Jason Mraz releases his new album ‘We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things’ on June 9th , by now you should be familiar with the single ‘I’m Yours’ which was out last week and appears to have been garnering considerable airplay on the bigger radio stations. Truth be told, I’m in a bit of a quandary about this album. There’s no question that Mraz and his cohorts have the capacity to spin a decent tune and as is the case with so many artists of this ilk the various components that go towards making this album are very strong indeed.
Mraz seems unsure where he wants to hang his hat though, the album moves from lightly embossed acoustic funk before pedalling down a gear into more traditional acoustic territory and in the background this album makes perfectly acceptable fodder for the ears. However therein lies the problem, its when you try and drag this material into the foreground of your listening experience is where the problems start to become apparent. There’s a creeping dullness to the record that becomes apparent about four or five songs in. In this instance Jason seems to have two speeds, wannabe funk that lacks bite and acoustic balladeering that lacks the tenacity to stand out from the crowds.
Its not a write off entirely however, there are some little moments that shine in particular ‘Love For A Child’ which shows a lyrical sharpness that demonstrates just where Mraz could wander if there was a little bit more focus in his musical direction, his collaborative spirit comes across reasonably well with tunes that involve James Morrisson and Colbie Caillat respectively being the stronger cuts from the collection.
Don’t get me wrong, this is not a bad album but there’s that certain something that just robs it of the immediacy which is so important in today’s market. This is one of those albums that you could grow to enjoy if you were prepared to give it a considerable investment of your time. Leave it till it reaches mid price and then take a punt if you like songs from the gentler side of the street.
