"Following recent team ups with Lady Gaga (the torch song 'Die With a Smile') and Rosé (the meet-cute 'APT.'), he's back with his lush, saccharine fourth solo album, The Romantic, leaning into the tightness of the hit-heavy, not-much-changing set list from his Las Vegas residency."
"The Romantic looks to recenter our view of Mars in what he sees as his core contribution to the planet: love songs. It's still the case that the pop perfectionist's soul-man routine is by turns both alluringly and frustratingly dialed in to what worked in the past."
"Honoring the expressive delivery of Mexican bolero and pop vet Luis Miguel and the mewling simplicity of a Bryan Adams ballad, Mars aims for a timelessness that he comes close to while delivering more lover-man clichés."
Bruno Mars has strategically repositioned himself as a purveyor of romantic music through recent collaborations with Lady Gaga and Rosé, culminating in his fourth solo album 'The Romantic.' The album draws heavily from his Las Vegas residency setlist and embraces lush, saccharine production. Mars aims to establish love songs as his core artistic contribution, blending influences from Michael Jackson's afro period, Mexican bolero traditions, and classic soul-man delivery. The opening track 'Risk It All' exemplifies his approach, featuring mariachi horns and bolero rhythms while delivering romantic clichés. Mars meticulously crafted the album to achieve emotional resonance, rewriting songs repeatedly to capture authentic feeling. His artistic strategy balances pop perfectionism with accessible, timeless ballad conventions designed for weddings and mainstream appeal.
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