I really liked Waiting for My Rocket to Come (2002) and Mr. A-Z (2005), and after waiting three years, it's finally time for more Mraz
This is a great album filled with a mix of rhythms for any musical taste, and he had me hooked from first single "I'm Yours", a fun, reggae-based summer-ready track, with lyrics like:
"Well you done done me and you bet I felt it
I tried to be chill but you're so hot that I melted
I fell right through the cracks
and now I'm trying to get back
Before the cool done run out"
After that, try "Lucky" featuring Colbie Caillat, a breezy mid-tempo number that's extremely addictive. I have it on "repeat" as I type this. These two songs alone make the album worthwhile.
Also recommended are "Make it Mine" (jazzy with horns); "Butterfly" (funky, more horns); "Love for a Child" (soaring chorus, nice melody); "If it Kills me" and "A Beautiful Mess".
To quote from the ballad "Details in the Fabric" (with James Morrison):
"Hold your own
Know your name
And go your own way"
Let's hope Jason Mraz keeps on holding his own, and that we don't have to wait another three years for another album. Recommended to buy (not steal).
Rated: 4.5 stars
Amanda Richards