Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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138 of 149 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Broadens His Horizons While Maintaining His Unmistakable Identity, July 26, 2005
With his second studio album, the humorously titled "Mr. A-Z," Jason Mraz has delivered a fine collection of tunes that will solidify his popularity with his dedicated fanbase, yet manages to broaden his horizons in terms of song arrangements and subject matter.
The pensive "Life Is Beautiful" is the opening track, where Mraz makes a series of commonsense observations about life that nevertheless challenges listeners to think outside the box. Lead single "Wordplay," however, immediately follows, injecting the disc with a shot of levity.
"It's all about the wordplay/Ah la la la love/The wonderful thing it does because/Because I am the wizard of ooh's and ah's and fa la la's/Yeah the Mr. A-Z/They say I'm all about the Wordplay."
Despite his astute sense of humor, Mraz does not obscure the fact that he is most definitely a singer/songwriter in the classic 70's sense. Fine examples are the "Plane", an extremely intense selection where he proclaims from high above the ground that, should he come crashing down that he will "remember where the love was found," while in "Bella Luna" he softly croons of the mysterious allure of the moon, creating a relaxing, romantic atmosphere with his witty observations.
"Please Don't Tell Her," which reflects the conflicting emotions of looking back on someone fondly despite the intense pain they brought your life, finds him repeating at the song's end "I don't" in response to the idea that he might still care about an ex-flame, although the listener is clearly meant to question his confidence in that declaration. Other tracks, such as the completely enrapturing fare of "Forecast" and "O. Lover," which will grip listeners tightly with its frantic vocal performance, explore similar themes.
Mraz also explores the art of self-loathing in "Mr. Curiosity," pokes fun at the communication barrier between men and women with the assistance of Rachel Yamagata in "Did You Get My Message," and proudly owns who he is with no apologies in the radio-bound "Geek In the Pink," affirming "you might regret what you let slip away like the geek in the pink."
Furthermore, "Clockwatching" is an inspiring track about coming of age with the one you love at your side, as well as learning what it is to live in the present, rather than anticipation of what has yet to come, while the spine-tingling "Song For a Friend," doubtless inspired by his father, closes the album with his most impassioned performance and an uplifting message.
"All the thing's that I've read, what he wrote me/Is now sounding like the man I was hoping to be/I keep on keeping it real/Cause it keeps getting easier indeed/He's the reason that I'm laughing/Even if there's no one else/He said, `you've got to love yourself'."
Although it is much different than his debut in many ways, "Mr. A-Z" does not at all suffer. Rather, the album indicates that Mraz has undergone major growth as both a songwriter and song stylist, and that his talent is far reaching and will continue to entertain and astound for the duration of what is sure to be a long, rewarding career.
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41 of 44 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Alpha - Omega and everything in between, July 31, 2005
It's been a long time coming, but Jason Mraz doesn't disappoint in this follow up to 2002's "Waiting For My Rocket to Come". A little mellower, a little more introspective, and a lot more polished, this is a great album for easy listening and relaxing.
First single "Wordplay" from this Mechanicsville VA native picks up where "Rocket" left off, with clever lyrics, a versatile range of notes and a catchy chorus that will stick in your head.
"The wonderful thing it does because
Because I am the wizard of ooh's and ah's and fa la la's
Yeah the Mr. A-Z
They say I'm all about the Wordplay"
Another clever track is "Geek in the Pink" which is almost pop-hop lyrics-wise, and one of my favorites. The chorus of "Did You Get My Message" brings up some ELO memories, but this album is all about Mraz from alpha to omega, as he puts it, hence the title Mr. A-Z.
More great tracks are "Clockwatching", the lead off ballad "Life is Wonderful", and "Mr. Curiosity" with its standout piano work. The retro "Bella Luna" showcases Mraz's acoustic guitar work, and "O Lover" drifts to the Latin side. "Please Don't Tell Her" has one of the best opening riffs on the album, and there isn't a bad song on the album.
Grading alphabetically, this one's an A.
Amanda Richards, July 31, 2005
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Some people are bound not to understand the cd, July 29, 2005
1. the "opera bit" on mr. curiosity is not the fault of producer lilywhite. if you knew jason's performance quips, you would know that every so often at a live show, jason would throw in his interpretation of opera. yes, jason sings opera. he's not the best opera singer, of course, but it's part of his humor. dont take everything so seriously.
2. saying that this cd makes jason "sound like a different person, and that's sad" is in fact, sad. what's sad is that this is more like the real jason. WFMRTC was jason being turned into another pop artist, one hit wonder, bubblegum star. that's not who jason is. Mr. A-Z is jason taking the process more into his own hands and making the music he wants to make, not just what will sound good on the radio. he's young guy, and he experiments. some experiments work, some dont, but the point is, he's a real musician and likes to try different things. if you dont like it, fine, but at least appreciate the fact that part of jason's charm is his willingness to sound different from the other guy, to see what new music he can make.
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