Bruno Mars The Romantic Review: production shines, innovation falls short

By Staff Writer Prisha Virmani

Bruno Mars returns with The Romantic, his fourth solo album and first solo project since 24K Magic nearly a decade ago. In that time, Mars leaned heavily into retro soul with the Silk Sonic project (his musical collaboration with Anderson .Paak), and The Romantic continues that direction. This album blends Latin pop rhythms, glossy funk instrumentation, and smooth R&B melodies into a collection that feels polished but carefully contained. After such a long absence, the record never quite suggests a new artistic direction, instead building on the retro pop style Mars has relied on for much of his career without pushing it further.

At its core, The Romantic revolves around devotion, longing, and the dramatic language of love. Mars approaches romance through sweeping declarations and exaggerated loyalty, framing relationships as something to chase and preserve at all costs. Throughout the album, he returns to familiar vows of devotion, repeating sentiments of sacrifice and unwavering attachment.

On songs like “Risk It All,” that mindset becomes literal: “I would run through a fire / Just to be by your side.” He promises complete emotional surrender in the name of love, and later tracks echo the same dramatic language, reinforcing the album’s fixation on romance as a spectacle rather than exploring new emotional ground.

Much of the album’s appeal comes from its production. Mars and his collaborators assembled dense arrangements built from layered horns, warm guitar lines, and stacked background vocals. The opening track, “Risk It All,”  leans into bachata-inspired rhythms, while “Cha Cha Cha” expands that sound with bright brass sections and Latin percussion, and “God Was Showing Off” slows the tempo into classic R&B.

Across these tracks, the production draws from retro influences, particularly funk and soul, while maintaining the glossy finish of contemporary pop.  These elements create a lush soundscape that carries much of the album’s energy, though the stylistic palette rarely moves beyond the nostalgic influences Mars has explored throughout much of his career.

But at times, the production’s arrangements become crowded. Several songs stack percussion, horns, and vocal ad-libs so aggressively that the production feels overbuilt, occasionally distracting from the melodies themselves, reflecting how little variation exists across the album’s structure. The lead single, “I Just Might,” captures that tendency clearly with a chorus that is instantly memorable, supported by bright brass and an energetic rhythm designed for radio play. The hook is catchy, but the surrounding verses circle familiar romantic sentiments without expanding them into anything more substantial. 

Mars’ voice remains the record’s most reliable element. His smooth tone and controlled phrasing continue to anchor the songs, adding warmth and clarity even when the writing feels repetitive. When the instrumentation softens, particularly on “Why You Wanna Fight,” his delivery introduces a level of vulnerability that briefly deepens the emotional atmosphere, hinting at a more expressive direction that the album only occasionally explores, suggesting possibilities that the record ultimately does not pursue.

The Romantic ultimately feels restrained from an artist returning after such a long gap. Rather than marking a significant reinvention, the album settles into a musical formula that Mars has already perfected. The production is refined, the vocals remain strong, and the melodies are easy to absorb. Yet, the album rarely challenges its own ideas or expands beyond the approach that has carried much of Mars’ career. The result is a record that feels competent and carefully assembled, but rarely memorable. 

Grade: B