What is it folks say about imitation being a compliment or something or other? I’m kidding! I know the adage is to express the greatest platitudes of flattery and Cincinnati’s Afghan Whigs have expressed it abundantly with their guitar-ridden cover of Frank Ocean’s “Lovecrimes”. I’d buy this, but as fortune would have it the Lovecrimes cover is available as a FREE DOWNLOAD. Also, the A-to-the-F are recently, and currently reunited and soon to be out on tour. Here’s a little badass reminder of why you (should) love them. Peace.
 

 
Afghan Whigs tour dates:
 
07/25 – The Hi-Fi, Melbourne
07/26 – The Factory, Sydney
07/27 – Splendour in the Grass, Byron Bay
08/03 – Lollapalooza, Chicago
08/04 – The Metro, Chicago
08/07 – Circus, Helsinki
08/09 – Oya Festival, Oslo
08/10 – Way Out West Festival, Göteborg
08/11 – Haldern Pop Festival, Rees-Haldern
08/14 – Palladium, Warsaw
08/15 – Lucerna Music Bar, Prague
08/17 – Pukkelpop, Hasselt
08/19 – KOKO, London
09/22 – I’ll Be Your Mirror, Asbury Park
09/28 – 9:30 Club, Washington DC
10/03 – Phoenix Theatre, Toronto
10/05 – Terminal 5, New York City
10/14 – Austin City Limits Fest, Austin
10/24 – St. Andrew’s Hall, Detroit
10/25 – Bogart’s, Cincinnati

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Frank Ocean is without a doubt talented. Super talented. But, he is also a couple of other things. An anomaly and a game changer. In the history of R&B and soul music he is in good company. Think, in no particular order, the likes of Ray Charles, Quincy Jones, James Brown, and Curtis Mayfield, etc. This young singer/songwriter is particularly fond of Otis Redding, Issac Hayes, and Marvin Gaye, and stylistically it shows. But what Mr. Ocean does, and continues to do is closer to what Prince represents in terms of an expansive musicality. Quite honestly though, he’ll be the first one to tell you he doesn’t possess the guitar chops of Van Halen nor does he know any “secret chords like Saint David.” But man can this kid draw lines from a wide variety of influences. Pop, rock, and alternative just to name of few music genres he sources and funnels through his imagination.

Of course, all musicians draw influence from what has come before, but Mr. Ocean casts his net into the whole tapestry of music, or so it seems. Make no mistake his is an ear cocked in unlikely directions. So, if you haven’t listened to Frank Ocean’s nostalgia, ULTRA mixtape (FREE DOWNLOAD) I implore you give it a listen. If you’re a fan, and an avid listener of music, then you probably already know about the Radiohead references and MGMT samples. But then, there is the beautifully hijacked Eagles “Hotel California” and Coldplay “Strawberry Swing” takeovers. On these quasi-renditions Mr. Ocean leaves the music intact but inlays his own reworked lyrics effortlessly, and seamlessly atop.

And still, there is so much more. Because, it’s not only the music, (although he is the veritable musical contortionist) but it is too the unconventional lyrics, the quirky arrangements, and the Auto-Tune and his very capable singing as well. Listen to fan favorite “There Will Be Tears” with its varying tempo and heart-on-a-sleeve subject matter. It is songs like this, but also “Swim Good” and “We All Try” which put this young visionary into a singular category. Because thematically speaking this young gun breathes rarefied air into the aforementioned songs with touching tenderness and vulnerability that is as refreshing as it is endearing.

Yes, Mr. Ocean is different. But different in a good and wholly unique way. His music deviates, in subtle ways from the canon of the neo-soul movement. His latest offering, “Pyramids,” which according to unofficial industry murmurs, will appear on his debut Def Jam release Channel Orange . This song, “Pyramids,”in my opinion is more in the vein of “Novacane” and “Lovecrimes,” but that isn’t a necessarily a bad thing at all. Plus, this track clocks in at just under 10:00 minutes. Making it the longest (and deeply steeped R&B) track to date. And all this leads up to the expectations of Frank Ocean’s debut album release Channel Orange set to drop July 17th via Def Jam. I am excited, expectant and hopeful. Frank Ocean is definitely an artist to watch. Peace. 

Tour Dates

07/17 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern
07/19 – Austin, TX @ La Zona Rosa
07/20 – Dallas, TX @ Southside Music Hall
07/22 – Atlanta, GA @ Center Stage
07/23 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
07/25 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
07/26 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5
07/28 – Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
07/29 – Montreal, QC @ Club Soda
07/31 – Toronto, ON @ The Guvernment
08/01 – Detroit, MI @ TBA
08/04 – Chicago, IL @ Lollapalooza
08/07-11 – Oslo, NO @ Oya Fest
08/08-11 – Helsinki, FI @ Flow Festival
08/09-11 – Gothenburg, SE @ Way Out West Festival
08/16-18 – Kiewit, BE @ Pukkelpop
08/18-19 – Essex, UK @ V Festival
08/18-19 – Staffordshire, UK @ V Festival
08/24-26 – Paris, FR @ Rock en Seine
08/28 – Copenhagen, DK @ Parken Stadium !%
08/30 – Stockholm, SE @ Olympic Stadium !%
09/02 – Paris, FR @ Stade de France !%
09/04 – Cologne, DE @ Rheinenergie Stadium !%
09/06 – The Hague, NL @ Malieveld !%
09/07-08 – Isle of Wight, UK @ Bestival
09/12 – Munich, DE @ Red Bull Stadium !%
09/16 – Prage, CZ @ Slavia Eden Stadium !%
09/19 – Warsaw, PL @ National Stadium !%
09/22 – Hannover, DE @ AWD Arena !%

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Resident OFWGKTA crooner Frank Ocean is already a bad mofo all by himself, but when the likes of SBTRKT get’s his hands on “Whip Appeal” things get over the top good real fast. Over the top good as in magnificent. Magnificent as in totally badass. You’ll love this one. Peace.

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