BRUNO MARS
Doo Woops & Hooligans (Elektra)
Review by: Rina Caparras
JUST A CASSANOVA OR A MISUNDERSTOOD ARTIST?
Bruno Mars and I started on the wrong foot. I disliked his singles – and I disliked them even more when everyone started singing them in school, all over Youtube, on Glee, on American Idol and I mean literally, everywhere. I thought his lyrics were insincere and unrealistic: “And when you smile / the whole world stops / and stares for a while” (“Just The Way You Are”). I mean, seriously, who the hell would believe that? So I though I’d rest in peace without having to give his songs the proper listening that they deserve. But as fate would have it, I was given the task to review his album Doo Wops & Hooligans. I gave it one go without listening to his singles, except “The Lazy Song” – I actually liked that song, even before. It had all the right elements: funny and effective lyrics, a catchy beat and groovy basslines.
It’s a crazy surprise that I didn’t feel the same abhorrence towards the rest of his albums as compared to his singles. “Count on Me,” for example, is a cute and charming song without overdoing anything: “You can count on me / like one-two-three / I’ll be there / ‘Cause that’s what friends are supposed to do, oh yeah.” Compare that with the lyrics of “Grenade,” – “I’d catch a grenade for you / Throw my head on the blade of you / I’d jump in front of the train for you.” All right, fine – I know “Count on Me” is referring to platonic relationship, while “Grenade” is referring to another kind (I wouldn’t call it a romantic relationship, that would be travesty). But if you compare the two loosely with each other, one is exaggerated to the point of being annoying while the other feels more honest and avoids making earth-shattering declarations.
