Laugh at What I Love - Jason Mraz

Laugh at what I love.

Ha. Ha. Ha.

I love reading and writing these SYFFAL columns, but why are you laughing and should I be ashamed? I told my wife I was going to do a ‘guilty pleasure’ piece on Jason Mraz and she asked me why anybody would laugh at me for liking him. I couldn’t answer her. Perhaps it is because we love to hate the popular. Denying what is main-stream makes us appear more unique and more hip. Nowhere is the construction of these illusionistic facades more prevalent than in the indie music community.

So, I am willing to bet that there are people out there who’d laugh at me for adoring Jason Mraz because he is too main stream.

…Or because some of his lyrics are a little corny.

…Or because he wears funny hats.

…Or because they can’t determine his sexual preference.

Well, Shut Your fucking Face! I happen to like this cheesy muthafucker. Laugh if you will and get ready for the nut sucking to begin:

I started to listen to Jason Mraz the year after I graduated from college. At the time I was really into the singer/songwriter thang. I remember driving in my beat up red ‘91 BMW (a car that only Frank Ocean could appreciate) when You and I Both came on the radio. The chorus hit and my douchey Abercrombie hat was blown off my head. No, it wasn’t the wind gushing in through my crank-powered sunroof; it was shear power of Jason Mraz’s voice.

I immediately thought to myself in this order. A) That was the most powerful, yet clear voices I have ever heard. B) Who did this heavenly voice belong to?’C) I hope I have a clean pair of underoos in my trunk.

I don’t care what anybody says, Jason Mraz can belt out a melody. Holy shit, have you ever really listened to one of his songs? The talent is not only in the power of his delivery; it is in the clarity of his voice. There are very few artists out there who are able to sing comprehensible lyrics in their full vocal range. I can understand every single word without straining my ear one bit. Rhythmically, his lyrical lines can be pretty damn complex too. I would have a hard time reading them off of a piece of paper aloud, yet, they roll off his tongue effortlessly.

His vocal gymnastics are impressive, but Mraz’s song writing is not to be over looked. He has the uncanny ability to write that perfect pop song; they are fun, carefree and uplifting. These traits may be a call for criticism because they lack seriousness, but until you write a song that millions of people will sing and dance along to, you can shove that pointing serious finger up your anus.

Some hard core music enthusiasts think all good music must contain intricate and abstract elements….and, of course, Beach Boy-esque harmonies. I’m guilty of this too. Sometimes I need to stop taking myself so seriously. I need to stop analyzing songs and just enjoy them for how they make me feel.

... this is when I turn on some Jason Mraz and allow his cheesy lyrics to take me to a special place where everybody wears pretentious hats and is a little metro-sexual. Wait, did just describe California?