John Mayer "Where the Light Is: John Mayer Live in Los Angeles" (2008) (live)

Where the Light Is: John Mayer Live in Los Angeles (live)
release date: Jul. 1, 2008
format: 2 cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,82]
producer: Chad Franscoviak, John Mayer, Steve Jordan
label: Columbia - nationality: USA

4th live album by John Mayer - or his fourth live album released on cd 'cause in 2004 he released a series of four downloadable albums (making this his (eigth live album) from four consecutive live concerts all from August that year: As/is Mountain View, CA, As/is Houston, TX, As/is Cleveland/Cincinnati, OH and As/is Philadelphia, PA. In Oct. 2004 As/is a double cd was released containing selected tracks from these four concerts, and in Nov. 2005 he released the live album Try! released as John Mayer Trio with Steve Jordan and Pino Palladino with recordings from live concerts from the Fall of 2005.
Where the Light Is is a double live album containing the recordings of a live concert held at L.A. Live Nokia Theatre, Los Angeles, California, Dec. 8, 2007 - the album has also been released as a music concert film on dvd like Any Given Thursday before that. Disc 1 consists of 13 tracks of which the first five songs are acoustic songs, and the following eight are with John Mayer Trio (five of these also appear on the album Try!) - all paying maximum attention on blues rock . Two of these are Jimi Hendrix' compositions: track #7 "Wait Until Tomorrow" and track #13 "Bold as Love". Another two of the eight compositions by the Trio "Who Did You Think I Was" and "Good Love Is on the Way" sound as if written by Hendrix, and "Come When I Call", "Out of My Mind" and "Vultures" sound more like Clapton inspired by Muddy Waters, but at the bottom-line they're all eight blues rock-shaped and as such performed.
Disc 2 consists of nine tracks - eight taken from his most recent studio release Continuum - all blending his pop / rock repertoire with acoustic folk rock, fusion rock (e.g. "Belief") and blues rock.
It seems that Mayer shines so much more when playing live, and this album only serves to document just that. He embraces blues rock and plays with clear influences from jazz, traditional r&b and folk rock when playing these songs live, and at the same time he distances himself from his early studio albums of mere polished pop / rock.
The album is easily his so far best live album, and as such a highly recommended album.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

John Mayer "Continuum" (2006)

Continuum
release date: Oct. 16, 2006
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,77]
producer: John Mayer and Steve Jordan
label: Aware / Columbia - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Waiting on the World to Change" - 2. "I Don't Trust Myself (With Loving You)" - 3. "Belief" - 4. "Gravity" (live) - 5. "The Heart of Life" - 6. "Vultures" (live) - 7. "Stop This Train" - 9. "Bold as Love" (love) - 12. "I'm Gonna Find Another You"

3th studio album by John Mayer released 3 years since his most recent studio album Heavier Things is co-produced by Mayer and studio musician (drummer and bassist) Steve Jordan, who has produced and worked with primarily artist of singer / songwriter, r&b and folk rock.
The album marks a bit of a new start for Mayer, who has been seen as someone walking in the footsteps of legendary artists of blues rock but so far hasn't been able to make that album that wraps it all up and instead found himself in the spotlight of a huge fan base of primarily young white pop / rock enthusiasts. what I mean by 'new start' is an evident attempt to go full in on folk, r&b, blues rock - spread his wings as a full-blown singer / songwriter.
To my liking, the songs here are completely produced without slick horn sections, heavy violin arrangements and soft and honey-dripping keys. instead it comes out as a fine blend of traditional genres and styles building on the best of the 1960s, 70s and 80s combined. There are hints from jazz, traditional rhythm & blues, folk and roots rock. And pop / rock is there as well, 'cause you can't take that away from someone singing that coarse and yet clean, but the end result is overwhelmingly compact with a clear message of chosen direction and homogeneous style. The album contain one cover song: "Bold as Love" by Hendrix, and it's really so fitting.
The only malice, if any, is that several songs display Mayer's many sources. Without 1960s Hendrix, and Clapton, 1970s and 80s Ray Vaughan and Andy Summers [listen to "Belief"] it's really hard to imagine someone like John Mayer, and some songs simply sound as paraphrases built on his idols.
Anyhow, in selecting the album's highlights it's quite a difficult job, as the album is basically without fillers.
The album was generally met by positive reviews - it was nominated and won in the category Best Pop Vocal Album at the 2007 Grammy Awards.
It's simply my favourite John Mayer studio release. From all his fine attempts this stand as the one album where he manages to keep focus through and through.
Highly recommended.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone, Mojo 4 / 5, Blender 3,5 / 5 stars ]

John Mayer Trio "Try! (Live in Concert)" (2005) (live)

Try! (Live in Concert) (live)
release date: Nov. 22, 2005
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,72]
producer: Steve Jordan, John Mayer
label: Columbia - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Who Did You Think I Was" - 2. "Good Love Is On The Way" - 3. "Wait Until Tomorrow" - 5. "Vultures" - 10. "Daughters" - 11. "Try"

1st album release with John Mayer Trio consisting of Mayer on guitars and lead vocals, bassist Pino Palladino and Steve Jordan on drums and backing vocals.
The album focuses on blues rock in particular but also builds on traditional r&b and jazz rock. It consist of 11 tracks of which two compositions are reworked songs from Mayer's 2003 solo album: "Daughters" and "Something's Missing", two are Mayer songs from his forthcoming 2006 album: "Vultures" and "Gravity", and two songs are cover versions: Hendrix' "Wait Until Tomorrow" and "I Got a Woman" written by Ray Charles, and three songs written by the John Mayer Trio.
This is the first sign that Mayer really intend to move his music away from the pop / rock productions of his early career, which is warmly welcomed. It's not surprising to see Mayer release a live album under this new constellation - he has already become renowned for playing better and more energetic on his live performances, and when that seems to evade him in the studio what is more appropriate than just record the music live?!
Anyway, I find it strong and very tight in a jazzy way all thanks to drummer and bassist. It was met both by appraisal and lukewarm reviews - some of which I suspect of wanting Mayer to keep releasing soft rock songs for his teen fans. The album was nominated Best Rock Album at the 2007 (?) Grammy Awards, and I simply consider it his so far best effort.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Blender, Rolling Stone 3 / 5 stars ]

John Mayer "Heavier Things" (2003)

Heavier Things
release date: Sep. 9, 2003
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,44]
producer: Jack Joseph Puig
label: Aware / Columbia - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Clarity" - 2. "Bigger Than My Body" - 3. "Something's Missing" - 5. "Come Back to Bed" - 7. "Split Screen Sadness" - 8. "Daughters" - 9. "Only Heart"

2nd full length studio album by Mayer with a new producer. Soundwise, the album mostly continues where Room for Squares ended. The dominance of pop / rock is evidently here - intended or not, it's pretty slick, although, I believe it's supposed to have a more gritty touch - also with reference to the title someone must have thought that it should be "Mayer on the rocks". A few tracks turn out with more focus on rock, but it really is with a narrow margin. "Bigger Than My Body" and "Something's Missing" are typical: They could have been rockier compositions but you need looking glasses to spot the big differences. Perhaps the strongest variation from his 2001 album is the intention to add elements from jazz, fusion rock and blues rock - you'll notice small guitar riffs, sound bits and horn sections here and there; only, they literally drown in dominating pop / rock arrangements and the (over-)produced touch of the album. There are attempts of applying a wider dynamic range with both uptempo and more laid-back compositions. "Something's Missing" comes close to the fusion rock by Andy Summers' post-Police period - in fact, I often find sound-bits with reference to The Police on this album. "Come Back to Bed" is a soft rock composition with horn sections, jazz and a more traditional blues feel that one will find on the predecessor. "Daughters" picks up the same variation in being a strong mellow acoustic piano- and jazz-founded ballad with strong emotions and it sticks out as that song, which makes you wonder if it really fits that well on this predominantly pop-release!? Once again, it has Mayer standing in more than one camp. Now, there's absolutely nothing wrong in playing both with strong energy and a soft lip, but the truly conflicting element is a fundamental question of direction when it comes to what audience you intend the album to appeal to. You cannot intentionally appeal to everyone, and if you make it too broad you end up losing more than you gain. On one hand the album contains more interesting compositions, sort of building on his debut ep Inside Wants Out (1999), but it also reveals the same problem of stylistically direction and taking a stand: What do YOU want this album to be Mr. Mayer? A composite of all styles and genres... well, then you may be on your way!
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 4 / 5, Blender, Slant 3 / 5, Spin 2,5 / 5 stars ]

John Mayer "Any Given Thursday" (2003) (live)

Any Given Thursday (live)
release date: Feb. 11, 2003
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]
producer: John Alagia
label: Aware / Columbia - nationality: USA

Track highlights, Disc 1: 2. "No Such Thing" - 3. "Back to You" - 4. "City Love" - 5. "Something's Missing" - 7. "Message in a Bottle" - 8. "Love Song For No One" - - Disc 2: 1. "Why Georgia" - 2. "Your Body Is a Wonderland" - 3. "My Stupid Mouth" - 7. "Neon"

1st live album by John Mayer is a double disc with a playing time above 1 hour and 40 mins. recorded Sep. 12, 2002, in Birmingham, Alabama as a 4-piece band consisting of John Mayer on vocals, guitars and keyboards, Michael Chaves on keyboards, guitars and backing vocals, David LaBruyere on bass and with Stephen Chopek on drums and percussion.
The album primarily features tracks from his studio debut and his forthcoming second album (to be released Sep. 2003) only. But however familiar the playlist may seem these songs come much more to life on this occasion proving what a talented artist Mayer really is. Both the two cover songs "Message in a Bottle" by The Police and "Lenny" by Stevie Ray Vaughan showcase Mayer as a man of rock music - pop / rock and blues rock. He pays tribute to two of his great influences, and he does that by making their songs vibrant and contemporary.
This album is easily Mayer's so far best. He's a fine instrumentalist - most people already knew that, but without the multi-layered studio sound he sounds so much better playing with charms, energy and skills, just having a good time picking his guitar and displaying his fascination for jazz and blues rock.
Highly recommended.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

John Mayer "Room for Squares" (2001)

Room for Squares
release date: Jun. 5, 2001
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,56]
producer: John Alagia
label: Aware / Columbia - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "No Such Thing" - 2. "Why Georgia" - 3. "My Stupid Mouth" - 4. "Your Body Is a Wonderland" - 5. "Neon" - 6. "City Love" - 9. "Love Song for No One" - 10. "Back to You" - 14. "St. Patrick's Day"

Full length studio album debut by John Mayer contains four previously released tracks from his debut ep Inside Wants Out (1999), although most of these have been altered considerably to fit the overall pop / rock sound on this.
Where Inside Wants Out had Mayer standing with one foot on slick pop soil and the other on traditional folk ground, this album is a homogeneously sounding pop / rock album through and through.
Now, I'm not saying this is my favourite Mayer album but what it does really well is presenting a whole. All songs here are produced as pop / rock tunes without any edges - it's rock music that could be played at any school or retirement home without stirring things up. And yeah, Sinatra and Charles would do just that too, but they have other qualities. Mayer, a young talented singer and songwriter with his feet planted in blues rock (Hendrix) and paid tribute to jazz on his previous release simply owes more than this to the world of music. And no, it's not bad! It's just so damn slick and each song sound as the previous. At some point you end up thinking "now isn't this, this or that song?" And after a few listens I concede that it's mighty fine but... just too damn honey-drooling for my liking.
Regardless my liking it really contains many fine tracks. I just need to be in the right mood.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone and Slant 4 / 5, Blender 3 / 5 stars ]

John Mayer "Inside Wants Out" (1999) (ep)

Inside Wants Out, ep [debut]
release date: Sep. 24, 1999
format: cd (2002 reissue)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,34]
producer: John Mayer, Glenn Matullo, David LaBruyere
label: Columbia - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Back To You" - 2. "No Such Thing" - 3. "My Stupid Mouth" - 4. "Neon" - 6. "Love Soon"

Studio ep debut by John Mayer is originally a self-released album on Mayer Music containing nine tracks; however, the original cd was released in limited numbers and it was reissued in 2002 by Columbia now leaving one track out from the original.
Stylistically, it's mostly pop / rock but with a clear inspiration from jazz, blues rock, and rhythm & blues. The first four songs would later be included on his full-length studio album debut Room for Squares (2001) in slightly completely altered versions. Especially the track "Neon" - here an acoustic solo, is transformed into a more electrified pop / rock band-version on the 2001 album.
The album contains both slick produced tracks as well as completely narrowly produced compositions showcasing Mayer as a singer / songwriter, folk artist picking his acoustic guitar while singing. And actually, the overall negative aspect about the ep is that Mayer stays undecided as to whether he wants to appeal to a predominantly pop / rock audience or a more folk and jazz-based crowd. Something that he should always be in doubts about it seems.
This first collection of songs points in two separate directions, but it also reveals a gifted artist with a broad repertoire. All in all, it's fine, although, it leaves you thinking, it could have been great.