Tracklist

1. Grenade
2. Just the Way You are
3. Our First Time
4. Runaway Baby
5. The Lazy Song
6. Marry You
7. Talking to the Moon
8. Liquor Store Blues (feat. Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley)
9. Count on Me
10. The Other Side (feat. CeeLo Green and B.o.B)

Thoughts

A snippet of a Bruno Mars track popped up on a recent episode of quiz show The Hit List, and it prompted a discussion about how his early music is much better than the later stuff. That remains to be seen but it highlighted a clear problem - I've not reviewed any Bruno Mars up to this point! So debut album it is, and away we go!

It has to be said, there are some real tunes on here. Out of the first seven songs, there are six absolute classics (depending on how you feel about The Lazy Song). Grenade and Just the Way You are kick off the album in such style, with Bruno's endearing vocals and sticky hooks. The Lazy Song veers more towards novelty, and I tell myself I don't like it, but when I'm singing it a day later I have to admit there's something there.

The album is full power pop to start with, but does start getting a bit experimental towards the end. There are reggae beats in Liquor Store Blues with a Damian Marley guest spot. And Talking to the Moon hits the teenager melancholy in me: "At night, when the stars light up my room / I sit by myself / Talking to the moon."

The first half of this album grabs me more than the second, but there's nothing wrong with the experimental tracks. And those five or six perfect pop tracks make this a 5 out of 5.

Rating: 5 / 5