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" They need a new song like a new religion, music for the television, " sings Jason Mraz in " wordplay, " Mr. A–Z’s self-aware first single, and an identical cousin of his equally reflective 2003 breakthrough tune " The Remedy. " Is it a commentary about soulless pop consumption? The soundtrack to junior-high beach parties on the Jersey shore? Maybe it can be both. Mraz keeps things cute on Mr. A–Z while evincing more musical prowess than he did last time around. Guided by flawless vocals, he hits his mark in singer-songwriterly pop tunes like " Bella Luna " and " Mr. Curiosity. " When producer Steve Lillywhite can’t keep Mraz’s musical ADD in check on overcooked tunes like " Plane " and " O Lover, " the results aren’t so good. Mraz’s white-boy flows are tossed in with operatic soprano bridges and pop cooing, but in this weird world of all things musical, the mood is more gleeful than earnest. For Mr. A–Z, it’s all about the play in the wordplay. Jason Mraz + Raul Midon + Carbon Leaf | Orpheum Theatre, 1 Hamilton Place, Boston | Oct 9 | 617.931.2000. BY JONATHAN STERN
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Issue Date: September 16 - 22, 2005 Back to the Music table of contents |
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