Bo Burnham is an average guy; his “day in the life” video on YouTube will tell you that. But he sheds his nerdy exterior when he moves to the keyboard, transforming from mild-mannered Bo to Bo Burnham, rapper.

Bo joined a very select group of those who have gained fame via YouTube including “girl who got PWNED by desert eagle” and “FPS Doug.” (Okay, maybe it’s not that select.) His videos started appearing on the World Wide Web two years ago, and have only grown in popularity since then. From his first video to his most recent, you can see the evolution of Bo from scrawny, piano playing geek, to well…a slightly less scrawny piano playing geek who is famous on YouTube.

Bo not only raps, but plays both piano and guitar, and sings. His humor and wit are remarkable. His videos showcase not only his incredibly clever lyrics, but also his talent for comedy. He has great presence in the videos. One of the best parts is his pre– and post-video banter in which he makes jokes, such as talking to imaginary hot girls off camera.

This rise in popularity led to an album release on the Comedy Central record label. His debut album, Bo Fo Sho, is basically a collection of his YouTube work, with the addition of two new songs. However, the album comes across as a somewhat trivial comedy album. Without having watched Bo on YouTube first, it’s much less funny.

His songs have a very particular sense of humor that appeals to those who can laugh at somewhat offensive topics. Beware if you have tender ears and refuse to have them violated by lewdness, swearing and sexual innuendo (multiple tampon jokes). He is nonetheless very
funny, and has some of the most clever rhymes and jokes ever contained in a four-minute YouTube video. “I’ve been doing drive-bys all of my life, except the bullets are newspapers; the car is my bike.”

However, his debut album falls short for the very reason that his videos succeed. His videos are permeated by his wit but the same thing can’t be said for the tracks on his album. He can’t make his presence felt in the songs, so they lose their charm.

The quality of his music also music also leaves something to be desired. Sure, he can play the piano pretty well, but given that the main attraction is comedy, his music suffers. As clever and witty as he is, there is very little value to his music in and of itself. I can’t say I would ever want to listen to this without watching it online at the same time. Bo Burnham is better left for YouTube.