I Heart You JM

Let’s play a word association game. I say John Mayer. You say…Love Rat? Jennifer Aniston? Waste of space?
How about guitar genius, Clapton prodigy and man who puts pen to more achingly heart felt trips along a fret and back than whoever writes Leona Lewis’s stuff. What’s more, my mum loves him. Enough said.

Mayer’s fourth album, whose step by step process his hardcore fan contingent were able to track on a daily basis via his infamously mouthy Tweets, is described by the man himself as a “heartbreak handbook.” Its worth having a listen to for trying to pinpoint any snide points towards the Aniston, (“Friends, Lovers or Nothing, anyone?) and with the clue in the title, it seems theirs wasn’t the smoothest of love nests. Liberal references to warfare and combat are scattered all over the album, but if you’re looking for hardcore thrashing anger, step away.



Continuing in the vein of previous album Continuum Mayer checks into his very own Heartbreak Hotel on Battle Studies with a heart-stopping combination of dreamy, blowsy blues and softly radiating harmonies. So-laid-back-its-horizontal first single “Who Says” causes controversy as it shuffles along; Mayer’s very own “pot song”, rather than being a monument to his own bad boy-ness, seeps through the speakers with the same relaxing effect.

The real USP of this album is how Mayer can seamlessly segue from one genre to another, linked by the common theme of his breathy, heartfelt vocals and guitar solos which escalate towards emotive climaxes. He meanders down a country route with new friend Taylor Swift, who provides guest vocals on “Half of my Heart” and covers a Cream classic on “Crossroads”; the latter showcasing a step up to tight, catchy riffs and throwback to some serious seventies-esque guitar snobbery.
Highlights of the album include “Assasin”, a track that wanders from the contemplative to the caustic with spine tingling emotion, and next single “Heartbreak Warfare” which has classic Mayer stamped all over it. Ebbing guitars, marching drums and beautiful imagery ease you into a record which isn’t just your average easy listening album. It’s an education.

© Miranda Thompson 2010

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