Album Review - Love Is A Four Letter Word (Jason Mraz)

[picture credit jasonmraz.com]

As you can imagine, as soon I heard the news of a new Jason Mraz studio album I was very excited and I had exceptionally high expectations due to the fact his last albums have been pretty much flawless. Immediately, the first tracks put a smile on my face because Mr A-Z's voice is still perfect and his smooth guitar rhythms are still capable of transporting you to a hammock on a beach. The brass instrumentals in The Freedom Song are similar to Butterfly and it is a really fun, positive song. The backing vocals add a soulful sound but I was disappointed that Jason did not write this song although he did write the rest of the album. Despite this, I found myself crossing my fingers that the rest of Love Is A Four Letter World is just as good.

I was wrong...it is better. Track 2, Living In The Moment, has the same optimism of The Freedom Song and has a catchy tune throughout. I really love the lyrics ‘I will not waste my days making up all kinds of ways to worry about the things that will not happen to me' because many people can relate to them; over-thinkers and people that fear the future instead of enjoying the things they have in the present.

 Jason slows it down with the next song, The Woman I Love, which is pleasant because it emphasises the beauty and reality of the lyrics. All of a sudden, the hammock on the beach seems a million miles away as this song is like watching snowflakes fall whilst snuggled up by the fire with the person you love.

Just when you think Jason Mraz could not possibly get any more romantic, artistic and enchanting, the third track slaps you in the face and proves you wrong. I Won't Give Up is the first single from the album and, in my opinion, is the most beautiful song he has ever written. The first chorus left me speechless the first time I heard it as it is so precious and emotional. This song is also timeless and I can see it being a classic, like I'm Yours, in a few years to come. 'We've got a lot to learn but God knows we're worth it'.

I almost felt sorry for Track 5 as it has such a tough act to follow. Coincidentally called '5/6', this tune is not the best on the album as it is not as catchy or heartfelt as the previous songs. However, it has an interesting concept and fresh sound.

Track 6 is called 'Everything Is Sound' and is another joyful song, similar to the beginning of the album. It is very minimalistic with adorable lyrics and is another example of Jason's natural vocal talent.

Thankfully the 7th song, 93 Million miles has no similarity to 500 Miles by The Proclaimers. It has a slightly more country style than the other songs and spreads the message that 'home' is not just a physical place or house, it is where the people you love are and you feel safe. I also love the little educational fact in it as well, that the sun is 93 million miles away. This song warms my heart.

It took seven songs but finally, the humorous side of Jason Mraz that we all know and love is expressed in the song 'Frank D. Fixer'. The song actually has quite a deep meaning, despite the light hearted title and catchy tune. It is about looking up to someone and wanting to be like them but also having the desire to be anything the person you love wants you to be. Even if you do not feel good enough, or as good as others, you are willing to do anything it takes to prove your dedication to somebody.

'Who's Thinking About You Now?' makes you think about all the people that have got your back through everything. It is a different love song, as it’s about friends, families and partners. It's got a smooth jazz vibe and the chorus has a lot of passion and depth.

Track 10, In Your Hands, continues the soft 'late night' theme. Another one of my favourites on the album, this song has cute lyrics and I think it is one of those songs that gets better the more times you play it. It can be compared to some of Jason's old tracks such as 'Absolutely Zero' and 'If It Kills Me' and shows that he has not forgotten who he is in the time since his last album.

Track 11 is the only duet on the album and it is featuring Inara George. The song is called 'Be Honest' and honestly, I had never heard of Inara George and I was quite glad that she did not have a big part of the song purely because no duet could ever live up to 'Lucky' featuring  Colbie Callait and I would much rather just listen to Jason's angelic voice.

The final song, The World As I See It, is a gorgeous way to end the album. Although repetitive, the lyrics are very soulful and the live version is also worth a listen.

I feel as if I have run out of words to express my love for Jason Mraz and this album. What can I say? It is a masterpiece in my eyes (...well, ears). Mr A-Z is doing a concert in London in December but I must admit I am disappointed it is at the o2 as it is such a large venue and I feel Jason would excel more in a smaller, intimate gig.

 Please comment with your views on the album as I would love to hear if you share my feelings.

Artist Of The Week - He Is We

Picture credit www.altpress.com

I am excited to announce that I have decided, with the help of a friend, that the Artist of the Week this week is He Is We. He Is We are unlike many indie pop bands in the music industry at the moment as they are a duo. The band consists of Rachel Taylor, a young girl with a talent for having a voice that is soothing yet can highlight a range of emotions that can divide your heart between gut wrenching sadness and joyful optimism, and Trevor Kelly who plays the instruments in the band and writes their fantastic songs with Rachel. The story of how the two met is just as cute and heart-warming as their music; they both worked in a music store in Washington and realised that their individual talents complimented each other's well, and that is where the union was formed and they began making sweet music. He Is We are also unlike many bands that have a cocky aura and a distant relationship with their fans as He Is We do not care so much about the number of fans, but that they can connect with them and show that even though they are musicians, they are just like everybody else. My favourite He Is We songs are All About Us, Everything You Do and Happily Ever After. All About Us featuring Owl City is not only a beautifully written song but the music video is breath taking. The video is the story of a boy and a girl in love however the girl has cancer but this does not change the strength of their relationship. In contrast to many music videos in the charts with half naked woman and self-centred men, this is a true love story that makes my heart melt every time I watch it as it is so genuine. Everything You Do is again a love song, but it has a wonderful 1950's sound and an upbeat chorus that you cannot help but to sing along to. This song asks the question everybody wants to know 'Do I end up happy?' but has a light, humorous approach to the subject. Overall, He Is We are a relatable, talented band that can express the honesty of relationships in one catchy chorus and are definitely a band that should be on your iPod.

Nothing But Thieves

Nothing But Thieves is a band from Essex, England that I was fortunate to see live last year when they opened for Allstar Weekend at the o2 academy Islington. Annoyingly, I only arrived to that particular concert towards the end of their set but I was really impressed with what I heard and met the band afterwards. After that night, I looked the boys up on Youtube and became mesmerised with the covers that they have posted. Conor has one of the rawest, magical voices I have heard in a very long time and could be compared to the amazing vocals of Josh Ramsay (lead singer of Marianas Trench) with the emotion of John Mayer and passion of John Legend. So far, they have done covers of Lady Gaga, Adele, Pink, Jessie J, Tom Petty, The Script and Queen showing their versatile music stylings. Dom and Joe, the guitarists, are again talented musicians and their playing in 'Who's Laughing Now' is particularly impressive. Dave is the drummer and when I saw the band live the drum beats were the type that hit you straight in the heart, the band would not be the same without him. Nothing But Thieves have only released one of their own tracks on Youtube so far, entitled 'Falling' and the first time I heard it, it instantly became one of my favourite songs. I definitely think it’s the vocals which make the song so hypnotising and the pause before one of the choruses gives me chills every time. This band need to become better known as their talent must not go unnoticed; fortunately they are working on an album of new music which hopefully will showcase them as an amazing new band. I am very excited to see the boys at their show at The Garage in Islington, London on the 8th May and will be doing a review of the show. Until then, check out 'Falling' and their other covers and if you live in the area, make sure you grab a ticket to their gig in May.

Freelance Whales



[picture credit www.channelone.com]

Freelance Whales are the perfect band for Starbucks sipping, lyric loving, alternative music fans. I am not a fan of the word 'alternative' because it makes the music sound like an outsider and not considered as good or as important as 'mainstream' music however I used it in this case as more of a synonym for 'different', 'quirky' or 'eccentric'. Freelance Whales use simple beats and melodies in their songs along with techno sounds to make fun, well-written songs. Their music should not be taken too seriously lyrically however the band are talented musicians with an amazing technique in creating music videos for their awesome songs that nobody really understands, but still loves. Freelance Whales have had quite a lot of promotion via Chuck Criss's brother, Darren Criss who plays Blaine in Glee and is very proud of his brother's work. My favourite Freelance Whales tunes are 'Hannah' and 'Kilojoules' which, deservingly, are their most popular. Do you like the modern day techno sounds of the Freelance Whales?

New Music: Tanner Patrick - Merry Go Round

'Merry Go Round' has a chorus that will be in your head for a long time. Although I do not think the first verse fits with the sweet, teenage love song vibe of the chorus, this is easily forgotten once you begin hopelessly singing along and imagining a cute summer romance at a theme park. The song is on itunes now and the music video, which I expect will be wonderfully cheesy, will be released soon.

Artist Of The Week - The Cab

The first band/artist I would like to proclaim as 'Artist Of The Week' is the band 'The Cab' from Las Vegas, Nevada. They have had two albums in the past four years and their newest album, Symphony Soldier, is definitely on my list of albums to purchase before you die. Alexander Deleon has an amazing, pure voice which comes naturally to him and sounds just as good live as it does on the album; something many singers in the charts today cannot achieve. My favourite songs of theirs are 'Endlessly', 'Bad', 'Animal' and 'Vegas Skies'. It is hard to think of a band to compare The Cab to because many rock bands have music that can be a bit repetitive and sound the same, but Alex's voice can give their music a depth that many rock songs do not have. Yes, their album includes many tracks to rock out to but even pop or indie lovers, I feel, can enjoy it too. They recently did a co-headlining tour with one of my other favourite bands, The Summer Set, which I hope they can bring to London sometime soon. I thouroghly recomend this band, I have developed a rather large love for them which began the first time I heard the captivating introduction to 'Temporary Bliss' and the extremely addictive chorus to 'La La La Love. So go and check them out, and let me know if you feel the same way.

(Image credit: alternativemusichub.com )

Playlists >>

Every season, I will be posting a playlist of songs that I highly recomend. The Spring playlist is up so check it out.