Bruno Mars has delivered his long awaited third album ‘24k Magic’ today.
The follow-up to 2012 effort ‘Unorthodox Jukebox’ is an audacious effort filled with R&B jams that provide a flavorful soundtrack to pregame of Friday nights.
Sonically ‘Magic’ sees Mars channel the ‘80s and ‘90s era of R&B, which many a millennial cite as its peak years with contributions from the likes of Prince, Boyz II Men, and Babyface. Influences clearly present on the 9-song set.
With the set already moving numbers at retail, three new tracks have been made available to stream.
Listen to ‘Chunky,’ ‘That’s What I Like,’ and ‘Perm’ below. All were written and produced by Bruno, Phillip Lawrence, and Christopher ‘Brody’ Brown. A collective now known as Shampoo Press & Curl.
Bop after bop.
These tracks, much like the album more broadly, are well-polished and a commendable step forward.
Though there’s an arguable over-reliance on mimicking previous sounds, it doesn’t dilute the laudable nature of the material.
With ’24k’ as a body of work, Bruno has proven himself to be a premiere talent in the Pop and R&B realms.
Like HDD said, Bruno needs to dial 1-800-MANAGER, cause something isn’t right lol…you can tell he doesn’t have someone telling him NO…
I don’t like the fact he went straight and copied James Brown’s sound…….FuckU!! Bruno F*** U!!! But b**** i’m feelin the LP like a wonderful Patti Pie
You betta stan for Miss Patti’s pie lol
That’s why the style of the album is so good. Nobody to say “no, go a more pop direction.”
F**k managers/record labels, these days the artist doesn’t have any say in the music, it’s all what the label tells them will sell. Congrats to Bruno for delivering an album that he wanted to.
The boy is so good! He never is disappointing. I love ‘Thats What I Like” “Straight Up and Down” and “Versace”
I cant if he opens less than abel
Wow someone said that his album sounds old and they weren’t lying.
Its cool tho in a way it works for him. I do want to hear him in some updated music with some bass.
Call mikewillmadeit
Dream
Timbaland
Swizz beats
If a black artists made this 10-30k first week. Music is good but Nothing black artists havent been doing.
You act as if he’s a white artist.
Well hes not but hes still using black culture and style at the expense of black people
I love this album…got me feeling im rockin to some good ol’ 80’s and 90’s music. This is what this generation need! Real music. BRUNO KEEP DOIN YO THANG! NEW FAN!
Right, these young children only know that dry Trap/ R&B sounding music with no feeling or emotion in it. Bruno brought the heat and a few of his songs on this album actually gave me chills from how cold the harmonies went with the beats.
Something tells me he will flop with this album.
Like someone else said black culture is only acceptable from white people and light skin people. It’s sickening.
The album is short, straight to point and packs a serious punch.
I disagree…it’s short, straight to the point and is much ado about nothing…every song is excessive in production (polished though), laugh out loud lyrics (I think he’s intentionally trying to be funny though), and vocals that are competent but lack feeling…I rather listen to Don’t Be Cruel, In Effect Mode, Forever My Lady, 12 Play, etc…cause Bruno is listening to those albums too…adding nothing new! He combined too many of our favorite R&B sounds and called it gold magic…NAH lol…Versace On The Floor better be a single, cause that song is basically the whole album in a nutshell chile…he tried like Macy Gray
‘Versace on the Floor’ had me so excited…and then the album turned out to be more late 80s than early 90s so it does sound gimmicky (with all the talking, shouting, and dated rhyme schemes). You’re right though: He didn’t make it “his own” so a few songs sound like bad karaoke. It’s definitely a miss.
Bye Bruno… The Weeknd will crush you.
I think I’m more disappointed with the album more than I am with the entire Presidential election. You have to understand, I am one of Bruno Mars biggest fans so this whole era has made me cringe. I blame everybody involved in “Uptown Funk” for influencing this f*** album. Also, the label and management because someone should’ve stopped him from making 2 song with eight reprises because that’s I hear when I listen to this album. Maybe 2020 hell come back to himself.
The album is better than lemonade
Bruno brought it. This album will open big.
Just wish it was longer.
Where’d you find a bop? The album is garbage.
Those 3 songs are great. Problem here is many here are only HERE for pop (same they have acted with Gaga´s last album just cause it wasn´t the pop music to be expected). But taking it for what it is and for what he is going for: it sounds like a very good album.
A different thing will be the sales. This will cost him some sales, especially worldwide. R&B doesn´t sell worldwide (and he has really been a force worldwide with his two first albums).
Talking about sales: Celine Dion has sold 500k of her French album in France ALONE since September. That album of hers in FRENCH has already sold more Barbra´s english one (and full of well known features to help) and definitely more than many young “current” artists supposedly topping the charts. A true bad bish after… how many… 30 years of career? 🙂 🙂 🙂
I went ahead and bought the album anyway. I’ll say that listening to the clips on iTunes does not do the album justice. After a couple of full spins, it’s actually NOT a miss. It’s pretty dope.
Every track feels like a tribute to old school artists.
Finesse = Bobby Brown
Chunky = MJ
Versace on the Floor = Boyz II Men/Color Me Badd or any other 90’s harmony group
Now I like Bruno but this album doesn’t give a sense of who he is. There’s not much growth. Btw the live version of Chunky is mad better than the studio version. Sounds like a demo.
It does evoke the music of the late 80s early 90s indeed. I heard BBD on “Finesse” was almost waiting for “Poison” to play.
Kudos to Bruno I love the album
What the hell was bruno thinking man, r&b isnt selling like it was in the 90’s plus skrillex hyped bruno so much i thought he would deliver a “confessions” like album. When r.kelly and usher r failing how can bruno survive. Bad for him
Nice album song
I didn’t hate the album, but I do hear how it was not very Pop influenced for the fans of the more upbeat songs like “Locked Out Of Heaven” or “UpTown Funk!” but with me being a big fan of R&B, Soul, Funk music I found songs I enjoyed from the album like:
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“Chunky”
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“That’s What I Like”
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“Finesse”
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And I also liked “Straight Up & Down” too. The album is nothing spectacular but it also is not something bad. Well how I see it.