So, I haven't done a proper album review in quite some time. In fact the last modern album review I did was...Sremmlife 2, oh God. Well, now I guess it's time to play catch-up, starting with Bruno Mars' complete acceptance of luxury porn funk. I have high hopes. And I think you can deliver, Bruno.
1. 24K Magic
i previously talked about this in Highlights. And it is still fantastic. It may be a blatant attempt at recapturing the magic of Uptown Funk, but it succeeds. It's classy, Bruno's showing a ton of charisma. Absolutely fantastic. Hope to see this hit Number 1 soon.
2. Chunky
A song about thick girls. The first couple times I heard this I thought it was more of an ass anthem. But nope, thick girls. And it works. It's slick and handled with enough tact that it doesn't come off as pure objectifying. ... Okay maybe that's not true, but c'mon. It sounds great.
3. Perm
I'm getting some Stevie Wonder vibes from this track in particular. Or at the very least old school disco. It definitely sounds like a straight dance song from the lyrics. Bruno does this shout-rap thing throughout and it actually kinda works. Though I kinda wish the production was a little more full. I hear guitars on the chorus, but they should really be at the front of the mix to give this more impact. As it is, though, it's pretty good. Fun and groovy.
4. That's What I Like
This is another song that previously hit the Hot 100. It's not much more than pretty decent. The pieces are there in the instrumentation, but I don't think it pops enough. Still, as a song about indulging in a luxurious life, it's still opulent and fun. It's got a sort of boyband vibe, especially in the vocals.
5. Versace On The Floor
And now we get a sex jam. Also on the Hot 100 before. And well, this is pretty fantastic. Clearly taking inspiration from 80s slow jams, but with an actual pulse and style. Bruno's charm is in full force here. And it is damn sexy. One of the best on the album so far.
6. Straight Up & Down
And here we have another sex jam. Though this one doesn't have exactly the same gravitas as Versace On The Floor. It's still sensual and sounds decent enough, but it doesn't really have the charm of the previous track. The instrumentation's more muted and mundane. Still, there's some charm there. Just feels a little redundant coming right after the last track.
7. Calling All My Lovelies
Oh so it's a Game Grumps song? No, instead it's a song directed to one of Bruno's girls that's supposedly been ignoring him. That lyrical sentiment alone makes this kinda uncomfortable. Instrumentally it is nice and slick, though. But it does make it uncomfortable in a way I can't explain. And I can't say it's a good uncomfortable either.
8. Finesse
And we're back on track with a straight-up party song. Just about heading out, dancing with a hot girl in a club. Simple concept. And it sounds pretty fantastic. More muted than some of the other tracks, but it's a pleasant song. Like That's What I Like, it's got a bit of a boyband vibe. But I'd argue this does it better.
9. Too Good To Say Goodbye
And we end this short foray into funk with another slow jam. It's bittersweet, as Bruno Mars muses about the end of a relationship. It's not anything particularly deep, but it does have as much passion as it needs to be both a breakup song and an album closer. Plus it keeps the class and style of the rest of the album. Great way to end off.
Final verdict: I have the feeling this is the kind of music Bruno Mars was always meant to make. Shameless throwback funk and R&B. He pulls it off beautifully. He has enough personality and charisma to make this album as good as it is. Plus, he's able to make luxury porn awesome by making it sound fun and inclusive. Lyrically, it's not anything deep, but it does what it needs to do. My only real complaints are Calling All My Lovelies, which feels a bit too pissy for me to get into, and that it feels too short. I wish there were more songs. Then again, maybe it would start to get repetitive after that. I don't know.
Rating: Light 8/10
Best songs: Versace On The Floor, 24K Magic, Chunky, Finesse
Worst song: Calling All My Lovelies
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