Monday, 12 May 2008

Jason Mraz - We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things

Jason Mraz
We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things
Release date: 9th June 2008 (CD)
We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things is a bright, breezy pop album perfect for the summer. In terms of influences, Jason Mraz has drawn on various genres, including hip hop, reggae and even opera, which is features on what has to be one of the most ambitious songs on the album, Coyotes. As brilliant as the song is, I can’t help but feel that the ending (which has a curious chorus of children joining in the song) is a bit naff, to be frank. Aside from this, there is an outstanding duet, Lucky, featuring little-known female singer-songwriter Colbie Caillat, whose melodious voice integrates perfectly with Mraz’s vocals. Mraz has also roped in English soul-pop artist James Morrison for a collaboration on Details In The Fabric, which is a beautifully constructed song, showcasing the vocal talent of both artists extremely well.

Being familiar with Mraz’s previous work, it is interesting to see that there are no tracks with quite the same punchiness of previous singles Wordplay and Geek In The Pink. Comparing this album to Mr. A-Z, it is difficult to say that We Sing… is a great improvement. There are plenty of perfectly pleasant songs, yet these lack any kind of real direction to make them chart hits. Despite these shortcomings, Mraz’s latest album is a relaxing listen, a must for any pop fans. Other standout tracks include The Dynamo of Volition and Only Human.

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