I had a longtime grudge against Bruno Mars throughout my childhood—I deemed him obnoxious, full of himself, a complete pick-me boy, and as my sister once put it, a “simp.” I could only see his music as the kind that plays perpetually in Bed Bath and Beyond.

However, as Mars matured and his negative traits shifted into what I now interpret as confidence and swagger, I fell head over heels for each and every one of his songs. His new album, where he is accompanied by the equally charming Anderson .Paak, is no exception.

An Evening With Silk Sonic was an incredible blast from the past—no, not Mars’s displeasing older tracks, but even further back in history. Each song gave off a bopping 70s mood, which is the exact refreshing splash I needed with all of the similarly sung in 2020’s music.

The first song I ever encountered from An Evening With Silk Sonic was “Leave the Door Open.” While this song was technically a slow song, it radiated a passionate energy that was powerful, yet restrained. The degree of mystery pulled me in, and the syrupy serenade made me stick with it. This song is the album’s show-stealing star, but personally, there were songs that outshined it.

“Fly as Me” was one of these songs. While it may appear cocky, I thought “Fly as Me” was incredibly fun and catchy. On my first listen, I was able to sing along by the second half. I literally started grooving in my seat and dancing along with the retro tune. “Fly as Me” was an immaculate blend of catchiness and originality.

However, “Fly as Me” wasn’t the ear-catching track that caused me to pursue the rest of the album. I don’t exactly remember where I first came across “Skate,” but I do remember exactly how I felt when I heard it: enthralled. I knew I had to find the title of “Skate” so I could let the electricity it dispelled fly through my neurons once more. 80s roller rinks and neon signs flash in front of my eyes as Mars and .Paak worked their magic. “Skate” may have been my favorite song with its appeal to my senses, but it certainly shouldn’t cause the other songs in An Evening With Silk Sonic to be overlooked.

“Smokin Out the Window,” while having slightly risque lyrics, was very mood-inducing. I could easily picture a city-dweller leaning out of their window amidst surrounding chaos while smoking in a melancholy manner into the night. It was slow, but not in the stereotypical sappy way. Despite the fact that the song was about romance, it had an annoyed and glum attitude that contrasted the average romance song.

“Smokin Out the Window” was a perfect cooldown, but the pace of An Evening With Silk Sonic was jerked back up with the perfect finale song “777.” The electric guitar in the introduction was just one distinctive quality that kept a firm hold on my attention. When coupled with the new influx of profanities, I felt like throwing on a pair of sunglasses and going out downtown. The exclamations throughout the song also added another dimension to it. There wasn’t a dull moment in this masterpiece.

While I wasn’t expecting Mars and .Paak to be my latest obsessions, I cannot get enough of An Evening With Silk Sonic. “Skate,” “Fly as Me,” and “777” will most certainly be some of my new go-to tunes to set the mood whenever I need a good bop. Oh, and Bruno, I’m sorry for my string of initial insults—this album blew me away, and not a single one of my former complaints are applicable to An Evening With Silk Sonic.