Mr. A-Z
by Jason Mraz
  • Record Label: Atlantic
  • Release Date: Jul 26, 2005
User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 69 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 53 out of 69
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 69
  3. Negative: 11 out of 69

Review this album

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. Mab_987
    Jul 25, 2012
    7
    Jason Mraz seems to change from album to album. With 2002's Waiting for My Rocket to Come he came off as that fun local singer-songwriter with quirky lyrical tendencies that you hoped to catch at a small club next week. 2008's We Sing We Dance We Steal Things showed a more accessible yet also more vast & anthemic style. His most recent effort, Love Is a Four Letter Word, shows a moreJason Mraz seems to change from album to album. With 2002's Waiting for My Rocket to Come he came off as that fun local singer-songwriter with quirky lyrical tendencies that you hoped to catch at a small club next week. 2008's We Sing We Dance We Steal Things showed a more accessible yet also more vast & anthemic style. His most recent effort, Love Is a Four Letter Word, shows a more contemplative and insightful side that ditched the fun immaturity altogether for serious beauty and sincerity. I'm not sure which of these is his best but I can tell you that it is NOT this one. Mr. A-Z shows Jason making an interesting yet also slightly awkward stylistic transition that sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. Here's a brief track-by-track review of each song here. --- Life is Wonderful: Lyrics can be a little overly simplistic at times but I think that's the point of this acoustic opener: to point out a lot of little things in life to appreciate that get bigger & bigger as the song goes on. I like the way it builds instrumentally too. 8/10 --- Wordplay: This is probably the song here that's most like his debut, especially in the lyrics & vocal delivery in the verses. The lyrics can come off as obnoxiously self-aware at times but the melody's so great that I don't really care. Also this is probably the most straightforward rock track on the album, and it makes sense why this is the big single from the album. 8/10 --- Geek in the Pink: This is where the album starts to fail; this album contains some of Jason's "douchiest" tracks to date. In this song he's basically picking up a girl to have sex with her. What happened to the likable cool guy in Waiting for My Rocket to Come? Now in songs like this he's a womanizer on club-rap levels. Music's pretty catchy though, and probably the poppiest on the album. 5/10. ---- Did You Get My Message: I don't have much to say about this. The melody's forgettable and the lyrics really tend to meander in one place. 5/10 --- Mr. Curiosity: This is a nice refreshing piano piece about looking for love. Not sure if the opera singer was necessary though. 7/10 --- Clockwatching: This song is pretty good musically but it's ruined by a bunch of annoying postage & airplane metaphors for sex. I'll never lick a stamp the same way again... 5/10 --- Bella Luna: This acoustic ballad has an interesting Spanish vibe to it musically and Jason's vocals & lyrics put a nice spin on it that really fits. 7/10 --- Plane: This song also uses airplane (or rather airport) metaphors again but it's used well here to apply to being forced to leave a new lover. This is perfectly supported by some beautiful instrumentation including a piano and a string section. 8/10 --- O, Lover: This is the album's low point. It's just uncomfortably sexual. Sort of like Geek in the Pink but more graphic. 4/10 --- Please Don't Tell Her: This is a satisfyingly bitter post-breakup song that almost sounds like an 80s power ballad in the chorus. But you know, in Jason Mraz mode. 8/10 --- Forecast: More awkward sex metaphors. Yay...? 4/10 --- Song for a Friend: This is by far the most epic & ambitious song here at a staggering 8 minutes in length, complete with distorted guitar solos, self-harmonizing left & right, and multiple sections including a piano breakdown in the middle that very gradually builds back up one instrument at a time Perfect way to end the album. 8/10 --- Bonus tracks: Jason's solo acoustic guitar cover of Elton John's "Rocket Man" does a good job of not copying entirely but still stays true to the original for the most part. And in my eyes that's what makes a good cover. Burning Bridges and Prettiest Friend are okay but are pretty forgettable, and you can kinda see why they were left off of the album. Maybe with some tweaking and extra instrumentation they could've ended up on We Sing We Dance We Steal Things. --- Overall while there are some great tracks here, this is the only Jason Mraz where I can really say there are any bad songs, with I'm Yours probably being an exception. Usually the stuff I delete from my iTunes from Mraz is forgettable filler like Did You Get My Message. This is a weird time in his discography to say the least. This album really shows that Jason is best when either deep & poignant or clever & fun, and at his worst when talking about sex because it makes him come off as a total douchebag. I'd give Mr. A-Z a 69/100.

    Favorite tracks: Life is Wonderful, Wordplay, Plane, Please Don't Tell Her, Song for a Friend.
    Least favorite tracks: Geek in the Pink, Clockwatching, O Lover, Forecast.    … Expand
  2. JoeyP
    Sep 10, 2007
    9
    Fantastic lyricist, and part of his charm is his near-arrogant delivery. Like an American Jamie T, but I can listen to more than 2 songs without losing interest! His studio stuff is not in the same league as his live recordings (in particular 'The Dream Life Of Rand McNally' performed at Java Joe's), as the focus is taken away from the lyrics, but in terms of pop music Fantastic lyricist, and part of his charm is his near-arrogant delivery. Like an American Jamie T, but I can listen to more than 2 songs without losing interest! His studio stuff is not in the same league as his live recordings (in particular 'The Dream Life Of Rand McNally' performed at Java Joe's), as the focus is taken away from the lyrics, but in terms of pop music there is no modern-day artist that is more enjoyable to listen to.… Expand
  3. LenT.
    Jul 1, 2007
    10
    I spent the last 30 years listening almost exclusively to one artist - James Taylor. Sometimes months at a time with the same cassette in my car. I haven't heard anyone in all those years that I could imagine liking as much - and it will take many CD's to compete with JT, but Jason Mraz is as close as I have seen anyone come. He is a brilliant songwriter, fantastic voice and I spent the last 30 years listening almost exclusively to one artist - James Taylor. Sometimes months at a time with the same cassette in my car. I haven't heard anyone in all those years that I could imagine liking as much - and it will take many CD's to compete with JT, but Jason Mraz is as close as I have seen anyone come. He is a brilliant songwriter, fantastic voice and very unique and creative. I just hope he catches on! Len… Expand
  4. NewMrazFan
    Mar 4, 2007
    9
    This guy is amazingly talented. So poetic in his songwriting. And he sings like no other. One of the nicest pop albums I've heard.
  5. JonG
    Aug 21, 2006
    10
    This album is absolutely amazing. It's so different from Waiting for My Rocket To Come, but it's still very Mraz. THe entire album is amazing, but if I had to pick standouts, they would be: Bella Luna, Plane, O. Lover, and Song For A Friend.
  6. NunoT
    Jul 11, 2006
    7
    Just another album to gain dust in my cd collection
  7. PresidentBush
    Jul 5, 2006
    6
    3 good songs on the record so dont buy this album unless u want to be dissapointed by how odd the songs are as they are as an example of hip-hop when last album they were adult alternative adult-related songs which were pretty good but the song style changed and it sucks the way he did on the first albums song but i forget the same... so all im trying to say is dont buy this album because 3 good songs on the record so dont buy this album unless u want to be dissapointed by how odd the songs are as they are as an example of hip-hop when last album they were adult alternative adult-related songs which were pretty good but the song style changed and it sucks the way he did on the first albums song but i forget the same... so all im trying to say is dont buy this album because it is not very good and is not adult alternative unless for the two songs "clockwatching" and "wordplay" and those songs arent satisfied. i suggest if u like mraz though, check out 50 cents new album the massecre. its great heavy metal with great lyrics so rock on dudes in the 50 cent band so another cd i would reccomend is the dead kennadys b/c its great rap and the music and moments in this album is unforgettable with Robert Plants lyrics. And i love eminem and their singer Eddie Van Halen rocks on the jazz"""""""""""""""" Oh yeah i forgot M… Expand
  8. EdB
    Jun 13, 2006
    10
    best album ever!
  9. jw
    Apr 12, 2006
    5
    What IS it about sophomore albums, anyway? This is the SECOND hip neo-songwriter bandwagon I've been unceremoniously thrown off of in as many years. I get that narcissism is the new black and all, but this disc, like "Heavier Things," is completely ridiculous. Both Mraz and John Mayer arrived on the scene so brilliantly it's almost impossible to believe how far they fell with What IS it about sophomore albums, anyway? This is the SECOND hip neo-songwriter bandwagon I've been unceremoniously thrown off of in as many years. I get that narcissism is the new black and all, but this disc, like "Heavier Things," is completely ridiculous. Both Mraz and John Mayer arrived on the scene so brilliantly it's almost impossible to believe how far they fell with these two albums. Both seem to have listened too closely to their own hype. In Mayer's case, he seems to have swallowed whatever was left of that "Wonderland" pill and gone off the deep end. Apparently buoyed by the swoons resulting from that single, he is tireless in the assertion of his man-ness. Radio play refuses to let us forget the mind-numbing chant of "Daughters," with the immortal lyric: "On behalf of every man looking out for every girl/You are the god and the weight of her world." Are women really okay with lines like that? Enough of them must be. But please John - never speak on my behalf again. Mraz is similarly basking in the glow of himself here - though admittedly it is not so much offensive as it is annoying. Obviously he has made an effort to feature what he had heard were the top selling points of his first effort (i.e., his clover-honey falsetto and the ever present "wordplay," which is now featured as a topic unto itself). Wordplay, wordplay, wordplay..."It's all about the wordplay," he tells us. Nevermind that the wordplay of the first album was based on what were generally useful and exciting lyrics. These songs are scarcely more than a topic sentence followed by prolonged Brat Scat. And there are so many of them! All attesting to the brilliance of the first album without ever duplicating it. The opening track, "Life Is Wonderful" is a fake-out, much like the better "Clarity" was from Mayer. Both songs seem remnants left over from the debut albums, and both belie the silliness to come.… Expand
  10. DanielleM
    Jan 20, 2006
    10
    Wonderful....easy to listen to, and makes you want to sing along--though it is tough to keep up with Mr. A-Z
  11. DanielleH
    Nov 10, 2005
    8
    Oh how i love jason mraz. The tongue twisting lyrics, keeping a jumble in the lyrics (get it). But some how he kind of fell flat with the whole innocent sexual vibe, almost a "did he just say what i think he said" sort of lyrical mix-up. He voice is very mellow, chill. If it songs like "bella luna:" and "song for a friend" werent on the album i dont know what i would do. it is a permant Oh how i love jason mraz. The tongue twisting lyrics, keeping a jumble in the lyrics (get it). But some how he kind of fell flat with the whole innocent sexual vibe, almost a "did he just say what i think he said" sort of lyrical mix-up. He voice is very mellow, chill. If it songs like "bella luna:" and "song for a friend" werent on the album i dont know what i would do. it is a permant staple of my playlist though. I just want a little less tasting all over his face, I know what you are trying to say you dirty little boy....call me jason my number is... call your buddy John Mayer we will have good time ::wink wink::… Expand
  12. EliseP
    Nov 7, 2005
    10
    Had to warm up to it since I iwas used to his live stuff, but I love it. I love Mraz's voice and lyrical style. I can't stop listening to it.
  13. JeannetteM
    Nov 5, 2005
    10
    Although I do agree that Jason's older stuff is a lot better, I still love this cd and think that new "mr a-z" Mraz is 100 times better than pretty much anything out there
  14. MandieL
    Oct 28, 2005
    10
    This Album is amazing, I agree that his live stuff is phenominal, but isn't live stuff always better(or it should be at least)? This Album has been in my player since it came out and i don't plan on taking it out anytime soon!
  15. CANDICEC
    Oct 26, 2005
    6
    I must say, i am a huge jason fan, all though this cd was kinda bubbly pop, he is very talented , i agree java joes and the old school ones are most def. the best, so check those out before listening to the bad reviews, and well sadly the new cd, some songs are good tho, but its not W.F.M.R.T.C. :)
  16. StaceyB
    Oct 26, 2005
    10
    Love this CD!!!
  17. liaisonmr.
    Oct 20, 2005
    9
    so creative, though a little bit confusing =D
  18. Bee
    Oct 17, 2005
    10
    Hey, this cd RAWKS. I love the song "Wordplay". Jason Mraz is extremely talented.
  19. Bill
    Oct 17, 2005
    9
    Critics be damned! It has a completely new and fresh sound that doesn't just throw guitar rifts or poorly written lyrics out there. It brings a new feel with jazzy style and originality that so many cookie cutter bands can't compair to. I'd highly recommend this and other works by Mr. A-Z.
  20. BethC
    Oct 16, 2005
    2
    Jason Mraz used to be amazing-before he sold out and became mainstream. His new CD is awful compared to anything I have ever heard by him. Live at Java Joe's is what Jason Mraz should really sound like; instead he makes a CD for little pre-teens. I'm thoroughly disappointed.
  21. [Anonymous]
    Oct 13, 2005
    3
    Mraz has an exclusive fanbase of white girls and mommies, and he knows it well. His cocky, self-adoring behavior comes off far too easily in his songs, as does his background in musical theater, which may be the reason this album is so awful. Or maybe it's that one could easily imagine him strumming his guitar during lunch break while in costume for "Guys & Dolls," singing "Wordplay" Mraz has an exclusive fanbase of white girls and mommies, and he knows it well. His cocky, self-adoring behavior comes off far too easily in his songs, as does his background in musical theater, which may be the reason this album is so awful. Or maybe it's that one could easily imagine him strumming his guitar during lunch break while in costume for "Guys & Dolls," singing "Wordplay" and melting the collective heart of the girls in the Chorus.… Expand
  22. ChristineR
    Sep 30, 2005
    10
    This was an amazing cd!!!
  23. EllieD
    Sep 27, 2005
    10
    Give the guy a break on this album, i have to say that its definatly as good as his last and 'did you get me message?' is an awesome song!
  24. GreyH
    Sep 26, 2005
    10
    Jason Mraz is an incredible talent and this CD showcases his AMAZING vocal skills. It is his best CD? Probably not. But It's still an incredible one. Critics claiming that he is self-absorbed and those mindless drones claiming that this isn't real music have nothing of substance to back up their ridiculous claims... they are just hopping on a bandwagon.
  25. Mharris
    Sep 24, 2005
    9
    I am an avid fan of Mraz when it's acoustic. It takes a lot to be better on stage than in a studio and he's at his best live. This CD took a few listens to get me hooked, but now i love it. No 2 songs sound alike and thats refreshing. Wordplay is easily the worst but was originally intended as a joke to take a jab at the music industry and the original lyrics read "blah, blah I am an avid fan of Mraz when it's acoustic. It takes a lot to be better on stage than in a studio and he's at his best live. This CD took a few listens to get me hooked, but now i love it. No 2 songs sound alike and thats refreshing. Wordplay is easily the worst but was originally intended as a joke to take a jab at the music industry and the original lyrics read "blah, blah blah: it's all about the airplay. Unfortunately it got edited but ultimately it is.… Expand
  26. SunnyMom
    Sep 16, 2005
    8
    BOY! What a tough crowd! I heard "Did you get my message?" as a ringtone and purchased the CD on itunes. Get over it, critics! This guy is great! He's creative, goofily articulate, and a damned site better than most of the top 40 artists in his range of style. I am finding this CD thoroughly enjoyable. My favorite is "Geek in the Pink". Oh - and about the maturity thing - I think BOY! What a tough crowd! I heard "Did you get my message?" as a ringtone and purchased the CD on itunes. Get over it, critics! This guy is great! He's creative, goofily articulate, and a damned site better than most of the top 40 artists in his range of style. I am finding this CD thoroughly enjoyable. My favorite is "Geek in the Pink". Oh - and about the maturity thing - I think it's quite mature to make good music and lyrics without profanity or overt references to sexuality. Jason - ignore the critics - Do your thang !!!… Expand
  27. chrisc
    Sep 14, 2005
    10
    the variety of sounds - and his unbelievable voice - make this album a must! even if its for high school girls and guitar playing college boys!
  28. WizardU
    Sep 8, 2005
    1
    Sorry, but Jason Mraz is a goofball with slim talent, at best. Vomiting dense hack poetry over generic music does not make him a good songwriter. Did I actually read somewhere that someone compared this guy to Dylan?? That's like comparing Ashlee Simpson to Patty Smith. Sorry, but this guy sucks. Oh, but he uses a lot of words, so he's "smart". Yeah, right.
  29. JaxC
    Sep 4, 2005
    10
    awesome cd, he really exhibits his versatility in all different styles of music and how he has grown up from "Waiting For My Rocket to Come". although, i love him when he keeps things simple with him and his guitar, this album really showed off his ability to add neat effects where he wouldn't be able to do live. sounds great!
  30. AllisonL
    Sep 4, 2005
    9
    I'd really like to know why people are jumping down his throat and referring to him as cocky. Wordplay is the only entirely self-referential song on the album, and it's not even supposed to sound cocky.. it's supposed to be a parody. For the record, I think the song Wordplay sucks, and it's my least favorite song on the album. I'm pretty bummed that it was his I'd really like to know why people are jumping down his throat and referring to him as cocky. Wordplay is the only entirely self-referential song on the album, and it's not even supposed to sound cocky.. it's supposed to be a parody. For the record, I think the song Wordplay sucks, and it's my least favorite song on the album. I'm pretty bummed that it was his first single. The rest of the album, however, is pop at its best. The songs are very diverse and Jason's voice allows him to pull it off nicely. It's got a song for any occasion, whether you're in the mood for easy listening or upbeat songs.… Expand
prev
Page:

Awards & Rankings

74
#74 Most Discussed Album of 2005

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
58

Mixed or average reviews - based on 15 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 15
  3. Negative: 2 out of 15
  1. AllMusic
    50
    For those who enjoyed the wise-ass undercurrent of his debut, this will be a delight. For those who enjoyed "The Remedy (I Won't Worry)," there will be too much narcissistic tomfoolery here to make this enjoyable. For those who never understood the appeal of Jason Mraz in the first place, Mr. A-Z will make them realize that they've really been taking John Mayer for granted.
    Read full review
  2. Amazon.com
    60
    Fortunately, producer Steve Lillywhite is on hand to clean things up, giving even the most bumbling lyrical experiments, such as "Wordplay" and "Geek in the Pink," at least the illusion of a newfound maturity.
    Read full review
  3. Billboard
    60
    There's an overriding sense of preciousness that permeates "Mr. A-Z," and a few instances ("O. Lover," "The Forecast") where his homages to '70s AM radio sneak over into copies.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »