It has been 3,419 days since singer-songwriter Bruno Mars released “24k Magic,” his last solo album. On Feb. 27 after a decade away from solo performing, Mars is back in the spotlight , releasing his fifth studio album “The Romantic.”
The album consists of nine tracks and a total run time of 31 minutes, the second shortest runtime of his career, trailing only “An Evening with Silk Sonic” by 15 seconds. That short duration is by design.
“If I can’t get you in nine songs, I’m not gonna get you in 19,” Mars said in an interview with 95.5 PLJ.
Behind the scenes, Mars has welcomed back Dernst “D’Mile” Emile, who produced “An Evening with Silk Sonic” and Mars’ 2024 single “Die with A Smile,” as a co-producer on the project in tandem with Mars. D’Mile is also credited as a songwriter on four of the nine tracks.
One of those songs is the lead single “I Just Might.”
On Jan. 5, Mars posted on X, “My album is done,” which effectively broke the internet. Two days later, on Jan. 7, “The Romantic” was officially announced. Two days after that, on Jan. 9, “I Just Might” hit platforms everywhere.
In his triumphant return to music, Mars stuck to his guns and delivered a song that took us back in time to the Mars of the early 2010s. Sonically, Mars relies on horns and congas to carry the melody, with addictive guitar hooks keeping the sound fresh but not overwhelming.
Looking at the lyrics, Mars keeps it simple but not boring, telling a story eerily similar to the themes of his 2010 project “Doo-Wops and Hooligans.” Not only was the song addictive and considered “Pop Perfection,” but it also helped build hype for the ensuing project.
Not only did it build hype, but it delivered.
For the first time in a while, it feels like we’ve gotten a new sound from a Mars project. The opener “Risk It All” gave us our first hints at this, as the song tells the story of him preparing to lay it all on the line for a woman over a mariachi beat. On paper, it seems like a confusing combination, but Mars makes it work and work well.
That theme stays consistent in the ensuing track “Cha Cha Cha,” as we once again hear the horns and congas while he talks about the intoxicating feeling of dancing with the woman he wants to be with.
The highlight of the album for me comes four songs later with “On My Soul.” In the first few seconds, you’re met with an instrumental that sweeps you off your feet and an addictive guitar hook that keeps you entertained for the full three minute runtime. That, combined with clever vocal layering and lyrics that feel fresh and new make for a classic Bruno Mars banger.
The final two songs, “Nothing Left” and “Dance With Me” prove that Mars can slow it down just as well as he can speed it up. The former shows shades of the classic hopeless romantic that we’ve come to know and love from Mars, and the penultimate track sees him at his best, wanting one more chance with his woman, whoever that may be.
While the decade-long wait in between solo projects is something that hopefully won’t happen again, Mars made the most of every single second he was away. He dared to try new things sonically while also being the same Bruno that we’ve known for the last 15 years.
At the end of the day, “The Romantic” can only be seen as a success.
