New Album from Bruno Mars is Fun but Lacking in Depth.

Bruno Mars embraces a lavish lifestyle on his newest release, “24K Magic,” which dropped Thursday. The album, a compilation of sounds from 70s funk to 90s hip-hop, contains plenty of synthesizers, sensuality, and keeping with this throwback theme, sexism.

Even when the tempo drops, this album retains the upbeat sound. Starting out with a bang and the already released single “24K Magic,” the album retains its spontaneous and silly attitude towards love and luxury throughout ballads and bangers. Mars, with his talent for hooks and melodies, combines the heart wrenching vocals of Al Green with the harmonies and background vocals of 90s boy bands like N’Sync and Backstreet Boys.  

Although this album might contain infectious beats, the lyrics Mars sings on top are lacking. Never delving deeper than trying to persuade his most recent pursuit to have sex with him or bragging about all of the money and luxury items he possesses, Mars comes off as a shallow misogynistic player. Maybe that was his design, a full immersion into the culture of the past. But Mars doesn’t sound like he’s taking a trip back in time, “Back to the Future”-style, it sounds like he’s stuck there.

After being accused of plagiarism for the single, “Uptown Funk,”  his most recent collaboration with Mark Ronson, this borrowing and sampling of older sounds is an interesting move for Mars. The spontaneity, finesse, and frivolousness is in keeping with older chart toppers like “Treasure” and “Locked Out Of Heaven,” and this sound should not come as a surprise from a man who was an Elvis/Michael Jackson impersonator before he became famous.

Overall, “24K Magic,” is a fun album, sure to earn a few chart-topping singles, but doesn’t aspire for anything deeper.