Dig These Discs: The Hamilton Mixtape, The Weeknd, Bruno Mars, Little Mix, Pink Martini, DNCE

Hawaiian-born Bruno Mars releases his third studio album this month, and the retro showman will have you moving your feet to his funky beats. Canadian singer/songwriter The Weeknd releases his third studio album, "Starboy," a sprawling collection of 18 tracks. Little Mix, a British girl group formed in 2011 during the eighth season on the UK version of "The X Factor," releases their fourth studio album, a dozen pop tunes that rely on the girls' harmonies to fuel them. The 15-piece, Portland-based band members that make up the outfit Pink Martini releases their ninth studio album, a "cavalcade of songs" in French, Farsi, Armenian, Portuguese, Arabic, Turkish, Xhosa and English, affirming their 22-year history of global inclusivity. American pop-rock band DNCE releases their self-titled studio debut. And the biggest artists of today put their own imprint on tracks from the Broadway blockbuster in "The Hamilton Mixtape."

"24K Magic" (Bruno Mars)

Hawaiian-born Bruno Mars releases his third studio album this month, and the retro showman will have you moving your feet to his funky beats. Mars puts his saucy personality on display from the get-go, with his first track, the hit single "24K Magic." Bruno sings, "I'm a dangerous man with some money in my pocket/ So many pretty girls around me and they waking up the rocket." In "Chunky" he gives a "shout-out to the girls that pay they rent on time" adding, "If you ain't here to party take your ass back home." He follows it with "Perm," a funky, James Brown-inflected groover with lyrics like, "Don't be stingy with your big ol' butt." He's got "a condo in Manhattan" and a "beach house in Miami" in the smooth "That's What I Like," and promises to give it all to her, from the Cadillac to the shopping sprees in Paris to the strawberry champagne on ice. Now that's classy, Bruno! His "Versace on the Floor" is a slow jam with instrumentation similar to Janet Jackson's "Let's Wait Awhile" -- only Mars isn't interested in waiting, but rather wants you to "take it off for me... for me now, girl." He's flirty in "Straight Up & Down," asking her to "back it up on me girl, right now." He's got "too many girls on hold for you to be so bold" and is "Calling All My Lovelies" in one of those classic 'name-check my honeys' tracks; and is "drippin' in 'Finesse'" when he's out walking with his girl. He wraps the album with a slow jam, "Too Good To Say Goodbye." At only nine tracks, "24K Magic" is short but sweet. Kind of like Bruno Mars himself! Mars kicks off his World Tour in March 2017 with shows across Europe and the UK, before hitting the U.S. with dates in Vegas and the West Coast in July.
(Atlantic Records)

"Starboy" (The Weeknd)

Canadian singer/songwriter Abel Tesfaye, aka The Weeknd, releases his third studio album, "Starboy," a sprawling collection of 18 tracks. By now, he's released quite a number of them, including the title track, "Party Monster," "False Alarm" and I Feel It Coming." He gets help from friends, including Lana Del Ray, Future, Daft Punk and Kendrick Lamar, and while the album is a bit too long to maintain its structural integrity, it does a good job of blending electronica and vocals. The title track, featuring French duo Daft Punk, kicks off with intense bass drums and The Weeknd's trademark style of upsinging at the end of each verse. In the intense "Party Monster" he's just looking for a girl who will understand, one with "lips like Angelina... shaped like Selina," but is woken up by a girl whose name he doesn't even know. "False Alarm" has some interesting punk rock sounds. In "Reminder" he looks at his newfound fame, going from the kids show awards to the bags of cocaine in limos. "People always talk about the ones that got away, I just seem to get the ones that always want to stay," he sings in "Rockin," a song about those hangers-on attracted to his fame. The Weeknd dips back to the 1983 Romantics hit as he sings, "I hear the 'Secrets' that you keep, when you're talking in your sleep." But his "True Colors" is no Cyndi Lauper throwback; he wants his new lover to confess all. Lana Del Rey adds her sleepy patter to the "Stargirl Interlude" and Kendrick Lamar follows in "Sidewalks," the auto-tuned monstrosity that charts his troubled upbringing. The Weeknd sings about a woman who's not the type to fuck around -- she gets her own money, even if she has to put you "Six Feet Under" to get it. "Paid for the life that I chose, If I could, I'd trade it all/Trade it for a halo," he sings in "Ordinary Life," a tune which juxtaposes heavenly imagery with that of flying off the road while getting head. The silky funk of "A Lonely Night" gives it the sound of an early Michael Jackson cut, and the reverb is high on "Nothing Without You." He's scared to be lonely, especially in the night, in the slow jam "Die For You," and ends the album with Daft Punk in "Feel It Coming," a song about trying to give her what she needs. There are a few duds in the mix, like "Love to Lay," "All I Know," featuring Future, and the sappy "Attention," but it seems that this enterprising new artist is still finding his footing. The Weeknd is touring his "Starboy" album now, currently playing venues on the East Coast, and hitting Vegas and the West Coast at the end of the year.
(XO/Republic Records)

"Glory Days" (Little Mix)

Little Mix, a British girl group formed in 2011 during the eighth season on the UK version of "The X Factor," releases their fourth studio album, a dozen pop tunes that rely on the girls' harmonies to fuel them. Their lead single and first track, "Shout Out To My Ex" topped the UK Singles Charts. It's a poppy 'stronger without you' cut with bass flourishes. They follow it with "Touch," singing, "just a touch of your love is enough to knock me off of my feet all week." Their "F.U." is a slow tune about a cheater, with a comic bent, as they sing, "I'll get my revenge, take my key to your Benz," with the chorus, "A, B, C, D, E, F... U." It's bookended with another type of bad breakup song, "Oops," an old-style whistle-track doo-wop formula that finds her pining for all the good things her ex brought to the mix. Peppery snare drums and harmony move along "You Gotta Not," a laundry list of what does and does not constitute the perfect man. They bring the heat in "Down & Dirty," with a groove that lives up to the name, and mesh hard and soft beats in "Power." An Egyptian sound permeates "Your Love" and a Latin vibe keeps "No More Sad Songs" humming. "Nobody Like You" is a slow jam about their new, idealized lover, but "Private Show" is a fast-moving cut that's dancefloor ready. "Glory Days" ends with "Nothing Else Matters," an upbeat song about the power of love. Little Mix takes their act on the road in May 2017, starting with dates in Sheffield, England and going through the UK.
(Syco)

"Je dis oui!" (Pink Martini)

The 15-piece, Portland-based band members that make up the outfit Pink Martini releases their ninth studio album, a "cavalcade of songs" in French, Farsi, Armenian, Portuguese, Arabic, Turkish, Xhosa and English, affirming their 22-year history of global inclusivity. The album title is also affirming, meaning "I say yes," and it doubles as the chorus of their first track, "Joli garcon," meaning "pretty boy." It's one of three songs written by legendary French actress Isabelle Huppert. The album practically drips with cosmopolitan sophistication. Guest singers include China Forbes and Storm Large, as well as Ari, and Rufus Wainwright on Rodgers & Hart's "Blue Moon." The album also marks the singing debut of longtime friend and civil rights activist Kathleen Saadat on "Love For Sale." The feel-good "The Butterfly Song" swings like a selection from the American Songbook, while "Kaj Kolah Khan" has a Middle Eastern vibe. Their songs tend to swing between chansons and '50s-era pop sounds. "Ov Sirun Sirun" is a slow, sad-sounding piano dirge, while Ari Shapiro sings "Solidao" a new Arabic version of La Soledad" from the band's first album. They turn to the touchstone of timeworn chestnuts like Ella Fitzgerald's "Love For Sale," and Rodgers & Hart's "Blue Moon," which the always-superb Rufus Wainwright makes his own. Fashion guru Ikram Goldman adds pep to "Al Bint Al Shalabiya," with a chorus helping her along, and they sizzle through the fast-moving "Askim Bahardi." Pink Martini includes "Souvenir" from the French/Belgian soundtrack of that film, and the refined piano composition, "Finnisma Di." Sultry bossa nova vibes and trumpet flourishes move "Segunoa" along, and you'll love the jaunty French stylings of "Fini La Musique." They wrap with the international pop tune "Pata Pata" "the name of the dance we do down Johannesburg way," and leaves us with one final "Serenade." This new Pink Martini album is a must-have for those who want to appear sophisticated at cocktail parties. It also makes a great gift for that finicky aunt.
(Heinz Records)

"DNCE" (DNCE)

American pop-rock band DNCE releases their self-titled studio debut, a collection of 14 bouncy pop tunes. The group has four members: Joe Jonas, Jack Lawless, Cole Shittle, and JinJoo Lee. The band released debut singles this fall, including "Cake by the Ocean" and "Swaay," and made a cameo appearance in Fox's TV special "Grease: Live." Their bouncy first track, "DNCE" will get your feet moving; band members said that it's about being so drunk at the club that you can't even spell 'dance.' They liked it so much, they kept it as their band name. Jonas croons on "Body Moves," a disco cut put through a pop music grinder. Their "Cake By the Ocean" was the hit of the summer, with lyrics, "I'm going blind from this sweet, sweet craving, whoa-oh, let's lose our minds and go fucking crazy, ah yay a yay a I keep on hoping we'll eat cake by the ocean." They double down on the guitar in the cut, "Doctor You" and invite their steady to leave a "Toothbrush" at their place in this quirky love song. Kent Jones sings on "Blown," a fast-moving song with organ backing about getting your mind blown. "Good Day" opens with spare accompaniment, and sounds a lot like an old boy-band beach tune. "Almost" is a slow tune featuring Jonas' vocals over slow electric guitar chords and picking. In "Naked" he tempts with a five-star dinner and Mercedes -- anything it takes to "be naked with you." The tables are turned in "Truthfully," when he realizes, despite the string of phony phone numbers he's given to girls, he really loves you -- more than you love him. The '80s come alive with a slap and tickle in "Be Mean," and he takes her to the moon in "Zoom." They get funky in "Pay My Rent," and end the album with "Unsweet," singing about pouring your heart out. DNCE is on tour now, currently playing dates on the East Coast.
(Republic Records)

"The Hamilton Mixtape" (Assorted Artists)

The hottest thing in American theatre culture right now is "Hamilton," featuring a cast recording that's gotten a billion streams on Spotify. It's so popular that the hottest pop artists of today are clamoring to get in with Lin-Manuel Miranda, in any way possible. They meet that goal and then some with "The Hamilton Mixtape," a collection of 23 tracks by marquee stars like Nas, Alicia Keys, Chance the Rapper, Sia, Usher, Kelly Clarkson and... Jimmy Fallon. Yes, everyone who's anyone -- and some folks who are no one at all -- end up on this super-long mixtape. The album kicks off with two deep bass tracks by The Roots, including a remix of the show's biggest hit "My Shot," featuring Busta Rhymes. Miranda teams up with Nas and Aloe Blacc for the album's only original track "Wrote My Way Out," which features lyrics like, "I caught my first beating from the other kids when I was caught reading/ Oh you think you smart? Start bleeding." Usher sings a jazzed-up version of "Wait For It," with its great hook, "life don't discriminate between the sinners and the saints." Sia teams up with Miguel and Queen Latifah for "Satisfied," a fast-moving song from Angelica Skyler's perspective. Regina Spektor makes "Dear Theodosia" her own with her sprightly piano and bright voice. Miranda spits out the sad tale of starving in the winter at "Valley Forge," and later, the "Cabinet Battle 3." Kelly Clarkson shines in the ballad about forgiveness, "It's Quiet Uptown." Alicia Keys picks up the thread of Eliza's melody in "That Would Be Enough," and later, Andra Day revisits it in "Burn." The pace picks up with the cut "Immigrants (We Get the Job Done)," a fast-moving bilingual song. Jimmy Fallon sings the King of England's ditty "You'll Be Back," and Ashanta teams up with Ja Rule for the springy ditty "Helpless." Jill Scott works her amazing pipes on "Say Yes to This" and Dessa lays it out in "Congratulations," the tune that scoffs at Hamilton for releasing the sordid business of his affair to the public, completely unbidden. Wiz Khalifa sings "Washington's By Your Side," and somehow works in the lyrics, "I'm smellin' like weed on the plane, and white people think it's a shame." John Legend lends his talent to "History Has Its Eyes On You," and The Roots return with Common and Ingrid Michaelson for "Who Tells Your Story." The album ends with the "Dear Theodosia" reprise featuring Chance the Rapper. Although none of the tracks are bad, none are really necessary, given the wild popularity of the current cast recording from the musical "Hamilton." One comforting byproduct of this "Hamilton Mixtape" is the reminder that America has suffered through tumultuous political leaders in the past, and has somehow survived. From Lin-Manuel's mouth to God's ear...
(Atlantic Records)