Monnie1976's Full Review: Battle Studies by John Mayer (Adult Alternative)
It’s been three long years since John Mayer dropped his widely acclaimed, wildly successful album Continuum so I definitely was interested earlier this month when I saw he would be releasing his fourth album Battle Studies this month. Rhapsody thankfully has an early preview where you can hear the whole album and I most certainly took them up on the offer. “Battle Studies” definitely has a completely different feel than his previous effort. There was a brilliant warmth coming from much of Continuum while there’s a cool, almost distant vibe on this one. So basically the aesthetic is completely different. Of course, you have your trademark bluesy guitars and his expressive falsetto crooning well written lyrics but its steeped in faded blues instead of fiery reds and oranges.
“Heartbreak Warfare” is a gorgeous opening. The spacious arrangement where Mayer feels like he’s just out of reach is amazing. “Clouds of sulfur in the air, bombs are falling everywhere….it’s heartbreak warfare” Mayer croons wistfully and you really sense his sense of isolation. With a faintly sad guitar solo playing against the trembling keyboards you find the music plays perfect tribute to the lyrics. “All We Ever Do Is Say Goodbye” continues the mood as he describes his broken heart with a simple strummed guitar, some melancholy piano and some simple but effective harmonies on the straightforward chorus. Strings swell in but the whole thing continues to feel organic and intimate. “Half of My Heart” is a duet with youngster Taylor Swift and if you can imagine her kind of hooks blended with his blues sensibility you will get an idea of the song. The chorus has a likable melody and Mayer delivers it just right. Swift comes in with backup vocals towards the end and she really sounds good with her distinctive voice mingle with Mayer’s smooth tenor. I’ve yet to find out if she co-wrote the song or just made a cameo but I wouldn’t be surprised either way. This has a bit of a Bonnie Raitt vibe as well.
Then we have the first single. “Who Says” has a seventies sensibility about it as he talks about personal freedom and being your own individual. It’s an interesting song but I can’t say its my favorite on the album. It’s grown on me though with its uncomplicated sentiment and Mayer’s relaxed performance. After you break up you often get in those philosophical, pondering moods and this seems like a soundtrack for those moments.
My absolute favorite moments comes when he combines his bluesy inclinations with his flexible pop pipes. “Perfectly Lonely” is wonderful and he works his voice nicely over the melody. The guitar is perfect as he gives a few nice flourishes without going overboard. He celebrates his single status even as an under current of discontent courses underneath. “Assassins” is another amazing moment with these slightly dissonant xylophones percolate uneasily against a moody melody. The song reminds me of Sting a little with some reggae undercurrents. Definitely a different type of song for Mayer and he pulls it off well. “Crossroads” find Mayer getting a little funky as he remakes this blues classic. I like it and it will make you nod your head. I think he did Robert Johnson proud giving it his own spin without desecrating the original. There’s a little distortion, expressive guitar work and a lot of soul going into it.
“Do You Know Me” is beautiful with the flowing music featuring some prominent bass, rambling guitar and the whole sound just washes over you. The song grows and develops throughout becoming more powerful as it progressive. It’s a stunning blend of folk and jazz. The album finishes with “Friends, Lovers or Nothing” which is the perfect song to sing in a bar after a couple. Recalling a little Billy Joel at times the song is a great end to the album.
Mayer continues to prove his skill is moving along the continuum as well. With a set of songs that are so undeniably him yet completely different than his previous creation, he proves he can be commercially viable without being creatively stagnant. While it’s too soon to say whether this surpasses Continuum I can confidently say this album continues his string of making well written, skillfully performed albums. This is definitely a must have for the year.
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