Frank Ocean

Every night fucks every day up.

Every day patches the night up.

These are the opening lyrics after the beat switch in Frank Ocean's "Nights". The song is one of my favorite songs of all time, part of the album Blonde - Frank Ocean's second studio album.

I heard this song in a Uniqlo in Singapore in about the summer of 2017, and I instantly asked Siri to find the song for me. I spent the next week or so having that one track on repeat, unable to tear myself away from the beautiful ambience, audio and Frank's vocals, the ambience and of course, the ever-so-talked-about beat switch.

A list of my top played songs of all time, courtesy of statsforspotify.

Frank's first studio album, Channel Orange, is a bit more of an upbeat album than Blonde. With songs like Lost and Novacane, it feels more like a summer album - I didn't really fall in love with it the way I did Blonde. However, I still love the album - from the songs right down to the visual design.

The iconic Channel Orange album cover with Cooper Black and the popping #FF7E30.

Four years later, in 2016, Blonde came out. It was a 17-track masterpiece with an album cover of a very toned Frank with his face in his hands, standing under what can be assumed to be a shower or the rain. If you haven't heard it yet, I strongly recommend giving it a listen.

Here's my opinions on each one of the tracks.

Incoming Wall of Text

Nikes

Frank opens with a beautiful, layered sad song about materialistic love, and providing for a partner whom seems to be out of the protagonist's league.

He employs a strange high-pitched voice in the few opening lines which isn't exactly for everyone, but personally, I feel like it ties in perfectly with the theme of the album.

I may be younger, but I'll look after you.

Ivy

This is a track about love that has been lost to a partner that Frank is no longer involved with, perhaps when Frank was younger and still didn't understand too much about love.

I thought that I was dreaming when you said you loved me.

This song is one of my personal favorites on the track, with the lyricism resonating with an eighteen-year-old me.

Pink + White

Pink + White, or Pink & White, is one of the more popular tracks on Blonde, as it was produced by Pharell Williams with backing vocals by Beyoncé. It's a very catchy song, but I don't have much of an opinion on it, as I it's not a song that is very special for me.

Nod my head, don't close my eyes

Halfway on a slow move

Be Yourself

Blonde contains three small interludes, of which Be Yourself is the first voice recording. A woman - the recipient of the recording's mother - talks about the dangers of substance abuse. The "song" is backed by piano from Running Around by Buddy Ross, which is also the backing track for multiple other tracks throughout the album.

When people become weed-heads

They become sluggish, lazy, stupid, and unconcerned

I've had my brush with alcohol in the past - I wouldn't say I was addicted, but there was a time a few months after university where I went out with friends and drank quite often, and the phrase "Higher highs mean lower lows" still rings in my head every time I pick up a glass.

Something I don't really do anymore. :)

Solo

Solo is a short song about being alone, and that brief moment of longing when you have nothing going on in your life. It's an almost choir-esque song, with Frank's amazing vocals ringing through the instruments.

It's hell on Earth and the city's on fire.

Skyline To

There isn't much singing going on in this song, and it's almost like an interlude between Solo and the next song, Self Control. Again, another one of the songs I don't have too much of an opinion on.

That's a pretty fuckin' fast year flew by

Self Control

One of the most polarizing songs in Blonde, Self Control is an incredibly sad song about falling out of love, and being with someone at the wrong time.

Now and then, you miss it, sounds make you cry

Some nights, you dance with tears in your eyes

When Blonde first came out, I didn't really like Self Control, but it's a song that really grows on you, and makes you reminisce over what could've been.

Good Guy

The second interlude on Blonde is a short story about Frank's experience of a date with a friend of a friend. He recounts the experience with the friend, talking about the different aspects of the date, with an outro backed by Running Around.

Cause you text nothing like you look

Nights

Nights. Considered the defining track of Blonde, the song is a hauntingly mesmerizing five minutes and seven seconds that splits Blonde perfectly in half with the beat switch, from its more mellow and easy-going first half to its more retrospective second half.

Oooh Nani Nani

Solo (Reprise)

Solo Reprise is a very short track by the rapper Andre 3000, in which he talks about racial profiling in the United States, homophobia and the current state of the rap game.

Andre 3000 does some magic with his words, using double and triple entendres all over the place to drive home his multiple points.

So low my halo stay way low, it feels like it's bent

Pretty Sweet

Another track that could be considered an interlude, Pretty Sweet is a chaotic track that Frank raps over, building up to a crescendo ending in a choir of angelic voices singing about how we are all "Pretty Sweet".

We know you're sweet like a sucker...

Facebook Story

The third and final interlude of Blonde, Facebook Story is another short voice message which talks about the role of social media and present-day relationships, and the strain it places on the dynamic between two lovers. The track is short but very relevant, as the themes explored in the recording are a problem with so many relationships nowadays.

That's, it means, like, it's jealousy, pure jealousy

For nothing, you know?

Close To You

A short track that is more instrument than lyrics, Close To You is a cover by the same name originally performed by Stevie Wonder, which is a cover of another song by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. It's a track about long-distance relationships and falling in love over the phone or the internet, and it inspires feelings of longing for a lover from far away.

Just like me, they long to be close to you

White Ferrari

My absolute favorite track on the song, White Ferrari is a heartbreaking, melancholic track that explores Frank's love for cars and how it intertwines with his previous relationships.

The last minute or so ends with a very space-y, Bon-Iver kind of outro that I have listened to for about a thousand times.

You say we're small and not worth the mention

Seigfried

Seigfried is another very sad song, however this has more to do with Frank's career more than his love life. He talks about achieving the ideal life, and having so short of a time in this world but not living life to the fullest, then being reborn and doing it all over again.

Less morose and more present

Fun fact, "-morose, +present" is the sticker embedded onto my AirPods!

Godspeed

The second to last track on Blonde talks about a healthy breakup. Frank knows that he will forever care for the other person, but due to circumstances unforeseen, they are unable to be together and must end things as they are. There is also a cover by James Blake, which is another amazing piece that I strongly recommend you give a listen to.

I let go of my claim on you

Futura Free

The final track is a nine minute song that could actually be split up into three different tracks, each with its own theme. The first two thirds of the song are a musical exploration of his success in music and his inspirations that he draws from in his tracks.

The second is a playback of an old interview clip involving the late Ryan Breaux, Frank's brother. While it's a very long song, it's also one of my favorites on the track.

I ain't making minimum wage momma

So, yeah. That's my take on Blonde. If you got this far, damn. Thank you for reading through all that!