Over the years, singer Bruno Mars has built a reputation for blending smooth vocals with classic sound. In his fourth studio album, The Romantic, he focuses heavily on things such as love, passion, and complex relationships. Mars wrote the album with the intent of giving his fans and the project itself a more personal feel, mixing slower and emotional songs with fast and upbeat ones, showing the different sides of romance and allowing listeners to connect with his music in different ways, while also highlighting his growth as an artist since his last album, 24K Magic.
I am very excited to review The Romantic, which was released on Feb. 27 of this year. Mars is one of my favorite artists with whom I can connect personally. For me, this album represents a throwback to his older styles, such as when he’d sing deeply about love in Doo-Wops & Hooligans. Here are my thoughts about some of his top tracks on the album, and why it’s worth a listen.
Risk It All
As the beginning track, Risk It All doesn’t disappoint. Through lyrics, Mars perfectly explains a promise of deep commitment and risking everything for a loved one. Mars executes this track well, especially considering it’s only the first song on The Romantic. Mars wrote Risk It All to explore his cultural roots and create a romantic, heartfelt, and devoted song, pivoting from his usual 70s-style funk and soul to a sound that honors the classic Mexican mariachi culture.
Cha Cha Cha
Cha Cha Cha starts off slow and eases its way into a disco-club vibe. This second track is not one of my personal favorites on the album, but it remains a key song. With it, Mars helps balance the album rather than making it feel one-sided, evening out the soft and slow tracks with the fast and energetic ones.
I Just Might
Being the only single released before the album, I Just Might doesn’t get the appreciation it deserves. I enjoy this song a lot because it is one of the only songs on the album where Bruno sings about flirtiness and adrenaline when going to talk to a crush or to ask someone out on a date, which I feel a lot of listeners can relate to. I Just Might was a record-breaking hit that debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking Mars’ 10th chart topper and first-ever No. 1 debut.
God Was Showing Off
In God Was Showing Off, Mars keeps the song upbeat with a similar vibe to I Just Might, continuing to always find the right way to express the way he feels in a song. I find this track to be one of the more story-telling songs on the album, written as a romantic tribute to express intense admiration for a woman’s beauty and portraying her as a divine, miraculous creation.
Why You Wanna Fight
Why You Wanna Fight is one of my favorites on The Romantic. Mars wrote this track as a plea to stop fighting within a relationship, showcasing an emotionally mature and desperate attempt to make peace with his lover. Mars uses his amazing vocals to keep the song alive and stay in tune with the beats, and that is a key factor of why Why You Wanna Fight is so much fun to listen to.
On My Soul
Mars has done a wonderful job of keeping a balance between upbeat and emotionally powerful songs on The Romantic. On My Soul is an underrated gem that shares the same energy as Cha Cha Cha. This song emphasizes loving someone intensely, with the lyrics focusing on proving affection instead of just saying it.
Something Serious
Another underrated gem on The Romantic, Something Serious is one of my favorites because there are multiple different beat switches. Yet Mars is able to keep up while still singing his heart out and using his intense vocals to express how he wants to have a serious relationship instead of a thrown-together mess. Mars uses artist Kameron Whalum to achieve that 70s funk vibe, which was a huge part of Mars’s last duo album, An Evening With Silk Sonic.
Nothing Left
Mars wanted to create more of a story with some of the songs on The Romantic, and he does that perfectly with Nothing Left. In this track, Mars sings about the emotional, painful process of a relationship losing its spark and passion. While Why You Wanna Fight expresses Mars as wanting to rebuild and fix a relationship, Nothing Left sings about how trying to do that has failed.
Dance With Me
Mars ends The Romantic with arguably the best song on the album, Dance With Me. It serves as a final plea to save a failing relationship. Mars uses a slow dance to symbolize a last-ditch effort to reconnect and a plea for one more time together with that special someone. Once again, Mars uses his lyrics to tell a story and show that everything will not always be sunshine and rainbows.
Overall, I rate The Romantic a 10/10. I don’t believe there is a single skippable song, as each one tells of something unique while still fitting the theme of navigating modern relationships. While we had to wait five years for this new album since his last outing, Bruno Mars most definitely makes up for his absence, releasing a project that feels fresh and true to his style. The album shows improvement in his sound while still capturing the smooth, catchy energy that has made fans love him.
Check out the album on Spotify, Apple Music, or any other streaming website.
