Mario

Mario

Mario - Mario

07/23/2002 | J-records 

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Videos from Mario

All Music Guide Review

When considering the abilities and potential of teen pop stars from any genre, a certain amount of cynicism is not only healthy, but practically essential. Yet if you indulge too deeply, you overlook performers like Mario, the Baltimore-born singer whose Top Ten debut still flew under a lot of people's radars in a year dominated by B2K, Bow Wow, and other pubescent urban artists. Mario's self-titled first album, however, offers doses of the real thing; its combination of Nickelodeon-style charm and authentic substance are reminiscent of nothing so much as a young Michael Jackson, with none of the creepy subtext. While it misses out on the humor of the original, the cover of Biz Markie's "Just a Friend" proves a shrewd update of the unwillingly platonic classic, and serves as a gateway to better originals, including a few slow numbers most teens have neither the chutzpah to try or the chops to handle. "Chick Wit' da Braids" and the swirling, organ-laced "Never" lead that pack, and the second song about cornrows, "Braid My Hair," manages to evoke the downside of being a child star without sounding like an ungrateful punk. Naturally, you have to excuse a certain amount of filler to believe fully in Mario's potential, but most of these 11 tracks offer generous hints of it. ~ Dan LeRoy, All Music Guide

Mario Track Listing

  • Track#
  • Title
  • time
  • lyrics
  • 1
  • Just a Friend
  • 3:34
  • Sound Clip for Just a Friend from Mario


  • 2
  • C'mon
  • 3:24
  • Sound Clip for C'mon from Mario


  • 3
  • Braid My Hair
  • 4:07
  • Sound Clip for Braid My Hair from Mario


  • 4
  • 2 Train
  • 4:03
  • Sound Clip for 2 Train from Mario


  • 6
  • Holla Back
  • 3:38
  • Sound Clip for Holla Back from Mario


  • 7
  • Could U Be
  • 4:07
  • Sound Clip for Could U Be from Mario


  • 8
  • Put Me On
  • 3:39
  • Sound Clip for Put Me On from Mario


  • 10
  • Never
  • 3:59
  • Sound Clip for Never from Mario


  • Credits of Mario

    • Mischke
    • Arranger, Vocal Producer, Vocals (Background)
    • Alicia Keys
    • Vocals (Background), Multi Instruments, Producer
    • Mario
    • Vocals (Background)


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