I've never really listened to Jason Mraz in the past. Or at all for that matter. But when I found out he was coming out with a new album, I had to take the plunge and find out if he was worth listening to. He most definitely is.
Jason Mraz has this odd ability to pack stadiums and be a 'true' rocker, but also play a guitar in the backyard around a fire and not be annoying about it.
First off let me talk about the album casing. It's cardboard, and folds open to a bunch of doodles. They are awesome. There is a chicken smoking a pipe with a peg leg! It's awesome!
The first track, 'Make It Mine' off of his latest album We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. can only be described as casual jazz. It is infectious, evidenced by the fact that I love the track, yet don't like jazz. At all. It has a great horn section, but it's laid-back, to a point. It brings us to the second track, 'I'm Yours'.
This one constantly reminds me of when Ted's Band covered Somewhere Over the Rainbow on Scrubs. But then the vocals kick in, and Jason makes it his own. He even scat sings a bit at the end. It's a wonderful song and one of my new favorites.
Track three is 'Lucky', featuring Colbie Caillat. I'm not a fan of her music at all, but for some reason it fits on this track. Man, imagine if they had a kid. It'd be the ultimate acoustic rocker. And would look great in hats. Anyway, the track is a sweet song between a couple. It's nice.
Track four. 'Butterfly'. It sounds nice. Then you hear the lyrics and it's a standard one about wanting to sleep with a girl. If it were about an actual butterfly, I'd like it more. But it's not so I don't. Track five is 'Live High'. I LOVE this track. Excellent acoustic guitar, excellent vocals, excellent lyrics. It fits together so well. The ending bothers me though, because you hear people cheering and clapping as if he just recorded it live. But there is a pause before the cheers, and it sounds like it was added in just to give the live effect. It doesn't fit.
Track six - 'Love For A Child'. It's about being the child of a divorce. Wonderful track. Track seven is 'Details in the Fabric' featuring James Morrison, who is on two phone messages at the beginning and the end of the song. He gives us the phrase 'It's like you're on an island of reality in a sea of diarrhea.' It's hilarious. The rest of the song is done incredibly well, much like the rest of the album. This track is nothing short of greatness. Easily my favorite on the album.
Track eight is 'Coyotes'. Has Jason Mraz perfected the genre of white boy hip-hop? Well, no. It seems like it until the end, when he sings with a group of people. A group of children-people. I'm sorry, but children should not be in songs. Ever. It's incredibly annoying. Track nine is 'Only Human'. A great song talking about how as humans we are far from perfect and make mistakes.
Track ten, 'The Dynamo of Volition', sounds like he's trying another attempt at perfecting white boy hip-hop, but he's actually just singing fast. The chorus brings us back the the casual jazz (minus horn section) that we heard back in 'Make It Mine'. Great track. Number eleven is called 'If It Kills Me'. It's about a guy who wants to date his female friend, and will keep trying to get his attention even if it kills him. Yet another of those wonderful tracks that this album is full of. The album closes out with 'A Beautiful Mess'. Very relaxed and acoustic-heavy. Great closing track.
Overall, I am now a Jason Mraz fan. The man has a great amount of talent. And this album further proves it. I give it a 4/5. Go buy it.
Jason Mraz has this odd ability to pack stadiums and be a 'true' rocker, but also play a guitar in the backyard around a fire and not be annoying about it.
First off let me talk about the album casing. It's cardboard, and folds open to a bunch of doodles. They are awesome. There is a chicken smoking a pipe with a peg leg! It's awesome!
The first track, 'Make It Mine' off of his latest album We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. can only be described as casual jazz. It is infectious, evidenced by the fact that I love the track, yet don't like jazz. At all. It has a great horn section, but it's laid-back, to a point. It brings us to the second track, 'I'm Yours'.
This one constantly reminds me of when Ted's Band covered Somewhere Over the Rainbow on Scrubs. But then the vocals kick in, and Jason makes it his own. He even scat sings a bit at the end. It's a wonderful song and one of my new favorites.
Track three is 'Lucky', featuring Colbie Caillat. I'm not a fan of her music at all, but for some reason it fits on this track. Man, imagine if they had a kid. It'd be the ultimate acoustic rocker. And would look great in hats. Anyway, the track is a sweet song between a couple. It's nice.
Track four. 'Butterfly'. It sounds nice. Then you hear the lyrics and it's a standard one about wanting to sleep with a girl. If it were about an actual butterfly, I'd like it more. But it's not so I don't. Track five is 'Live High'. I LOVE this track. Excellent acoustic guitar, excellent vocals, excellent lyrics. It fits together so well. The ending bothers me though, because you hear people cheering and clapping as if he just recorded it live. But there is a pause before the cheers, and it sounds like it was added in just to give the live effect. It doesn't fit.
Track six - 'Love For A Child'. It's about being the child of a divorce. Wonderful track. Track seven is 'Details in the Fabric' featuring James Morrison, who is on two phone messages at the beginning and the end of the song. He gives us the phrase 'It's like you're on an island of reality in a sea of diarrhea.' It's hilarious. The rest of the song is done incredibly well, much like the rest of the album. This track is nothing short of greatness. Easily my favorite on the album.
Track eight is 'Coyotes'. Has Jason Mraz perfected the genre of white boy hip-hop? Well, no. It seems like it until the end, when he sings with a group of people. A group of children-people. I'm sorry, but children should not be in songs. Ever. It's incredibly annoying. Track nine is 'Only Human'. A great song talking about how as humans we are far from perfect and make mistakes.
Track ten, 'The Dynamo of Volition', sounds like he's trying another attempt at perfecting white boy hip-hop, but he's actually just singing fast. The chorus brings us back the the casual jazz (minus horn section) that we heard back in 'Make It Mine'. Great track. Number eleven is called 'If It Kills Me'. It's about a guy who wants to date his female friend, and will keep trying to get his attention even if it kills him. Yet another of those wonderful tracks that this album is full of. The album closes out with 'A Beautiful Mess'. Very relaxed and acoustic-heavy. Great closing track.
Overall, I am now a Jason Mraz fan. The man has a great amount of talent. And this album further proves it. I give it a 4/5. Go buy it.
