John Mayer - Sob Rock (July 16, 2021) Album • Page 2

sounding great!

 

He’s a smart promoter. TikTok is perfect for him.

 

Up to Born & Raised in the discog run-through. I think I underrated Battle Studies. Some absolutely prime late-night-loneliness songs on that album.

 

I love Battle Studies, but if pressed there are just a few structural issues with that album.

That first five song stretch does an exceptional job sketching a path forward from Heavier Things while taking into account some of his sounds from Continuum. But then “Assassins” and “Crossroads” back to back really kill the momentum.

“Friends, Lovers...” doesn’t feel like enough of an earned climax for me. Maybe adding another instrumental section would help? It doesn’t jam enough for such a lyrically sparse song.

 

"Crossroads" is the miss on that album for me but "Assassin" fits in perfectly and is one of my favourites on there.

 

For me it’s not really a momentum issue, but a tonal one. “Assassins” is kind of the album in microcosm for me: dark, late-night, painting a breakup as espionage warfare. But “Crossroads,” while a fun tossed off cover, doesn’t fit the vibe or theme at all. I’ve long argued that the “I’m on Fire” cover should be on the album in its place and “Crossroads” should be the cover. “I’m on Fire” is exactly the right vibe.

I don’t disagree on “Friends...” though. I enjoy that song, but it’s always been my least favorite of his closers. It’s in need of a killer bridge (a la “I’m Gonna Find Another You”) to really kick it into that closing refrain.

Still, though, some of my favorite Mayer songs ever on that album, and an overall atmosphere that I love. “Edge of Desire” dukes it out with “Stop This Train” as my favorite song he ever wrote.

 

"Assassin" is a solid live song but I have just never loved the recorded version. I don't deny that it fits the album vibe, but at 5+ minutes it's always the moment on the record when I start looking at my watch.

 

No coincidence I’m listening to 80s yacht rock all day then...

I’m here for it.

agree with SpyKi. My favorite albums of his are ones where he’s not on the cover lol

 

Most times I go to do a disco run, I end up just listening to Where The Light Is because it's such a good live record

 

Listened to Try! for the first time in awhile yesterday. Some of those jams go on for a bit longer than I'd like, but that album is a lot of fun too.

 

Why did he never put "In Your Atmosphere" on an album?

 

No idea but its easily one of his best.

 

Try! is fantastic, yeah. I love that sound from him.

 

I mean, it's pretty much flawless on Where the Light Is, but I feel like it would have been a pretty good fit with what he was doing on Battle Studies.

 

Continuum is his masterpiece in my book with Born & Raised not far behind.

I grew up on Room for Squares, and "Why Georgia?" has special significance to me as an Atlantan in addition to it being an amazing song. That song and "3x5" are probably my favorite songs by him. It does lose steam after "Back to You" though. I've heard the record millions of times and can't currently remember what the verses to "Not Myself" sound like.

I do not like Battle Studies at all. Easily my least favorite JM record and my recent listen-through just confirmed that. Musically, it feels like a poor man's Continuum to me, and lyrically it just feels shallow. It doesn't help that it was released at the height of his fame either. My friends make a face when I tell them how brilliant John Mayer is, mainly because they're thinking of that interview, and I've basically told them, "No, you don't get it, his stuff is amazing and thoughtful. Just stay away from Battle Studies."

 

Battle Studies is so good. Onky behind Continuum and Born & Raised for me.

 

Almost done with my discography run through. Just finished Born & Raised. Damn, that Continuum-Battle Studies-Born & Raised run is so damn great. Surprised by some comments about Battle Studies....I think aside from Crossroads and War of My Life it's up there as one of his best.

Also just realized the first verse to Walt Grace's Submarine Test is very similar to the chorus of the Jonas Brothers' Lovebug.

 

Post-discog-run rankings:

Continuum>Born & Raised>Heavier Things>Battle Studies=Room for Squares>The Search for Everything>Paradise Valley

I'm always surprised I don't like Paradise Valley more, since it's his "country" record, but I just think there's such a wide range of quality to the songs on that record. Some of his absolute best, but some songs I've never really cared for.

 

I think it's an "I Want You To Want Me" situation where the recorded version just wouldn't hit like the live one. There's a desperation in his voice in that song that I don't know could be re-created in the studio.

 

Gonna need to do a discog run tomorrow but I know PV is my least fave, just felt too rushed after B&R and didn’t have enough depth to keep me coming back.

I have the same rankings as @Craig Manning does haha

 

Also, Split Screen Sadness is one of his best songs and i’ll die on this hill

 

This is the truth.

 

Continuum > Born & Raised > Room for Squares > Heavier Things > Search for Everything > Paradise Valley > Battle Studies

 

Continuum
Born & Raised
Battle Studies
Heavier Things
Paradise Valley
Room for Squares
Search for Everything

 

Born & Raised
Continuum
Room for Squares
Battle Studies
Heavier Things
Paradise Valley
Search for Everything