Bruno Mars Delivers 70s Soul and Feel-Good Hits in Latest Release The Romantic
Ten years in the making, Mars is back with his long-awaited solo album, The Romantic.
“My album is done”. Just four words that racked up over 430,000 likes and 75,000 reposts as Bruno Mars shared with fans on X that he was ready to release new music.
Less than two months later, The Romantic is out in the world, 10 years since his last solo album and five years since teaming up with Anderson .Paak for the release of An Evening With Silk Sonic. This has truly been one of the most anticipated records of the past decade as fans have waited patiently for a new solo project from Bruno.
The lead single from the album, I Just Might, came out mere days after that initial tweet. This was somewhat a breath of fresh air in comparison to most modern artists who attempt to drag out their new releases, leaving fans waiting weeks and sometimes months to hear a glimpse of a new track.
Climbing its way up the charts, I Just Might debuted at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100. Despite this being his 10th number one in America, surprisingly, this was his first single to ever debut at number one. It’s already secured itself as one of Bruno’s classics, reaching over 180 million streams on Spotify so far.
Opening the album is Risk It All, a love song expressing how Bruno would do anything for someone. “Ain’t no mountain you could point to / I wouldn’t climb”. The song starts with trumpets and an acoustic guitar and is riddled with cliché lyrics: “Say you want the moon / Watch me learn to fly”. Despite these somewhat cringeworthy lyrics, it just seems to work. Bruno has a way of turning the cliché into cool.
Following on is Cha Cha Cha, a groovy feel-good track which slowly builds up the tempo ready for the lead single on track three. Mars’ vocals are extremely strong throughout, and he once again proves he is one of (if not the best) male vocalists of this generation.
God Was Showing Off and Why You Wanna Fight? are two ballads that break the record up nicely, before picking up the pace for On My Soul.
This track is fast-paced, catchy and reminiscent of Curtis Mayfield’s Move On Up. This 70s influence flows throughout the entire album, creating a real sense of nostalgia within all nine tracks. Along with this 70s sound, Latin influences are present throughout the album, with the use of bongo drums on tracks like Something Serious and Cha Cha Cha.
Something Serious is one of those tracks where you can really picture Bruno and his band (the ‘Hooligans’) up on stage performing.
The album ends with two quite emotional songs. Nothing Left is a ballad which explores the idea that you’re trying to hold on to someone when that initial spark is no longer there. “But the fire don’t burn like it used to”. Melodically, the ballad is somewhat reminiscent of Too Good To Say Goodbye, the closing track from his last solo album, 24k Magic. Dance With Me, the closing track, discusses the idea of being with someone one last time before it ends: “Dance with me, darling / Just one more time / Put your pride aside, right here next to mine”.
The ability to come back and release your first solo album after 10 years and still reach this level of popularity and adoration from fans is impressive. It’s a true testament to just how good Bruno is at what he does. Producing pop hits that create pure joy and resonate with so many.
Bruno will be bringing both new and much-loved old songs on tour this summer. This will be his first time to hit the stage in stadiums, with six sold-out dates at Wembley in July. Although there are some slower ballads in this album and the pace has slowed down a lot since 24k Magic, there are definitely some stadium-worthy hits in The Romantic.
The album may be short, with just nine songs coming in at just 31 minutes – a common theme amongst Bruno’s previous releases. However, it feels intentional, and suggests Bruno is quietly confident in his ability to deliver impact and produce quality over quantity.
As Bruno once said himself in an interview: “If I can’t get you with nine songs, I’m not gonna get you with 19”.
