listening to John Mayer’s first album, Room For Squares, actually makes me cry because of how amazing he was when he first started out. he used to care about his family, his friends, funny things that he went through each day, and real love. Now all he cares about is money, weed, womanizing, and fame. I miss 83, My Stupid Mouth, City Love, St. Patricks Day, and all his best songs. They were all on Room For Squares. His only other album that was good was his second one, Heavier Things. But in Continuum and Battle Studies, he sold out completely. I want the old John back :’(
I’m sorry, but I have to disagree. I get what you’re saying, and I suppose as a fan who’s interest in his music happened at the start of his career I can see how you might feel this way. However, I’m a relative “late-comer” to the JM family. While I was familiar with a few of his songs from RFS and HT, his music didn’t really speak to me until Continuum came out - and had been out for almost a year. It seemed to me like his true voice had finally come through in an authentically “John” way. Does that make any sense? LOL. In other words, looking back at his earlier stuff, yes, it was great on a lyrical level. Clearly, he had a message - and all the enthusiasm that comes with being young and hopeful and that spirit of “going for it”, putting it all out there and seeing who bites. But that hasn’t changed. His lyrics are as honest and heartfelt as ever - along with a lot more living experience behind them.
What stands out as the biggest difference between those earlier albums and the change that began to show itself with Try! even before Continuum and Battle Studies was the music itself. The melodies - the bluesy, R&B influence (and even the folk-ish songs like HOL and STT) - were more powerful. It was like he took a pair of old leather gloves and back-handed me in the face. As if to say, “Hey, fool! Wake up! I had more to say!” And I think it’s where his true inner sound really lies.
All the rest - the celebrity gossipy “who’s he dating now” stuff - is a media-created image. It’s not who he is as an artist, and I doubt it’s who he is as a person. With all that’s been put out there about him, I still think he’s managed to maintain his artistic voice and his great lyrical message. As fans, we have to be careful to distinguish the difference between celebrity John and musician John.
BTW…I have acquired a taste for the older albums and listen to them all the time now. But the last three strike me as completely relevant and consistent with the old…
Interesting take and rebuttle on “old John” versus “new John.”
