Mark Ronson: Uptown Special [COLUMBIA]

Why you'll love it

This pressing was made in the EU. Uptown Special was Ronson's first No. 1 album in the UK, reached No. 5 on the Billboard 200, and "Uptown Funk" topped the Billboard Hot 100.

This edition

• Pressed in the EU

About the album

Getting Stevie Wonder to play on your record usually takes a minor miracle. Mark Ronson sent a hopeful letter and a demo of "Uptown's First Finale" to Wonder's manager, heard nothing for months, then learned Stevie had gone into a Chicago studio and recorded it. He comes back for "Crack in the Pearl Pt. II" too.

Ronson built the album with co-producer Jeff Bhasker and novelist Michael Chabon, who wrote many of the lyrics. Kevin Parker of Tame Impala sings the dreamy "Summer Breaking," "Daffodils" and "Leaving Los Feliz," Mystikal tears through "Feel Right" (Trombone Shorty passed along his phone number, and they met in Baton Rouge), newcomer Keyone Starr leads "I Can't Lose," and Bruno Mars struts all over "Uptown Funk," a song that spent months as the sound of every party on earth. Ronson dedicated the record to his friend Amy Winehouse.

It's a warm, funky, very human pop record, built by a producer who loves old soul and new ideas in equal measure. We've played "Uptown Funk" in the shop more times than we can count, and the floor has held up admirably.

Also at Kops: more Mark Ronson on vinyl · browse Pop

Tracklist

Listen

On Columbia (cat# 19802946221), a reissue of the 2015 album.