An excellent fifth studio album
L-o-v-e is what Jason Mraz sings about. Consistently. He believes in it and it is all over his work. You don’t like it then move on because he is not going to change. This laid back guy, whose sound appeals to the middle aged as much as it does to younger audience, has taken his time crafting his career and writing the songs that go onto his album and it is my two cents worth that he should not change a thing. Mraz is a guy who doesn’t care about musical trends or what is hot at the moment as he is a true storyteller that uses songs as his medium. There has always been a kind of seventies folksy vibe to whatever he has done and a kind of warmth and humour in his lyrics that will put a smile even on the most cynical person’s face. He continues all that on Yes! There is definitely a folk feel going on here. Most of the songs are of the feel good variety especially on the tracks “Rise”, “Love Someone” and the album closer “Shine”. A change of direction and tone comes in the form of the cover of the Boys II Men (though it was also a hit for Motown act GC Cameron) song “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye”. Sad but smooth. Plus it really doesn’t feel like just a thrown in cover as it really fits in with the rest of the album. What he has added on with Yes! is the harmonies created by his voice and those of the ladies of Raining Jane, who appear on most of the tracks so this is really a collaborative effort. Together they create a nice full sound that is not overwhelming. Fans of his previous work will stay on board while I’m sure new ones will hop on.
