In his fourth studio album, Jason Mraz continues to entertain audiences with his unique brand of musical spin-art, mixing elements of soul, pop, rock and jazz throughout his latest offering. His new record gives his listeners a refreshing escape from the current trends of lyrical repetition and auto-tuned voices.

With “Love is a Four Letter Word,” Mraz makes his first attempt to follow up on his wildly successful “We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things,” released in 2008. The effort results in a collection of songs that may not make the same splash on the charts but can be appreciated for the strides Mraz has made lyrically over the last four years.

This album still includes Mraz’s signature sound, but what makes the thirteen tracks appealing to a new generation of listeners is his nice-guy charm and contagious energy.

The first track on the album, “The Freedom Song,” is a melodic tune that is sure to inspire a legion of cover artists on YouTube. Catchy lyrics and an acoustic quality make for a good opener for the tracks that follow.

Mraz’s clever wordplay makes the album very approachable. Here is where Mraz delights his older fans, as he continues to walk a straighter line between being seductive and being a gentleman. This is the area where audiences can see the most growth out of the singer-songwriter: It’s apparent that his confidence elevates, giving the impression that many of these songs were written for himself.

With that said, there are a couple of songs here and there that may or may not be included in certain playlists. What makes this record worth the purchase is also strengthened by the lack of quality work in the industry, but it may fall short of people’s expectations. Every song on this album will have a fan, but it is a victim of criticism given Mraz’s earlier work. There won’t be the magic of an “I’m Yours,” but Mraz remains funky enough to keep fans happy.but Mraz remains funky enough to keep fans happy.