Bruno Mars – “The Lazy Song”

Fresh from a Grammy win for “Best Male Pop Vocal Performance,” Bruno Mars has released a new single that promises to keep building his reputation as a hit-maker. On the reggae-tinged “The Lazy Song,” Mars sounds every bit as laid-back as fellow Hawaiian Jack Johnson as he celebrates doing nothing at all. (Sitting inside all day is an effective method of avoiding stray grenades, as per his previous hit.)

Mars may not be the most obvious artist to make a modern slacker anthem, but he accomplishes it with simply pleasant results. The lines “I’ll be lounging in my couch, just chilling in my Snuggie/Click to MTV so they can teach me how to dougie” lend the song a sense of immediacy, as well as the impression that it’s knowingly being released before sleeved blankets and Cali Swag District slide into complete irrelevancy.

The song’s offbeat sense of humor fits with Mars’ sleazy-yet-wide-eyed persona. He acknowledges that lazy days can’t last forever, singing, “Tomorrow I wake up, do some P90X/Meet a really nice girl, have some really nice sex/And she’s gonna scream out, ‘This is great!’”

For a highly accomplished songwriter and producer, Mars sounds remarkably unambitious, but that’s the appeal of “The Lazy Song.” While activity-free days aren’t a choice for everyone, considering the current job market, Mars capitalizes on the pure enjoyment of leisure and continues to deliver blissfully uncomplicated pop music.