Channel Orange, Modern Masterpiece?

In the swamping midnight heat of LA, a young man decided to make a reckless decision. In the background, a media storm was brewing over an extremely personal message about his sexuality was published on the blogging site tumblr. In the foreground, a very real threat of the album leaking online was present. These factors, and perhaps a devilish spirit inspired Frank Ocean to release his debut album Channel Orange a week early. What resulted, was stuff of dreams.

As hurricane Katrina slammed into New Orleans, the prolifically secretive musician returned to the place that shaped his music arguably the most-LA. Ocean began to write for every artist that has ever scored a number one in this millennium, from Pharrel to Bieber. As he began to tire of thankless lyricism, Frank Ocean became entwined with Tyler, The Creator and Odd Future. This ignited his creative spirit and the legend truly began. Frank Ocean began a solo career, crafting the inimitable Nostalgia Ultra EP then writing his debut album.

The album is an hour long journey into the mind of Ocean. Like all great artists such as Nick Drake, Lana Del Rey and David Bowie- the line of character and man, reality and fiction are blurred to infinity. One likes to imagine that every lyric is self autobiographical, that Frank Ocean has led a thousand lives resulting each in an individual narrative. This believability only comes as a result of his dense and personal lyrics that regularly delve deep into our own insecurities. Whether it be the cougar tale of Sierra Leone or the ingrained classist jealousy present in Sweet Life, Channel Orange speaks like an R&B story book.

Channel Orange mixes pop sensibilities and complicated themes and symbolism to create a stunning piece of art. The album is conceptual, a flick through different channels with the passion to find ‘orange’. The ambiguity of the concept is focused through Ocean’s interpretation of experiences as colours, the orange denoting a Summer spent with an unrequited lover. Themes throughout the album range from wealth, loss, escape and inequality of love. Pink Matter gently hints at Frank’s sexuality, and Bad Religion knowingly condemns Islamic prayer 'Allahu Akbar'/ I told him don’t curse me. Channel Orange is artistic, intellectual and at times very biting.

Sonically, the album heralded a new generation of emotionally conscious R&B. Arguably the reason why Drake makes ‘nightime rap’ and The Weeknd remains relevant, Channel Orange flows song to song breeding expansive and luxurious ballads. Pyramids is a ten minute miltonian effort, combining different styles and inspirations to create a gargantuan ode to a stripper. The final secret song is Golden Girl, a Tyler produced song that predates Wes Anderson tinted songs such as Okaga CA and Treehome 95. This, over every reason is the reason why it’s a masterpiece. It just sounds good

Bitch Better Have My Money, Rihanna

I've had a few key thoughts recently and they include this;

1) Life is really hectic and finding time to do what you want is a real struggle so apologies if you like regular updates from Let Your Headphones Bleed
2) I realised how British I was this week by how much I thought about the weather, 36.7 degrees in July?! Barmy things
3) Rihanna is just bloody brilliant.

And that final thought came to me today. After a lengthy promo for the anti-popstar's single Bitch Better Have My Money, the video is finally here. In 2010 we thought she was nasty with her bright red hair and love letters to  ball gags and a spank (S&M if you were wondering).  But as Rihanna continues to covet her position as mainstream's bad girl she has created her piece de resistance.

The video stars Rihanna as the most explicit extortionist in existence. Kidnapping a gorgeous woman, placing her in an ominous trunk and continuing to torture her, all to try and get her money back from scumbag accountant Mads Mikkelsen. All crimes are completed in couture as Rihanna watches on sensually as her girl gang swings the kidnapped woman naked to and fro, gets her higher than a kite and drowning her in a pool.

Not only is this video utterly ridiculous in it's violence, drug use, crime and general debauchery. It is also stupidly sexy. If any human in this world exhumes 'body positivity' it's Rihanna. Rarely wearing more than fur coat and knee high boots we are positioned to adore her even more than we ever have before. Strangely I do not anticipate much backlash against this video, it's totally self aware and plays on the excess of the lyrics such as your wife in the backseat of my brand new foreign car to create something grotesquely gorgeous.

The final moments, after Riri has slaughtered the Mikkelsen with a series of knives, needles and chainsaws we see Rihanna. She's stark naked, covered in blood and 100 dollar bills and smoking a huge joint. It's funny, it's sexy and most importantly, it's bananas. And that's why it works so damn well.