Bruno MarsAfter the hugely successful Doo-Wops & Hooligans, it's safe to say that Mars delivers on the notoriously difficult second album. Not only is the album strong and endearing, he skips and jumps through genres with complete ease. Defying record company ideas of homogeneity, Mars crosses boundaries from hip hop to reggae successfully.
The singles jump out immediately on the enigmatic Unorthodox Jukebox following his usual themes of falling in love and chasing young women around town. The hit single Locked Out Of Heaven is pure pop with a great Sting & The Police reference. The song is clever using hip hop production to bring out the hooks and melody. Young Girls is a pop anthem that will no doubt stay at the top of the charts for a fair time. As with his debut album, Mars gets all wizard-like behind the mixing desk on tracks like Gorilla and Natalie, which shine in their odd subject matter and interesting production techniques. Moonshine embraces the '80s and is also one of the outstanding tracks here.
Interestingly, Mars has enlisted different producers to record his album, having produced the first album himself. It's a brave move but it pays off. Having not stereotyped himself in the pop market by taking the easy path, Mars keeps himself alive in the fickle world of R&B. Like a modern day Michael Jackson, Mars is a talent that won't go away.
