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Rating: I first saw John Mayer on the DVD of the "Crossroads Guitar Festival" organized by Mr. Clapton in 2004. The young man, after politely asking the crowd "can I play for a moment?", delivers a splendid blues ballad titled "City Love", complete with an intro of just guitar, which left me more than a little stunned by his touch sensitivity and guitar style reminiscent of none other than Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Galvanized by such a performance, I got the album under review, dated 2006, to see if the presentiment that I had found an artist I've been searching for so long corresponded to truth or not. Browsing through the booklet, the first thing that catches my eye is Mayer's collaborators: Steve Jordan on drums (Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, etc.) and Pino Palladino on bass (Paul Young, Eric Clapton, The Who, etc.), two old acquaintances that give me hope.
However, on the first listen, the album leaves me completely puzzled: the 12 tracks present themselves as a fusion of styles, music, and words where the absolute protagonist of the scene is the melody and no one else. In short, the first impression is that there is no trace of that guitar I so hoped to find.
But the first impression, as we know, is often wrong, and mine will certainly not be an exception. Indeed, once prejudices are set aside, it becomes clear that the strength of the album lies precisely in the melodies. Upon a more thorough listen, you can hear that the shadow of SRV is still very much present in the guitar licks, but John, despite an enviable mastery of the instrument, uses it sparingly because the purpose of the whole album is not to dazzle, but rather to "soothe".
The solos are measured, never intrusive, their blues origin perfectly suits ballads like "Slow Dancing In A Burning Room" and "Gravity", and give vitality to more rhythmic tracks like "Waiting On The World To Change" (first single) and "Belief", featuring Ben Harper as a rhythm guitarist. Mayer finally showcases his musician skills in the cover of Hendrix's "Bold As Love", faithful to the original but with a much more modern sound, where his voice does not make us miss the great Seattle guitarist.
And it's precisely the voice, soft and sinuous, that gently caresses the listener's ears and makes every emotion contained in every single track flow through their veins, supported by the round and warm arrangements of musicians aware of their qualities. And in the end, John Mayer is exactly this, a musician aware of his own qualities, who could be the undisputed master of his music but has instead chosen to be its servant. And considering the result, it seems to be a really wise choice.
Finally, I'll leave you with a phrase from Mayer printed beneath the credits inside the booklet that struck me a lot and which I believe largely reflects his vision of the musical world:
"If you're reading this with an instrument in your lap - get to work, and deep in it. We all need you." JM
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
03 Belief (04:02)
Is there anyone who ever remembers
Changing their mind from the paint on a sign?
Is there anyone who really recalls ever breaking rank at all
For something someone yelled real loud one time?
Oh everyone believes
In how they think it oughta be
Oh everyone believes
And they're not going easily
Belief is a beautiful armor
But makes for the heaviest sword
Like punching underwater
You never can hit who you're trying for
Some need the exhibition
And some have to know they tried
It's the chemical weapon
For the war that's raging on inside
Oh everyone believes
From emptiness to everything
Oh everyone believes
And no one's going quietly
We're never gonna win the world
We're never gonna stop the war
We're never gonna beat this
If belief is what we're fighting for
We're never gonna win the world
We're never gonna stop the war
We're never gonna beat this
If belief is what we're fighting for
Is there anyone who you can remember
Who ever surrendered with their life on the line?
We're never gonna win the world
We're never gonna stop the war
We're never gonna beat this
If belief is what we're fighting for
We're never gonna win the world
We're never gonna stop the war
We're never gonna beat this
If belief is what we're fighting for
Na na na na...
What puts a hundred thousand children in the sand?
Belief can, belief can
What puts the folded flag inside his mother's hand?
Belief can, belief can.
04 Gravity (04:05)
Gravity is working against me
And gravity wants to bring me down
Oh, I'll never know what makes this man
With all the love that his heart can stand
Dream of ways to throw it all away
Oh, gravity is working against me
And gravity wants to bring me down
Oh twice as much ain't twice as good
And can't sustain like one half could
It's wanting more that's gonna send me to my knees
Oh twice as much ain't twice as good
And can't sustain like one half could
It's wanting more that's gonna send me to my knees
Oh gravity, stay the hell away from me
And gravity has taken better men than me
Now how can that be?
Just keep me where the light is
Just keep me where the light is
Just keep where the light is
C'mon keep me where the light is
C'mon keep me where the light is
C'mon keep me where, keep me where the light is.
06 Vultures (04:11)
Some of us, we're hardly ever here
The rest of us, we're born to disappear
How do I stop myself from being just a number?
How will I hold my head to keep from going under?
Down to the wire
I wanted water but I'll walk through the fire
If this is what it takes to take me even higher
Then I'll come through like I do
When the world keeps testing me, testing me, testing me
How did they find me here? What do they want from me?
All of these vultures hiding right outside my door
I hear them whisperin', they're tryin to ride it out
They've never gone this long without a kill before
Down to the wire
I wanted water but I'll walk through the fire
If this is what it takes to take me even higher
Then I'll come through like I do
When the world keeps testing me, testing me, testing me
Wheels up, I've got to leave this evening
Can't seem to shake these vultures off of my trail
Power is made by power being taken
So I keep on running to protect my situation
Down to the wire
I wanted water but I walk through the fire
If this is what it takes to take me even higher
Then I'll come through like I do
When the world keeps testing me, testing me.
Oooh ooh oh...
Whatcha gonna do about it?
Whatcha gonna do about it?
Whatcha gonna do about it?
Don't give up, give up...
11 In Repair (06:09)
Too many shadows in my room
Too many hours in this midnight
Too many corners in my mind
So much to do to set my heart right
Oh it's taking so long i could be wrong, i could be ready
Oh but if i take my heart's advice
I should assume it's still unsteady
I am in repair, i am in repair
Stood on the corner for a while
To wait for the wind to blow down on me
Hoping it takes with it my old ways
And brings some brand new look upon me
Oh it's taking so long i could be wrong, i could be ready
Oh but if i take my heart's advice
I should assume it's still unsteady
I am in repair, i am in repair
And now i'm walking in a park
All of the birds they dance below me
Maybe when things turn green again
It will be good to say you know me
Oh it's taking so long i could be wrong, i could be ready
Oh but if i take my heart's advice
I should assume it's still unsteady
Oh i'm never really ready, i'm never really ready
I'm in repair, i'm not together but i'm getting there
I'm in repair, i'm not together but i'm getting there
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