For much of the Generation-Z population at Vanderbilt, Bruno Mars is a superstar. With many of his biggest hits peaking when we were in elementary and middle school, Mars’ music has always evoked quite the nostalgia factor. As we grew older, we began to appreciate not just the sound of Mars’ music but also his lyrics. Though it has been nearly ten years since his last solo album, Mars’ music remains ever present, providing the perfect ballads to blast when you are in your feelings, whether it be yearning or anguish.
On his fifth studio album, “The Romantic,” Mars largely remains loyal to his original sound and influences. The nine-track album provides a mixture of jazzy, 80s inspired tracks, crooning R&B ballads and even a bit of Latin flair. True to its name, every track on the album sees Mars longing and professing his love to a partner. Mars knows he has mastered his lane in the music industry and lets his tremendous vocals shine rather than trying to reinvent himself or reshape his musical identity.
“The Romantic” opens with “Risk It All” which is arguably the most sonically distinct song on the album. The track opens with the blaring trumpet of a mariachi band, drawing you in immediately. Then, Mars begins singing nearly a capella, with only the soft strum of a guitar accompanying him. The singer wasted no time proving that he still has the same vocal prowess that made him famous. The track’s instrumentation remains relatively simple, letting Mars’ crooning take over as he sings “there’s nothing I won’t do / I’d risk it all for you,” spouting his devotion to a partner. It feels like the perfect fit for a slow dance at someone’s wedding.
A few other tracks also seem to blend elements of Latin music into Mars’ signature sound, marking a small evolution in the singer’s discography. The breezy second track, “Cha Cha Cha,” is built over a salsa beat. Complete with a cowbell and conga drums, the song remains relatively simple as it details Mars asking someone to dance with him for the night. On “Something Serious,” Mars combines salsa-infused rhythms with brassy instrumentation to create a uniquely tropical yet jazzy sound as he suggests to his romantic interest that “us together sound like something serious.”
While he may have briefly experimented with new Latin influences, “The Romantic” is also full of classic Bruno bops. The album’s lead single “I Just Might” replicates the retro, 70s and 80s-esque sound that Mars is so famous for. Complete with impressive vocal runs, a jazz band in the background and do-whoops, the track tugs on the nostalgia factor of Mars’ music and feels timeless even though it just dropped a couple months ago.
“God Was Showing Off” and “On My Soul” pretty much follow the same format as “I Just Might,” ensuring that there is a good number of up-tempo songs dispersed between the bigger ballads on the album. Though Mars sounds incredible on these tracks and throughout the album, at times his voice can feel almost too polished. His runs and high notes have become so effortless that they sometimes feel devoid of the soul and character that make his music impactful. This, combined with generic romantic lyrics like “On my soul / Imma love you like I’ve never been loved before” and “I know God was showing off when he made you,” make some of these tracks bleed together and feel impersonal.
The album’s fifth track, “Why You Wanna Fight?” is a notable shift from jazz and disco sounds to R&B. Thankfully, the passion and soul in Mars’ voice make a return here alongside his own layered vocals. The track is notably softer and more mid-tempo than others on the album, giving it a sultry and seductive feel that could be straight from his “Silk Sonic” era. This is fitting as the lyrics show Mars trying to convince his lover to stop fighting with him and “let me show you I can make it right.”
Of course, no Bruno Mars album would be complete without its classic, heartfelt ballads full of shameless yearning. “Nothing Left” marks a more somber moment in the album’s tone as Mars details dwindling passion in a relationship. Even the instrumentation changes to reflect this tone shift. The brassy instruments are gone, replaced instead by an electric guitar that matches the angst in Mars’s voice as he belts that it “feels like I’m reaching out / With nothing left to hold on to.”
On the album’s closer, “Dance With Me,” Mars begs a partner to “dance with me darling / Just one more time” before completely giving up on their relationship. Once again there are none of the jazzy bells and whistles of his other tracks, just Mars’ longing, a guitar and some soft percussion. As if he hadn’t already demonstrated his vocal abilities enough, the track, and album, closes with a truly incredible whistle note from the singer.
While Bruno Mars may not have re-invented the wheel with his new music, “The Romantic” still delivers an enjoyable and nostalgic listening experience, especially for us college students who grew up jamming out to Bruno Mars on the radio on the way to school. Whether you are at a stage in your love life where you want to slow dance with a committed partner or cry out for an unrequited love, “The Romantic” has just the track to help.
