B.o.B. – “The Adventures Of Bobby Ray” (Album Review)
See? Superpowers make EVERYTHING better.
Album review time! It’s been a minute, but it’s only appropriate to see how the “The Adventures Of Bobby Ray” FLOWS from start to finish. I’ve been waiting for B.o.B. do drop his debut since I first heard he was signed to T.I.’s Grand Hustle Records, but the wait is over, and the XXL alumni has finally dropped… but is it worth the buy?
(If you need a refresher system on how my rating scale works check this link out and come back.)
On to the review…
Flow (Album Playability) -> .8 <-
The tricky thing about this album is that although overall it is, this is NOT JUST A HIP-HOP album. B.o.B. sings and raps, and because of that the line between several genres of music (hip-hop, r&b, pop, rock?) are all blurred as the songs are presented. Because some people might want more hip-hop than the other stuff, that could get annoying. However, if you like all of those genres, you’re going to thoroughly enjoy this CD, because B.o.B. does all of these genres extremely well.
Seriously, B.o.B. tackles every single genre with such ease, it makes you wonder why did he sign with T.I. sometimes…until he starts rapping again, and then you’ll remember B.o.B.’s a monster on the microphone, whether rapping or singing.
Lyrics -> .8 <-
This could be the one spot on the album that’s a consistent flaw for me personally. B.o.B.’s lyrical content at times kind of slips when he throws in random syllables and things like that to make stuff rhyme. Granted he only does this one or twice (“Magic”, “I See Ya”), but he still does it.
In a redeeming factor, B.o.B.’s FLOW is INSANE when he raps. The same two songs where he does the syllable thing I mentioned above? He also has a SPAZZ SESSION on each beat, to the point where you could argue the syllable blabber should go under Originality as opposed for being counted off for here. Also, most (if not all) of Bobby Ray’s rap verses are 12 bars as opposed to the full 16, and that’s a shame because his rhymes are addictive and fun to listen to. Hopefully next time around he’ll lengthen most of those short songs.
Originality -> 1 <-
This was the easiest part of the review. Originality is oozing from this project, from the beginning to the end. From the guest lists to the subject matter, B.o.B. is one of the MOST ORIGINAL people I’ve ever had the blessing to hear in my life. It’s the type of fresh air that makes you realize why you liked the music in the first place. Yes.
Wildcard -> 1 <-
I wish I could skip this part and come back at the end, but it would be out of order…
So I’m just going to say that “Airplanes I and II” are the best songs I’ve heard this year. By far. No one’s even close. Those songs just HAPPEN to have Hayley Williams on the hook (Paramore! What do you know about rock music?) and Eminem on the Part II Reprise (Marshall Mathers! What do you know about rap music?). That alone is enough to warrant a full rating (especially after you hear Eminem’s verse….), but when you throw in the guest slots on the album from Janelle Monae, T.I. Bruno Mars, Lupe Fiasco himself…you could argue that a full rating might not be enough.
Sound (Production) -> .9 <-
The album is eclectic with its sound, and because of that some people aren’t going to like it. It’s genre blending, so it’s quite possible you’re going to get to a song that you just really don’t like. For me, it was “Lovlier Than You.” Not saying the song was bad, because it still was a well done song, but it just wasn’t my cup of tea. This and the overall flow of the album has similar tendencies concerning the love/hate factor.
Bottom Line -> 4.5 <-
Although for some people this album is perfect in every right, there are still some areas that could be fine-tuned, but debut albums do not get better than this unless your name is Lauryn Hill or Kanye West. It’s that good. It’s that original. I bought my copy off of iTunes, but I’m probably going to buy another copy for my car. B.o.B. has done remarkably well for his introduction LP, and I’m praying that the sales support the skill.
Even if you don’t like rap music… BUY THIS ALBUM. It’s that good.
Eljay’s Favorites:
- “Airplanes I & II” feat. Hayley Williams of Paramore and Eminem
- “Don’t Let Me Fall”
- “Bet I” feat. T.I. and Playboy Tre
- “Magic” feat. Rivers Cuomo
