Monday, December 6, 2010

From Writer to Hitmaker, say hi to Bruno Mars ....


Remember the name - you're going to be hearing a lot more of it.

Bruno Mars is the man behind the year's biggest hits: K'Naan's 'Wavin' Flag', Cee Lo Green's 'F**k You', Travie McCoy's 'Billionaire', B.O.B's 'Nothing On You', and Flo Rida's 'Right Round'.

Now, on his debut album, the prolific songwriter proves he can sing too.   

Born Peter Gene Hernandez and nicknamed after the famous chubby wrestler Bruno Sammartino, on 'Doo-Wops & Hooligans' he showcases the major influences he grew up listening to: mostly doo-wop music by the likes of The Temptation and Three Tops.

But, as is to be expected from the man whose songs ruled the charts in 2010, he also incorporates pop, reggae, and soul influences. Some old school R&B and rock 'n roll elements also come into place, reminding you of Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson and The Isley Brothers.

In fact, his songwriting skills can be compared to Raphael Saadiq's and his singing to Jason Mraz, but he balances the two with his fusion of sounds and instruments.

To help craft his sound, Bruno hooked up with ersatile producers such as The Smeezingtons, Claude Kelly, Needlz, and Dwayne 'Supa Dups' Chin-Quee. The guest roster is remarkably short though - Cee-Loo and B.O.B. show up on 'The Other Side', while Damian Marley appears on 'Liquor Store Blues' - but that's clearly to leave the focus on Mars himself.   

His falsetto voice blends in well with every one of the diverse songs, be it the catchy first single 'Just the Way You Are' or the dark-romantic 'Grenade', making 'Doo-Wops & Hooligans' a perfect album if you want to reminisce about old school R&B and pop-rock. 

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