Doowops & Hooligans

Review

Common Sense Media says

R&B album is excellent; songs range from mellow to mature.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Doowops & Hooligans is a mixed bag of mellow and mature content. On the one hand, some sweet songs couldn't be cleaner, such as "Just the Way You Are." Yet other tunes describe a guy's attempts to land one casual sexual conquest after another, as well as drinking and marijuana use. Parents of tweens are better off downloading tracks versus purchasing the entire album.

  • Positive messages0
    Positive messages about supporting the person you care for are juxtaposed with negative lines about being a player and trying to dull emotional pain through substance use.
  • Positive role models0
    A mixed bag of behaviors: acceptance and support for loved ones, but also viewing others as sexual conquests and engaging in excessive alcohol and drug use.
  • Violence1
    The song "Grenade" uses violent metaphors to describe everything a guy would endure for his girl: "I'd catch a grenade for ya ... fall on a blade for ya."
  • Sex2
    Some lyrics about sex -- "clothes are not required for what we got planned" -- and sexual situations -- "throw my hand in my pants."
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What's the story?

The first full-length album from super-smooth R&B crooner Bruno Mars, the Grammy-nominated DOOWOPS & HOOLIGANS, contains 10 songs that are all over the map content-wise. Some tunes like "Just the Way You Are" and "Count on Me" couldn't be cleaner or more endearing, describing a guy's love and devotion for his favorite girl. Yet other songs, including "Runaway" and "Liquor Store Blues," cover just about every adult topic there is, from casual sex to drug and alcohol use.

Is it any good?

 

There's a reason why everyone from Eminem to B.o.B. has asked Bruno Mars to contribute vocals to their music: he has killer pipes. In his own album, the pure, airy quality of his vocals combines with various arrangements ranging from reggae to R&B, making for a super-catchy record that could serve as the backdrop for any good time.

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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about why Bruno Mars would record songs with such strikingly different maturity levels on this album. Does it broaden his audience?

  • Which type of song do you like better on this album -- the squeaky-clean tunes or the much more adult tracks? Why?

This review was written by Stephanie Bruzzese

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This review was written by Stephanie Bruzzese
Artist:Bruno Mars
Type:Album
Release date:October 3, 2011
Label:Elektra
Genre:R&B
Parental advisory:No
Edited version available:No
This review was written by Stephanie Bruzzese
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

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