| | Full Review | Ratings (760) |
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| 0.0 | Bulldog | March 25th 11 |
In the past, R&B artists associated with hip-hop collectives have come with this sort of inherent warning label; a conscious deterrent against the (usually) ensuing mediocrity. Naturally, Frank Ocean was met with a sliver of this same skepticism and, to everyone's surprise and delight, he almost singlehandedly shattered this instinctive practice of such pigeonholing. They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but Nostalgia, Ultra. is a refreshing take on a tired art form.Frank Ocean is an excellent songwriter and a master at the cover, and "American Wedding" (a "Hotel California" spin-off) and "Nature Feels" (a remix of MGMT's "Electric Feel") exemplify this ability to a T. In the highly unlikely circumstance that Odd Future loses popularity or dissolves, there's no doubt in my mind that Frank Ocean would remain resiliently standing like a phoenix amongst the ashes, ready to transcend stardom and join the likes of The-Dream amongst the modern R&B elite. Come hither: jump on the bandwagon, do some freighthopping on the hype railroads. Download Nostalgia, Ultra right now. It's free. It's awesome. It's hip as fuck. You can't beat this, so you should certainly join. Oh, and yea, Odd Future Wolf Gang, #swag, Free Earl, all that shit, etc.
3 Bumps | Bump |
| 3.5 great | Rudy K. EMERITUS | May 9th 11 |
I find it interesting, and a little bit telling regarding Odd Future as a whole, that the best songs on Nostalgia, Ultra are largely based off other people's songs ("Strawberry Swing," "American Wedding," "Nature Feels"). For all their hype, there is really very little in the Odd Future crew that hasn't been done before. It's even more fascinating, then, that the most "unoriginal" (given the overabundance of midtempo R&B crooners in the Drake age) member of their crew has made the best album of all of them. Nostalgia, Ultra mixes modern and retro seamlessly, from its occasionally misogynistic lyrics to its cassette-break interludes named after '90s video games. But there's feeling here, and talent; for all the Auto-Tune, it's obvious Ocean can sing. It's the only kind of record in the Odd Future collective that can bounce from Radiohead to The-Dream as easily as it does and still sound so fresh, so real. With Odd Future, one can often get the sense that a lot of what they do is a bit fraudulent, a self-built image (who isn't guilty of this in hip-hop?). With Ocean, it never sounds contrived. And, hey, "Strawberry Swing" nearly shits all over anything Coldplay has done.
2 Bumps | Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | cvlts | February 21st 11 |
well no one can claim odd future as a one trick pony. whole other side of swag, courtesy wolf gang.
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 3.5 great | PrincyAli | July 18th 21 |
Frank proves himself as an artist. 3.5/5 Favs: Strawberry Swing, Novacane, We All Try, Songs For Women, Swim Good, Dust, Nature Feels
Bump |
| 3.8 excellent | Erwann S. STAFF | May 7th 21 |
Now that's some sophisticated shit. Ocean's use of sampling (that Radiohead one is *muah*) and overall slick instrumentation shows a true love of music, the kind of love nerds like us revel in. It's sometimes a tad too reliant on some retro aesthetic, but the way it's mixed with a more modern - and impeccably produced - form of R&B make this a perfect entry into modern R&B - no wonder it shook waves back then.
Bump |
| 0.0 | gabethepiratesquid | March 9th 11 |
It's okay. Overrated and there's better R&B and some of the production/melodies just don't really jump out at you. There's a lot of songs here that could help prove to be the next big step in the genre but overall just not enough good tracks to keep interest and live up to the hype.
Bump |
| 3.5 great | defjaw83 | March 9th 11 |
Chill as fuck. Would love to see some collaboration with the OF crew in the future. This is really good
Bump |
| 3.0 good | deepintheorchard | February 22nd 11 |
Strawberry Swing is beautiful. A little too heavy on the autotune at times but this is great rotherwise. Oh, and Free Earl.
Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | Josh-D | May 28th 23 |
| 3.5 great | msan | March 23rd 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | osey | October 19th 22 |
| 3.0 good | toim0 | February 12th 22 |
| 4.5 superb | steeza | March 5th 21 |
| 3.0 good | Lassie | January 11th 21 |
| 3.5 great | Stufy2 | December 17th 20 |
| 3.5 great | Wolfe | April 14th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | Josh | March 26th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | Gillie | December 11th 19 |
| 5.0 classic | Royl123 | December 10th 19 |
| 4.5 superb | xgausez | November 4th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | mariotti | September 18th 19 |
| 3.0 good | ian b | July 25th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Handers | July 16th 19 |
| 3.5 great | Teo | May 21st 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Lebanik | March 9th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | kenji505 | February 24th 19 |
| 3.0 good | ToT720 | November 30th 18 |
| 3.0 good | Juanpa | October 12th 18 |
| 3.5 great | stufy12 | September 2nd 18 |
| 3.5 great | Jordan | January 21st 18 |
| 4.0 excellent | calebl87 | December 24th 17 |
| 5.0 classic | kb3984 | December 23rd 17 |
| 4.5 superb | meeboe | December 17th 17 |
| 3.5 great | YayoG1 | December 3rd 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | waterz | October 25th 17 |
| 3.0 good | Jade | September 25th 17 |
| 2.5 average | Kurisu | September 16th 17 |
| 3.0 good | wangz | August 31st 17 |
| 3.5 great | Jan555 | July 23rd 17 |
| 2.5 average | aiioli | June 17th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | tekight | March 22nd 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | Ditto | March 20th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | cylwrd | March 1st 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | Krisa | December 31st 16 |
| 3.5 great | Adamrk | December 16th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | CamiloG | December 11th 16 |
| 3.5 great | Nrdrk | November 23rd 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | Fuff24 | October 31st 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | LOE | October 17th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | Tom R. CONTRIBUTOR | October 3rd 16 |
| 3.5 great | stromz | September 19th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | IVIII | September 18th 16 |
| 3.5 great | A.R.O. STAFF | September 14th 16 |
| 3.5 great | jp1 | August 28th 16 |
| 5.0 classic | Mills | August 24th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | Nights | August 21st 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | josefk | August 21st 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | Rowan5215 STAFF | August 21st 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | PaabL | August 19th 16 |
| 3.0 good | CAFSF | April 16th 16 |
| 3.5 great | Kureo | April 6th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | Mall | December 20th 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | ZBJE | July 8th 15 |
| 3.5 great | Lech | June 14th 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | swoen | May 17th 15 |
| 3.5 great | Jaqz | April 26th 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | Nrap | April 15th 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | Riitiir | March 20th 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | Nigtwig | January 15th 15 |
| 2.5 average | Skoj | January 7th 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | slaps | December 16th 14 |
| 3.5 great | vivapo | December 10th 14 |
| 3.5 great | Ayl | November 18th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | Fyfe00 | October 12th 14 |
| 3.5 great | rjk | July 29th 14 |
| 3.5 great | Surtur | July 28th 14 |
| 3.5 great | foxxxy | July 20th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | tizzl | July 15th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | wfaber | June 3rd 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | andr13 | April 14th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | mxwll16 | March 20th 14 |
| 2.5 average | drewbox | January 24th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | cbjeeby | October 16th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | craven | September 11th 13 |
| 3.5 great | Thor | September 7th 13 |
| 3.5 great | cmilli | September 4th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | ddlinkz | August 14th 13 |
| 4.5 superb | Caelum | July 25th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | SMUD | July 18th 13 |
| 2.5 average | Viales | April 23rd 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | tarkus | April 10th 13 |
| 5.0 classic | NRG2C | March 22nd 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | Kibj411 | March 22nd 13 |
| 4.5 superb | cgor17 | March 19th 13 |
| 3.5 great | Pndi | March 18th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | CWBrown | February 26th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | lovemore | February 14th 13 |
| 3.5 great | Emyay | February 13th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | viri | February 4th 13 |
| 3.0 good | Aruji | February 3rd 13 |
| 4.5 superb | Shimana | January 23rd 13 |
| 3.5 great | Irving EMERITUS | January 22nd 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | Matski | January 9th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | sbleezy | January 7th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | urzadek | December 17th 12 |
| 3.5 great | SeaCow | December 7th 12 |
| 3.0 good | Mojito | November 7th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | Noteros | November 3rd 12 |
| 4.5 superb | Drank | October 27th 12 |
| 4.5 superb | Lingwu | October 27th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | ZGP1992 | October 17th 12 |
| 3.5 great | Peluca | September 27th 12 |
| 4.5 superb | ru2327 | August 22nd 12 |
| 2.5 average | TheDMV | August 20th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | scheim | July 30th 12 |
| 3.5 great | foxxxy | July 19th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | JBowl | July 18th 12 |
| 1.5 very poor | Loois | July 15th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | Filling | July 15th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | HiFiPi | July 14th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | idzk | July 10th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | Dummit | June 10th 12 |
| 2.5 average | kanker | April 29th 12 |
| 3.5 great | vDrop | April 15th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | sehguh | April 9th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | kojpl | March 29th 12 |
| 3.5 great | Opaque | February 24th 12 |
| 5.0 classic | joyless | February 6th 12 |
| 3.5 great | Iai EMERITUS | February 4th 12 |
| 3.5 great | jc1587 | February 4th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | keeno | February 3rd 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | Swagdus | February 1st 12 |
| 3.5 great | Moraff | January 30th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | joshuatree EMERITUS | January 29th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | JPaller | January 17th 12 |
| 3.0 good | mattkd | January 14th 12 |
| 3.5 great | Vyndax | January 8th 12 |
| 3.5 great | 00mee | December 31st 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | Meln | November 19th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | bish7751 | November 18th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | Jerbz | November 13th 11 |
| 3.5 great | Dday | November 13th 11 |
| 3.5 great | Rev | November 7th 11 |
| 3.5 great | Torii | October 8th 11 |
| 3.0 good | gervin | September 22nd 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | nnnope | September 22nd 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | Jtrue616 | September 12th 11 |
| 3.5 great | TanMan | September 7th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | joelom | August 26th 11 |
| 3.5 great | cuki92 | August 23rd 11 |
| 2.5 average | Tupik | August 23rd 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | Titan50 | August 10th 11 |
| 3.0 good | Aids | August 9th 11 |
| 2.5 average | wylpyl | August 4th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | kfresha | June 29th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | telex | June 28th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | Narshh | June 22nd 11 |
| 3.0 good | Rowdy | June 4th 11 |
| 3.5 great | WooHa | May 1st 11 |
| 3.5 great | T0rr35 | April 20th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | Shadein | April 14th 11 |
| 3.5 great | dnor | April 3rd 11 |
| 3.5 great | Kiran EMERITUS | April 3rd 11 |
| 3.5 great | mkCII | April 1st 11 |
| 3.0 good | coleba | March 31st 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | BigHans | March 23rd 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | Hep Kat | March 23rd 11 |
| 4.5 superb | cirq | March 23rd 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | Inveigh | March 21st 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | Mariox | March 18th 11 |
| 4.5 superb | Hawks | March 9th 11 |
| 4.5 superb | Fort23 | March 5th 11 |
| 3.5 great | qwe3 | February 25th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | iranscam | February 19th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | illmitch | February 17th 11 |
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