A few weeks back, I was given the chance to hear a sneak preview of Born and Raised, the forthcoming album from John Mayer. Myself, along with a small & select group of fans, bloggers, and John Mayer fanatics got to sit in on one of the first public listening sessions, hearing the CD track-by-track. It is always hard to come up with a track-by-track review of a CD based on one listen, especially a John Mayer record which usually needs a handful of listens to begin to soak in. Below, I have run down (cliffnotes version) my first set of thoughts on the disc.
Tracklist
1. Queen of California
2. The Age of Worry
3. Shadow Days
4. Speak for Me
5. Something Like Olivia
6. Born and Raised
7. If I Ever Get Around To Living
8. Love is a Verb
9. Walt Grace’s Submarine Test, January 1967
10. Whiskey, Whiskey, Whiskey
11. A Face to Call Home
12. Born and Raised (Reprise)
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1. Queen of California
Very good opening track with a solid solo, very old school with a twist of southern americana. It could fit nicely in a catalog of America or Bread songs from the 70’s. Very free-spirit feel to it, and a tad countrified you could say. Very upbeat, just a great way to start the record.
2. The Age of Worry
Organs, big band style almost. I get a hint of irish drinking song as well during the listen. I don’t know if it’s the delivery or what, but it reminds me of stuff I heard in pubs on my travels throughout the UK. For Mayer, its a very different arrangement than anything he’s ever done. Production is top notch, and it’s very different than the early, stripped versions that appeared on live videos.
3. Shadow Days
The one song most people have heard coming into the CDs release. Twangy, bluegrass feel but still recognizable as a patented Mayer song. Honestly, it’s one of my least favorite songs on the disc, mainly because there are some true gems throughout the disc. However, Mayer rarely writes a poor song, which this isn’t, so I would chalk this up to more of a “radio” song than anything. It’s there to pull a listener in, but really nothing more for the die hard.
4. Speak for Me
This might be my favorite song on the record. It reminds me a lot of Room For Squares Mayer. Great vocal range, great vocal harmony, and it’s a flimsical song that I can only image was penned based on his past transgressions with Rolling Stone/Twitter/the media. Consider it an offering from Mayer opening up to his past, something which he has adressed on a few occasions, but never really lyrically covered.
5. Something Like Olivia
Very bluesy feel to the intro. Those who loved Continuum and the Trio work I think will find this song enticing. Word floating around about this song is that Mayer did everything in this songs recording live. That would make sense, listening to this version you hear the guitar solo starting out kinda low, then building. I guess what happened was during the live take, he had to run to his guitar, which was volumed low, and then midway, he kicked it to high. Rumor is he loved the take so much, he kept it as such. Very raw, very John. A true gem.
6. Born and Raised
Another one that ranks as one of my favorites and I think it would be one of Mayer’s favorites as well. We get a cameo from influences Crosby, Stills, and Nash and it is the ultimate all encompassing track on the disc. This CD has a lot of different elements, different sounds, but this song kind of brings them all together. That might be why it’s smack in the middle, to recap and then to set you up for what is to come. Beautiful track, old school folkish twang with a touch of country influence. Nicely composed.
7. If I Ever Get Around to Living
Gorgeous song. The best way I can describe it is that it is essentially is 3 songs in 1. Not because it’s a few ticks short of 6 minutes, but because of the breaks in the song. The beauty in it is it meshes great. Mayer has spoken about how this song is kind of the start of the “transformation” on the album, where everything just kind of gets twisted up and bent out of shape, in a good way, from this song on. When I first heard it all the way through, I felt like it belonged on Clarity, then the second part of the song kicked in and I didn’t think that at all. It’s really like nothing Mayer has ever done before, and that is exciting. Will be excited to dive into it more and give it the due spins it deserves to try to wrap my head around it fully.
8. Love Is a Verb
Twangy bluesy R&B love song. Thats the best description I can give you for this song. As the shortest song on the CD that is not a reprise, it’s clear that this message is literally what it says it is, love. Straight forward, heart felt song from Mayer.
9. Walt Grace’s Submarine Test, January 1967
When I first heard this song, I was absolutely stunned. First off, it’s totally out of Mayer’s element. A story-driven song that, I think, has a lot of hidden meaning. What that meaning is, i’m not sure that we’ll ever know unless Mayer tells us. I’ve been going around ever since I heard this telling people that this is Mayer’s “Eleanor Rigby”. Not because of structure or sound, but because of the lyrical approach of being a story song. I feel like this is going to be a milestone song for his career, and easily a fan favorite for years to come. We can only hope we understand the true meaning behind it someday.
10. Whiskey, Whiskey, Whiskey
What I thought would be my least favorite song on the disc. I had heard a live stripped version of this song from the Village Underground December 2010 set, and at that time, the song just didn’t really strike me. I will admit, the album version is better. Strong harmonica, very nice piano, and a song that obviously hits home for Mayer. It’s haunting, it’s open and honest. Famed producer Don Was, who produced Born and Raised, has admitted this is one of his favorite songs on the album.
11. A Face to Call Home
Another one of those songs that creeped up from the Village Underground December 2010 set. This was one of the few early listens that I really enjoyed, and the album version is an enjoyable listen as well. In theory, it is the end of the record, and it is the song all the ladies will love. It stays true to form to the appeal of the CD, but at the same time it reaches back to old school Mayer. Perfect way to end an album.
Overall, for Mayer fans, this will fit nicely in the collection. For everyone else, I think it will be received well, but maybe not loved as much as Continuum or some of Mayer’s other work is. While I held out hope we’d get A proper recorded and released version of “Covered In Rain” (of course not) or “You Already Are to Me”, I am pleased with the offering Mayer has given us. It’s a new avenue, new adventures with a more folk americana twang, the addition of piano and harmonica, and a nice mix of new elements with old.
12. Born and Raised (Reprise)
I’ve never been a huge fan of reprises. Majority of reprises are either decent or bad, nothing amazing. This reprise is a little lighthearted, and reminds me of Who Says. It’s a nice little nugget at the end, but it’s a song I don’t really consider apart of the CD, just more of an extra.
