Bruno Mars
' debut album,
Doo-Wops & Hooligans
, made the talented singer/writer/producer into a star, racking up hit singles, hosting Saturday Night Live, and becoming something of a romantic icon thanks to loverman anthems like "Just the Way You Are" and "Grenade." His second album,
Unorthodox Jukebox
, hints at a turbulent love life (songs like "Young Girls" and "Money Make Her Smile" give the impression that
Mars
' opinion of the opposite sex may have taken a nosedive recently), but many of the songs retain the easygoing charm of
Doo-Wops
, especially the lilting reggae come-on "Show Me" and the
MJ
-inspired disco jam "Treasure." At his best, like on the single "Locked Out of Heaven," which sounds like a breezy mashup of "Beat It,"
the Police
, and
Dire Straits
,
' light vocal delivery and way with a hook are quite appealing, and thanks to production help from heavy-hitters like
Mark Ronson
Diplo
Emile Haynie
, and his own crew,
the Smeezingtons
, the album sound is clean and punchy. ~ Tim Sendra