09.12.2003|FRIDAY
I have listened to the new John Mayer album, "Heavier Things," at least seven (7) times since I got it on Tuesday, and it has certainly grown on me. Initially, I was taken aback by how unlike himself John sounds on this album. At various times his voice or stylistic decisions smack of Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, and Paul Simon. There are a few tracks more obviously our old J.M., but with a total of ten (10) tracks, "a few" means two (2) to four (4). "What's different," you wonder. I can best explain what I miss in this follow-up album by considering how I reviewed Mayer's debut release.

I didn't. When I tried to review the tracks on "Room For Squares" for a friend of mine, all I could do was identify my favorite lyrics from each song. That's how in love with Mayer's music I was. You know what I'm talking about - that incommunicable level of admiration that, when asked to explain it, you find yourself exalting details, like the person's eyes or laugh... or single lines from songs.

At first mistaking it for a low word count, subsequent listens led to my more exact observation that John seems to have focused more on (in my opinion) generic-sounding, slick production than on maintaining his witty lyricism. Frustratingly infrequently do I think during these new songs, "He either spent forever making these lyrics divinely perfect, or Mayer is a genius and divinely perfect lyrics effortlessly flow through him." As with eyes, which come in a pair, it's easy to realize when good words aren't there. Mayer's new album sports amazing lyrics far less frequently than "Room For Squares," leading one to observe that something's missing from "Heavier Things."

Yes and no. Another way in which John is sounding less like himself this time around is in "Heavier Things" being heavy in electric guitar, and low on the cheery acoustic sound with which Mayer originally hooked us. This new weight has the potential to sink the album for those unwilling to give it a couple of listens. Skeptics are highly encouraged, then, to give the first single, "Bigger Than My Body," a chance. This tune proclaims John's return, "Listen up everyone! John Mayer is BACK!" It has the new weight, but its structure harkens back to "Room For Squares," and the electric guitar actually sounds interesting - in the same vein as the accordion/pan flute-sounding guitar trick (watch "Any Given Thursday") in John's "3x5."

A good review probably wouldn't have saved this for so far down the page, but it is time for me to say that, despite the heavier sound, I like the new album. It is thoroughly enjoyable, I recommend it, and, after a few listens, the tracks of "Heavier Things," when intermixed with those of "Room For Squares" and "Inside Wants Out," don't scream "I'm different!" Instead, and I'm sure it will come as a surprise if you read this entire review, they blend together rather nicely. In fact, I'm glad they are different enough for blending to be possible, as adding some orange juice to more orange juice yields nothing particularly interesting. So, take one "Heavier Things," let it ripen a week, combine with other Mayer tracks, serve, and enjoy.

Quotable:
Me: It looks like the rhythm is already different, if that means anything. It's booting faster overall.
Surajit: That just means it will fail faster.
All: Ha ha ha!

Tunage: "Something's Missing" by John Mayer

09.11.2003|THURSDAY
**Life-changing revelation!** When did I stop thinking bigger than me? What caused me a moment ago to realize that this was what was missing? Was it the lyric from the new John Mayer song that goes, "Someday I'll be so damn much more"... or was it in noticing that none of the jobs I'm considering say to me, "Take me, Ben. Right here, right now. I don't care if anyone's looking," - is that what woke me? No matter. Back to the original question: When did I stop thinking bigger than me? Actually, how, why, and when did I *start*? Knowing that might help me start again. On second thought, no matter. I have awoken with a new ambition. That's what matters - the here and now... and, even more so, the there and later. Now, to get there, I must first select a there to get... And to do that, I need to think bigger than me.

Quotable: I have ten people talking to me at once, and... Surajit goes first because he's uglier and older than everyone else. - Allen

Tunage: "Daughters" by John Mayer