Bruno Mars needs no introduction, he’s a pop superstar, possible future pop icon, and this was his debut studio album. Now, I’ve obviously covered Bruno Mars in the past; as many of you may remember, “24K Magic” remains one of my personal favorite albums. However, outside of some of his bigger singles, a lot of my Bruno knowledge rests with that album, so I figured it would be a cool idea to look back at his past records to see what he had to offer beyond those huge singles. Let’s see, let’s see.
Grenade: Ohhh, I remember when this track was EVERYWHERE back in 2011! And while I definitely loved it then, it’s certainly cooled quite a bit for me. Still, I do think it’s a very emotional track, and it’s definitely a great showcase of Bruno’s vocal chops. That, and after the super sweet first single that was “Just The Way You Are,” it’s interesting seeing him try something more emotional here. Might have to throw this one back in the rotation and re-listen to it, a very good single.
Just The Way You Are: And ANOTHER track that I DEFINITELY remember hearing all the time in 2010 and 2011, this one also cooled on me a bit. Once again, though, re-listening to it made me realize that, sure, it might come off as a bit cheesy to some, but in its own way, it’s definitely a very sweet song that features some really beautiful vocals from Bruno. Overall, a very feel-good, nice track that might return to my usual rotation.
Our First Time: A slow-jam about sex, originally this one felt a bit too rough and demo-esque for me, but after a while, I eventually started to really fall for the song. Sure, you can still tell as you listen to it that Bruno’s grown from this and he’s definitely created songs sexier than this one, but I do like the vibe I get from this, and I think Bruno is still given more than enough room to show off his vocal chops. Will we look back on this as one of his best songs ever? Probably not. Is it still head-nodding fun that I’ll come back to multiple times in the future? Yeah, most likely.
Runaway Baby: A far more up-tempo, rocking track, this one has Bruno basically warning a girl to stay away from him because he’s not looking for something serious in a relationship. I’m not sure how I feel about the lyrics, but I do really like the hook on this one, and I think it has a very ear-wormy charm to it. Might need to give it a few more listens to see if it really clicks with me, though.
The Lazy Song: Another huge Bruno single (and one that he apparently isn’t too fond of, given some of his press comments, as well as the fact that he didn’t perform it during his 24K Magic tour), I can kind of see why he’s not too fond of the track. Yeah, it’s got a nice, ear-wormy hook, some funny lyrics, and a nice vibe, but I feel like it might be a little TOO laid back to the point where it just doesn’t go anywhere interesting for me. An ode to laziness is a cool concept, but it feels like it’s a little out of Bruno’s wheelhouse. Not a terrible track, and it might even get a repeat listen or two out of me off of the sheer power of being head-noddy fun, but I see where the problems lie here.
Marry You: Here, Bruno talks about just how in love with a girl he is that he just wants to immediately marry her in a kind of rebellious and daring way, over a kind of 60’s pop-inspired instrumental. Once again, it’s not one of Bruno’s best songs, but it does have a very sweet vibe to it, I love Bruno’s vocals throughout this one, and it’s nice to see him appreciate an older style of music. Still might need a few listens to see if it grows on me.
Talking To The Moon: A much more stripped-down ballad, this one features Bruno talking of a long-distance relationship, and it features plenty of the same pretty vocals that Bruno has provided throughout the last few tracks. The more stripped-down feel of the track also works to the more emotional feel of the song. I’m shocked it took me this long to really listen to this one, it’s a really great track!
Liquor Store Blues (ft. Damian Marley): One of the few tracks on this album to have a feature, this album sees Damian Marley join Bruno for a more reggae-inspired song that sees Bruno provided more really great vocals, as his voice meshes perfectly with the aforementioned reggae-flavored instrumentals. Damian Marley sticks firmly in his comfort zone on this one, but his short, sort of cameo appearance still injects a little extra dose of fun into the track. It might need a few more listens to grow on me a bit, but I definitely think it was interesting seeing Bruno try something more reggae-inspired, and it works.
Count on Me: Here’s another one that really brings me back, because after hearing this on several commercials, I definitely found myself giving it plenty of repeat listens. And while it’s definitely cooled on me a bit, I definitely enjoyed the smooth acoustic guitar plucking on this one, and the nice bongo-lead percussion, and Bruno’s very nice, charming vocals. Sure, it might again feel just a little bit cheesy, but it’s a really sweet, nice track that might end up returning to my usual rotation.
The Other Side (ft. CeeLo Green and B.o.B.): Rounding things out, we have a track that features B.o.B. (who Bruno previously collaborated with on “Nothin’ On You”) and CeeLo Green…who Bruno hadn’t collaborated with beforehand. Bruno, CeeLo, and B.o.B. all talk on this track about how they’ve crossed over to the “other realm,” which is essentially stardom, and how others won’t really understand what this other side is like unless they’ve been on that same side. I liked Bruno’s vocals throughout this track, the hook is quite ear-wormy, and B.o.B.’s verse has some great flow (even if there are a few cheesy lyrics), but I think CeeLo Green’s verse is the real standout here. I loved his vocals throughout here, and even though his presence isn’t big here, he still does great with what he’s given. Not my favorite track, but it’s an appropriate finishing cut, and it’s a pretty good song that might grow on me in the future.
Overall, Bruno Mars’ debut record, eight years later, still remains a very fun, sweet record. There are plenty of great vocal performances throughout this record, as Bruno shows his knack for a lot of different styles here; from lighter, more acoustic tracks, to more heavy and emotional ballads, to even reggae, Bruno covers a lot of ground on this one. My only big glaring problems are that, for starters, the album may come off as a bit too sweet and too cheesy to a few people, and a lot of the tracks will need to grow on me a bit. It probably helps that I listened to this after “24K Magic,” so I might be thinking too much about how much Bruno has grown since this, but it is nice to see that I can still nod my head and vibe to a lot of the songs on this record. It’s not Bruno’s best, but it’s a very nice album overall.
And yes, I will be looking at “Unorthodox Jukebox” next. Stay tuned!
Favorite tracks: Grenade, Just The Way You Are, Our First Time, Talking To The Moon, Count on Me
Least favorite tracks: Runaway Baby (if I had to pick one)
Rating: Good
No comments:
Post a Comment