Bruno Mars — The Romantic
Is it romantic? Yes. Is Bruno Mars coasting? Definitely.
Even though 24K Karat Magic came out all the way back in 2016, Bruno Mars has found ways to remain in the zeitgeist of pop music, be it through his features on huge hits such as Lady Gaga’s “Die With A Smile” or Rosé’s “APT.”, or his work with Anderson .Paak as Silk Sonic. However, at last, after a decade without releasing an LP, Mars returns with his fourth solo studio album, The Romantic. The record, released on February 27th via Atlantic Records, consists of just nine tracks, but has its fair share of solid highlights.
First and foremost, the lead single, “I Just Might”, isn’t a very accurate representation of the album. The majority of the other tracks on the project are more faithful to the title – slower, more laid-back romantic songs, either reminiscent of ballads like “When I Was Your Man” or more self-assured, Silk Sonic era tracks like “Leave The Door Open”. It’s clear from this album that Bruno Mars is at a stage in his career where he isn’t afraid to just play it safe, following templates from previous projects. However, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing – while not revolutionary, these templates are very compelling. Bruno delivers his trademark top-notch vocal performances varying between silky-smooth and genuinely emotional. His presence as a performer is very strong, and as charming and distinctive as ever; he adds a great deal of charisma and energy to every track. The LP also has a host of incredibly catchy choruses, proving that Bruno is still a very capable hitmaker. Lyrically, The Romantic is, as previously mentioned, not the most varied album by any stretch of the imagination. It sticks mostly to the same topics Bruno has been known for throughout his career – the ups and downs of love, conflicts and reconciliation. He is still able to find poetic, interesting phrasing, which allows for the tracks to connect with listeners.
When it comes to the production, the sound of The Romantic also sticks largely to the retro stylings that Bruno Mars has made his own in recent years. The instrumentals are colorful, vibrant, and largely effortlessly groovy, particularly when it comes to highlight tracks like “Something Serious”, “On My Soul” or “Nothing Left”. The mixes are crafted and layered beautifully, coming together perfectly to compliment Bruno Mars’ vocals. Arguably the main flaw of the album is that it feels like it ends too soon. At just nine tracks, and only marginally over half an hour long, it rushes by, leaving the listener not fully fulfilled, and feeling like Bruno could’ve done more.
Ultimately, The Romantic doesn’t really bring that much new to Bruno Mars as an artist – he mostly follows what has worked for him in the past. However, when it comes to an artist such as Mars, there isn’t really any need for him to reinvent himself. Even if he does follow a formula, it’s a formula that is very effective. He is still a top-tier performer and a fantastic vocalist, and has the ability to make any project engaging, even one as brief as this one.
7.3/10
