On Bruno Mars' 'The Romantic'

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Bruno Mars’ heroes are drowning in compliments. The pop juggernaut has always been a master impersonator, from his childhood gig performing as Elvis around Hawaii to the soul and funk pastiche of his 2010 debut Doo-Wops & Hooligans, to his collaborative album with Anderson .Paak that celebrated the seductive irreverence of ‘60s and ‘70s R&B hits. Most of the time, Mars’ reproductions work well for him: He’s one of music’s most absurdly decorated artists, with 16 Grammy Awards, 10 No. 1 singles, and more monthly Spotify listeners than Bad Bunny, Taylor Swift, or the Weeknd. “Uptown Funk,” his incomprehensibly huge song with Mark Ronson, quickly dethroned “Blurred Lines” as the de facto selection on corporate party playlists, sure to get your boss loosening his tie just a bit. But on The Romantic, Mars’ first solo album since 2016’s funk pastiche 24K Magic, his genre parroting comes off more as wedding reception slop than an exciting comeback.