Battle Studies

For John Mayer fans, this album is a familiar continuation of the work he has released throughout the decade. Although different instruments are occasionally added to the mix and various styles and influences filter in throughout, the real feature remains his guitar. The first track, "Heartbreak Warfare" opens with strings fading in followed by delayed guitar reminiscent of U2's The Edge. While these sounds may be experimental for Mayer, they seem to set the mood for the remainder of the album. Following "Heartbreak Warfare" is "All We Ever Do Is Say Goodbye," which has one of the most beautiful choruses Mayer has produced. My guess is he was listening to a great deal of Chicago as he wrote it.




Although the romantic Adult Contemporary themes prevail on the majority of the record, Mayer's sense of humor does gently poke through on the tracks "Half of My Heart" and "Who Says." On "Half of My Heart," Mayer shares the track with Taylor Swift and sings about loving someone while always looking for someone else. On "Who Says," easily one of the best, and most likely one of the most honest tracks of the album, Mayer gives a little insight to his opinion of marijuana use. The brilliant line "I don't remember you looking any better, but then again I don't remember you" repeats throughout and at the very least produces a smile every time it's heard.

For Battle Studies, the concentration is clearly on tone. There is no greater example of this than on his cover of Robert Johnson's "Crossroads." For any blues guitarist, "Crossroads" is almost a required cover, a Fender player's coming of age celebration. John Mayer's cover is significantly slower than Eric Clapton's famous rendition of the track with Cream and resembles Robert Randolph's funk infused style more than the original Robert Johnson recording, but when Mayer opts to solo, the notes are crisp, clear, and distinctly his own. Instead of showing off with notes, he maintains the respect of his followers with the sound he produces from his instrument. David Gilmour of Pink Floyd was famous for the same.

Battle Studies may not be John Mayer's greatest achievement, but it's a worthy addition to his already impressive repertoire. With many of his idols still producing music today, it's safe to say we can expect even more great things from this phenomenal guitarist and songwriter for many years to come.
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