Frank Ocean "channel ORANGE" [2012]

If trippy soul music were a game of one-on-one, Frank Ocean would find himself endlessly dunked on by Shuggie Otis. This did not stop Ocean's 2012 debut "channel ORANGE" from garnering attention, however, despite its lack of direction, intelligence, songwriting ability or production quality. Sounds to me like the materialistic world of contemporary soul is finally giving way to ennui: congratulations, rich black people -- you're now officially as douchey as rich white people, where no amount of money, cars, drugs, etc. is enough to satisfy you. May as well just get high and do nothing with your life, which would bring you back full-circle. Thus, Frank Ocean inadvertently provides a glimpse into the potential future of R&B -- only when you've burned through the trust fund and wind up back on the curb will you be able to generate enough fire to sing and play with the intensity that put soul music on the map in the first place. Until that time, I'll pray my car doesn't get smashed into by your feckless, wasted ass. Thanks, Frank, for giving me something else to worry about.