It’s a testament to how good this year has been for new releases that John Mayer’s Born and Raised can climb to only number four on this list.
Since his great 2006 record Continuum, Mayer has made headlines for everything but his music. He gave two disastrous magazine interviews, had ugly break-ups with Jennifer Aniston and Taylor Swift (with the latter excoriating him in song on her most recent album) and developed granulomas on his vocal chords that prevented him from singing.
My wife and I were listening to this song in the car the other day and I remarked that it was a lovely metaphor. Slow dancing in a burning room… what a neat way to describe a relationship that is clearly ending despite either party wanting to accept that fact.
We started kicking around other songs that use metaphor effectively, and I decided to dedicate this week to five of them. This is what happens when you’re married to an English teacher.
Best Songs of 2009 – #8
John Mayer’s Continuum (2006) was a tough act to follow and he wasn’t quite up to the task with 2009’s Battle Studies. The album was solid and at times inspired but it didn’t break any ground.
Now, it’s probably not fair to expect artists to break new ground or constantly top themselves, and Battle Studies is certainly a solid effort, so don’t read this as a shot at Mayer. I just know what he’s capable of and I think on this album he was taking some plays off, so to speak.
I’m often intrigued by the group think exhibited by music and movie critics — not so much in their appraisal of a new work but in the angle from which they approach it. The most recent example I’ve noticed is in the commentary on John Mayer’s new album, Battle Studies, which I’ve been enjoying for about a week now.
Almost every review I’ve read has made a point to comment on the dichotomy between Mayer’s public image (including a popular Twitter account, stand-up comedy routines and frequent appearances on tabloid covers with the likes of Jennifer Aniston and Jessica Simpson) and the low-key, earnest music he records.
This is a song that I’ve always liked a lot from John Mayer’s last album, Continuum. It’s soft and sweet with a nice melody and an emotional bridge. Your basic John Mayer broken heart song… solid through and through.
But I’m not featuring it today because I dig it. I chose it because I recently read something about it that intrigued me and I’m curious what others think.
Meet Me In Montauk 