Stereogum Hearts John Mayer
The charges leveled by indie nation against John Mayer are substantial: a few albums of adult-alternative drivel, a Dave Matthews-in-a-dorm-room aesthetic, and every grating second of his breakthrough single "No Such Thing." Not to mention the overblown public affair that ignited the TMZ crowd this month.
And yet, something's changing for young Mayer, and it started around the time he formed his trio with session stars Steve Jordan and Pino Pallidino. We know he's been talented all along (Herbie Hancock doesn't invite just anybody to be a Headhunter). With John's rise came rumors of his affection for the blues, with extended shredding sessions in concert. His ability to use seventh chords and win Grammys was never at issue; it was his derivative, super-sensitive balladry that had audiophiles plugging their ears.
With his new record Continuum, we're seeing brilliant glimpses at what J. May could do best: meld a strong pop sensibility to his burgeoning blues and bring the smoky sounds of Stevie Ray to the people. Sure, the record has that too slick sheen one expects from a major label adult alternative release, but John marries R&B and lots of licks to his hooks. It all makes for a record that's … really good. We can't believe it either.
With an open mind, Scott and I went to see John perform his new material, and it was nothing short of amazing. Check the hot chops on the infectious, even Sting-y "Belief":
For more of the new Mayer, peep this performance of the spare, metaphorical musings of "Gravity" on Conan last Tuesday. If you want to mull it over, take this for your Zune. (We keed.)
John Mayer - "Gravity" (MP3)
We're convinced we're witnessing the emergence of a true artist. And, this being Stereogum, John scores points with each smart-ass interview.
Of course, he could do a duet with Jessica and squander all of this good will in three minutes.
Posted at 12:26 PM in Concert, MP3
Tags: Austin City Limits | John Mayer
nah, he sucks no matter what.
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Microsoft endorsement. Check.
Mayer endorsement. Check.
I can't wait for your thrilling take on the new L.L. Bean sweaters and Cost Plus throw pillows.
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I first saw him in my local punk club in 2001 on a whim and was scared to see the place packed with people with such perfectly tousled hair and straight-outta-JCPenneys wardrobes. Something made me buy that first album - which I later got rid of.
Seeing him play the arena on the other side of town in support of his 2nd album turned me into a believer much like you guys. It's scary to think but he's good and I've been tricked into buying half his albums (getting promo copies of the others for free).
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honestly, he really is one motherfucking great guitar player. i agree with you.
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kudos amrit. this stance you are making takes guts, but i think you are right on. i loved him many years ago in highschool when he was a nobody, and he made my jaw drop live. but of course, as he gained fame on mtv and derision from my friends...i had to let him go. (he did get pretty sappy.) but continuum is niiiice.
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No.
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"Of course, he could do a duet with Jessica and squander all of this good will in three minutes."
he could also squander everything if he got flown out to seattle to write about a zune.
oh wait.. that's what you guys did!
DUNZO
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Something is wrong with my computer. The screen is showing a post where you're actually endorsing this douche and his dog shit music.
This fucker couldn't bring the smoky sounds of Stevie Ray if he lit himself on fire while holding a boombox blasting Texas Flood.
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Half April Fools!!!
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Dudes
You have to check out these new underground indie-rock darlings. They're called the Dave Matthews Band. I think you'd love them.
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"But dude seriously the drummer is SICK!"
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Kudos Amrit. As i'm sure you already do, ignore those negative comments. I've said it before and I'll say it again, one of the reasons I hate most of you scumbag indie fucks who think the music you "discover" is the only good music out there is because are so critical of everyone else's taste. Fuck off, you don't know anything about music, that's why you are here. Just let Stereogum or another media outlet tell you what to buy (Zune) and listen to (John Mayer) and be happy followers or create your own blog. :)
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Blues Hammer - "Cotton Picking Blues"
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Remember Kenny Wayne Shepard and Jonny Lang back in the mid-90's? Clean cut white dudes ripping off Stevie Ray Vaughan ripping off Hendrix and Muddy Waters was lame ten years ago. Blue on Black....oooh hot licks! C'mon, I stopped reading Guitar World when I was 15. How about you? Watching Mayer make the I've-got-to-poo face in that clip is just hilarious.
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I'm reading and re-reading this post for the sarcasm and the irony, which I seem to be missing.
Are you still hung-over? Is this some sort of sick, twisted joke? You're kidding, right?
I grew up in the same town as this kid and he's someone familiar with the inside of a closed locker.
He gives Fairfield, CT, a bad name.
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Seriously, someone didn't hack you guys again, right?
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Whooooa Eddie! Hey man... you know, like chillax duuude, you're like totally ruining the groovy vibes I was getting from streaming that totally righteous video of J. May dude. It's a real bummer man. Like, just try and channel those smoky sounds from your ZUNE and simmer out to the extra groovy like... infectiousness of it all man while you float back to those sweeeeet memories of that totally rad European vacation. Just let it like... you know, blow your mind man. That's way more far out.
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I got assisgned to review his new album and was v. surprised that it did not suck. Much better than what I had heard from him on the radio in the past. Not my style, but it didnt annoy me either.
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I don't care either way about his music but that MTV show or whatever he did where he punk'd his own fans in the parking lot by putting on a bear suit and walking around saying "John Meyers sucks," and having them correct his pronunciation and defend his music, that was pretty good. Also that bit where he has the focus group with female fans, explaining that all his music is written by a man named Richard Marx (or someone similar) and is scientifically engineered to evoke an emotional response. It's like the guy's sense of humor about his music is better than the music itself, even in his own opinion.
I also like that "Chappelle Show" skit where they showed white folks will dance to anything with guitars.
"Play the fight music!"
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Nice to see Stereogum endorsing Mayer's new album. It is, in fact, very very good, and it's nice to see that there's still quality music to be found in a music industry where "SexyBack"s and "London Bridge"s reign supreme.
The "Belief" video is excellent as well. Probably my favorite track on the album.
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scott- why do you make amrit do all of the embarassing posts??? it's just not fair to him.
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no matter what shit you want to say about mayer, he is an amazing guitar player. you cant deny that. but he has been for a while; he's been playing blues shows at midnight in clubs the night before a big poprock concert filled to the brim with girls in mini skirts and legwarmers. he's just finally, as you said, melding his pop sound with his blues guitar prowess.
it is kind of weird you talked about him on this site, but its a touchy subject so whatever. he isnt indie, he isnt bob dylan, but he is a damn good musican. oh noes what do we do!!
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finally he get the credit he deserves. not only is a better guitar player than anyone making music today, he also fucked and dumped jessica simpson. that in itself is borderline amazing.
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Ugh. I can't believe you actually used the phrase "strong pop sensibility." Why not just call him "eclectic" while we're slinging about overused critical terms. Sorry, I'm feeling negative having just seen "The Black Dahlia."
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I liked him when he was on Chapelle's Show. Ya know, being funny as opposed to singing. Which is funny, but in the wrong way.
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this is why i read stereogum. no one at pitchfork would ever write about john mayer unless it was under an impenetrable layer of sarcasm.
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No one likes to wade through a concert ass-deep in people whose reasons for being there have very little to do with music. I pity musicians whose fan base scares off an actual honest assessment of their musical abilities. John Mayer is near the top of this list. Given, he's not entirely innocent; "Your Body Is a Wonderland" is one of the greater crimes inflicted on the general listening public in the last five years.
Part of it's probably because my introduction to him was "Neon", a song which is about a guitar hook and very little else - which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I saw him play the Iron Horse (smallish room in Northampton, MA) just after Squares had been released, and before "Wonderland" had hit radio. And, as Amrit has observed, seeing him live, you see that the guy has Chops. They are worthy of a capital letter. You also really catch the blues background and the laid-back, somewhat awkward smartassery (though the awkwardness may have melted some since then). Long story short, I've been waiting for him to drop the pop for a while, and thought that's where he was going with the whole John Mayer Trio thing. I haven't heard the new album, so I can't comment on how that's played out. I will also throw out that his spot on Austin City Limits (the show) won over my blues-snob father, who doesn't really pay attention to pop music, and therefore doesn't know that he's not supposed to like John Mayer. Funny how that works out.
Also, "he's someone familiar with the inside of a closed locker." What the hell's that supposed to mean? Aren't indie kids supposed to be sympathetic with people who were stuffed in lockers? Isn't that, ironically, one of the reasons we're "not supposed" to like him? Because we were belittled and berated by popular kids, and developed a snob attitude so we could feel some sense of superiority over the locker-stuffers? I know that when I was a full-fledged music snob, that was definitely part of it. I realize that's a reasoning that has very little to do with the actual music, but it's an undeniable undercurrent in the culture...or at least was. "Indie", like "alternative" before it, is less of a state and more of a look these days.
Also, if you want to check out some real modern blues, check this guy out.
http://www.jefflang.org/mp3/BuryDaddy/Jeff_Lang-Til_They_Cut_Me_Down.mp3
Jeff Lang (absolutely no relation to Jonny Lang)
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john mayer looks like and probably is a pedophile
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no this is yuck.
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false alarm. for those of you with your fingers ready to click the download trigger just to sort out the nonsense being thrown around, i'll spare you the suspense and the inevitable pain and suffering: mayer's new album does indeed suck. hard. there are two listenable tracks on it.
the problem has never been his guitar; he knows how to play the instrument. the problems are the disgusting way that he uses his voice and the inanity of his "songwriting." the claim that he's "a better guitar player than anyone making music today" is repulsive and laughable. anyone making a statement that blind doesn't even deserve to be enlightened with the names of real musicians who put mayer and his tripe to shame. open your eyes and ears. they're everywhere.
i used to come here for insight, but given the recent trend, maybe stereogum has gone off the deep end as well. most blogs have.
oh well.
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I'm glad you had the balls to say that.
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John Mayer, Jack Johnson and Jason Mraz can all suck a gigantic d.
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I've been saying the same thing since the last record came out... I'm glad you guys posted this.
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You might be right. But until more proof, meh.
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I kind of like the music (and some of the songwriting) and he did a really good version of Hendrix's Axis Bold as Love on some benefit but the voice is just too annoying to get over.
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I don't agree with your John Mayer assessment, but instead of being a douchebag and threatening to take my business elsewhere, I'll respectfully disagree and get over it.
Oh wait, I mean: I refuse to patronize any blog or website that doesn't fully reinforce my already-held beliefs.
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http://onediedsimply.blogspot.com/2006/09/john-mayer-singing-eraser.html
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i've always liked john mayer. mostly for his guitar abilities and not really for his somewhat cheesy pop songs. and i liked room for squares when it was first released but then started hating his fan base so i stopped listening to him.
what changed my mind was when he covered kid a. yeah, i know, go ahead & roll your eyes because eeeeveryone looooooooves radiohead and are their biggest fan, but if you haven't heard it...yeah.
it's a really good cover.
i have liked some songs i've heard off of continuum, but need to listen more.
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Waiting On the World to Change reminds me of Van Morrison -wish it was. But I think Vultures is the best cut on the Continuum. I agree with the Amrit-- his sidemen have taken Mayer to a different level. If only he could totally shed the pop stuff...
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my god, can stereogum get more lame? if you're not begging sufjan or that fat lead singer from death cab to wear your t shirts, you're sucking Microsoft Zune cock and now this. since amrit came on the posts have sucked. his reviews suck so hard...it's obvious he's trying to impress someone (pitchfork) and is using stereogum as a platform which makes the blog suck zune balls. wtf. im despondent. this blows. im gonna go jump off a bridge. peace out...that's my word...big ups...zune and meyer ball slingers. rub it hard you are. damn, this shits dunnie.
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John Mayer? He didn't even play Saturday. Massive Attack, The Shins, Explosions In The Sky, Brazilian Girls, Iron and Wine, Calexico, Ghostland Observatory... and you're talking about John Mayer!?
I just want to say that Coldplay is so awful they make me physically sick... everytime I hear one of their lame 9 minute pieces of crap in the grocery store.
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I am *so* happy to see this. John Mayer won me over when I saw him in concert with my aunt, who is a huge fan of his. I was skeptical, knew nothing about him besides his first handful of singles - and he blew me away. He was just incredible live, and I came out of the concert a fan. Continuum is great, and thanks for saying so.
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I once saw John Mayer on Austin City Limits one night and was reasonably impressed. This gravity song sounds reasonably good, but the "Gravity is bringing me down" sounds like something Craig Finn would say sarcastically...if he didn't trash it for being too obvious. All in all, it sounds like a shinier version of Cat Power's latest...which equals fine enough, and I might be willing to listen to more.
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John Mayer is probably one of my top 10 favorite guitar players alive, only behind the guitar players in Opeth and Dragonforce. This guy can fucking SHRED. Let's see Ben Kweller and the dudes in The Hold Steady do that. Jimi Hendrix should be proud there's still someone who knows how to play guitar. Fuck Dave Matthews and M&M as well, and nobody gives a shit about Brazilian Girls or Ghostland whatever.
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and I thought only Garfield hated Mondays!
Thanks for getting my week off to a horrid start.
Also, I'll not take your advice or this review seriously. Never.
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What's the new band called?
JOHN MAYER'S WINDBREAKERS?
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Dude, does everyone here have to assume that endorsement of a "mainstream" artist is based on some sort of alterior motive?? Christ, if any of you really LISTENED to the Trio album, or even the new solo disc, you'd probably at the very least agree that they guy has SERIOUS chops, and though it's true the album is a little slick, it's a huge step away from the "Your Body is a Wonderland" stuff, and into very non-radio friendly terrain. (Since most of you psuedo-hipsters think the mark of a really artist is making sure you're baby sister thinks he sucks, you're in luck, that John Mayer poster will probably come down of the dorm room wall this fall.)
The guy is good. Give him a break. You can bash his image all you want, but since people that read Sterogum like to call them selves "reall music fans," maybe you should get past that and pay attention to his actual talent.
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Ouch. I consider myself open minded but I can't get with this at all. Reminds me of nauseating mid-period Clapton mixed with 90s frat rock. Terrible.
ps. whoever made the Blues Hammer reference is right on the money.
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amrit,
i have been defending Meyer for a while, and i own the trio record. i am so happy that you posted this in the face of the close-minded hipster nation!
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amrit,
i have been defending Meyer for a while, and i own the trio record. i am so happy that you posted this in the face of the close-minded hipster nation!
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Goodness gracious. Everybody relax. I'm not saying this track is girlfriend-mix worthy, or even parental-roadtrip-mix worthy, but it definitely does not make me wanna hurl. Just because a few years back 93% of all female college sophomores wanted to give John the hihowyadoins is no reason to hate on this overpolished, but decent album.
If you're pissed off because he has your haircut now, well, that I can understand.
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I love all generalizations.
For awhile I greatly enjoyed mocking/dismissing/disliking John Mayer. I could never sit there and listen to an entire album. (Well, unless I was in a Starbucks or a Pier 1, I suppose.) But after the third or fourth time I asked my ex-girlfriend "Who's this?" while listening to some mix she made, I was forced to confront what at the time felt like an awful truth: Did I like John Mayer? (I mean, don't get me wrong, I wasn't head over heels about those particular tracks; I simply found them enjoyable and I wasn't sure who sang them.)
I have since come to the realization that I like *some* of this guy's stuff. I still can't listen to an entire album, but if you drop a song or two into a playlist they work quite nicely. In fact, if you play this particular mix -- smattered with some Nick Drake, Lucinda Williams, Feist, Morphine, et al -- at three in the morning after enticing a lovely young woman to "check out your apartment" you'll find that even John Mayer has the potential to inspire paroxysms of joy.
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Props to Stereogum for the open mind. good music is good music. And if you're not there digging it, then it's hard to argue.
Thanks for posting the vid
Matt
props to John Mayer too
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i'm so confused. I thought I was supposed to hate him! stereogum, your turning my world upside down.
seriously though, this is not bad at all.
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wow you guys are dumb. why does a blog with no clue about music have such influence over people?
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Props to John Mayer for being so image saavy, just when his "acosutic soul" image was killing his career, he does a 180 and becomes the "white bread SRV" can't wait to see what he does when that gets old.
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finally. music isn't something people tell you to like...you just like it when you do. stop being so dramatic...everyone needs to drop the attitude and take a listen to this new record if you haven't yet. it's a real growth and the songs will absolutely not leave my head.
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I like a large variety of music. Some things I have read on Pitchfork, Stereogum and other sites I have absolutely loved. Others I have absolutely hated. Taste is exactly that; taste. That's what makes listening to music such an individual experience. There should be no shame in liking this album or any album that P4K gives a poor rating to. So get over yourselves, stop looking over your shoulder and have a little fun, will ya?
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I can't believe I just wasted 6 minutes of my life on that waiting fo rhte great guitar part. have you guys ever been to any blues club in Chicago? anyone in any blues club could play with more soul than I just saw (regretfully)
I really do think you're joking or perhaps it's that someone did give you free airfare to get to Austin?
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I couldn't even get halfway down the comments section without being repulsed by the hipster idiots who think music is only good if no one's ever heard of the band before. Sure, lots of mainstream music is trash, but then again, so is a lot of indie music. In fact, there's a lot more shitty indie music than there is shitty mainstream music. People plug 80's drum machines into their Yamaha 4-tracks and call it "retro." I call it garbage. Get a job at Starbucks and buy an iBook for God's sake. At least then you can rely on GargageBand's loops to be in tune and quantizing to keep it on-time since "talented" is a word you could never use to describe a band like the Arctic Monkeys and chances are you're just a shitty imitation of them.
John Mayer is the best singer-songwriter to come along in at least 15 years. He's a smokin' bad-ass guitar player, a thoughtful lyricist, a brilliant creative mind. You'd be hard-pressed to find an indie guitarist that can do more than just struggle to play power chords or tilt his head and say "huh?" when they hear a chord name followed by number higher than 7.
John is consistent in that each albums sounds different and each album sounds great. Continuum is no exception.
Try liking music because its good music, not because you think it impresses that girl in the skinny jeans when you list 5 bands no one cares about because they can't get a gig in their own hometown bar.
Music isn't an exclusive club run by morons with idiot hair and chuck taylors drinking stella artois and living in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
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Awww.. c'mon, guys! Just download one John Mayer track to your new Zune and give it a try...
But seriously, if you like it- good for you, if not- get over it.
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John Mayer's music is reeeeeaaaal gay.
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Zach Braff, John Mayer, Moron 5 = a perfect mix of cuteness and marketability that just might save the music industry! or make me want to walk into an urban outfitters and smack someone...
yes i know that i spelled it MORON
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Oh no! Blog comments sounding like Jr. High cliques gossiping at the cafeteria!
Scratch that, just another day in the world of typed diarrhea.
I'm shocked and astounded at the fact that Chris thinks Mayer has ruined the great cultural legacy of Fairfield, CT. All that is now spoiled. Someone should write a letter...
barf
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all i know is for years, since seeing him live right when squares came out, i've been defending john mayer in indie circles. then, about a month or two ago i finally gave in and stopped liking him. honestly, he played on my shuffle and i was like, 'oh, i guess this is cheesy ...' and now, fucking stereogum likes him! dammit, i'm so confused.
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Didn't realize blogs were accepting payola these days.
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can't believe this endorsement.
"waiting on the world to change"? and he graves-robs curtis mayfield? John Mayer is a LOSER.
I mean, "sting"-y? that's all you have to say. we need more music that upsets the establishment, not kisses its ass.
and this blog is no longer in my RSS feed. thanks for the time!
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clearly the people who run an "indie" music blog know that virtuosity does not equal good music. in fact, the opposite is often true. guitar wankery is not enjoyable, whether the perpetrator is an old fart like eric clapton or a hack like john mayer. and is "stingy" seriously supposed to be a complement? am i supposed to be awed by the fact that someone under 30 has mastered the adult-alternative/contemporary aesthetic usually reserved for those over 55? no thanks.
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I don't care how talented John Mayer is. His music is boring. Every song I've heard of his puts me to sleep. It's so bland.
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Ugh... why did I bother reading the comments? Full of the predictable indie snob douchery.
Anyway, glad to see Mayer getting the credit he deserves. Meh, not too crazy about his personality and antics, but that's beside the point when he is *that* talented.
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i cant expect anything else except typical indie douchebags.
john mayer is the most talented musician i have ever come across. amazing guitar player, songwriter and just person in general. there's a lot more to his music than what you guys hear on the radio. open your ears and get past the indie bullshit.
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It's scary, but Amrit's very right about the Johnboy.
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I used to actually lump them all together, the singer songwriter guys, but then I heard a rip of the Austin performance and hate to say it, bought the dude's album yesterday. The first listen I think I was jaded by my previous conventions, but when I really listened to it, its good. Good good.
I know people are jumping on here raping Amit up one side and down the other, but really did y'all actually watch the video clip? Did you listen? The guy has massive talent and reminds me of a nouveau Boz Scaggs.
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"The Real World"!?
Um, the fact that you're giving him credit is awesome, but you might want to actually figure out the NAME of his songs before you make reference to them..
Plus, all these assholes need to grow up.. it's unimportant that you think he is a "loser"- he is 40 times more talented than you and gets 60 times more ass. Don't be jealous, kids.
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People can be so negative and closed-minded. Guess what? Get over yourselves.
There is no limit to how much or what kind of music you can like. There's room for everyone, including the Mayer man.
There's a pop element to his current blues-groove-inflected music. So what? To dismiss him just because he's mainstream is pretty myopic. The kid can play guitar with the best of them, he draws from strong musical influences AND he writes solid, well-constructed pop songs. These are the reasons he's more successful than Jack Johnson and Jason Mraz. He's got better taste in music than the average pop fan, but he's not holding it against them. Instead of being snobby and exclusive with his talent and taste, everyone's invited to the Mayer party (where he will be spinning selections by Buddy Guy, My Morning Jacket and Radiohead).
I'm glad I read the comments section for this post, as most of the time I don't. Now I know why people hate indie hipsters so much.
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Maybe Eric Clapton can lend John Mayer a helicopter real soon...
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if you don't like john mayer you must be an elitist indie hipster snob! right... everyone's always trying to prove they aren't snobs by saying they like something that is popular, even though it totally sucks.
honestly, I don't give a shit if he's popular or not. this song sucks so so so so bad.
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honestly, I know I have bad taste in music. in my null opinion this song sucks so so so so bad.
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For the love of God and all that is holy and sacred please please please leave Stevie Ray out of this.
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its funny how all of you losers think that mayer sucks when hes been playing with the likes of B.B. King and Eric Clapton lately.
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its funny how all of you losers think that mayer sucks when hes been playing with the likes of B.B. King and Eric Clapton lately.
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"Try" released last year included the amazingly talented Steve Jordan on drums and Pino Palladino on bass guitar. John Mayer completed the trio with nothing less than exceptional talent, both in his lyrical ability and his new found guitar playing. Continuum is a transition to what John Mayer really wants to do which is a matured version of Try! Why? so that he can join his fellow idols in the Music history books. John Mayer isn't saying "Hey guys I have totally conquered blues! or 'I am the greatest musician at present" He simply wants you to know that he is pursuing this exquisite genre of music because he respects it and wants to make it his own. John Mayer doesn't want his music to die. What he really wants is for his work to remain as ageless as his idols so that some day when your great grandchildren play his record they could have the same respect for it that you would have if you were to put on a Hendrix or Ray Charles album right now!! For any of you who appreciates the endeavour to attain something that inspires you then you would understand where John is coming from. Playing the guitar the way Vaughn and Hendirx did it is definitely something as a serious musician he'd like to be remembered for. John is in transition. He is as much mainstream as he is idie. He is as loy