Bruno Mars: Vigorous nods to vintage styles ...

[tonyb]

I haven't kept up with pop trends for 40 years or so, so I'm perhaps a bit tardy in learning just who this Bruno Mars fellow is and what he does to make his name.

I got hipped to this video just yesterday. Very stylish. Very. Whoever put the duds on these young men really ought to win some sort of award. The vintage influences are plainly evident, even to me, whose knowledge of such things pales in comparison to some of y'all's.

Gives me hope.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPf0YbXqDm0

 

[Dreamofgilgamesh]

Hmmmm, reminds me of an episode of Miami Vice.

 

[tonyb]

The cars are all -- what? -- 1980s models? That wasn't by accident. But the clothing styles would have been substantially "retro" even then. I believe I spotted a Hollywood jacket or two in the mix.

 

[RBH]

I like it!

 

[HoosierDaddy]

That's his new video. I posted it in the 'What are you listening to?' thread a couple weeks ago. I think it is very good as well.
HD

 

[Seb Lucas]

Hmmmm, reminds me of an episode of Miami Vice.

Yeah, I get that. Not all that enamored by the pink tux, or whatever it is. Interesting work but I moved on early. Maybe it'll grow on me.

 

[Benny Holiday]

Yeah, I get that. Not all that enamored by the pink tux, or whatever it is. Interesting work but I moved on early. Maybe it'll grow on me.

The local gym runs MTV or channel V music videos constantly, so I've seen Mr Mars doing his thang for a few years now. He started off with a Latino vibe with his hair in a pompador or wearing a stingy brim hat, singing pop songs, but of late he's lost weight, afro'd his hair and started to imitate Michael Jackson from the Off The Wall album days, doing that 70s feel and 70s funky music. My concern is, there was only one Michael Jackson.

 

[gamez32]

I don't see the MJ imitation at all. This reminds me a lot of Morris Day and The Time. It has a Jungle Love vibe. It sounds like Mark Ronson moved from recreating that '60s soul sound to '80s funk. I like it. Good song. Fun video. Thanks for sharing! I'll be adding this to my playlist.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Yeah...I don't see the MJ resemblance either...but more of a motown style smoothed down more into a slick funky sound. Some of his other songs are a bit too trashy over the top for me..but this one is something that I've enjoyed listening to many times. Good stuff in my view.
HD

 

[Benny Holiday]

Yeah I can see where you guys see a bit of that influence too. Possibly, being a pro musician for 24 years, I've just seen too many of my peers get fixated on the one artist and become a bit, let's see, derivative, and I'm projecting that idea onto poor ol' Bruno.

 

[emigran]

He is quite talented and his "retro" is very creative IMO