Bruno Mars is the latest pop sensation to clog my precious hip hop radio airwaves. Every city gets pretty much one real hip hop station, and yet for some reason it always ends up getting jammed by artists like Mars here, who have nothing to do with rap or hip hop - but because they're r&b, they think we'll like them too. Newsflash, die hard rap fans, hate this kind of stuff. So already I'm a little jaded toward this artist. Such as life. Pete Hernandez is Bruno's real name, and he's been sitting in the background for a while now. You might have recognized him from his background vocal on BoB's 'Beautiful Girls' or Travie McCoy's 'Billionaire'. If not, he also helped to write Flo Rida's 'Right Round'. He's done a ton of other stuff too, but those are the big ones. With that sort of success, like most other background folks - they eventually want the limelight for themselves too. And Bruno dropped this album just last week. Could it have been part of New Music Tuesday? Sure. Was it? Of course not. 'Just The Way You Are' is the big pop song today, and it's kind of blah for me. It's not overly catchy and lyrically, pretty mundane. There is one track on this album that I surprisingly enjoy - the rest are subpar at best. What I've decided to base my new pop reviews on, is how different this is compared to anything else out there. And this is flat out identical to most other Taio Cruz, Sean Kingston, BoB types out there. This album offers nothing different. I'm going to go out on a limb though with Bruno - and I think this album was solely made to get him on the map. It feels like this kid has a ton more talent, just isn't showing it yet. My guess, you'll hear a lot more from this kid in the future, and it won't at all resemble this album. He'll reinvent himself into something relevant, or so I think. Time will tell. Pop fans, have at this today - you'll love it.
TRACK LISTING:
1. Grenade
2. Just the Way You Are
3. Our First Time
4. Runaway Baby
5. Lazy Song, The
6. Marry You
7. Talking to the Moon
8. Liquor Store Blues
9. Count on Me
10. Other Side, The
Listen To Samples
Top 3 Tracks:
1. Grenade
2. Count On Me
3. The Other Side
FINAL RATING:
2.75 out of 5 stars
I think you were a little hard on Bruno Mars. The more I listen to this album, the more I love his raspy voice and smooth lyrics! Grenade is my favorite too though. But then again, I like music I can sing along to. Did you see his bluesy/doo-whop version of Grenade at the Grammy's? It was even better than the original! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwjcH0fmzaA
ReplyDeleteI think I was too. I was revisiting this a while back - and I've listened to this a couple more time. I probably should have rated it higher.
ReplyDeleteBut I do think he's capable of a lot more. I did see the Grammy performance live and loved it. I think that could be what he does to "take it to the next level". It was awesome to see those young up and comer types all perform together. Hopefully they all dominate their sophomore records!
Maybe he just wanted to establish a fan base before going too crazy on an album. Sad to say but music is a business after all... you can't just go all out crazy on your 1st try! Example: look at Gaga's 1st single "Just Dance" to her music video for "born This Way". If she hit everyone with that right away I am pretty sure people would have been really hesitant to like her and her music.
ReplyDeleteCertainly.
ReplyDeleteI recall hearing Gaga's 'Just Dance' and thinking she was more of a Ke$ha type...that couldn't have been more wrong.
She also did a song with Kid Cudi where the jist of it was, 'Poke Her Face' instead of 'Poker Face'. Again, I thought she was more of that type of singer.
I have high hopes for Bruno Mars though. I think he'll dominate his next record.