Atlantic / Wea
2005
Mr. A-Z
About This Album
In case you didn't catch the pun in the title of Jason Mraz's sophomore album, Mr. A-Z, the perpetually sophomoric singer/songwriter repeats it in the chorus of "Wordplay," the first single from this follow-up to his hit 2002 debut, Waiting for My Rocket to Come. It's a play on his last name, which is appropriate, since it not only indicates how self-absorbed Mraz is, but it's a good match for the dirty joke title of his debut. That's because Jason Mraz is primarily concerned with two things: himself and sex. But even when he's talking about the latter, he fits the former into the equation -- "I've been working on getting you off, so get on board," for instance -- because he does consider himself to be quite a compelling presence. After all, he's "been a new sensation," as he declares on "Wordplay," which is likely the first single to ever be about an artist planning to beat the sophomore slump by having a hit with the very tune you're currently hearing. In this song, Mr. A-Z himself claims that "it's all about the wordplay" because "I am the wizard of oohs." Now if Mr. Wizard was really all about the wordplay -- that is, all about rhyming games and clever juxtapositions -- he would realize that his self-anointed title doesn't sound like "The Wizard of Oz" (and no amount of musical quotations from the film's theme song will change that), it sounds like he's the "wizard of ooze.
Track List
(try tracks 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 and 9)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Similar Albums
Fifty Miles To Chicago
by Andrew Ripp
Alex Mejias
by Alex Mejias
Worthwhile
by John Michael
Living Between The Bridges
by Sal Casabianca
The Good Hurt
by Beau Davidson
this is the most bias idiotic reveiw i've eva read---i agree with kwhaydon3!
|
||
geez who ever wrote this review sounds like THEY like themselves quite a lot too. get over yourself.
|
||
i hate jason mraz's music. it sucks. so F@#K U jason mraz. but i like the pun MR. A-Z. so you get .5/10
|
||
Ok, so is everyone supposed to like his music? Mr. Erlewine had the balls to actually say what he thought of the music and artist.
Btw skeller95, he didn't command you to read it. You read it yourself. How is that shoving his opinion on you? If he said "oh, I loved his music" that would also be an opinion, but you'd probably like that one since it is in line with what you believe. Have an open mind, not everyone likes the things you do. A bunch of you sound like narrow-minde d buffoons. |
||
Well...those are a lot of petty reasons not to like a musician. Or, you know, anyone. Wait, someone tlaked about themselves and sex on a record? Holy bees, call the press, it's like those are two main staples of a lyrical diet. Which I suspect one should already know if one listens to enough music.
Way to be Mr. Eriewine. Good show. Keep up all the good work. I'm sure you're utterly selfless, seeing as how you're shoving your opinion on others and all. Utterly. Selfless. |
||
Yeah I completely agree with you kelliegbrown obvously the reviewer does not like him But I like him!!=D
|
||
Don't know much about this artist. Just heard through Pandora but i really like him! Not sure where the reviewer is coming from. Sounds way too personal...i thought the reviewer was an ex-girlfrien d . . .
|
||
bowengabriel sounds about right, it really does sound like something out of the mouth of a whiny ex than an open-minded music critic.
|
||
Jason is terrific!!! Saw him in concert and love his music, it speks to old and young
|
||
Obviously Mr. Erlewine is not a fan of the Mraz. I can't believe he thinks Jason is conceited on himself. Anyone who knows anything about Jason knows he doesn't take the hype of himself too seriously. And he is a very gracious and thoughtful person. He is always promoting up and coming artists and knows all about good karma. Hope Mr. Erlewine believes in karma too, we will see what he gets back from the universe putting out there so much negative energy!
|
||
Dang man is this reviewer a tad biased against Mraz or what? Horrible review. They act more like an ex girlfriend then a critic.
|
||
I would like something to be done about this reviewer. At the very least, provide another accredited reviewer that actually enjoys the music and/or the artist so it is balanced information. It's one thing to give your opinion - quite another to be snide while doing so and I think Erlewine seems to forget is that.
|
||
Ouch. Scorcher review for an album that was nominated by Recording Academy for Best engineered album of the year--oh, but you never mentioned that...
|
||
Mr. Erlewine, what did Mraz ever do to you? I think Pandora should get a less biased reveiwer.
|
||
All these complaints about this review - geez ! Watch a video of Mraz doing I'm Yours live and you'll see how much more honest he's become as an artist than doing this pseudo-rap. I skipped 3 songs on this album, but favorited his more recent stuff. I dont' like the slick production or the 'all about me' lyrics of this album, but that's just my taste I guess- I've heard him do far better since...
|
||
Umm... that review sucks. Jason Mraz is a great artist. Erlewine, you have a grudge against him, don't you?
|
||
Wow - tell us how you really feel Mr. Erlewine. That really needs to be corrected. Fortunately Mr. Mraz has all us fans to counter the Mr. Erlewines of the world. Maybe we like a little sexual inuendo, maybe we prefer a little blatent sexuality. "Wizard of ooze" - I don't think so. Maybe you should listen a little closer to his songs before you write a such a nasty review.
|
||
I absolutly love Jason Mraz and everything he stands for. I couldn't disagree more with Stephen Thomas Erlewine, who wrote about the album. Jason is a great artist who sings about things more that what is usually on the main stream. He uses clever play on words to give messages about love and happiness. I hope there is a rewright on the reveiw because it is disgraceful!
|
||
Quite possibly one of the most underrated albums I've seen... Plane and Mr. Curiosity are beautiful, and I love Geek in the Pink and Clockwatchin g . I have been able to get so many of my friends addicted to Mraz because they listened to this album just once. Don't worry about this reviewer's bias... Mraz is a lovely man, a lovely musician, and a lovely artist. He's a fun, silly, sexy nice guy... and above all, his voice is just incredible.
|
||
PLANE DRIVES ME NUTS-IT'S SUCH AN AWESOME SONG-I CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF IT
|
||
I lost mine and have to get it again :( SAD but love it still.
|
||
jason mraz is an amazingly talented musician. he sounds good acoustic or amped. this CD isn't my favorite, but it's still good. If you liked this then definitely try out We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things.
also...in response to the Teddy comment, yes teddy geiger is wonderful. |
||
I must get this CD!!! i didn't realize who this dude was till i heard "wordplay" he rocks! I think if you like Jason Mras you like Gavin Degraw! Both men are M-A-ZING!
|
||
There are about 8 songs on this album that should have been huge hits. This is such an underrated album.
|
||
Hey is amazinng and makes me think of TEDDY GEIGER..... HE is BETTER than Jason!!!!!!! ! ! !
!!!!!!!!!!!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! |
||
This mans voice is not a voice, it's an instrument. He just became my favorite artist.
|
||
| report abuse |
Portions of content provided by All Music Guide © 2006 All Media Guide, LLC.