Jason Mraz

Jason Mraz is living full spiral. It’s not full circle, exactly, because he’s changed and his experiences have changed, but on his 8th studio album, Mystical Magical Rhythmical Radical Ride, the musician has found himself returning to a familiar junction in space. Throughout the album, there are hints of Mraz’s formative releases, including his 2002 debut Waiting For My Rocket to Come and 2005’s Mr. A-Z, but it ultimately finds a kinship with 2008’s We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. The new songs, which are unabashedly pop, see Mraz reuniting with numerous collaborators, including L.A. band Raining Jane and producer Martin Terefe, who helmed the 2008 breakout album. The songs grapple with the emotions and experiences that come with being in your mid-life, a time that is often ignored by pop songwriters. Its optimistic, inspiring sensibility reflects the musician’s overall approach to being in the world. It is, in fact, full spiral, reflecting the past but becoming something new.