Gifted pop, urban contemporary musician Frank Ocean delivers a distinct, ‘original’ cover of beloved vocal standard, “Moon River.” 

Since releasing Blonde independently in 2016, Frank Ocean has actually been more prolific. Between the release of his Grammy-winning Channel Orange and Blonde, he was much quieter.  Releasing a number of singles in 2017 with no album attached in the least, Ocean had his share of moments, as well as those that were less impactful.  On Valentine’s Day 2018, he dropped a gem: “Moon River.”

“Moon River” is a well-known classic – a truly beautiful song. Frank Ocean covers it, infusing his own, distinct artistry.  That means that this standard gets layered vocals, ad-libs, pitch-shifted vocals, and other vocal effects, most notably reverb.  Some purists may not like the liberties that Ocean takes.  As an open-minded listener who enjoys hearing artists try different things, I like the contrasts that Ocean makes compared to the original.

Final Thoughts 

“Moon River” doesn’t belong to Frank Ocean – it’s been covered a bajillion times.  That said, Ocean does a fabulous job of tailor making this record to his style.  He’s a ‘once in a lifetime’ artist, and he exhibits that on this cover.

Frank Ocean • Moon River – Single • Blonded • Release: 2.14.18

Photo Credit: Blonded