Battle Studies

John Mayer | Format: MP3 Music

Product Details

• Original Release Date: November 13, 2009
• Label: Columbia
• Copyright: (P) 2009 Sony Music Entertainment
• Record Company Required Metadata: Music file metadata contains unique purchase identifier. Learn more.
• Total Length: 46:36
• Genres:
  • Rock
• ASIN: B002VLNB1Q
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (229 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,619 Paid in MP3 Albums (See Top 100 Paid in MP3 Albums)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

103 of 120 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Perfectly Average John Mayer November 17, 2009

By Ashley Wright

Format:Audio CD

John Mayer set the bar too high on the last album and falls short of his high standard on this one. A lot of his songs are good, but there's nothing here that has the punch of Continuum, which I believe is his finest work and an absolute masterpiece. On Continuum, he shows how fantastic his guitar skills are and brings his blues influence out in full force. On Battle Studies, he sinks backwards towards some of his older, less sophisticated works. After several listens, this album has grown on me, but it's only enjoyable, not fantastic.

50 of 59 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Another Solid Release from a Vocally Refined Mayer November 22, 2009

By J. Loudon

Format:Audio CD

For anyone who happens to be on Twitter, John Mayer is a must follow (along with @MyLathamLife and @NewCDReviews). His incredible sense of humor and lack of inhibition is good for an almost guaranteed daily laugh. What's interesting is that his humor rarely carries over to his music and when it does, it's subtle. Perhaps it's the "Adult Contemporary" label he's given, or perhaps it's his desire to musically follow in the footsteps of his influences; Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, and Robert Johnson to name a few. Whatever it may be, John Mayer has been releasing mature, blues-based, increasingly guitar featured music since 1999 with almost always fantastic results.

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.

Similar Artists: Eric Clapton, B.B. King

Track Suggestion: Who Says Read more ›

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Still JM, but he's capable of more December 10, 2009

By D. Barton

Format:MP3 Music

After a couple weeks of listening to this, I'm ready to admit that I like the album. But I will stand by the argument that he is capable of much better songwriting than we hear on Battle Studies. The funny thing is, that seems to be the way it was intended. You get the idea Mayer got exactly what he was going for here: a straight forward, pleasant tribute to late 70's/80's pop music (You will hear the Fogelberg, Phil Collins, U2, James Taylor, etc). Lyrically it's honest and heartfelt, but not adventurous or particularly creative.

For the last several months, I've been following John on twitter, and it's impossible not to fall in love with him as a personality. This and the sheer brilliance of Continuum set up expectations that were hard to meet...and they haven't. Basically what I'd say is that it's a perfectly enjoyable album and by no means has he lost his edge, but hard to swallow when you know he's capable of magnificent. The cover on the CD, obviously in place to appease his fans on the blues end of things, classic "Crossroads" is a blast, but entirely popped out and not with the kind of grit Stevie Ray would approve of.

Assassin is a brilliant, gutsy track. But it's no "Belief" or "Vultures". "Heartbreak Warfare" is a full, orchestrated pop song...but it's not "I Don't Trust Myself"...same with "All We Ever Do" vs. "Slow Dancing...", etc. It stands on its own, and comparing it to your other albums you'll realize he's great. But compare it with the standards he set himself, and I think we have better to look forward to.

Key Tracks: Heartbreak Warfare, Half of My Heart, Assassin, Do You Know Me

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Mid-Career Crisis November 20, 2009

By Russ

Format:Audio CD

While you should immediately delete "Crossroads" after you rip this CD, that's a good word for Mayer at this point. He's so talented that even a mediocre effort like this is better than 90% of everything else out there, but he seems to have a run smack into the reality of the shallow life of a celebrity.

One song he's celebrating his freedom to have unlimited one-night-stands, the next he's longing for true love. John, get out of the limelight and re-connect with your true self and maybe your next CD will live up to your abilities.

63 of 85 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Battle Studies: A Review November 17, 2009

By The Headphone Transmissions

Format:Audio CD

There is no doubt in my mind that pop veteran John Mayer can write pleasant pop music and accent it nicely with excellent guitar playing. Battle Studies tries to incorporate a small portion of each, assumedly, to keep his pop and his trio fans both satisfied.

Musically, Battle Studies is a small departure from past Mayer recordings. Of course, Mayer experiments with new guitar sounds ("Half of My Heart," "Crossroads," "Edge of Desire"), but the basic principle of his writing says the same; focus on simplicity.

While many of the tracks are initially acceptable, they are rarely truly completed in their arrangements. Potentially great tracks like "Edge of Desire," "Perfectly Lonely," and "Heartbreak Warfare" lack a simple variation at their middle or end points and, consequently, become substantially redundant before they reach their end points. "Perfectly Lonely" especially banks on repetition to fill out a wide open arrangement, but it isn't nearly effective enough to bring the tune home.

Mayer even attempts a Cream/Clapton classic, "Crossroads," midway through his newest product. He certainly manages to suck every bit of emotion and human characteristic out of the track. The MIDI-sounding guitar effect is a wreck, and the poppy format is nauseating.

And don't even get me started on lead single "Who Says." The guitar arrangement is the polar opposite of creative, the lyrics are lazy and meaningless, and the tune is instantly forgettable. It's just plain poor songwriting, and why he chose this specific track for inclusion on Battle Studies (or any album, for that matter) is so far beyond me that I cannot express it to you with actual words....

But Battle Studies does have its small victories; these tracks being "All We Ever Do Is Say Goodbye," "Half of My Heart," "Do You Know Me," but the rest of the album is nothing overwhelmingly special on the first listen. Mayer seems to be bent on experimentation, but doesn't seem to want to completely abandon the pop ship he considers a safe haven. For example:

"Half of My Heart," while a perfect pop song, is a surprisingly obvious ploy from Mayer for extra popularity, thanks to a random appearance by Taylor Swift. Swift's guest "vocals" are, in part, pointless; and, in part, puzzling. Taylor Swift has nothing exclusive to offer here; her vocal range, creativity, and tone are nothing that a similar (or more talented) vocal artist could have pulled off here, including Mayer himself. Additionally, Swift's voice is never actually heard too clearly during the track, which is where the puzzling part comes into place. In essence, Mayer is using Swift strictly for her current popularity, and this is unnecessary and intolerable for someone like Mayer who should not feel like he has to stoop to such levels to gain a #1 hit radio spot.

In conclusion, Mayer manages to make an unbelievably bland record even more generic with haphazard "special guests," unpolished attempts at experimentation, and a complete lack of cohesion and progression. What a disappointment. I vote that John Mayer worries less about who says he can't get stoned, and more about making actual music. (5.5/10) Read more ›