R.A.P. Ferreira and Scallops Hotel - Bob’s son: Album Review
Bob’s son is a collaboration between R.A.P Ferreira (a.k.a. milo), and alias Scallops hotel. I first heard milo through his release, ‘things that happen at the day // things that happen at night’ back in 2013. The album has been one of my favourite modern-day rap albums for a while now, and I still return to it regularly - If you haven’t heard it, be sure to check it out… You won’t be disappointed.
Bob’s son consists of 12 songs, which is considered short in length, however, the sheer amount of quality presented throughout makes up for the lack of length. R.A.P. Ferreira breaks the conventional boundaries of Rap in Bob’s son, by combining Spoken Word and Rap effortlessly. An example of this is in Listening Lyrics where he raps; “Security a persistent delusion you need to get past, Al Gore allegory in Allegheny with the pocket torch, weighing me down, turn a frown to a simile, cannot a Borg assimilate? It's elegance down to the breakbeat”. This verse demonstrates milos raw ability and talent in relation to songwriting, lyricism and wordplay. Another example of milo breaking the conventional boundaries of rap is in cough bombers where he talks about “oatmeal cookies. This is a subject matter that could be seen as ‘pretentious’ and ‘corny’ to most, but for me, it outlines the individuality milo possesses as an artist.
In regards to production, Scallop Hotels’ use of samples and soundscapes throughout the album are profound. The absence of Kicks and Snares on certain songs gives milo the freedom to experiment with his sound by rhyming offbeat and irregularly; which is demonstrated on tracks like Skrenth and High Rise in Newark. The transitions from beat-to-beat are smooth which keeps things interesting, however, the production feels repetitive and monotonous at times, and there are too many switch-ups on some tracks which ruins the cohesion and flow of the project.
Moreover, Bob’s son includes an array of interesting mini-interludes, that are spread sporadically throughout the album. Many of the interludes are somewhat a ‘metacommentary’ on subject matters like; ‘what hip hop and poetry are’, and ‘how sound and poetry have been merged together to form what we know as Hip Hop today’. I really like the inclusion of these interludes, and I feel like they add to the whole ‘feel’ of the album.
The highlights of Bob’s son for me are ‘Yamships Flaxseed’, which has a smooth jazz backing and number of really nice beat switch-ups, which are complemented by milos poetic flow. ‘Redguard snipers’ is intelligently produced and necessary, as it’s the only track that deviates from the monotonous tempo set throughout the rest of the album. ‘Bobby digital’s little wings’ is my favourite song on the album. It is well-produced and contains a soothing jazz harp Dorothy Ashby and Alice Coltrane would be proud of.
All in all, Bob’s son is a solid project with versatile production and clever wordplay. Although monotonous at times, and on the short side of the spectrum; it’s graceful, enjoyable, and certainly has replay value. Milo’s approach to rap is similar to spoken word and poetry in many ways, as he disregards the conventional approach to Hip Hop; this enables milo to express himself freely through his music. Similarly to MF Doom, Milo has had a profound impact on my perception of ‘what hip hop is’, and ‘what hip hop can be’, with his unique rap style, abstract production, and mysterious persona. Like El-P; with his spacey production and Aesop Rock; with his Shakespeare-Esque rhyme schemes, milo is an artist who pushes past the boundaries of conventional rap. His music is a little like marmite; ‘it’s not for everyone, in relation to the subject matters, rhyme schemes, and production; but if you like it, you love it’. His abstract approach to rap can take some time getting used to, but eventually, his music does grow on you, and you become infatuated by his artistry. I’d recommend anyone into ‘Alternative Hip Hop’ to give Bob’s son, and the rest of his discography, a listen; particularly ‘Things That Happen at Day // Things That Happen at Night’.
Be sure to check out, and keep up-to-date with more of the R.A.P. Ferreira’s music by following his social media pages:
R.A.P. Ferreira ~ Instagram | Twitter | Soundcloud | Bandcamp | Spotify
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