On Feb. 27, Bruno Mars released his first solo album in nearly a decade. Mars’ past releases are usually regarded as generational albums that define the pop landscape, but “The Romantic” falls painfully short of greatness. The album is ultimately one of average production that is subpar and uninteresting compared to Mars’ past work.
To make it clear, Mars’ music has a high bottom line for quality due to his dynamic vocals and personal instrumental sensibility. His music is always technically “good” and is generally pleasing to the ear, and “The Romantic” is at least the typical Bruno Mars fare. The issues arise when he can’t reach far beyond those trusted fundamentals.
The majority of the lyrics are forgettable, which made me realize how much more in-depth they were on his past records. Here, the lyrics just get the job done without much thought being put into their purpose. The album’s production also does not impress me, lacking any bold choices or engaging movement. What all these factors culminate to is an album without a clear identity.
“The Romantic” is easily the least memorable and effortful album under his belt. After my listen, I was compelled to revisit other Mars albums to reassure myself that he hasn’t always been so contrived.
Nonetheless, “The Romantic” is still an album with a decent foundation that allows notable tracks including “Risk It All,” “I Just Might” and “On My Soul” to stand out from the rest. These are good tracks that reminded me I was listening to an album I’m trying to write about, instead of being disengaged on my drive to Walmart. The rest are carried by Mars’ talented vocals, but with aforementioned unadventurous lyrics and production.
Culturally, the release of a Bruno Mars album is typically akin to a meteor crashing upon the Earth’s surface, and yet I am thoroughly underwhelmed with “The Romantic.” I do not foresee much lasting impact from this album, and I hope Mars decides to return soon with a refreshing release that will blow my socks off like in the good old days.
