Frank Ocean is one of the most talented, and intriguing, songwriters and singers working in music generally and R&B; in particular. Mixing funk, soul, jazz and pop with detailed, if sometimes surreal, descriptions of life in Los Angeles, and more complex sexuality than often seen in mainstream R&B;, his first album, Channel Orange, bridged a gap between street, studio and suburbs as it reached number 2 on the American and British charts and went platinum in Australia.
On the basis of that album alone the Los Angeleno's musical gift is seen as the equal of far bigger names such Drake, Beyonce or the ubiquitous Kanye West. And his influence has seeped through music, including Australian artists such as ARIA-winning Jarryd James who moved to LA to work with Ocean's collaborator Malay.
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Frank Ocean keeps fans waiting
Frank Oceans long promised second album Boys Don't Cry has failed to drop after rumors of it's release on August 5 prove to be off the mark.
But Ocean sure does test the patience. It's been four years since Channel Orange, with promises almost from that time of its release of a follow-up: in February 2013 he said he was "like 10, 11 songs into this next thing"; in April 2015 his "people" said the album would be out in July.
This is without even mentioning several tours of Australia (and over time, many other countries and music festivals) announced, postponed, cancelled, re-announced and cancelled, which did suggest some testing of the truth in the album's purported title, Boys Don't Cry.
![Not exactly working up a sweat to release his second album, R&B singer Frank Ocean.](/web/20160811135423im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/1/2/i/n/9/6/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gqn7d8.png/1470633381590.jpg)
If Samuel Beckett was an R&B; fan he would call this empty, futile, frustrating period Waiting For Frank O.
Last week it seemed the wait was over with a cryptic post online, a live stream of a studio space with the Apple Music logo imposed, followed by the confident prediction of the New York Times that Boys Don't Cry would be available on Apple Music at week's end.
The week ended, the weekend began, the weekend ended. And still no Frank Ocean anything.
As the Washington Post noted, commercially speaking Ocean is no Beyonce (who incidentally has released two career redefining albums in this same period), able to rely on brand recognition to push albums released without any notice.
This may be an elaborate marketing operation/tease. Or it may be classic indecision.
Either way, it could be Beckett had it right originally: "Let's go. Yes, let's go. [They do not move]."