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Critic Reviews
91
The guy knows how to hang in nearly every sonic situation, and master it — just like a real rock star.
7y
80
The result is exuberant and enthusiastic, and its architect bops along with an unapologetically clean-cut strut. He’s a pop star and he knows it, and he doesn’t pretend otherwise.
12y
80
His methods meld his many abilities, and the result with Strange Clouds is a sophomore album that straddles genre lines but does so with an authenticity that many rappers testing the pop waters lack.
12y
75
B.o.B. has nearly mastered the crossover record in Hip-Hop, like music’s Allen Iverson. But if he was an NBA player, Bobby Ray would more accurately be Dirk Nowitzki – a player doing what he’s not supposed to be doing at his position. He dares genre boundaries to guard him.
14y
75
Despite the superficial trappings of “Strange Clouds” his talent still breaks through the atmospheric turbulence and shines down on the listener.
1y
70
This is bold pop-rap at an "Arena" level, and while partying like a rock star means cohesiveness takes a hit, Strange Clouds is still thrilling and persuasive.
14y
70
The misplaced agendas piercing Strange Clouds are minor hindrances to an otherwise creditable album that has enough juice to maintain significant staying power.
14y
60
In his heated drawl, his lovely singing, his producing and guitar- and piano-playing, B.o.B shows off a vast talent. But when the record ends, you just want to hear the Dr. Luke beats again.
11y
50
The album has no theme and at the end of the day we still don’t know who B.o.B. is outside of his affinity for protective eye wear. We just know that he is capable of more than Strange Clouds.
13y
50
Strange Clouds is ultimately too weighed down by joy-killing self-importance to match that debut’s hit ratio.
14y
50
B.o.B. has been adamant about his latest album being created organically, yet that doesn’t justify the lack of cohesion or quality found on Strange Clouds.
14y
40
On his sophomore release, B.o.B climbs further up the mainstream ladder by continuing to blend hip hop with some of the poppiest sounds imaginable.
8y
30
The restrictions, the leak, the conservatism of the music… it’s a numbers game. Like the album, it’s focus-grouped, paranoid and please-all.
14y
This does not possess any of the same appeal that his debut does. The only song on here that does not sound horribly aged is "So Good," which is a pretty simple and sweet pop rap song that knows how to stay in its lane. The singles have aged like milk, and not even a rare Taylor Swift feature can save "Both of Us" from its horrid attempt to lean into EDM sounds. This is a pretty clear example of the downward trajectory that B.o.B would suffer after his debut. An entire hour ... read more
Definitely corny (especially the last track), but some of the better moments are redeemable and counter act some of the corniness of B.o.B.
Top 5 Tracks: Castles, Put of My Mind (Best), Strange Clouds, So Good, So Hard To Breathe
A really strong first 6 tracks sets this album up in a good position. However, the longer it goes on, the lower the quality of the remaining songs. They’re not bad, but just can’t live up to the standards of those initial ones.
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Track List
| 1 | Bombs Away 5:28 feat. Morgan Freeman | 75 |
| 2 | Ray Bands 3:48 | 67 |
| 3 | So Hard to Breathe 4:21 | 78 |
| 4 | Both of Us 3:38 feat. Taylor Swift | 79 |
| 5 | Strange Clouds 3:47 feat. Lil Wayne | 79 |
| 6 | So Good 3:33 | 87 |
| 7 | Play for Keeps 3:22 | 70 |
| 8 | Arena 4:27 feat. Chris Brown, T.I. | 73 |
| 9 | Out of My Mind 3:43 feat. Nicki Minaj | 72 |
| 10 | Never Let You Go 4:20 feat. Ryan Tedder | 64 |
| 11 | Chandelier 4:00 feat. Lauriana Mae | 72 |
| 12 | Circles 3:47 | 62 |
| 13 | Just a Sign 5:58 feat. Playboy Tre | 68 |
| 14 | Castles 3:54 feat. Trey Songz | 73 |
| 15 | Where Are You (B.o.B vs. Bobby Ray) 4:51 | 80 |
Total Length: 1 hour, 2 minutes
