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Song of the Day #1,591: ‘Red’ – Taylor Swift

Since the release of Taylor Swift’s new album, Red, I’ve read several versions of the same joke: referencing the country-pop superstar’s penchant for writing scathing break-up songs about the many men who’ve wronged her, people have begun to suggest “Taylor, maybe it’s you…”

That idea ran through my mind more than once listening to Red, another collection that’s exhaustively focused on the failings of the men in Swift’s life. I have to say, it’s quite a feat to make me feel sympathy for John Mayer.

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Song of the Day #1,590: ‘Moon On My Shoulder’ – Lyle Lovett

This track, from Lyle Lovett’s 1994 album I Love Everybody, runs two minutes and 20 seconds. It probably took Lovett about 30 seconds more than to write it.

I Love Everybody is half a great album and half a forgettable one. It is made up of songs written before the release of Lovett’s first album, so you’d expect it not to contain his best work, yet it does feature quite a few gems.

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Song of the Day #1,589: ‘Good Love Is On the Way’ – John Mayer Trio

John Mayer is often dismissed (sometimes rightly) as a mellow soft rock artist aimed a little too squarely at the Starbucks crowd.

But anybody who doubts Mayer’s considerable guitar chops, or his affinity for the blues rock of his idols Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix, should check out his 2005 release Try!, recorded live with stdio stalwarts Steve Jordan and Pino Palladino as the John Mayer Trio.

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