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John Mayer
The Grammy Awards are deceptive on two counts. First, that this roomful of stuffed shirts, many of whom have not touched a musical instrument or spent any significant time in a recording studio in the last decade, if ever, represents the heart and soul of the record industry. The second is the very notion that the record industry has a heart and soul.
A Grammy usually means a "sales bounce" for the winning act, so record labels are driven to do what they can to make sure their artists get a trophy. Votes are often bartered or traded. But since the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS), the organization that runs the Grammys, doesn't have the power to start a war or raise taxes what harm does a little vote fraud do? No, probably the most bothersome issue regarding the Grammys is that the voters/membership regularly appear woefully out of touch. Years ago, NARAS narrowed the number of categories members could vote in, hoping they would stick to their fields of expertise. That helped a little, but hardly enough. NARAS membership skews older - and conservative. Regardless of the genre, given the choice between innovative and edgy or safe, the Grammy voters error on the side of caution. Every now and then, the membership tries to update its image by anointing some fresh face (who's sold millions of CDs), preferably one with a tasteful appearance and is sexually non-threatening, as their hero. Beginning in '02, and continuing for the next several years, John Mayer was that guy.
Mayer's musical beginnings were fairly typical. His father got him a guitar when he was a teen. A couple years later he joined a succession of bands that started with Villanova Junction and ended with the duo LoFi Masters (with Clay Cook). In the process, Mayer left his native Connecticut and moved to Atlanta. When the LoFi Masters split, Mayer cut a solo EP with the help of producer/engineer, and in this case co-writer, Glenn Matullo. The effort got Mayer signed by Columbia Records who released "Room For Squares" in '01. The album was an immediate success spawning three good sized hits, "No Such Thing," "Why Georgia" and "Your Body Is A Wonderland." Two years later, "Heavier Things" was issued. Though it didn't sell as well as the debut it did well riding the single "Daughters" which was Mayer's biggest hit to date. The live "On Any Given Thursday" followed.
Mayer was huge but wasn't taken seriously. Having SRV (for Stevie Ray Vaughan) tattooed on his chest didn't automatically make him a serious musician. Regularly dismissed as a vacuous "pretty boy," Mayer, who was prone to panic-attacks, decided to change course.
Early '05 saw the launch of the John Mayer Trio with bassist Pino Palladino and drummer Steve Jordan. The group, with a pronounced Blues guitar sound, spent much of '05 and a good part of '06 touring, even opening for the Rolling Stones, before they ventured into the studio. "Continuum," was the result. The album spawned "Waiting On The World To Change."
With the summer of '08 well underway Mayer issued "Where The Light Is: Live In Los Angeles," a two-disc effort. It contained an acoustic portion, then one with the John Mayer Trio, and lastly a set by Mayer's "Continuum" band.
Mayer performed an instrumental guitar version of Michael Jackson's "Human Nature" during Jackson's '09 memorial service in L.A. It's got to be weird to play on a stage with the deceased in a coffin down in front.
Mayer's performance was deemed tasteful if a bit bland. It would have worked on any Smooth-Jazz radio station. Toward the end, the choir sang the hook but it didn't get the mourners to join in (though they clapped with the rhythm) which seemed to be the intent.
Mayer's fourth studio album, "Battle Studies," featuring "Who Says," landed in late '09.
Billy Joel and Elton John could be counted on to have pop hits regardless of (or in spite of) the latest trend. Both started in the '70s. Joel gave up the ghost in the early '90s. John, blessed with more talent, lasted a bit longer. In the pop world, both had incredible runs. But as they aged, gracefully or not, the question arose, "who would fill their shoes?" Well, how about Mayer?
But rather than Joel or John, Mayer is reminiscent of a couple guys who arrived a bit later. He sounds like Michael Franks without the Jazz overtones or Kenny Rankin with a much stronger sense of song structure.
Mayer has a breathy, emotive voice and the ability to pen and sing a good melody. The acoustic arrangements that dominate "Room For Squares" and "Heavier Things," are pleasant if a bit of a snooze. Not every song is a ballad and when he puts some energy into his music he's most appealing. That's why "Room For Squares" is the better of the two.
"Continuum" marks a change of direction, though hardly as major or significant, as it's been it's been made out to be. "Waiting On The World To Change" does have a Gospel-Blues charm. And the horns on "I'm Gonna Find Another You" give Mayer a boost. But there are a handful of songs, including, "Stop This Train" and "Dreaming With A Broken Heart," that would have fit comfortably on either of the first two albums. The biggest surprise is the cover of the Jimi Hendrix chestnut, "Axis: Bold As Love." It sounds closer to the Pretenders' take for "Stone Free" (the Hendrix tribute CD) than the original. That's OK. Unavoidably, given who he is, Mayer adds some pop elements but keeps many of the Hendrix's guitar flourishes and flavor. It's pretty good.
"Battle Studies" deals with romantic conflicts but is far more entertaining when he dances around them as he does on the pop leaning "Half A Heart," the acoustic, passive-aggressive "Who Says" and in the catchy pop Blues of "Perfectly Lonely."
In the late '70s and early '80s Michael Franks ("Popsicle Toes") and Kenny Rankin played jazzy pop. They never sold a ton of records but they had a loyal fan-base that appreciated the mellow sounds and inventive lyrics. "Do You Know Me" captures the Franks/Rankin vibe. He rolls around to that style again, though not as pronounced, on "All We Ever Do Is Say Goodbye" and "Friends, Lovers Or Nothing." No shock that Mayer has a real empathy for that style.
Every worthwhile performer/band has a signature song. The high water mark for Eric Clapton is his live version, with Cream, of Robert Johnson's "Crossroads." So the first listen to Mayer's take on the song comes with some trepidation. He could have slowed it down and played it acoustic. That would have been expected - safe. God help him if he tried to match Clapton note for note/vocal for vocal. What he did was pretty clever - and first-rate. He gives "Crossroads" a dirty Blues boogie and that allows both his voice and guitar to soar. It's a fresh interpretation of an old warhorse. That's the real "Battle Studies."