Mark Ronson is back with a huge hit under his belt featuring Bruno Mars. Uptown Funk is currently the #1 single in NZ, reaching GOLD status after a mere 3 weeks in the charts.
Review
What do you do when you're a connected and funded musician/producer who,
like many others pushing 40 or greater, is disappointed with commercial music
made by and for people born after your favorite era of music? If you're Mark
Ronson, you dial a Pulitzer-winning novelist, snare a sympathetic group of
stars, session giants, and unknowns, including a singer discovered during a
talent quest through churches from New Orleans to Chicago, and record another
tribute to your childhood soundtrack. Indeed, apart from the involvement of
Michael Chabon, whose lyrics color nine of the 11 songs, Uptown Special is
business as usual for Ronson and co-pilot Jeff Bhasker. The two songs that don't
involve Chabon made the earliest and deepest impressions. Bruno Mars showcase
“Uptown Funk,” despite aiming for early Time and landing closer to a
second-tier trifle – One Way's “Let's Talk,” for instance – topped
pop charts in a number of territories and went platinum in Ronson's native U.K.
“Feel Right,” led by Mystikal at his vulgar and ebullient best, splits the
difference between Bobby Byrd and Son of Bazerk. Everything else was co-written
with Chabon, whose somewhat surreal scenes are matched with predominantly hazier
and freewheeling sounds. These songs, including two highlights that boast the
dynamite rhythm section of Willie Weeks and Steve Jordan, as well as lazing
vocals from relative youngsters Andrew Wyatt and Kevin Parker, tend to evoke
summery soft rock/smooth soul hybrids of the mid- to late ‘70s, or certain
songs by later practitioners like Phoenix and Daft Punk. “I Can't Lose” is
the lone Chabon song that breaks a sweat – thick, twisted synth funk that
borrows from Soho's “Hot Music” and (cleanly) lifts from Snoop Dogg's
“Ain't No Fun,” featuring newcomer Keyone Starr in the role of Evelyn King
(or maybe Mary Jane Girls’ JoJo McDuffie). Neatly tied together by opening and
closing cuts that include Stevie Wonder on harmonica, because Ronson could swing
it, Uptown Special is another nostalgic fantasy that provides light
entertainment and provokes backtracking. Andy Kellman – Allmusic.com