previous song, but it’s still a more than worthy addition to the tracklist. Lyrically it stands as one of the strongest songs on the album, especially the killer second verse. The production is also pretty interesting, especially in the final minute, but it does take until that last minute for us to finally get where we’re going with the production. Though what comes before it is wonderful, it feels repetitive after a bit, one of the few times anything like that happens on the record. But as said, that final minute sends the song over the edge, and even with the time before it, it’s still far from a skippable song.
“Breathless” is another song that allows Frank’s vocals to shine. The production is fantastic here (no surprise), but it’s Frank’s performance that really propels this song forward. One of the few times we speak of the ecstasy of love and passion on the album, Frank doesn’t waste a moment of the song’s runtime to make us feel something deeply powerful and passionate. His vocals are rought with desire as well as a pang of sadness as he winds his way through this wonderful track. It’s a fantastic example of just how impactful a song can be with a singer who knows how to throw in some theatrcality to their performance. “Skip” is one of the most experimental tracks from a composition standpoint due to Frank’s brave use of an unconventional time signature. It takes a moment to get used to the different flow but it’s a rewarding listen once you get used to it. Frank feels comfortable in this new sound environment and it allows us to ease into this different approach in a much easier way. Lyrically the song isn’t quite as stand out as some of the other offerings, but there’s still a lot of merit behind what is essentially the lightest offering of the album. It’s an interesting segment of the tracklist and it does work and justify it’s experimentation, becoming another essential addition even if it’s not one of the album’s peaks.
Typically, interludes don’t add much of note to a track list, but “Wake Up” is a different kind of animal in the world of interludes. It feels like essential connective tissue between the previous song and the last, but it manages to stand on it’s own merits as well. Though it’s essentially a microburst of a track, the way it syncs thematically and sonically with the preceding and following track make it memorable and worthy of attention in the grander discussion of the album. “Drowning” acts another peak for the album. The production is immaculate, blending together various different influences to make something unique and incredibly different from what the mainstream has made us all used to. The piano notes that punctuate the song, the vocodor that adds such depth to the background vocals, Frank’s simple but effective melody, and his perfectly timed and executed delivery leave no element firing less than on all cylinders. It’s wonderfully placed in the track list as well, giving this back section a huge shot of energy healing into the finale. And what a finale it is. “Life is Beautiful” begins as something simple but it evolves into something that feels almost otherworldly in it’s back portion. The vocodor again makes for a grand statement, being the beacon that guides us through an almost hallcuingenic outro. The song has to be experienced to really be understood. It’s as if we are ascending to another place, taking the greatest acid trip since the artists of the swinging 60s touched this plane of existence. It’s the perfect closer to the record, leaving a lasting impression on the listener, making them want to return to the start and experience it all over again.
To say that Frank succeeded with this album would be to sell this album short. It’s clear that every inch of this thing was combed over, paid attention to, and tweaked until it was perfect. It’s a rarity of an album in the sense that nothing feels disposable. Every track feels important to the overall vision and taking any of them away would render the painting incomplete. The soundscape of the album is unlike any other. It’s adventurous both sonically and vocally. There are risks present in nearly every song and it’s rare that the risk results in anything less than magic. Being the sole product of Frank himself, the album is exceptionally personal and raw. Each line aches with vulnerability and by the end of the album, it’s as if we’ve walked a mile in Frank’s shoes. This stands as the crown jewel in Frank’s catalgoue to this point. Though Connect and Lux were both impressive, there’s such an air of innovation that hangs around this album. Don’t be surprised if this ushers in a new wave of albums that dare to be different. Frank’s once more proven how essential he is to the music industry by turning in one of the greatest albums of the last few years. It’s certainly bound to be an all timer as well. We’ll see you at the Grammys, Frank!
Existential Musings 9/10
Pull Into Me 10/10
Rush 10/10
Easy Come 8/10
Live Right 10/10
Do You Know How It Feels to Be Alone? 8/10
Breathless 9/10
Skip 8/10
Wake Up 8/10
Drowning 10/10
Life Is Beautiful 10/10
REVIEW #2: 98/100
Whew! One of the most anticipated releases of the year thus far has finally arrived! Honestly, it barely needs any introduction. Preceded by the 3 week #1 SMASH hit Pull Into Me, as well as promo single DYKHIFTBA? And Encore exclusive early release Easy Come, SITADBTIRLIB has obtained a dominating presence well before it’s release. And now it’s here! Frank has finally gifted us his most personal and vulnerable work yet. So enough keyboard smashing and stanning, let’s get into the album!
As soon as we press play, we are introduced to Existential Musings and I have to say I LOVE this title. And the INTRO! I’ve literally paused in the first 5 seconds to comment on it but I really love it. The kind of electronic style chords sound really good and almost disorienting in a way, which seems intentional as we delve into the rest of the track. The song seems to deal with a lot as it flows through Frank’s mind, which is really aided by the disorienting sounds at the start. It’s written almost like a ramble, with Frank just saying everything that comes to his head but it works in the best possible way. The little “oohh” parts are stunning too, it adds this whole atmosphere to the song that I adore. Overall, an incredible introduction to the album!
And now we get onto the lead single and smash hit from the album, Pull Into Me! Obviously we’ve all heard this before unless you live under a rock but nonetheless we’ll listen to it again! My first thought is the darker atmosphere in this track is ethereal. Like, wow. The production throughout is really nice as well! Especially during the second chorus, it’s absolutely stunning. I really love how the verses particularly flow really nicely together, although the whole song does really well. The chorus doesn’t do as much for me, but they’re still incredibly solid which is just a testament to the quality of this release!
Now onto the 3rd track of the album, “Rush”. Having a bit of deja-vu here, but anyways! This is immediately one of my favourite tracks, let's get that out the way. It’s incredibly produced. Like, absolutely amazingly produced. I’m blown away. It’s also really well written, to no surprise! Obviously the song tackles themes of drug and alcohol use but I think the way it’s written is really interesting. The way much of the song is phrased in a question (“Shall we chase the rush?”, “Are you getting close?”, “Now what?” etc.) perhaps shows Frank’s doubts with his current relationships with drugs and alcohol? I’m not 100% sure if that’s what he was going for but it’s certainly very impactful no matter the direction and really causes us to pause and think. And that ENDING! I don’t think I need to say anymore!
So, this next one wasn’t released as an official single although Encore users did get the opportunity to stream this before the album came out. And how lucky were we! Again, for sure another highlight from the album. I would go as far to say as it potentially has the best melody on the album. It’s incredibly infectious and I love every second of it! The production in this one is mostly subtle but it really just elevates the song to a whole new level. At least in my opinion, this feels like a perfect Frank Ocean pop song, twisting a well crafted song into his own style while retaining all the parts that make it great.
Live Right is an interesting one for sure. I wasn’t entirely sure of it on my first listen but it’s grown on me a ton! It has a heavy electronic vibe and is probably one of the more ‘out-there’ tracks on the album. The robotic voice actually really compliments the verses, the second one especially and adds a whole new dimension to the track which is nice. The piece after the second chorus is absolutely stunning though, and is probably my favourite part of the track. Wait nevermind, the production on this outro! WOW! Absolutely ethereal. I will say that the outro does feel a little stretched out and repetitive but the production more than makes up for that.
Now onto the album’s keyboard smash song, DYKHIFTBA? This feels like one of the more vulnerable pieces on the album which I love! The writing really stands out with this one, which is hard considering the really strong production to match up with. This really feels like the centerpiece of the album honestly. It’s the perfect blend of the electronic, distorted style and vulnerable honest writing. And this outro! They really seem to be Frank’s thing on this project huh? I love how he switches it up in these outro’s, especially this one where the whole song almost ‘collapses’ is the best way I can put it, and leaves Frank even more vulnerable than before.
VOCALS! That word alone should tell you that we’re moving onto Breathless. Potentially my favourite off the whole album. It feels again, so vulnerable and raw. As though Frank is genuinely screaming out just for someone, anyone. It’s really impactful honestly, really striking. Couple this with all the harmonies, the beats, the productions, the ad-libs and just everything about this track brings an absolutely stunning, atmospheric track. Just incredible, not much else to say about it honestly!
Skip is definitely not a skip, i’ll tell you that! Frank has spoken a few times about pushing himself to use a different compositional style for this one and that effort really shines through. The track is incredibly dream-like, and is sonically absolutely stunning. I’m using that word a lot in this review but it really is! The writing in this one is really pretty too. Not the best on the album, but certainly still strong. The whole song has a very different sound to it than the rest of the album, which is a nice change of pace. It’s also a bit more upbeat thematically, which is nice to see on a more personal level for Frank. Skip really ties the album together in many ways, and keeps it flowing nicely.
This is both a stunning and heartbreaking follow up to Skip like… wow. Can you not let us be happy Frank?! But seriously, it’s a great play on the themes on Skip and sounds absolutely phenomenal. There’s not a whole lot to say about it since it’s just an interlude but I think it was a smart inclusion on Frank’s part and helps bring an outlier like Skip back into the context of the album. Also, VOCALS!!
Ugh it’s almost over now! Luckily, we still have two of the best songs to go, with the first being Drowning. This is an absolute heart-wretcher. Beautifully written all around, but ESPECIALLY especially the second verse (“I’ve lived… you proud?”) is just stunning. It’s very simple and not overly complex, but it doesn’t need to be. It’s raw, vulnerable, emotional and everything you could ask from a Frank Ocean track. And the outro with the repeated start of the album title is nothing short of spectacular. All this is without even mentioning the production which is once again fantastic, although who is really surprised at this point.
I’ll be honest, I kind of hate the final track. Because it means it’s the end and I just can’t cope with that!!! But in all seriousness, this is a sensational finish to an outstanding album. I don’t think there’s anything more I can even say that I haven’t already. Lyrically, this is easily the most natural and stripped back we’ve ever seen Frank and it’s beautiful to see. See what I did there! ;) The production of the track REALLY kicks in around the repeated outro and is nothing short of spectacular. The vocal production feels fresh and experimental, while the background feels ethereal. Without a doubt one of the most impressive production moments in CAL history.
And I suppose that’s it over. Tbh, I thought it was alright, nothing special…. Alright i’m kidding! How many words have I used to describe this album? Stunning, beautiful, spectacular, sensational, outstanding, incredible… I feel like I'm just re-writing that Lady Gaga meme at this point. But you get the idea! SITADBTIRLIB is a phenomenal, irreplaceable and career defining album for Frank. It’s the perfect blend of catchiness, relatability, experimenting and vulnerability. It’s difficult to put it into words, but i’m just so blown away. Perhaps by the stellar production, perhaps by the beautiful writing of things that so many of us relate to but can’t put into words, most likely a bit of both! But this is certainly one of the best CAL albums i’ve heard, if not the best. I honestly feel really lucky to have listened to it so thank you Frank! Excited for the SITADBTIRLIB GRAMMY Awards next year!!
REVIEW #3: 79/100
Frank Ocean in the past two years has became one of the music industry’s most acclaimed and successful artists, with an endless string of hits that many artists could only dream of. Marking his second full length studuo album, “....Life is Beautiful” takes a slight step away from the more electronic ‘Connect’ and heavy vaporwave influenced ‘LUX’ EP, delivering a very alternative and R&B influenced record. Clocking in at under 40 minutes, the short tracklist and streaming-focused tracks deliver direct lyrics and honest stories of Ocean’s life.
To start off the record is ‘Existential Musings’, exploring the world surrounding Frank and the pressure of being a celebrity. From references about fan attention to a deliberate line about still feeling lost at “30 something”, the opening track offers minimal production and sonically, serves very much as an opening interlude in some aspects. Following it comes the smash hit ‘Pull Into Me’, which explores Ocean’s sex life in a surprisingly raw and mature way. With more intricate production and rhythmic structure, the lead single entices listeners to keep playing the record.
Further captivating listeners comes the lengthier ‘Rush’, with its careful production generating an overall mood that matches the lyrical themes. With added elements in the beat elevating focus in certain lines, ‘Rush’ shows the mastery of Ocean’s artistic skills. Likewise, it develops a careful lyrical flow which makes it difficult to put down mid song. Contrary to the smooth flow of ‘Rush’, Frank enters a more rap-type sound with ‘Easy Come’, and with it more revealing lyrical content. With references about his personal life and relationship, ‘Easy Come’ opens up in a truly unique way through his bluntness about. difficulties in life. At this point, the album’s title takes on a strong connection to the content of the record, as Ocean dives in to a new level of rawness.
Sonically, the album goes even farther into the genre of experimental and alternative electronic music with ‘Live Right’, with its intricate production and interesting hook. Stylistically, the song delivers something fresh to the album, with many redeeming quality, while being a bit puzzling at first listen. This surprising electronic sound then turns simply unsettling with ‘Do You Know How It Feels To Be Alone?’, despite its interesting lyrics and slick melody. Thankfully, the song delivers powerful and emotional vocals that make up for the dissatisfying beat. Transitioning away from the previous track, ‘Breatheless’ delivers a string album climax in many ways, from the instrumental buildup to the pleading vocal intonation.
Slowing it down a bit, ‘Skip’ and the subsequent interlude ‘Waking Up’ offer more vocal-driven melodies with light undertone production. While the first gives a comfortable rhythmic beat to accompany the pop-y lyrics, the latter feels like the instrumentation when you are underwater in some sort of cinegraphic movie. ‘Waking Up’, while an interlude, provides the smooth and beautiful sound that the album seeming searches for the entire time. ‘Drowning’ discovers this sound atlas with its gut-punching lyrics, admitting some of Ocean’s deepest struggles. And to close of the album, the bizarre high-note of the album comes ‘Life is Beautiful’. With its extremely shocking production and vocal layering, the record closes with lyrics finding a solution to Frank’s problems, while feeling somewhat instrumentally unresolved. To me, this is meant to symbolize continued struggles while still seeking peace.
‘.....Life is Beautiful’, as a record at whole, explores countless themes of life’s most difficult moments, from the scrutiny of fame and wealth to the reality of relationships. Production-wise, the record diverts away from radio-friendly and hits a far more experimental direction. In conclusion, Frank Ocean takes a big risk with this record for a big reward, pure authenticity.