Jason Mraz - Know.

Jason Mraz
Know.
2018
Spotify

There is a small part of me that wants Jason Mraz to do well. His music is inoffensive, bright, sometimes cutting and not all that bad. Sure He sounds like He is constantly either in San Diego or Hawaii, but maybe that isn't the worse thing in the world. To his credit Mraz' music has always felt earnest in a way that was different from the other people playing around in this genre. It was corny, but so was he so it worked. In 2018 however it doesn't feel kitschy or fun anymore, it just feels kind of childish. Sure Mraz has some nice things to say and as always has a strong message of positivity the same thing we've heard over and over again. "Have It All" sounds like every single song Mraz has ever done: some white boy rap elements, acoustic guitar, anthemic bump and BAMyou have yourself a Jason Mraz track. We never get to the problems that arise around those moments from Mraz, we just get the best of life and all it has to offer which instantly feels false. Just in case to make me personally mad Mraz has even brought in the queen of positive pandering Meghan Trainor for their duet on "More Than Friends". Because, you see, they want to be more than friends now... The brightness becomes such a chore to listen to, and it is hard to buy in when their is nothing that feels real. It's like the whole album was put through a rainbow Instagram filter.

"Unlonlely" really sums up the whole album pretty well actually. It's a word that is stupid and doesn't exist, the song is bright, it's hopeful and in the end it has a message that we all can actually get behind. but even with all of that the song still never becomes more than a ditty. Making music for kids is fine, but say that's what you are doing, don't mask it in this somewhat absurd love songs. There is obviously a place for music like this when it comes to trying to escape from reality, but the picture of the world this album paints is so much different from reality it's nearly impossible to square the two. There are so many times on this album where you just say "yeah I guess this is fine" that I have nearly lost count. How Jason Mraz went from someone in college we all loved to someone who exclusively makes music for backyard parties populated by people in their late fifties is baffling. Do people like him because He sounds like the guy they used to listen to? I'm not quite sure but the fact that anyone still listens after hearing this record would be rather impressive.

4.0 out of 10