Review: Bruno Mars "Unorthodox Jukebox"

Today, Bruno Mars releases "Unorthodox Jukebox", his sophomore album. His debut album "Doo-Wops & Hooligans" was released back in 2010. Since then, Bruno Mars has proven himself as a legitimate songwriter and R&B/pop artist.

For "Unorthodox Jukebox", Mars has collaborated with some renowned producers, including Mark Ronson and Diplo among others. Overall, the production team behind this album did a phenomenal job.

Image courtesy of Wikipedia

The album's first single "Locked Out of Heaven" is a good mix of reggae, pop, ska and funk. The song has received a good reception so far, and was (obviously) very influenced by The Police ("Roxanne"). The song is catchy and is an interesting direction for Mars. All in all, a good introduction to the album. Also, the video for the song is good too (see below).

The album starts off strong, with the song "Young Girls". As per his style, Mars' vocals are smooth and filled with soul. "When I Was Your Man", his next single, is a signature Bruno Mars ballad that will definitely strike a chord with listeners. "Show Me" is a groovy, reggae track with a Caribbean feel. The last track of the album, "If I Knew", is an old school love song and showcases Mars' vocals well.

Tracks that stand out to me: "Young Girls", "Gorilla", "Natalie" and "Money Make Her Smile".

Overall, "Unorthodox Jukebox" is filled with smooth vocals, contagious beats and clever lyrics. This album is more fun, more upbeat than its predecessor "Doo-Wops & Hooligans". It has a more mature sound, but remains very true to the Bruno Mars sound.

The album was live streaming here for a while; now you can listen to clips of each track of the album. After having a listen, I will definitely be getting my hands on this album. 

In the meantime, here's the video for "Locked Out of Heaven". Enjoy!