To the delight of girls nationwide, and a few closet guy fans, last Wednesday saw the release of John Mayer’s highly anticipated second studio album, Heavier Things. This new album has Mayer back doing what he does best, harmonizing with lyrics that make young women melt, and laying down tracks that make even the most creative of professional guitarists go, “Man, that’s cool.” However, the new album lacks the energy of his first, leaving us to wonder if Mayer will soon be singing the second album blues that seem to strike so many new artists these days.
The CD introduces 10 new songs, including the single “Bigger than my Body”, which showcases Mayer on a vintage American fender strat, a unique change in sound from his earlier singles, where it was all about the acoustic. The rest of the songs have gone mainly electric as well, and are noticeably more mellow than his first album, with very similar underlying rhythms, making the album less catchy as a whole. The one acoustic track on the album, “Daughters,” is good, but nowhere near as fun as his earlier acoustic works.
However, Mayer does effectively utilizes a plethora of new sounds, ranging from computer beats to horn sections to church organs, and new song styles, from “Come back to Bed,” which fronts a country feel I’m almost positive was borrowed from Clint Black, to “Only Heart” which has the priceless 80’s drum intro. And his lyrics are just as impactful and emotional as before. “Split Screen Sadness” challenges the “All you need is love,” anthem of Mayer Lennon and the Beatles; “Something’s Missing” goes through a checklist of life’s little necessities; and “Home Life” stresses Mayer’s belief in playing the cards life deals him, never getting divorced, and never running from his decisions. What a trooper.
The enhanced CD also includes a back stage pass to some exclusive Mayer video and audio clips through the Sony website. But when I popped it into my trusty T22 to give it a go, I got to the site, and it froze my computer solid. Who knows if this is a tribute to RPI laptops, or Sony websites, either way, I am sure the extra stuff is good fun, if you can get it to work.
Overall, if you respect Mayer as a musician and truly enjoy his music, buy this CD, you may not scream with joy, but you won’t be disappointed. But, if you only like him for his singles and the funky acoustic style he presented earlier in his career, borrow your girlfriend’s copy first, and listen to it a few times before running to the Hoosick Walmart. I have to admit though, while the CD is not on the same level as Room for Squares, the CD is definitely growing on me. Mayer’s guitar playing is awesome, his lyrics true-to-heart and although afraid to admit it, I am a closet Mayer fan, but I know I’m not alone.
