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Track Listings
| 1. Bombs Away (Feat. Morgan Freeman) |
| 2. Ray Bands |
| 3. So Hard To Breathe |
| 4. Both Of Us (Feat. Taylor Swift) |
| 5. Strange Clouds (Feat. Lil Wayne) |
| 6. So Good |
| 7. Play For Keeps |
| 8. Arena (Feat. Chris Brown & T.I.) |
| 9. Out Of My Mind (Feat. Nicki Minaj) |
| 10. Never Let You Go (Feat. Ryan Tedder) |
| 11. Chandelier (Feat. Lauriana Mae) |
| 12. Circles |
| 13. Just A Sign (Feat. Playboy Tre) |
| 14. Castles (Feat. Trey Songz) |
| 15. Where Are You (B.O.B Vs. Bobby Ray) |
Product Description
Review
Now that the hip hop youth wing has taken one of its periodic swings into Newsnight-worrying amorality, it’s curiously reassuring to fire up a platter that concerns itself with the traditional values of the form: doing well financially, being the best, going out for a drink or two, and carping about the disorienting aspects of fame.
That’s not to say Bobby Ray Simmons Jr is run-of-the-mill: he’s blessed with a gift for clear language, rarely missing his point and delivering his thoughtful lines with flinty disdain. He’s also very good at painting himself as the victim of his own brilliance, getting Morgan Freeman to narrate the apocalyptic introduction to his second album’s opener Bombs Away, and then launching it with the line "I used to dream of success, now success is inadequate," as if this is something we are expected to sympathise with.
The surprising thing is, more often than not it works, because he plays up the desperate seriousness of the rap game, which sounds very weighty and important, even when he’s rapping about going clubbing (Strange Clouds) or playing a lovely gig (Arena). It helps if you’ve got talented friends, of course. Taylor Swift delivers this album’s Airplanes moment in the disarming passion pledge Both of Us, and with Out of My Mind Nicki Minaj once again demonstrates how to take a mad song and make it better.
As with a lot of overlong albums, especially overlong albums that seek to address universal concerns, the last four tracks all feel like the grand finale, and any of them would do the job nicely. However, there’s one final twist: Where Are You is an argument between Bobby Ray and B.o.B, both sides accusing the other getting lost in the fame game, amid Glee harmonies and Elton-ballad piano. It’s pitched somewhere between super-hubris, an early strike at the haters and the early stages of a diva’s nervous breakdown.
Lord knows what he’ll be dissatisfied with by album three, but whatever it is, it’ll probably be worth hearing him out.
--Fraser McAlpine
Find more music at the BBC This link will take you off Amazon in a new window
Product Description
CD
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I love this album. At first, I bought it because I thought there were one or two good tracks, but after having it in my car for a couple of weeks I've learned to appreciate what an excellent artist BoB really is. Both of Us with Taylor Swift is beautiful, whilst Strange Clouds with Lil Wayne is dirty with a heavy bassline and So Good is pop at its finest. Something for everyone. Give it a chance.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
'Strange Clouds' is a very worthy follow-up to American hip-hop star B.o.B's debut studio album, 'The Adventures of Bobby Ray'. For his second effort, B.o.B takes a mixture of pop, rap, hip-hop, soul and country and blends them together to make one of the most exicting rollercoaster albums of the past year.
BOMBS AWAY: To get one of the world's most famous voices to narrate the opening offensive is perhaps, just, a touch of pure genius. A strong violin quartet added to the sound of an anthemic choir 'aaaah' dusts off the cobwebs to make this a perfect piece of hip-hop class. (5/5) RAY BANDS: To express a passion for your sunglasses may suggest signs of insania. But it's not necessarily a bad thing. This time, it works to B.o.B's advantage, and with the addition of some will.i.am-style club beats to the anthemic hook, it rounds off another piece of hip-hop perfection. (5/5) SO HARD TO BREATHE: B.o.B infuses touches of soul and country into the album's next number, which squeezes in nicely before two big surrounding anthems. It proves B.o.B has great flexibility as an artist, even taking on the rock-infused hook with some style and class. (5/5) BOTH OF US FT. TAYLOR SWIFT: B.o.B takes one of the world's most successful country stars, and blends her into the perfect hip-hop and country mash-up. This was a perfect choice for the album's third official single. I can't believe that it didn't chart higher. (5/5) STRANGE CLOUDS FT. LIL WAYNE: B.o.B enlists Lil Wayne for one of the hardest hip-hop cuts on the album, which rounds off what is perhaps, one of the strongest starts to a solo rapper's album since Eminem's "Recovery" in 2010. Electronic beats blended with a powerful drum riff make this a track to remember. (5/5) SO GOOD: B.o.... Read more ›
BOMBS AWAY: To get one of the world's most famous voices to narrate the opening offensive is perhaps, just, a touch of pure genius. A strong violin quartet added to the sound of an anthemic choir 'aaaah' dusts off the cobwebs to make this a perfect piece of hip-hop class. (5/5) RAY BANDS: To express a passion for your sunglasses may suggest signs of insania. But it's not necessarily a bad thing. This time, it works to B.o.B's advantage, and with the addition of some will.i.am-style club beats to the anthemic hook, it rounds off another piece of hip-hop perfection. (5/5) SO HARD TO BREATHE: B.o.B infuses touches of soul and country into the album's next number, which squeezes in nicely before two big surrounding anthems. It proves B.o.B has great flexibility as an artist, even taking on the rock-infused hook with some style and class. (5/5) BOTH OF US FT. TAYLOR SWIFT: B.o.B takes one of the world's most successful country stars, and blends her into the perfect hip-hop and country mash-up. This was a perfect choice for the album's third official single. I can't believe that it didn't chart higher. (5/5) STRANGE CLOUDS FT. LIL WAYNE: B.o.B enlists Lil Wayne for one of the hardest hip-hop cuts on the album, which rounds off what is perhaps, one of the strongest starts to a solo rapper's album since Eminem's "Recovery" in 2010. Electronic beats blended with a powerful drum riff make this a track to remember. (5/5) SO GOOD: B.o.... Read more ›
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
A nice return from BoB following his two year break but unfortunately the album is not as strong as The Adventures Of Bobby Ray. Still, it is a good album! :)
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I was not a fan of B.O.B originally but this album has changed my thoughts on his music, great album I even went to his concert only because of this album and his new sound.
By MrAdam2007
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Great album, well worth the purchase. I'm a fan of B.o.B anyway, but I'm sure it would appeal to a lot of people, with a few of the songs more pop than rap.
Highlights for me were:
Arena: B.o.B and T.I. work so well together, can't wait for their joint album
Strange Clouds: Dubstep hook works beautifully
Where Are You: Best song I've heard this year. Perfection.
Highlights for me were:
Arena: B.o.B and T.I. work so well together, can't wait for their joint album
Strange Clouds: Dubstep hook works beautifully
Where Are You: Best song I've heard this year. Perfection.
By warren92
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
When i first heard "Airplanes" i must admit i wasn't a fan, to me it seemed like just another generic collaboration that would do well in the charts but the verses caught my attention. I hadn't really heard of b.o.b prior to this but as with any artist i gave him a chance and i'm glad i did. The adventures of bobby ray was a fantastic debut album from a fantastic artist, i even grew to like airplanes in the end so as a result i was always going to buy his second album and i wasn't disappointed. The opening song features a speech from Morgan freeman which was a great start imo as a fan of his work too, from bombs away right to where are you every song has the potential to be a stand alone single, while they may not all achieve a great deal of success tracks such as so good, bombs away, both of us, castles and strange clouds would all do well. It's a great album
By Rob Mooney
Format:Audio CD
Not being a great fan of B.O.B's first offering, but impossible to get away from because of the amount of "air time" the last record got. i was a bit skeptical about strange clouds. But from start to finish this album is just phenomenal. i'm not a great lover of over produced pop music, but this album is so so good. Fantastic structures to each songs that have amazing hooks to grab you in and make you listen to whats on offer.
Do not hesitate to buy this record, you will find it impossible to put down. Enjoy!
Do not hesitate to buy this record, you will find it impossible to put down. Enjoy!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best Album of the year
Have been non-stop listening to the album and this is the best album i have listened to this year so far.
Published 12 months ago by Mr. M. J. Sziklai
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Album
Potential to be the album of the year. I Personally didn't dislike any songs, which all have potential to become top 10 hits. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Young2k12
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