How does one follow up a masterpiece?
Not many artists have to answer that question at some point in their careers. John Mayer gets his chance with his new LP, Battle Studies. It's an enviable position to be in, but an extremely difficult one too.
Make no mistake, Mayer's 2007 offering Continuum was a masterpiece. It perfectly blended his pop-rock roots with the blues chops he established during his time fronting the John Mayer Trio. Every song seemed meticulously crafted and refined, each one a joy to listen to.
Battle Studies is a decidedly different album. It lacks the consistency of Continuum, but its standouts can easily stand up to the best tracks Mayer has ever released.
The album leads off with "Heartbreak Warfare," arguably its best and most memorable track. The song is a rollicking, echoey ballad that establishes the underlying theme of Battle Studies: love as war. It's a beautiful, catchy song that you'll want to listen to again and again.
The rest of the album pulls some sudden switches between 80s-esque electric rock (think Eric Clapton or Tom Petty) and folksy acoustic guitar. "All We Ever Do Is Say Goodbye" allows Mayer to exercise his vocal talent, which seems to effectively split audiences. Love it or hate it, the guy can belt it, and there's no denying his unequaled talent on the guitar.
The only collaboration on the album is "Half Of My Heart," which features Taylor Swift (I guess). She's barely there, but hearing her very short solo is a neat addition to the bare, acoustic-and-drumset-laden song.
"Who Says" was a controversial choice for the first single released on the album. There are tracks on Battle Studies with much bigger hit potential, but "Who Says" is a quiet, honest, acoustic musing by Mayer, who lyrically wonders who says he can't do what he wants to do.
"Perfectly Lonely" is a bluesy tune, upbeat with some more signature guitar thrown in for good measure. Aside from the warfare theme, this album definitely fits into another concept: singleness. Both "Who Says" and "Perfectly Lonely" fit this theme. They're frank expressions of Mayer's contentment with the single life.
"Assassin" deserves a special mention. It's one of the strangest and most unique tracks Mayer has ever put out. It constantly fluctuates between quiet and loud, and the sound is something you'll have to hear for yourself. It's tough to describe, but I definitely like it.
Mayer covers Robert Johnson/Eric Clapton/Cream on "Crossroads," which is cool to hear but not all that memorable. That guitar is pretty damn impressive, though.
"Edge of Desire" is my other favorite on the album. It's a slow song, and the chorus is extremely beautiful. It's a perfect showcase of the honest pictures of romance that Mayer is known for.
"Do You Know Me" is definitely the most forgettable track on the album. It clocks in at 2.5 minutes, and it's easy to let it pass by without even noticing its presence on Battle Studies. It's slow and bare, which isn't bad, but it doesn't stand out as much as the other tracks do.
Battle Studies finishes out with "Friends, Lovers Or Nothing," which I appreciate because it's piano-driven. My favorite track on Continuum was unquestionably "Dreaming With A Broken Heart," which is very similar to "Friends, Lovers Or Nothing" in a lot of ways, including the sweet piano. The guitar melds with the piano very well, and Mayer's writing is still topnotch.
Mayer had his work cut out for him when he was tasked with following up Continuum. He doesn't top that album here, but I get the feeling he wasn't exactly trying to. He wanted to make some good music, and that's what he's accomplished here. Even if it doesn't top Continuum, Battle Studies does feature some of the best tracks Mayer has ever played.
Give Battle Studies a preview listen before you buy, and you'll see what I mean. I can almost guarantee that "Heartbreak Warfare" will quickly convince you that Battle Studies is worth your money. Just remember to give the rest of the album a little time to grow on you. You won't regret it.
My Score: 4 stars our of 5
