Track-by-Track
B.o.B Presents:  The Adventures of Bobby Ray
Review by: Don Di Napoli aka Thrill Collins

If you are reading your first Track by Track, here on iStandardProducers.com, then there are a few things you must know:
#1 The writers here at iStandardProducers.com focus mostly on the beats … obviously – hence the name “PRODUCERS” in iStandardProducers.com… however we are still reviewing the record as a whole.
#2 EVERY track gets equal shine…
#3 You know how we do it…we don’t check the credits until the album is heard in its entirety.

Before we delve into this review, I’d like to speak a bit about B.o.B and my feelings on him as an artist and a person.  I was introduced to his music some time in 2006 by former Atlantic Records A&R Damon Eden.  Damon said “this kid is like the next Andre 3000 but more diverse”.  More diverse than Andre 3000 – WHAT!?!?!  Being a longtime Outkast fan, I immediately scoured the web to find any music I could on this kid.  I downloaded a few mixtapes, and I was instantly a fan.  His delivery was clean, pronunciated, and on-point.  The beats he picked (which I later found out he mostly produced) were always musical, full of depth, and visceral.  He wasn’t rapping about killing people or how much money he had, but about going to cyber heaven, following his dreams, and pot smoking analogies only a stoner could understand *GUILTY*.  I started playing his stuff to everyone I knew, and made instant fans out of everyone in my inner circle.

Eventually I became pretty close with one of his co-managers, TJ Chapman, and he would send me any new material B.o.B was working on.  The reason?  We had an iStandard Producer Showcase as part of Remix Hotel in Atlanta where TJ, B-Rich, and B.o.B judged, and while DJing I played his record “16″.  TJ immediately came up to me saying “How did you get THAT record?  You went deep in the catalog, huh?”  I told him I was a big fan, and from there he invited me to B.o.B’s first BIG NYC show at Nokia Theatre (opening for Talib Kweli, Little Brother, & David Banner), as well as giving me the log-in to his music vault so I can play his stuff at our events.

The first time I met B.o.B, he was courteous, polite, and humble, which is a page other aspiring artists should take out of his book.  He was doing jumping jacks on stage in Atlanta while flawlessly spitting the verses in “Haters”, and after the show we chilled for a bit and that’s when I knew he was the real deal.  Not only as an artist, but as a person…A cool ass dude w a guitar strapped on his back at all times

Four years later, a #1 single and a boatload of fans, B.o.B has fulfilled my prediction that he will become one of the top artists of our generation.

Regardless of my past experiences with B.o.B and Co., this review is going to be honest, as always.  But I don’t think they would want it any other way.

Listen to the album here

1. Don’t Let Me Fall – [Produced by Bobby Ray] – a classical piano enchants the listener to start off the album, as a soft synth lays them down in a bed of bliss over B.o.B’s singing “Well it was just a dream, just a moment ago, I was up so high looking down at the sky, Don’t let me fall”.  Eloquent lyrics followed by a crunchy guitar riff set the tone for his verse, in which he asservates his skills as an MC, while the booming 808 takes turns alternating with a staccato piano.  The stage is set.  Probably the most musical track on the record, one can hear at least 20 tracks of music.

2. Nothin’ On You – Feat. Bruno Mars – [Produced by The Smeezingtons] – how can one criticize the #1 song in the US?!?  In all honesty, I am not a HUGE fan of this song, simply because I have never heard B.o.B on a song like this prior to this record, and feel it was a contrived single.  But guess what, it sure worked.  Bruno Mars does his best Adam Levine impression, the electric piano throughout is intoxicating, the delayed reverb on the snare and the hook is in my head every other morning.  This song will be many lovers’ “song” this year.  B.o.B you are officially part of the zeitgeist of the new decade!  Congrats, Mr. Simmons.

3. Past My Shades – Feat. Lupe Fiasco – [Produced by Crada] – very cool guitar euphoric feedback followed by a xylophone melody and a high register guitar riff sets the tone for B.o.B’s sultry singing on the intro of this song.  Then the hook comes in, and the whole “You can’t see past my shades” is a bit corny in my opinion.  The beat itself is okay, nothing really special.  The kick drum sounds super compressed, and the snap snare is a bit overdone.

4. Airplanes – Feat. Hayley Williams of Paramore – [Produced by Alex da Kid, DJ Frank E] – Once again this song starts with a classical piano, and the second Hayley Williams of Paramore  and the thumping bassline come on, you can tell this song is an instant hit.  Oh wait, it is…  B.o.B’s verses over a trip hop beat accented by the piano make this song one of the strongest on the record.  B.o.B’s rapping skills are in prime form, and my encomium for his song is at an all time high at the moment.

5. Bet I – Feat. T.I. & Playboy Tre – [Produced by A.D. & Kutta] – a pretty typical “south” beat.  I feel the 808 could have kicked a little harder, and the engineer could have added a bit more bottom to the kickdrum.  One can tell this track is made for an MC, as B.o.B shreds through the track, then T.I. comes on and adds his signature scowl.  A surprise here is Playboy Tre, who’s verse is probably my favorite on this song…

6. Ghost In The Machine  – [Produced by Bobby Ray] – a cinematic keys intro sets the tone for a standard midtempo rock beat with neat and clean cymbal crashes.  A futuristic melody intertwines throughout, as B.o.B’s singing ability really gleams on this record.  He has an old soul, and is a bit reminiscent of Wyclef Jean.  Definitely a standout track.

7. The Kids – Feat. Janelle Monae – [Produced by Alex da Kid] – a pretty standard rock bassline opens the track, and even though I want to like this song due to it’s positive lyrical content, I feel it lags a bit, and lacks the dynamics to pleasure my ears

8. Magic – Feat. Rivers Cuomo of Weezer – [Produced by Dr. Luke] – another genre-bending song, featuring legendary pop/rock icon Rivers Cuomo.  Starting off sounding a bit like Kiss’ “Rock And Roll All Nite”, the track overall sounds pretty typical and contrived.  I can see the Teen Pop appeal this record may have, as it will probably be a single due.  A.  the featured artist (Rivers), B.  It’s uptempo.  But I have heard this attempted to be done and sound right, but something here is missing.

9. Fame – [Produced by JackPot & Jim Jonsin] – quite possibly my favorite track on the album.  The horns are big, the sample is placed appropriately, and that bassline – YES.  It’s thunderous.  This sounds like the B.o.B I know – touching on subjects that no one wants to admit, and picking hot beats!

10. Lovelier Than You – [Produced by Bobby Ray] – I originally heard this track live at Nokia Theatre and was instantly blown away by the authenticity of what Mr. Bobby Ray put into it.  Not only was he singing on key and with bravado, he was also playing the acoustic guitar as if it were his first love.  Added are bottom heavy bongos, a wood block, and some angelic backgrounds.  Hold your lover’s hand when you play this one.  Don’t know about the “we go together like the tub and the shower head above” line though.

11. 5th Dimension – Feat. Ricco Barrino – [Produced by Lil' C] – another track that I feel is all over the place. I love B.o.B’s verses over a simplistic organ and organic drum beat, but I’m not really feeling the hook.  It almost sounds like forced soulfulness, if that makes sense.  “I’m talking about Venus, Jupiter, Mars”.  Sorry, Mr. Barrino, but it’s a tad corny.

12. Airplanes, Part II – Feat. Hayley Williams of Paramore & Eminem – [Produced by Alex da Kid, DJ Frank E]

N/A – same track as part 1, but a great verse by Eminem

Overall -

Being such a big fan of B.o.B’s work preceding “The Adventures of Bobby Ray”, I must say I am a little disappointed in the album as a whole.  There are tracks that I LOVE (Don’t Let Me Fall, Ghost In the Machine, Fame, Lovelier Than You) and there are tracks that I just don’t get (Past My Shades, Bet I Bust, Magic, etc.)  I will rephrase, maybe I get them too much, and see a bit of contriving going on, quite possibly from Atlantic Records.  And why did Jim Jonsin only produce 1 track?  Where this album could have been B.o.B’s “The College Dropout”, I more so see this as a disjointed effort with genres just not quite naturally melding into each other.  I will be waiting album number 2 with great anticipation, knowing there may not be as many constraints from the label, and expect a classic solid effort.

3 out of 5