@avclub-3b4620fb9b9a1cc0ed457fb831347b11:disqus : Fair points, and you may be right re: the Kanye thing, although I think there are reasonable reasons for grading it just short of a perfect 10.  Still my favorite album of the year so far, though.  And the parts I love are just knockouts.

@avclub-3b4620fb9b9a1cc0ed457fb831347b11:disqus : Fair points, and you may be right re: the Kanye thing, although I think there are reasonable reasons for grading it just short of a perfect 10.  Still my favorite album of the year so far, though.  And the parts I love are just knockouts.

Some perspective: this was one of the year's most highly anticipated debuts before the sexuality thing became news, between his warmly-received mixtape and his appearances on Watch the Throne.   Search the AV Club's archives: they've been following him for a while.

Some perspective: this was one of the year's most highly anticipated debuts before the sexuality thing became news, between his warmly-received mixtape and his appearances on Watch the Throne.   Search the AV Club's archives: they've been following him for a while.

By that time we'll hopefully be coming down off the backlash against Pitchfork's glowing review, and the AV Club can be part of the backlash-against-the-backlash.

By that time we'll hopefully be coming down off the backlash against Pitchfork's glowing review, and the AV Club can be part of the backlash-against-the-backlash.

For what it's worth, Odd Future's had an openly lesbian member for quite some time, and they knew about Ocean quite a bit before this became news.

For what it's worth, Odd Future's had an openly lesbian member for quite some time, and they knew about Ocean quite a bit before this became news.

PEPFAR's without doubt a mixed bag, but it was also a big leap forward from what we were doing pre-Bush.  I have very little love for the man, but I will give him props for putting forth a problematic program in lieu of letting the issue lie.

PEPFAR's without doubt a mixed bag, but it was also a big leap forward from what we were doing pre-Bush.  I have very little love for the man, but I will give him props for putting forth a problematic program in lieu of letting the issue lie.

Wouldn't be so sure.  He doesn't have the vocal power of the people on that list (especially his falsetto, which is kinda thin), but he more than makes up for it with his songwriting chops.

I have no problem with a thesaurus.  In the case the afraid observe, I got a Pro-Keds box full of layman's terms.

I have no problem with a thesaurus.  In the case the afraid observe, I got a Pro-Keds box full of layman's terms.

Heh, well, I don't expect vapid reviews of vapid albums, or dense reviews of dense novels, or deconstructed reviews of experimental films.  I like my reviews to give me context and clarity.  The rest is what the art is for.

Heh, well, I don't expect vapid reviews of vapid albums, or dense reviews of dense novels, or deconstructed reviews of experimental films.  I like my reviews to give me context and clarity.  The rest is what the art is for.

Well, I think Brown's album was out on iTunes a bit earlier, but still…. yeah, it's nice to see Frank's album sitting atop him right now.

Well, I think Brown's album was out on iTunes a bit earlier, but still…. yeah, it's nice to see Frank's album sitting atop him right now.

Yeah, so I didn't get enough sleep last night because I was listening to this on repeat.  There are a few tracks that feel unfinished, but not a bad one in the bunch, and the ones that hit - "Sierra Leone", "Pyramids", and "Bad Religion" in particular - they hit hard.    And that Fallon performance left me speechless.

Yeah, so I didn't get enough sleep last night because I was listening to this on repeat.  There are a few tracks that feel unfinished, but not a bad one in the bunch, and the ones that hit - "Sierra Leone", "Pyramids", and "Bad Religion" in particular - they hit hard.    And that Fallon performance left me speechless.

Channel Orange is also at #1 on iTunes right now, dropping Chris Brown down to #2.