Courtesy of Atlantic Records

Bruno Mars is accompanied by a mariachi band for the “Risk It All” music video.

Sixteen-time Grammy winner Bruno Mars’s highly anticipated album The Romantic released on Feb. 27, marking his first solo album in over a decade. The album lives up to its namesake, pairing Mars’ impressive vocal range with smooth, upbeat instrumentals suited for the dance floor.

“The Romantic” is Mars’ fourth studio album and consists of nine tracks that span 32 minutes. Many fans had high expectations for the release, since Mars’s 2022 collaborative album An Evening With Silk Sonic won four Grammys; his solo album 24K Magic won all six of its nominations in 2018. 

Public reception to the album has been polarizing with some bashing the album for being too monotonous with weak lyrics like “Come on and cha-cha-cha with me and I’ma cha-cha-cha with you tonight” in “Cha Cha Cha,” while others have praised Mars, 40, for his signature vocals and the album’s feel-good vibe.

 Personally, I didn’t think lyrics were that big of a problem as the instrumentals made up for it most of the time. Despite some negative receptions, tracks such as “Risk It All” and “I Just Might” have been steadily rising on Spotify’s Top 50 Global Charts. 

In the first few tracks, Mars pays homage to his Puerto Rican heritage by incorporating Latin styles of music such as bolero and salsa in “Risk It All,” “Cha Cha Cha” and “Something Serious,” accompanied by vibrant and catchy Latin instrumentals. 

“God Was Showing Off” even begins with “Uno, dos, tres y otra vez” — a traditional bandleader count-in — before the song jumps into an upbeat Latin-influenced brass and percussion section. Later tracks like “Why You Wanna Fight?” and “On My Soul” feature a ‘70s soul throwback sound.

Mars’s vocals, combined with the high-quality production, made the overall listening experience very relaxed and calm; however, as the album progresses, there seems to be a lack of variety in sound. 

Compared to his previous work on 24K Magic, An Evening With Silk Sonic, Unorthodox Jukebox and Doo-Wops and Hooligans, which have all become pop classics over the years, The Romantic is ultimately underwhelming in its consistency in songwriting across tracks and with most tracks not being worthy of replaying. 

Many songs on the album are monotonous — “Nothing Left” in particular sounds like a mediocre rendition of Mars’s hit song “Die With a Smile.” However, Mars should be commended for his risk taking in trying to fuse different facets of older styles rather than simply chasing — and repeating — modern trends. 

Rating: 3 out of 5 Falcons