Bruno Mars
Doo-Wops & Hooligans
Elektra
[Three and a half stars]
Nov 10, 2010
Turn on your radio. Hear that voice, a feathery tenor with a hint of soulful grit? It belongs to Bruno Mars, the 25-year-old Hawaiian newcomer featured on smash hits like B.o.B’s ”˜Nothin’ on You’ and Travie McCoy’s ”˜Billionaire.’ Doo-Wops & Hooligans proves that Mars is a natural ”“ a lavishly gifted melodist (check the surging ”˜Grenade’) and an engaging singer. It’s the year’s finest pop debut: 10 near-perfect songs that move from power ballads to bedroom anthems to pop-reggae and deliver pleasure without pretension. Call it bubblegum that eats like a meal.
Key Tracks: ”˜Grenade,’ ”˜Just the Way You Are,’ ”˜Our First Time’
