This post started out almost two years ago, but with the release of John's newest album, Sob Rock, I've decided to finally finish things up. Like in my top 10 albums of 2020 post, I'll be using normal text for all the songs I recommend, and bold for the songs I love. However, in this post I'll also include a "review in five words or less" (RIFWOL) section for easy reading.
It's actually pretty funny to look back on my choices those two years ago and see how much things have changed. For reference, my rankings back then were:
Room for Squares
Battle Studies
The Search For Everything
Continuum
Heavier Things
Born and Raised
Paradise Valley
I'll be writing about the albums in chronological order, so scroll to the bottom to see my list today.
1. Room for Squares
Honestly, very little can beat early John Mayer for me. Pretty much every song from this album I love and recognize. I really enjoy this early pop rock sound, and this album is one of those few albums that I can play whenever I want and enjoy. All of the songs from here are super solid and I think are worth a listen. That being said, Mayer here is still pretty young and inexperienced, and his songwriting and lyrics are improved in the years to come.
RIFWOL: catchy pop rock
Songs I recommend:No Such Thing/Why Georgia/My Stupid Mouth/Your Body is a Wonderland/Neon/City Love/83/3x5/Love Song For No One/Back to You
2. Heavier Things
I didn't like this album as much as I like Mayer's other albums. Most of the songs are pretty much instantly forgettable to me, with the exception being Clarity, which became one of my favorite songs immediately after listening to it. There are a few other good songs on this album (as seen below), but I think this album is probably Mayer's worst album. It's not a bad album by any means, I just like a lot of his other stuff more.
RIFWOL: its ok
Songs I recommend:Clarity/Something's Missing/Split Screen Sadness/Only Heart
3. Continuum
For some reason, this seems to be everyone's favorite album. For me, I think it's a little bit overrated in that I don't think it's his best album by far, but it's still a pretty good album. Stop This Train is one of my favorite songs, and the album definitely is not lacking in hits with songs like Waiting on the World to Change and Slow Dancing in a Burning Room. There isn't really anything bad here, but for me there also isn't much that I super super love. It might be because I don't play the guitar or write my own songs, but I personally don't really understand where all the hype is coming from.
RIFWOL: solid songs, a bit overrated
Songs I recommend:Waiting on the World to Change/Gravity/The Heart of Life/Vultures/Stop This Train/Slow Dancing in a Burning Room/Dreaming with a Broken Heart/In Repair
4. Battle Studies
I'll say it right now, Battle Studies is one of my favorite John Mayer albums. It's called Battle Studies because the entire album is a breakup album (made after John Mayer broke up with Jennifer Aniston), and it phrases love as some sort of war, hence "Battle Studies." It's a sad and slow album, but everything feels meaningful and I absolutely love almost every song in this album. This is a must listen to, in my opinion.
RIFWOL: breakups suck but music good
Songs I recommend:Heartbreak Warfare/All We Ever Do Is Say Goodbye/Half of My Heart/Who Says/Perfectly Lonely/Assassin/Crossroads/War of My Life/Edge of Desire/Do You Know Me/Friends, Lovers, or Nothing
5. Born and Raised
The more I listen to this album, the more I like it. As background for the album, Mayer had said a lot of controversial things in a Playboy interview, and so he decided to go off the grid for a while. It was around this time that he began living in a ranch in Montana out in the middle of nowhere as a method to "get away". He also started to listen to a lot of older music like Bob Dylan, and this shows within the album. The music itself didn't actually stand out too much to me the first few times I listened to it. However, if you pay closer attention you will be rewarded, because a lot of the songs on here are actually pretty meaningful, especially with how they relate to Mayer himself. Queen of California is a metaphor that is really about how John wanted to leave the limelight, and Walt Grace's Submarine Test is most popularly interpreted as a introspective look at John Mayer himself. I don't love every single song on this album, but I think it has it's own place in Mayer's discography. If you love Mayer's early stuff like me, Something Like Olivia is also another song to check out on this album, it's pretty catchy.
RIFWOL: more introspective music
Songs I recommend:Queen of California/Shadow Days/Something Like Olivia/Born and Raised/If I Ever Get Around to Living/Walt Grace's Submarine Test, January 1967/Whiskey, Whiskey, Whiskey
6. Paradise Valley
When I look back onto the draft of the review I wrote two years ago, I can see that I did not like this album very much. Today, I think that I slightly underrated the album. Compared to the other Mayer albums, this one does feel a little bit forgettable, but there still are a few songs that stick out to me. Wildfire is a strong intro song, and Dear Marie is a cute song that's about some girl John dated when he was super young. It feels nostalgic and even sweet as John reflects on how sometimes he still searches her up to see how she's doing. Paper Doll as a song I didn't love at first, but the song becomes much more interesting after you learn that it is (probably) a response to Taylor Swift's "Dear John." I Will Be Found (Lost at Sea) and You're No One 'Til Someone Lets You Down are also both solid sleeper songs that I liked a lot more on the second listen. The songs on here aren't, in my opinion, the best of John's best, but they are still worth a listen if you like Mayer's music. There's also a song that has Frank Ocean singing on here, which I think is kind of mid but I also don't like Frank Ocean too much so I'm very biased.
RIFWOL: underrated album
Songs I recommend:Wildfire/Dear Marie/Paper Doll/Who You Love/I Will Be Found (Lost at Sea)/You're No One 'Til Someone Lets You Down/
7. The Search For Everything
I don't know how John does it, but the opening track of every single one of his albums is a solid banger. Still Feel Like Your Man, the first song of this album, is no different. Unlike the two albums before it, this album takes another creative direction that feels a bit more akin to Battle Studies. They are both breakup albums, of course, but they also feel closer in genre and in the vibe.
Looking online, a lot of people seemed to dislike this album, with most reviews saying that it feels boring somehow. I think the opposite. Part of this might be because it feels similar to something Mayer has already done before, but to be fair there does feel like there is less subtlety in the lyrics and the music. Personally, I like this because I feel that this makes the songs a lot easier to enjoy. I needed someone to tell me that Paper Doll was a response to Taylor Swift before I really started enjoying that song, for example.
It might be because my brain is the size of a pea, but I do think that there are a lot of very good songs here. I already mentioned the opening track, Still Feel Like Your Man, but Love on the Weekend and Rosie are also some of my favorites. There's also Theme from "The Search For Everything," which is a short, two minute long instrumental that I absolutely adore. It's right in the middle of the album, and although it's an instrumental I think it fits the album perfectly, providing both a sort of break in the middle of the album and setting up a vibe that feels almost Studio Ghibli-esque in that it has this sort of relaxing yet wonderous feel. The second half of the album keeps the quality high, with songs like Moving On and Getting Over, Rosie, and You're Gonna Live Forever In Me comprising a solid end to the album.
RIFWOL: like Battle Studies, still good
Songs I Recommend:Still Feel Like Your Man/Emoji of a Wave/Love on the Weekend/In the Blood/Changing/Theme from "The Search for Everything"/Moving On and Getting Over/Never on the Day You Leave/Rosie/Roll it on Home/You're Gunna Live Forever in Me
8. Sob Rock
Sob. Rock. This is an amazing album. Every song in here is good, with the vast majority of songs in here being even great. When I listened to the album for the first time I was worried that I was just experiencing a new album high, but even now, almost 2 months later, I can still listen to the album at any time and be guaranteed a good time. I think part of this replay value is because the album has everything. There are really catchy songs like Wild Blue and Carry Me Away (which both became some of my favorite songs instantly) and slower songs like All I Want is to Be With You and Why You No Love Me. If you want guitar solos, I Guess I Just Feel Like has an amazing one. If you are familiar with John Mayer and his past, Til the Right One Comes is also particularly great, as it serves as a criticism of the critics of John himself, especially when relating to his love life.
This album pretty much does everything that John is good at, and it even has probably the best three song section in all of John's discography here to end the album, withTil the Right One Comes/Carry Me Away/All I Want is to Be With You all in a row. It's a wonderful end to a wonderful album.
RIFWOL: bangers only here
Songs I Recommend: Last Train Home/Shouldn't Matter but it Does/New Light/Why You No Love Me/Wild Blue/Shot in the Dark/I Guess I Just Feel Like/Til the Right One Comes/Carry Me Away/All I Want is to Be With You
Final Ranking:
Sob Rock
Battle Studies
Room For Squares
The Search For Everything
Paradise Valley/Born and Raised/Continuum*
Heavier Things
*Paradise Valley, Born and Raised, and Continuum are in a three way tie for me.
As an expert and enthusiast, I don't have personal experiences or opinions. However, I can provide information on the concepts and topics mentioned in the article you shared.
John Mayer's Albums
The article discusses several albums by John Mayer and provides brief descriptions and recommendations for each one. Here's a summary of the albums mentioned:
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Room for Squares: The author expresses a strong appreciation for this early pop rock album. They recommend almost every song on the album and highlight Mayer's growth as a songwriter in subsequent years.
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Heavier Things: The author considers this album to be less memorable compared to Mayer's other work. They mention "Clarity" as a standout song but generally prefer Mayer's other albums.
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Continuum: While acknowledging that this album is often regarded as a fan favorite, the author personally finds it somewhat overrated. They mention songs like "Waiting on the World to Change" and "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room" as popular hits but don't feel a strong personal connection to the album.
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Battle Studies: The author declares this album as one of their favorites. They describe it as a breakup album and appreciate the meaningful and introspective nature of the songs.
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Born and Raised: The author states that their appreciation for this album grew over time. They mention that Mayer drew inspiration from older music and lived in a ranch in Montana during its creation. They highlight songs like "Queen of California" and "Walt Grace's Submarine Test, January 1967" for their meaningful lyrics.
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Paradise Valley: The author initially didn't like this album as much but now believes they underrated it. They mention songs like "Wildfire," "Dear Marie," and "Paper Doll" as standout tracks.
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The Search for Everything: The author notes that this album has a similar vibe to "Battle Studies" and considers it to be underrated. They mention songs like "Still Feel Like Your Man" and "Love on the Weekend" as personal favorites.
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Sob Rock: The author highly praises this album, describing it as amazing and full of great songs. They mention the variety of catchy and slower songs, as well as guitar solos. They also highlight the track "Til the Right One Comes" as a criticism of critics themselves. The author considers the final three-song section of the album to be the best in Mayer's discography.
Ranking of the Albums
The article concludes with the author's final ranking of the albums mentioned:
- Sob Rock
- Battle Studies
- Room for Squares
- The Search for Everything
- Paradise Valley/Born and Raised/Continuum (three-way tie)
Please note that these rankings are subjective and based on the author's personal preferences.
If you have any specific questions or would like more information on any of these albums or John Mayer's discography, feel free to ask!
