Uptown Special is a genuine tribute to the 1980s. To a large extent, Prince's soul haunts Mark Ronson's music, which manifests itself in funk with a frayed rock edge. The whole thing is balanced on the other side of the scales by lighter pop influences reminiscent of the work of Steely Dan. To maintain authenticity, Ronson used the services of veterans such as Carlos Alomar (David Bowie's regular
… guitarist for a long time), drummer Steve Jordan and bassist Willie Weeks. Add to that contemporary artists such as Bruno Mars, Mystikal, Trombone Shorty and DJ Zinc and the retro album is complete. Uptown Special opens nicely (and also closes) with Stevie Wonder's complaining harmonica. The most striking song is Feel Right with Mystikal as a kind of very raised James Brown. The chance that this will be played on American radio is nil, because of the enormous number of references to copulating mothers. The single Uptown Funk is a dazzling ode to the funk of the eighties. For the rest there is a lot of pleasant pop and light funk rock to be found on Uptown Special. (AD)more
