The King of Quirk (We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. - Jason Mraz)

Member Name: Majmun

Product:	We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. - Jason Mraz
Date:	20/08/09 (58 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Some great songs, great lyrics and a great voice

Disadvantages: Couple of songs arent up to scratch for me

I fell in love with Jason Mraz after being introduced one of his earlier albums 'Mr A - Z' a few years ago by a university friend. I loved his quirky style, original lyrics and soulful voice. So I was eagerly anticipating the release of his third album 'We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things'. Luckily I was holidaying in the USA last year and picked up a copy of it there before it was released in the UK. I certainly wasn't disappointed and found it an even more satisfying listening experience than his previous album.

'We sing We Dance We Steal Things' was released in 2008. It comes in a cardboard case which is very 'Jason Mraz' and inside it features a series of crazy hand drawn pictures of various animals, furniture, items of clothing as well as some self-portraits. It looks unusual and it feels less overproduced than a lot of album covers.

The album has 12 tracks altogether. It opens on a strong note with three fantastic songs 'Make it Mine', 'I'm Yours' and 'Lucky'. 'Make it Mine' was the second single on the album to be released and is a fast, uplifting song that can't fail to put you in a good mood. It uses trumpets/saxophones to create a funky, jazzy background. It is a colourful, fun song and a great opener. 'I'm Yours' is my favourite song on the album and the first single to be released. It has an amazing chilled out vibe to it and some really touching lyrics. Mraz's voice sounds strong and pure and the song overall is just so catchy and beautiful. It combines a reggae vibe, simple guitar backing and some soulful, melodic harmonies to create a really stand out track. Me and my boyfriend love the simple but moving message in the song and plan to have it played at our wedding next year as it celebrates love without sounding clichéd. The third track 'Lucky' features female singer Colbie Caillat and is a sweet, folksy song with great lyrics that, despite being borderline cheesy at times, are just so lovely they will put a smile on your face. Colbie Colliat has a gorgeous voice that gels perfectly with Mraz's and the beautiful harmonies really carry this song through.

The next three tracks 'Butterfly', 'Live High' and 'Love For a Child' maintain the great standard that the first three songs set. 'Butterfly' is a sexy and sassy song that is actually about a stripper! The lyrics in this song are a bit more sexual and it is a very catchy song with a slick, jazzy sound to it. If you are anything like me it will makes you want to dance every time you hear it! In contrast to this, the next track 'Live High' is a chilled and slowish song. Although it is probably the weakest song so far it is still a nice track with simple guitar backing and pleasant vocals. It has a relaxed and chilled vibe to it that makes you want to sit out in the garden, Pina Colada in hand! The sixth track 'Love For a Child' is also quite a slow song but it has a slightly sad vibe to it and tells the story of a child's parents that get divorced and the child then goes slightly off the rails as a result. The lyrics in this song are strong and the tune is catchy making it a favourite of mine.

The next track 'Details in the Fabric' is my other favourite song on this album. It is another slow, quite sad song with a beautiful tune and its powerful, moving lyrics are some of the best on the album. The lyrics 'If it's a broken part replace it, if it's a broken arm then brace it, if it's a broken heart then face it' in particular stand out to me and I love the message in these lyrics. This song features James Morrison whose voice has a nice husky quality to it. He sounds fabulous on this track, complimenting Mraz's voice perfectly. Interestingly this song is about Mraz's best male friend and opens and closes with voicemail recordings that he left Mraz. The next two tracks 'Coyotes' and 'Only Human' are slightly weaker but not quite into 'skipping' territory! 'Coyotes' is a bit of a mixed bag with hip-hop, electronic sounding verses and a melodic chorus with an operatic stint. He tried to do a bit too much with this track but it is still a good song with a catchy beat. 'Only Human' is more of a simple song, relying on Mraz's soulful voice and a smooth jazz background but it's not the most exciting song in the world.

The album ends well with the three tracks 'The Dynamo of Volition', 'If It Kills Me' and 'A Beautiful Mess'. I'm not a massive fan of 'The Dynamo of Volition' which features fast, rap style vocals and an electronic beat creating a Jamiriquai style track. But the penultimate song 'If It Kills Me' pulls it back with its catchy beat and lovely lyrics about fighting to be with someone. The album is superbly rounded off with 'A Beautiful Mess', an emotional ballad with moving and poignant lyrics. His voice sounds wonderfully soulful throughout and this track makes a lasting impression.

Overall, this is a fantastic album from Mr Mraz. It combines an eclectic mix of styles, delving into reggae, folk, pop, jazz and funk but still staying true to his trademark acoustic, indie sound. The result is a fun, quirky and varied album with lots of personality and its fair share of depth. His voice is dreamy and faultless throughout and his lyrics are interesting and original. This album will not be to everyone's taste, particularly if you are into your heavier music but I think it does appeal to a fairly wide range of people with its mix of styles and easy going charm.

The album is available for the bargain price of £4.98 from Amazon. Give it a go!

Summary: A sunny and lively album from the amazing Mraz