It’s pastiche-o’clock!
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[6.17]
Will Adams: The conceit of “What Makes You Beautiful” set to “Rock With You?” Sure.
[7]
Edward Okulicz: Mars is at his best when he is at his most ridiculous (see “Grenade”). And after Sting and Bill Joel facsimiles, moving to a homage that could be to Michael or Prince is an undertaking ridiculous in and of itself. That he pulls it off with such zest suggests his gift for imitation can certainly be used for good (DISCO!) as well as evil (“The Lazy Song”). Basically, impossible to hate, even if absent a big stage its most likely listening environment is in a shopping mall. But face it, it’s funkier than “Get Lucky.”
[8]
Jonathan Bogart: Wait, are we sure Daft Punk weren’t trying to make a Bruno Mars record?
[7]
Patrick St. Michel: This is a pretty obvious bite of French artist Breakbot’s “Baby I’m Yours,” which Breakbot himself seems to confirm in this interview. “Treasure” could be a can of worms, and I admittedly felt weirded out hearing definite non-underdog possibly get himself a summer jam thanks to a less-celebrated musician. Breakbot himself doesn’t seem to care in that interview, though, and does point out that he has ideas “taken from here and there.” So instead let’s celebrate Mars’ great ear and his take, a glossier “Baby I’m Yours” that maintains the disco slink of Breakbot’s but blows it up into IMAX.
[8]
Scott Mildenhall: It’s the one the world was waiting for. Find out more in episode 9 of The Collaborators: Bruno Mars.
[7]
Daniel Montesinos-Donaghy: Mars is currently showing a knack for evoking MTV-era pop to a tee – it’s admirable, if slightly foolhardy, to recognise his dedication to emulation. “Treasure” electric slides in the name of the Minneapolis Sound, getting the stop/start bass and buzzy synth riffs so right that there barely needs to be a song under all the era-appropriate instrumentation. Mars recognises this, throwing quotation marks around throwback sounds and deciding the job’s done. So pardon my bias as I admit that he is explicitly quoting some of my favourite music. A Xerox is a Xerox, yes, but one with a bassline this groove-worthy is worth at least:
[6]
Jer Fairall: A Vegas version of Motown; between the slow death of the music industry and an aging boomer population, it’s reasonable to fear that all music will soon sound like this.
[4]
Katherine St Asaph: “I’ve gotta tell you a little something about yourself” — that’s nice. I suppose now I should reward you with my smile, or my hidden treasure. If this were really the Prince song it begs to be, the metaphor would be explicit.
[5]
Alfred Soto: With his stratospheric pitch and unmitigated sincerity, Mars is a menace whether cribbing from The Police or pretending he’s a balladeer. I wince when I hear him. Here’s another entry in his magpie act: early eighties R&B complete with slap bass, synthesized sparkles, and a rhythm that actually does mitigate his sincerity, not to mention the ridiculous voice.
[4]
Brad Shoup: An ace reworking of bygone acts’ uptempo-R&B autopilot mode. Basically, Bruno is Wigan’s Chosen Few with a cuter smile.
[5]
Anthony Easton: Weaksauce remakes of ’80s Prince should be considered blasphemous, but full theft of work more interesting for commercial gains is basically Mars’ only skill. This is more competent than others, but not nearly as competent as thousands of cover bands playing at bars near the airport in every Midwestern city in America and most of Canada.
[4]
David Lee: There’s a Detroit radio station that, from time to time, hosts a Reunion Weekend for the classes of yesteryear by running through a playlist spanning the BeeGees to Olivia Newton John. Here’s to hoping that when Reunion Weekend for the classes of 2005-2015 rolls around, this is the Bruno Mars single they play. Well, OK, this and “Locked Out Of Heaven.”
[9]