Album review: Bruno Mars - Doo-Wops and Hooligans

Bruno Mars - Doo-Wops and Hooligans

With his first two singles already making number One in the UK singles chart, it is clear that Bruno Mars is set to be something of a superstar. Debut album Doo-Wops and Hooligans is out this week and expected to sell by the truckload.

As albums go, it certainly has a strong start. Singles Grenade and Just The Way You Are are both great pop songs although both are something of a red herring for the rest of the record. Cee-Lo Green guests on The Other Side and there is certainly a Gnarls Barkley-esque sound to some of the record, particularly the funked up Runaway Baby. At other times, Mars takes the Jason Mraz approach, with chuggy, acoustic numbers such as The Lazy Song and Count On Me designed to be heard on a Hawaiian beach.

And then, it sounds like Bruno Mars is making a direct assault on the vacant King of Pop crown left vacant by the untimely demise of its previous incumbent. Our First Time is so Jackson-esque that if you heard it on the radio you'd have sworn it was the begloved weirdo.

What I like about Doo-Wops and Hooligans is that it doesn't use any of the bogstandard, bland R&B production favoured by many of today's biggest artists. It is, fundamentally, a modern pop record blending different styles but all under a simple pop umbrella. Marry You is a rollicking, synth driven radio-friendly tune whilst Talking To The Moon is a giant, bombastic pop ballad. For me, the two singles alone justify the purchase of this album and whilst I am surprised by the lack of any true originality, it is a likeable (if fluffy) pop record.