(Album Review) Beyoncé - "BEYONCÉ"

Purchase album on iTunes HERE

This album release with absolutely no promotion or lead single came as a complete surprise to many when it was released Friday, December 13th 2013. The album overall to me seems like it has more of a pop sound like her second and third albums which is not my preferred sound for her, but it works for her.

1. Pretty Hurts - In this song she talks about what a woman goes through to please others as far as her appearance

2. Haunted - The beginning of this song with the younger Beyoncé is adorable. When the song starts it goes on to talk about how she was "haunting" him and now she believes he is "haunting" her 

3. Drunk In Love (feat. Jay Z) - She sings about how she is just drunk in love she is with her guy. The beat to this track is beyond sick and definitely club worthy.

4. Blow - This track from jump gave me a disco feel, and it really feels like a party track while she is talking about "turn that cherry out" and "daddy long-stroke"

5. No Angel - She sings about him being no angel, but admit that she isn't either

6. Partition - This track starts off with a nice heavy beat and to me it seems like at several points in the song she is doing some light rapping.

7. Jealous - In this song she sings about how she gets jealous and how he does not always keep his promises also that she is just human.

8. Rocket - This is a pretty good relaxing as far as the beat although it is sexually explicit as far as the lyrics go.

9.. Mine (feat. Drake) - This song is decent and Drake sings and raps on this track
10. XO - This is a real laid back and relaxing track that you can listen to in the car on a nice summer afternoon.

11. Flawless (feat. Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche) - This track is basically a reworked version of the track called "Bow Down".

12. Superpower (feat. Frank Ocean) - This song sounds like it would  have been a better fit for a Frank Ocean album.

13. Heaven - To me this sounds like something you would play when someone dies.

14. Blue (feat. Blue Ivy) - Now when I first heard this track I just assumed that it was an ode to her daughter but after thoroughly listening to it, I believe that parts of the song can be related to a relationship.

Here are just 2 of the 17 included videos

Unpublished articles from 2012

"channel ORANGE" by Frank Ocean

About 2 weeks after Frank posted an open letter on his Tumblir talking about his first love being a man he releases his debut album. Frank has received a lot of support from several people in the entertainment industry and his fans. His early release to iTunes and Amazon total roughly 130,000 by his official album release on June 17th. The general public seems to not care about his sexuality. Now, on to the album, this album comes across as really mellow and calming to me. This is a must buy.

1. "Start" - This is simply the album intro

2. "Thinkin Bout You" - I have personally loved this song ever since I first heard it a few months ago. In this song, Frank sings about his feelings for that special someone that is always om his mind.

3. "Fertilizer" - This is really just a interlude with a 70's pop feel to it.

4. "Sierra Leone" - This song is fairly short, but he goes on to sing about how he is pending too much time alone with her. He then goes on to sing about how he grew up in Sierra Leone and how he feels about his lady.

5. "Sweet Life" - In this song, Frank sings about his special someone and how they live the sweet life in an affluent African American neighborhood and were born into money.

6. "Not Just Money" - Another interlude that basically talks about money and the importance of it.

7. "Super Rich Kids" (Feat. Eric Sweatshirt) - This song talks about wealthy kids and the troubles that they have. Earl then comes in and raps about the bratty rich kids.

8. "Pilot Jones" - In this song, Frank sings about his girl that gets smokes often to get high. She is also unemployed, and he no longer has much in common with her anymore. She keeps him high and is his "Pilot Jones".

9. "Crack Rock" - The song talks about someone that is basically a crackhead and their past, in addition to their former love interest. 

10. "Pyramids" - This a practically 10 minute song which has an Egyptian plot line to it. Starting off in ancient times then jumping forward to present day and then starts to talk about a female stripper who works a the Pyramid (strip club). 

11. "Lost" - This song is about a girl who is just lost in life. It goes on to say that she is lost in the heat and thrill of it all

12. "White" (Feat. John Mayer) - This is another interlude with a instrumental jazz feel to it

13. "Monks" - This song talks about Frank's girl who is a young beautiful girl planning to run away with her boyfriend from her father

14. "Bad Religion" - This song starts off with Frank in a taxi as he tells the driver that they are his shrink currently during rush hour while the driver tells him that he needs prayer. He goes on to explain that this guy cannot love him as he loves them.

15. "Pink Matter" (Feat. Andre 3000) - This song is about strong feelings for a woman and how she makes him feel overall.

16. "Forrest Gump" - This song bluntly describes Frank's feelings for a dude who is very kindhearted and that is always on his mind

17. "End / Golden Girl" (Feat. Tyler, The Creator) - The track starts off with the ending interlude then after a decent pause the final track starts. In "Golden Girl" Frank sings about how his girl makes him feel. Then Tyler jumps in and drops a few rhymes about his appreciation for his girl.

"In & Out" by Marcus Canty Ft. Wale

This track has a cool type of Island / Club beat to it which is a good summer single from his upcoming debut album. This is one of those tracks that just makes you start grooving to the music. This track is actually making me look forward to the album. Now on to the story line of the song itself. Marcus seems somewhat picky with the kind of girl he wants which more less  leads to him being in and out of love. Wale then chimes in and raps about how he is starting to think that maybe his girl is just a maybe because he kind of likes her but other times does not feel her.

Listen to 'In & Out' HERE

"Enough Said" by Aaliyah Ft. Drake

Another unreleased and partially unfinished track from the late R&B singer has surfaced. I personally do not believe that this song was intended to feature a rapper, but that is what we ended up with. Personally, if the decision was up to me, then I would rather prefer Jay-Z than the profanity spewing Drake. After listening to the song I believe that it is good, until Drake appears on the track. I just feel like Drake butchered the song. Overall, I honestly feel like the version without Drake is better.

You can listen to both versions, one with Drake and one without below

\Version with Drake

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpdwvbWqHBE

(New Music Video) Jay-Z & Kanye West Ft. Frank Ocean - 'No Church In The Wild'

(Video) Frank Ocean's full performance at "Coachella"

Frank Ocean @ Coachella 2012 by javierlobe

(New Music) Frank Ocean - 'Whip Appeal'

 

'Well then, after listening to this song I really do not like it. I was kinda disappointed in Frank because I really do like his music but this track was a serious let down. The lyrics of the song kinda crossed me as pointless. To each it's own but to me it was a serious let down.

Listen to 'Whip Appeal' below:

(New Music) Frank Ocean - 'Voodoo'

This song kinda has that smooth 70's R&B vibe and im loving it. Listen to Frank on this melodic song and it will put you in a zone. Yea it is short only being 98 seconds but it is still really good regardless.

Listen to 'Voodoo' below:

(New Music) Frank Ocean - '4 Tears'

This is a real chill song and I am loving his vocals on the mid-tempo beat.

Listen to '4 Tears' below:

(New Music) Joistarr - 'Thinking Bout You' (Frank Ocean Cover)

Joistarr hops on the 'Thinking Bout You' train and does her own cover. To be 100% real with yall, in my opinion it is not the best. I personally do not believe that it trumps Dondria's cover of the song, and in all honesty Justin Beiber and Willow Smith dod a good cover of the song too. All 4 versions are not bad but I in no way think that this was the absolute best cover. Not bad, but not the best either.

Listen to Joistarr cover 'Thinking Bout You' below:

(Video) Willow Smith covers 'Thinking About You' by Frank Ocean



(New Music Video) Frank Ocean - 'Swim Good'



frank ocean [swim good] from christopher francis ocean on Vimeo.

(New Music) Dawn Richard - 'Novacane (Remix)'

Dawn drops the female responce to 'Novacane' by Frank Ocean. I like both versions of the song but Dawn brought the vocals a little harder than Frank did.

Listen to the remix to 'Novacane' below:

(New Music Video) Frank Ocean - 'Novacane'

frank ocean [novacane] from christopher francis ocean on Vimeo.



(New Music Video) Tyler, The Creator Ft. Frank Ocean - 'She'



 

(New Music Video) Frank Ocean - 'Acura Integurl'



 

Frank Ocean “Acura Integurl” from Team OnSMASH on Vimeo.

 

(New Music) Frank Ocean - 'Songs For Women'



 

In all honesty I was not impressed by his vocals. I have heard alot of male singers that could sing better. This track just didnt do it for me. Maybe he needs to stick to more uptempo tracks. Just a thought.

Listen to 'Songs For Women' below: