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pon first hearing, Jason Mraz’s latest offering and fourth studio album is one of those records which would make great background music in a café, or in a film shot panning a summery park-scene with happy couples and families everywhere. It slips sadly into that category of music which is “OK but just not that remarkable”.
Listening again, I realise initial judgement might have been too harsh as there are actually a few great feel-good tracks in there. Track one, ‘The Freedom Song’, is one of those; with its quirky percussion accompaniment and up-stroke reggae beat you can imagine it sound-tracking a leisurely summer BBQ. The horn section in the middle of the track adds a bit of a party atmosphere and altogether this is a chirpy, cheerful song which does not bore.
‘93 million miles’ begins as a soulful melody, reminiscent of early David Grey, in which Mraz’s recognisable vocal takes centre stage. While ‘Living in the Moment’ sounds similar to chart-topper ‘I’m Yours’, which is no bad thing, and has an optimistic and appealing main lyrical message.
Mraz is known for the laid-back and chilled feel to his albums, and this one is no different as although they won’t have you jumping up and down in excitement, slower tracks such as ‘I Won’t Give Up’ are a smoochy mixture of sentimental lyrics and soft vocals.
Overall though, many of the tracks are just too long; at nearly six minutes ‘5/6’ feels like it will never end, and although the music is enjoyable, easy-listening I doubt there is another award-winning single in here.
