Train: California 37

In the world of rock and roll, growing old with dignity is hard. Age slows us down and mellows us out and those two characteristics are not associated with the fast-paced and wild image that prevails of the rock music world. Very few manage to maintain a cool look when performing the songs they wrote when they were in their twenties and ever fewer can write equally good new material without sounding like sad copies of themselves.

Just ask Guns ‘n Roses’ Axl Rose or try and listen to any recent Korn album without cringing. Many bands quit (R.E.M., Sonic Youth), others tone down their sound (Metallica) and some keep regurgitating what they’ve been doing for decades (The Rolling Stones).


Kim Thayil’s guitar traditionally wails around on the dissonant side of the spectrum and singer Chris Cornell still deals out high-pitched screeches like a rock version of Celine Dion – but they have audibly matured. And considering that the grunge kids of two decades ago have aged with them, many will appreciate this more grown-up, adult sound.



After 52 minutes, one question remains: now that Soundgarden seems to have arrived at their definitive sound, will they become one of those established bands that don’t evolve anymore? Like fellow Seattle-ites Pearl Jam, or grandfathers of rock Aerosmith, for example. Or will they continue to develop their sound, like Muse or Radiohead?

After his light-reggae hit ‘I’m Yours’, Jason Mraz has released his fourth album Love Is a Four Letter Word to further establish his image as a fun, peace-loving, the-world-is-a-wonderful-place kind of artist. In an album where the larger share of words revolve around love, he manages to do just that, failing to avoid, however, that seemingly unavoidable curse of cheesy lyrics.

What some might see traditional and romantic, others might easily see as outdated and heavily repetitive. ‘I Won’t Give Up’, with its quiet guitar riffs and pertinent backing vocals, gives considerable space for Mraz’s own vocals to show but let’s be hones; “When I look into your eyes, it’s like watching the night sky” isn’t exactly innovative.

Though most of the album’s instrumentalism is cleverly layered, ‘The Freedom Song’ is much simpler in sound. Distinct horn accents, a foot-tapping beat and a bubbly mood; the general mellow tones of the song, along with its reassuring lyrics, make this a feel-good track all over.  

‘Be Honest’ is another subtle track that can take the listener back in time in an instant. Featuring singer-songwriter Inara George in the chorus, the song has a lounge music air surrounding it, all with a peculiar addition of a xylophone and an acoustic guitar.

The majority of the songs on Love is a Four Letter Word are able to stand on their own, yet as an album, it has a strange lack of obvious hits. Even the single ‘I Won’t Give Up’ doesn’t hit home as expected of a chart entry. However, fans who were introduced to Mraz’s music through ‘I’m Yours’ will probably fall in love with its twin ‘Living in the Moment’ complete with trademark casual guitar strumming, catchy whistling and a similarly positive vibe.

When it comes down to it, Jason Mraz’s latest album will hardly change the music scene. But it can be considered a step forward for listeners who thought his former mono-emotional style too much to listen to throug a dozen or so songs per album. At some points, it even comes dangerously close to a country sound, as can be seen in‘Frank D. Fixer’.

Overall, Love Is a Four Letter Word is a safe ride that rarely goes through ups or downs; it talks about love in a very generic sense and doesn’t at any point hit a peak. The upbeat, high-pitched guitar-padded tunes are less in this album than the previous ones which hopefully hints at Mraz’s future evolution as an artist.