April 14, 201213 yr What happened to 'Play the Guitar' - it debuted at #98 in the US as the 'second' single - though it's not included in the track listing (neither standard nor deluxe). Hope by some miracle that they do include it - I want to download (legally) a studio version and the UK never got it.
April 15, 201213 yr What happened to 'Play the Guitar' - it debuted at #98 in the US as the 'second' single - though it's not included in the track listing (neither standard nor deluxe). Hope by some miracle that they do include it - I want to download (legally) a studio version and the UK never got it. It's included as a b-side on the iTunes So Good EP, so can be legally downloaded in the UK now!
April 16, 201213 yr Author "Both Of Us" is alright if a little disjointed. It's certainly no "Airplanes" but I can see it making a huge impact on US iTunes when the album drops. Less so here and it may not even become much of a hit, so it's all the more important that "So Good" is doing well and looking like making the top 10 with ease.
May 2, 201213 yr What does everybody think to the album? I'm on my first listen through now. Only on track two at the moment, but I liked 'Bombs Away', alot. Liking the sound of it so far!
May 2, 201213 yr Listened to it all the way through and it's just as good as his debut. He's seriously one of the best rappers around at the moment, imo. There may not be as many hooks as catchy as a couple on his debut, but there are still some pretty solid hooks on this which would go on to be big hits for him.
May 3, 201213 yr Author I'm being a good boy and waiting until the CD arrives, although knowing Amazon I'll be waiting a while.
May 7, 201213 yr Such a grower of an album! 'Both Of Us' is amazing. I am really, really loving it at the moment. (To the extent where I get an urge to listen to the track and that track only!). I think I prefer this over his debut as it's definitely a more mature and polished album than the last. 'Chandelier' and 'Castles' are the other two real amazing tracks. Loving 'Arena' and 'Out Of My Mind' too! Ahhh. This album is just so good.
May 9, 201213 yr Predictably, 'Both Of Us' is OFFICIALLY the next single! :D I predict a very, very big hit for him.
May 9, 201213 yr Author Predictably, 'Both Of Us' is OFFICIALLY the next single! :D I predict a very, very big hit for him. In the US almost certainly, over here I'll reserve judgement until I've seen how well "Princess of China" has done.
May 9, 201213 yr I can see UK radio eating it up. I can also see Taylor recording a "Part 2" for her new album. :lol: I think it's clear he still has a following, especially seeing 'So Good' do so well on the back of very little hype/not many people knowing what the song is or anything. I dunno, but I get the feeling it's going to be bigger than 'Princess of China' mainly because it's not been held back as 4th single or anything and it's been given the post-album release. It'll help the album sell too I reckon.
May 9, 201213 yr 'Both Of Us' is the best choice, I hope it can be a hit in the UK (cherry-picking suggests it has a good chance). A part 2 from Taylor would be great but I guess it's asking too much to hope it could bring her even more fortune over here. I think I slightly prefer his debut right now but 'Chandelier' is excellent and I also really like 'Arena' & 'Bombs Away' (along with the singles). Not so keen on 'Out Of My Mind' still which is disappointing given it's the Nicki track.
May 11, 201213 yr Author My copy has just arrived so "Bombs Away" is getting its first play now. Will post a review in a few days.
May 13, 201213 yr Author Review as promised: In an interview last year Bobby Ray Simmonds Jr. paralleled releasing his début album to losing his virginity, although 2010's B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray was less of a tentative fumble in the dark and more a wildly ambitious stab at greatness. Some questionable sample choices, along with the album's vast array of guest appearances conspiring to blur the MC's identity meant that the album didn't quite reach the heights it was aiming for but it was a strong first effort nonetheless. But after such an assured entrance, where does B.o.B go now? If opener "Bombs Away", with its suitably grand spoken-word sections (from Morgan Freeman of all people) and spacebound production, is anything to go by then it appears he's most comfortable branching out his horizons even further onto a truly gargantuan scale. Any pop-rap album such as this rises and falls on the strength of its hooks, and just like its predecessor Strange Clouds has hooks coming out of its ears. "Both of Us", the inevitable "Airplanes" rehash with a chorus coming this time from country starlet Taylor Swift, is the most obvious hit here although the most infectious melody comes from B.o.B himself on the breezy "So Good". "Ray Bands" and "So Hard to Breathe" are sat next to each other on the tracklisting to gain maximum effect and ably show how B.o.B is comfortable penning both irresistible stripper jams and the spaced out soul-searchers. The title track is another highlight, an old-fashioned ode to illicit substances that sports Lil Wayne's best guest verse in years. Somewhat ominously (and perhaps suggesting that its maker's heart lies very much in the world of pop), all the tracks mentioned above arrive in the album's first half. Aside from the appropriately stadium-sized "Arena" and the positively schizoid Nicki Minaj-assisted "Out Of My Mind", things tail off rather quickly with a run of songs as the LP nears its climax that pass by with little or no interesting features. What manages to prop them up is B.o.B's flow, which is never anything less than exceptional. It's testament to a good MC that their lyrics sound better on record than they look written down, and it's never truer than on Strange Clouds where the rapper's distinctive Atlanta drawl never lets you forget whose album you're listening to even when the songs themselves become less distinctive. The closing "Where Are You" pits the two sides of his character against each other with sparkling results and means that the album ends with a far sweeter taste than it could have done. However, one can't help but think that B.o.B was achingly close to making his definitive statement with this record. At 15 tracks it's too long, and it's also poppy enough that a number of songs could be cut without particularly changing its overall feel and message. Overall though, Strange Clouds is an effective follow-up and one that boasts just as many platinum-tinged highlights as its predecessor. At the end of the day, is that too dissatisfying? 15/20
May 13, 201213 yr Nice read through, Charlie. Some very interesting and valid points made, particularly agree about B.o.B's flow on the whole thing. This album showed me that he's quite possibly my favourite MC in the game right now. (I don't listen to many of them though, so he's probably here by default aha.)
May 13, 201213 yr Author Nice read through, Charlie. Some very interesting and valid points made, particularly agree about B.o.B's flow on the whole thing. This album showed me that he's quite possibly my favourite MC in the game right now. (I don't listen to many of them though, so he's probably here by default aha.) I agree, I don't listen to that many hip-hop albums and Kanye has made my favourite of the last couple of years but his rapping skills just aren't in the same league.
July 24, 201212 yr Author 01 Bombs Away 02 Ray Bands 03 So Hard To Breathe 04 Both Of Us 05 Strange Clouds 06 So Good 07 Play For Keeps 08 Arena 09 Play the Guitar 10 Out Of My Mind 11 Where Are You (B.o.B vs. Bobby Ray) I've decided ^THAT album would be a frontrunner for album of the year, the actual version probably won't be come December.
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