BOYS DON'T CRY: Frank Ocean's "channel ORANGE" and his imminent new release...

A new outing by the famed Frank Ocean is nearly upon us so it is indeed as good a time as ever to look back on his album debut, "channel ORANGE". With an unconventional style seen rarely before, it is easy to understand why this released to such acclaim back in 2012 as there just isn't anything quite like it.

I knew I was in for a treat as soon as the opening track, aptly titled "Start" well, started. An ambient offering, it banks on your nostalgia, with a sound that is all too familiar to those who ever got their hands on an original PlayStation. This immediately being followed up by the downright soulful "Thinkin' Bout You" is bliss. An opening string sequence transitions into a soft electronic beat in a way you never thought could happen so smoothly. This backed up with Ocean's initially surprising snaps between baritone and falsetto vocal registers makes for a certainly memorable track, which some consider the best of the album. And when you open your album with what is debatably your best track, (here's looking at you, "The Life of Pablo") you better have a strong offering to follow.

But of course, it does. The obviously film-inspired segue tracks create a flow between tracks, most notably the follow-up track to "Thinkin' Bout You", "Fertilizer". It creates one seamless experience, something commonly heard on Boards of Canada's discography, an intermission before the next piece comes along to entertain. "Sierra Leone" is that next piece, rich in metaphors and allusions a layer deeper than the face value of the lyrics presented. The song title echoes into your ears as surreal imagery is posed by Ocean in the form of the Sierra Leone's pink skies, relating to a loved one. The tracks as it continues brings the same offering, which is no flaw, mind you, and then the album hits its centerpiece: "Pyramids".

"Pyramids" is by far and away my personal favourite, cramming in so many styles so flawlessly with an epic scope, edging into the 10-minute mark. The length is not an issue, those 10 minutes go by in half that time, a true joy to listen to. It has multiple movements; opening with Ocean's trademark R&B quirks before swapping that out for an electronic tinge and coming to a close with a slow jam. The mid-point is where it is at its most exciting with its electronic beat unlike anything I've heard before, alluding to prostitution: "She's working at the pyramid tonight." Oh, Cleopatra, how you are. 

The other standout that stems from this is "Forrest Gump", a seemingly straightforward tribute to the titular character, masquerading to be Ocean using the perspective of Gump's love interest as his own. Ocean's lingering feelings for his first love, a controversial point that floated around the album at its initial release to which there is one simple answer for: the album itself. This song does not outright prove his sexuality but is a heavy metaphor that essentially consolidates his feelings. It stands as a strong track with Frank again showcasing his soulful performance with a rock solid beat to back it up.

There are individual highlights but this album's greatest strength is that it culminates into an overall experience, a journey into Frank Ocean's idiosyncrasies and thoughts. That is what makes it special, its unconventional nature is unique to itself. If the rumours are true, "Boys Don't Cry" is due out this Friday, August 5th. I know what I will be listening to that day. Until then, its a perfect time to catch up with "channel ORANGE"... or listen to it again, and again, and again...

THIS COULD BE FOREVER, BABY: Vince Staple's "Summertime '06" album thoughts & review...

Last year, up and comer Vince Staples made a hit with his album debut "Summertime '06", and with good reasoning behind it. An admirably consistent effort with memorable moments scattered throughout its run time, it is simply put, a solid rap album. It doesn't reinvent the wheel in terms of its concept, a hustler growing up on the streets of Ramona Park, but maintains interest through Staples' hints to his past. In particular, the album's namesake: "Love tore us all apart. Summertime ’06, June 30th."

With this being what it is, a pretty sprawling 20-track double album, the overall themes and atmosphere that this record generates is perfect for its subject matter. Grimy and hard-hitting beats tie together with Staples' emergent tone and verses which is particularly put to the forefront with the track "Norf Norf", the opening line grabs your attention, addressing you directly, and if that doesn't do it, the hook is certain to do so. The production, one of the album's greatest strengths, takes a backseat on this track as Vince breaks through: "Norfside, Long Beach!". This trickles down to the following tracks where it never misses a beat and never stops to take a breath, with Vince's flow on "Loca" perfectly complimenting the intro and hook from guest who features later, Kilo Kish. It is forever emergent, production really coming through with beats that simply keep you glued. 

Producer No I.D. brings it all together, ensuring that every track has this quality in the case that Vince couldn't tie it in himself which happens on odd tracks such as "Dopeman". The beat overwhelms his verse on the track and as a result you struggle to hear him, allowing for the production and the feature from the aforementioned Kilo Kish overshadow his performance. However, this is immediately course corrected with the next. "Jump Off The Roof" is as simple as a hook goes on this album, but it is one of it's best and when it kicks in, even on the first listen, I couldn't help but tag along. Past this, the hook and later bridge alludes to this being the ending to an addiction, to what, I'm sure you can guess. The metaphor is hammered home by this hook, brought into the spotlight from the very first line: "What's your addiction baby?"

Where this album really came into its own and connected with me is with the closure of the first act, if you will, "Summertime". In particular the almost soulful hook, which may or may not already be apart of the title of this very article. It's a comedown, a break from the hectic lifestyle afforded by the previous tracks heard thus far. This brings Vince's insecurities to the front lines instead of focusing on his emergent vocals, showing him at his most introspective. The reflective and almost tender nature doesn't last long however, it being back to business with the second disc, continuing the Ramona Park Legend...

The second disc continues the trend established prior: solid beats and as direct of a performance as you can get out from a rapper. Vince sounds hungry in his verses, eager to throw his verses out there for all to hear with a near flawless flow. This is seen on tracks like "Get Paid" or "Street Punks" and it is just as strong as the previous disc with the same caveats in place also, with certain tracks such as "3230" whilst still a strong track in its self, Vince takes a backseat to the feature, making you momentarily lose track of whose album this actually is. It's bizarre, some cuts are undeniably unique to him and who he is whilst others just seem to fall between the cracks in terms of his own personal touches. This is at no point a criticism in regards to the individual tracks as they're all solid as aforementioned, but it does breakdown the concept put in place by Vince when he himself isn't as prominently featured to purvey said concept.

All in all, this is simply put, a great debut and follow-up to his previous mixtape "Hell Can Wait" which in itself was a promising start giving a taste of things to come. This was it, and it was certainly worth the wait, as this album has stuck around in my thoughts a year over its release consistently. Great beats and production from No I.D. and an undeniable charm and urgency from the man himself, Vince Staples. If what is seen so far is to be judged, that seems to be a winning combo.

HELLO FRIEND: "Mr. Robot" Season 1 review and recap...

With season 2 very much underway and all of its twists and turns yet to be unravelled, a recap of the now hugely popular "Mr. Robot" or an introduction to those who haven't started the phenomenon would perhaps be appreciated. No need to worry as this is certainly spoiler-free! Just a plain and simple look at "Mr. Robot": what it is, its unique quirks and ultimately what has boosted it into success.

Welcome to New York City, the home of one Elliot Alderson and you, the viewer, are his new friend. That's not in a figurative sense either, you serve as a passive force in the story as it unfolds with Elliot giving a nod to your viewership every once in a while. The fourth wall isn't just broken; it was never there. A simple yet contradictory immersion into the story. As simply put, this direct point usually serves as a form of parody or a form of comedic effect and to take you out of the experience, but this does the opposite. It breaks the fourth wall but in a sense that makes sense within the character's frame of mind, and as you can imagine, a person with an imaginary friend is in this case not exactly the most stable as you will come to find.

It starts straightforward enough, but as the season takes its toll, you're gonna have to learn that at some points, what is on screen and what is actually happening with the characters are two different things. In a manner quite akin to "The X-Files": trust no one. As the subversion kicks in, good luck putting it down. If you're anything like me and this hooks you, this season will be done within a matter of a week or less depending on how avid you are in terms of binge watching. It culminates into a wonderfully self-aware commentary on society and how the team behind fSociety decide to try and take it on head first with their attempts to end one of the world's largest conglomerates, E Corp. (Or Evil Corp as Elliot loves to put it from his perspective, another slight detail that is only perceived in scenes with his presence.) 

When you hear the title and the premise of hackers attempting to break down society, it does sound awfully cliche. You see, that's where I and presumably you are wrong. It's not that, in fact its far from that. There are some issues present, albeit those are predominantly in regards to spoiler territory, but overall with its premise and most importantly execution there is very little to go wrong with "Mr. Robot". Perfectly cast and acted, most notably by the lead Rami Malek with his dry humour and incredibly expressive eyes, which in some scenarios, do all talking that needs to be done. Christian Slater also as the titular character is also to be commended, with his first notable role in years, proving he's still got some oomph left in him. The style involved is peerless for a TV show, with exceptional presentation, cinematography and use of licensed tracks to set the scene, my favourite track used being "Sound & Color" by the Alabama Shakes. Sam Esmail should be proud.

There's just so many areas that this show can be praised for and whilst certainly it is understandable for some to dislike it, there is at least some aspects on offer for anyone to enjoy or appreciate. While the show doesn't revolve around it so much as the character of Elliot, the hacking process involved in the show is unlike any other fictional programme or film I've seen with one exception. Instead of dumbed down processes seen in shows like "CSI", (you know exactly what I mean) it is as close to the real thing as you can get whilst still remaining accessible to viewers who are unwitting to such uses of technology. It isn't treated with utmost importance either and being toted as a major selling point in the exception of Michael Mann's "Blackhat" in which it decides to juggle realistic elements with almost ludicrous plot points and action sequences. It is just there and present as a tool for the characters to utilise. The show can come across as indulgent or potentially pretentious as some points, with itself being aware of that, but the use of hacking and technology certainly isn't.

And with that, what are you waiting for? There's plenty to catch up on and plenty more in store for "Mr. Robot", and if you don't at least give it a try, you're missing out on what could be your next favourite TV show.

LIFE BEFORE THE ROAD: Ricky Gervais' "The Office" and the art of the mockumentary...

Hugely successful and brutally deadpan, "The Office" when it was first released made its mark, commenting on the often awkward nature of social interactions between employees in what can only be described as a dreary workplace, shifting paper to the highest bidder in Wernham Hogg.

Now before everyone's favourite David Brent moves onto life on the road, it's a good time to take a look back at the show that collectively launched the careers of both Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant as well as being regarded as one of the best British sitcoms of all time. The latter of which I'd be inclined to agree with. It begins as something unassuming but by the time I hit the third episode and Tim is given a certain inflatable birthday present I honestly couldn't stop laughing, bizarrely what could be considered the most immature joke of the series is what made it click.

You start by squirming in your seat as you're presented by these clumsy social scenarios but as you become accustomed to the humour on offer, it's the gift that keeps on giving, it's short length allowing it to maintain its freshness and never loses steam which is ultimately funny in itself given the situation that these characters find themselves placed in. A dead-end job in the paper industry with a desire for something more, ranging from psychology and illustration to the certainly more ambitious reunion of Foregone Conclusion. The mockumentary style that it is presented in works not only in the manner that it certainly saves a few quid but also in accentuating what it strives to be. The people who you see are their characters and this is just their way of life, showing further insight into what they're thinking with a straightforward interview format to justify their actions and make it so a certain Brent isn't completely detestable.

Whilst there's no question as to whether or not you should give this a watch, you'll certainly find out quickly if it is indeed your thing, "The Office" is not the first of its kind, at least in style. Ranging all the way back into the '60s with the Beatles' "A Hard Day's Night" to the modern vampire undertaking seen in "What We Do in the Shadows" the mockumentary has been staple in both film and television for decades with its often absurd nature, especially in the latter film. It's potential for parody is immense and can often be used to shine a light on certain issues or topics that it may feel relevant to discuss from the perspective of characters who may unwittingly be apart of the issue present. A prominent example of this would be in "The Office", whilst the show does not center around this, the character of Gareth is hardly a gentleman, let's say.

A short and unsuspecting series about office workers proves to be a hilarious romp with an interesting angle to back it up, leaving me waiting for the return of Brent, coming sooner rather than later thankfully. As the former Wernham Hogg boss rather optimistically posed: "Live fast, die old."

(JOSH LISTENS TO) CAR SEAT HEADREST (BUT SAYS THIS ISN'T A PROBLEM): "Teens of Denial" album review and sampling discussion...

The albums that you weren't anticipating are always what end up being your favourites. This is the case with the new album from Will Toledo's project Car Seat Headrest, as it caught me off-guard with its release back in May and I have been steadily listening to it ever since. It simply has me coming back with its lo-fi charm, incredibly catchy guitar hooks and meaningful lyrics.

Once you get the past the absurd name and get onto the first track, (eventually coming to understand that his vocals were recorded in Mr. Toledo's car with his earlier releases) it just reels you in. "Fill in the Blank" is a perfect starter, giving you a taste of what is to come with its quirky opening vocal snippet, punchy guitars and angsty-ridden vocals. This is beyond cemented with the line; "If I were split in two I would just take my fists, so I could beat up the rest of me." No further explanation needed. It's a quick and dirty opener featuring a riff so upbeat and attention-grabbing that it initially distracts you from the darker side the lyrics present. It brings up a comparison to the garage rock tinge of The Strokes, but given their material post-"Is This It" that would be more of an insult than anything anywhere near positive. Its ultimately irrelevant, but the music video has to get bonus points for its clever premise:

What follows next is the album's lead single "Vincent", throwing a curve ball with a slow and gradually building twang before delivering an almost funky flavour, utilising saxophones and trombones for certain sections, serving as a memorable counter to the more straightforward tone that just preceded it. The trend continues throughout the rest of the album, delivering familiar yet inventive lo-fi thrills that the project has become known for since their most notable release "Twin Fantasy" back in 2012. The delightfully titled "(Joes Gets Kicked Out of School for Using) Drugs With Friends (But Says This Isn't a Problem)" is a psychedelic comedown that climaxes with a meaningful and catchy refrain that nods to conformity and the repetitive alienation that drug use eventually entails, cycling between whether drugs or friends are better than one another. 

The discussion of sampling comes into play with the following track, formerly known as "Just What I Wanted/Not Just What I Needed" and now known as "Not What I Needed" after a sample failed to clear in the previous variant. As the title alludes, it utilised an unauthorised sample from one of The Cars' most famous hits "Just What I Needed", leading to a recall of all copies of the original as the sample was thought to have cleared but bounced due to their front man Ric Ocasek disagreeing with the usage of samples. Whilst it is certainly within his rights to do so, as it is his own original material, to not even consider the context of its use is certainly debatable as Toledo states: "I don’t think that Ric ever listened to the album or the song, which is the only part that really bothers me." The lack of an open mind in the homage that only ever had good intentions is boggling, with the entire conversation that this issue sparked revolved around the legalities and not the artistic merit that the sample entailed. Naivety aside, that is obviously not the case when it comes to an individual's copyright ownership. A great shame nonetheless, as having heard both versions, it continued the theme of familiarity but with a twist before the song subverts your expectation and does its own thing. A tribute put to bed by a last minute technicality. What we ended up with is of equal strength however, with Toledo's desperate squeal: "I know when I'm being catered to!" ingrained into my brain for many days even after hearing it initially.

Yet another notable moment on this album comes with the track "Drunk Drivers/Killer Whales", an anthem for all the drunk drivers out there. Don't. "It doesn't have to be like this," heard prominently on its way out, lending itself both to its obvious message against drunk driving but to life as a whole. Shed the self-loathing and get on with it, not in captivity, much a reference to its alternate title. As the line is proclaimed, it ties it all together, delivering a satisfying climax that is riveting.

What is ultimately my favourite track is the epic 11-minute behemoth that is "The Ballad of the Costa Concordia", posing life as if it were, as optimistically as ever, a sinking ship, it's disastrous namesake. A slow build that comes to an intense spoken-word breakdown that shows its just sometimes too much to handle. It in the case of its thematic and its real life basis, it certainly was an expensive mistake. How the hell was he supposed to steer his ship? The dour tone in his voice as the guitar heightens and the tempo builds accelerates the feeling of helplessness whilst still remaining accessible and simply a joy to listen to. That's all only by the time the track reaches its mid-point, the track that keeps on giving, throwing so many ideas at you with its lyrics it almost becomes overwhelming, much like the scenario that the song places itself in. This track alone feels like a long journey that's come to a bittersweet end, the pressure gradually builds, you breakdown, and then you give up.

The album as a whole is what it is: it's guitar-driven indie rock with an incredibly sharp wit and ambition that backs it up, it's personal in nature, proving to you and me that this could only have come from Will Toledo, it's unique to him. It just so happens that what he has to say is enthralling. It's lengthy and is borderline indulgent, but stick with it. Humour it. It pulls you in with catchy hooks and keeps you coming back with its vulnerable insight into the man himself, with so many memorable lyrics and quirks to pick from. How was I supposed to know how great this album truly is?

THANK GOD FOR FREE TRIALS: Kanye West's "The Life of Pablo" and the TIDAL paywall...

The self-proclaimed "god" of rap Kanye West is back with his seventh studio album which finally dropped on Valentine's Day, strings attached, those strings firmly tied to the premium streaming service TIDAL...

Leading up to the eventually titled "The Life of Pablo"'s release, one thing was certainly well-established: Kanye knows exactly how to build up overwhelming amounts of hype and saturated expectations with the several name changes and constant track list restructures that were scattered across social media. From "So Help Me God", to "Swish", to "Waves" before finally settling with what we have now, it gave numerous outlets and subsequently people reason to keep talking about this new release; word-of-mouth being one of the most powerful tools to generate interest.

Then the bombshell drops, Mr. West, supposedly in a whole $53 million in "debt" decides to make Pablo exclusive to TIDAL, the aforementioned premium music streaming service that promises to provide high-fidelity music in an age where most listen to their music for free on YouTube before taking your money without actually providing the album in return. But even past the technical issues that can come from any service such as TIDAL, it only just narrows down the audience that could potentially purchase and listen to Pablo, with two options being present to those who aren't: abuse the option for a free trial by signing up, listening to the album and cancelling said trial, or if you don't have or don't want to use your credit card, resort to piracy. In that case, it's a lose/lose scenario as either way, no one gets paid. It's baffling to me personally as to why you would deliberately restrict the target audience of a product that was clearly intended for the masses to something that is nothing more than an a niche, unless you're the Wu-Tang Clan of course.

Bizarre release and marketing choices aside, is the album worth it? Yes and no. It's honestly a mixed bag - with more meaningful or at least intriguing tracks such as "Ultralight Beams", "30 Hours" or my own favourite, "Real Friends", as well as a couple other exceptions, everything else in between feels out-of-place or simply just filler. While its all well-produced as you'd come to expect from Kanye (well, for the most part, here's looking at you, "Father Stretch My Hands"), the lyrics are just weak - providing no insight or themes, it's literally just Kanye talking about getting bleach from a bleached asshole on his t-shirt (no joke) or him spinning yet another verse about how Nike should feel sorry that they didn't make a deal to sell some ridiculously overpriced trainers.

It really makes you think, this album could benefit so greatly by simply just focusing the track list instead of just throwing it around incoherently just so it can be posted on Twitter every other week. The one track that stands out sorely amongst its following tracks is the opener, the previously mentioned "Ultralight Beam", which would have worked perfectly as an outro to reflect on the song's major theme of religion and eventual closure. But as it stands, the song that comes straight after is just about how Kanye wants to fuck a model, the consequence seen in the previous paragraph. Just to clarify - I have no qualms about the content, I honestly don't care about being "offended" by explicit lyrics, but when you have such a mindless song stand straight after what is one of the highlights of the album, it just diminishes the effect that the first track had.

That is just one example of how the track list just feels like a tug-of-war between two differing themes of vanity and introspection, it doesn't transition from one to the other, it just juxtaposes between the two from track to track and it is honestly frustrating. There is a good album in here, it just desperately needs to be rearranged in a manner that actually makes sense instead of the mess that its currently sold as.

The connection is clearly there; tracks like "30 Hours" make direct references in title to "Ultralight Beam" but they're both split by what is a full album's length apart. What happened? Instead of doing a logical transition from basking in the self-indulgent fame-driven lifestyle heard in tracks like "Famous" or "Father Stretch My Hands", then tiring of said lifestyle referenced in the notable "No More Parties in L.A." before reflecting on his own thoughts and feelings in "Real Friends", "30 Hours" and "Ultralight Beam", they're just scatter shot - it's almost as if this was how they were arranged but at the last minute Kanye just decided to pick the order out of a hat. But who knows, it's honest speculation, but speculation that needs to be made when its the difference between what makes a missed opportunity what could have been one of the best releases in 2016 so far.

I'M THE MAN WHO LOVES YOU: Wilco's "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" and it's troubled release...

There's no question that "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" is a god's honest classic, remaining the stand out album from Wilco's long and established discography. What is often not known however to most passive listeners is the trouble behind this album in its production and delayed release and how the military-lingo filled title came to be.

The advent of Yankee comes shortly after the second Billy Bragg collaboration "Mermaid Avenue Vol. II", which was not to be the last of their collaborations. While touring to promote the album, Wilco's main man - the wry humoured Jeff Tweedy was offered the opportunity of a further collaboration with other musicians which eventually stemmed into the relatively short-lived side project Loose Fur. It was because of this association that drummer Glenn Kotche became what is still a key piece of Wilco, after his predecessor was dismissed due to significant differences in what the next step should be, a recurring theme in this album's production, with a similar fate happening to former guitarist the late Jay Bennett. However, this still wasn't the end their troubles.

After recording finished in what was early 2001, the deal was struck for a September 11, 2001 release. This was until the major merger between AOL and Time Warner was made, causing the loss of several hundred jobs, such as those of the Time Warner-owned Reprise Records - including the band's main seconder, the president of the company. His replacement tasked with the choice as whether or not to release the completed project, which was stemming to one option as a result of merged business' subsequent financial woes: unlikely. A buyout was made shortly after by the band, which ended up being a penniless departure with Reprise being admirably accommodating. That is, before a certain article came along and stirred up some unnecessary controversy, with the new-found president of Reprise alleged to have stated that "the record was so bad it would kill Wilco's career," oh, the irony. Even if the album was to go ahead with its intended release, the significance of their chosen date wouldn't exactly have been too kind to the album in more ways than one.

To spite what would be a heavy delay to its physical release, the band decided to stream the full album only a week after its intended release, opting to tour afterwards which was successful and even regardless of its limited release, fans still knew the words to their what were officially unreleased tracks.

In the mean time, the big release was still almost a whole year away, with Wilco opening bids for rights to distribute their album, two of which were the now-defunct Artemis Records and the long-standing Nonesuch Records. There were numerous other record labels teething for the album, their bids all dismissed by the spearhead: if the label did not have a roster of artists that matched his taste, they were put by the way side. Pushing November 2001, Wilco collectively signed with Nonesuch Records. Funny thing about that, scratching past the surface reveals that Nonesuch is owned by AOL Time Warner. The irony continues. Thus, in a twist of fate that not even a Wikipedia article could present without cracking a cynical grin, Wilco recorded and produced an album with a company that thought of their work as a career-killer, before reverting their rights and continuing to sell said rights to the same affiliate.

But, it finally came out, and to great fanfare: widespread commercial and critical success.

And all it took was 2 band members, 2 record labels and a self-titled documentary for it to reach that point. A small price to pay for what is, in my opinion, one of the greatest albums of all time. From the moment you hear those introductory piercing notes that will indeed break your heart to the reflective ambience in reservations, it will keep you in it's lo-fi, almost psychedelic trance. There aren't really any words to describe it further than that, it can be a slow grower, but once it's there it never lets go. Something you do truly have to experience for yourself.