The singer puts on his lover-boy coat in a soulful project that’s mostly excellent.

After a decade without releasing a solo studio album, Bruno Mars finally returns to the scene with “The Romantic,” a project that, while initially engaging, falters on the back-half of the venture.

On his first solo album in 10 years, 'The Romantic,' Bruno Mars is basically offering a sequel to the '70s soul-revivalism he did with Silk Sonic.