Customer Reviews

Battle Studies

5 star:		(76)
4 star:		(53)
3 star:		(36)
2 star:		(19)
1 star:		(15)

 

 

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.

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

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

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)

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.

I'm a huge fan of John Mayer. He's one of the few artists I can listen to without fast-forwarding to my favorite songs. Honestly, I enjoy every song he's ever done...although "Waiting on the World to Change" from his last album Continuum was pretty lame...but I'll forgive him for one dud and applaud his incredible songwriting, guitar playing and lyrics. There's no other artist on earth like John Mayer and I readily classify him as a genius.

Having said all of that, I think his latest album sucks. With the exception of two songs on the entire thing, it's a slow, boring, self-indulged bit of crap without any sense of clever sarcasm that's made his lyrics so appealing all of these years. Even worse, his guitar playing is kept in check so we don't get to experience any joy out of his uncanny ability to shred. For example, he covers the blues classic Crossroads but he does it with a wacky, distorted guitar that essentially stomps on the grave of the late, great Robert Johnson. Why? Because it has no soul. If you're going to cover a classic blues tune, you better stick to the basics, wail on your guitar and let your voice weep with the sorrow that is the blues. On his last album he covered the great Hendrix tune "Axis, Bold as Love" and he nailed it. He stuck to the original arrangement but made it his own - an instant upgrade to the classic. Why he couldn't do the same for Crossroads, I have no idea.

Pretty much every other tune is basically a sappy tale of love lost, only with John you get the feeling he doesn't actually feel devastated by his lost love. How could he when he's messing around with skanks like Jessica Simpson and Jennifer Aniston and other tabloid tramps?!

Based on the packaging of this CD, with John appearing in glamorous fashion on the cover and the fact that he brought in Taylor Swift to sing background vocals on one track, I get the feeling he's trying to score with the teen market rather than the adults who made him rich and famous. Seriously, Taylor Swift? That girl's clever because she's figured out a way to sell millions of albums, but she can't sing to save her life. What a shameful joke to even have her involved in the project. With so many talented, soulful women out there...you have to pick her?

In the liner notes, John thanks the core team that has been around him for so long and credits them with helping to create this new album, as though a group of strangers would not afford him the same luxury. I've got news for you, Mr. Mayer - you need to shake things up and get some turmoil in your life. Fire everyone who's ever worked for you and challenge yourself as an artist to work with a new production team...one that won't kiss your as* and allow you to write such boring, sappy tunes.

ebhp

I'm a HUGE John Mayer fan. He's that rare killer combo of a great guitarist, an AMAZING lyricist/poet, and a singer with a rough, soft voice that could hypnotize a rabbied lion. He is truly the Eric Clapton of his/my generation [I'm 30]. I've witnessed the evolution of his work, and admire how his albums are like children: each one is distinctive in tone, yet recognizable as being from the same family.

Unfortunately, this latest release is like the one child is some people's families that, frankly, just isn't that bright.

The songs are so forgettable that I can't even remember the chorus/hook on them, save for "All We Ever Do is Say Good-Bye", and that's only because the title phrase is repeated about 5 billion times throughout the course of the song. Talk about repititious!

And Taylor Swift making a random cameo??? Makes about as much sense as U2 doing a track featuring Miley Cyrus.

There are two passably *decent* tracks on this record - the opener, "Heartbreak Warfare" which sounds like a top-rate, mid-tempo Genesis tune from the peak of Phil Collins' heyday (and I mean that in the most flattering sense), and "Assasins", in which we catch a brief glimpse of the deep, raw, quiet John that makes an appearance on his other albums.

Though I don't expect any album to be flawless throughout, Mayer can always be counted on to deliver at least 2 or 3 knock-it-outta-the-ball-park classics on each disc. "Daughters" and "Come Back to Bed" (from Heavier Things) and "Gravity" and "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room" (from Continuum) are prime examples. For this reason, John is one of the very few artists who cds I always buy as soon as they come out (even if I haven't heard the first single) becuase the quality of his previous work is so consistently outstanding. "Continuum" - which took several listens for me to warm up to - is now one of my favorite records.

"Battle Studies" is just so invisible and uninteresting that I listen to - and enjoy - the Kris Allen debut disc (that's right - the reigning American Idol champ) infinitely more. In fact, it pales in comparison. Never in a million years did I think I would like the album from the winner of a reality show more than that of an established, bona fide artist.

My guess is that Mayer either tried too hard or not hard enough on this one. Or maybe he was too busy dating, then dumping, then dating, then dumping a slew of Hollywood actresses and pop tarts to do what he is more than capable of doing - making stellar work.

I hope his next record is better. Well, actually, it HAS to be - nowhere to go but up from this one! [Sorry, John. I'm still a fan, though.]

Ok, so here's the thing. John Mayer seemingly has 2 sides to him. The blues and the pop. He combines this fusion so well but there are clear distinctions in some of his work and it is here that he has created his uniqueness but also, alas, a divided fanbase.

The problem lies when fans who prefer the electric guitar solo/blues/rock side of Mayer are then disappointed with an album which leaves this behind and follows a more traditional melodic route, which I believe Battle Studies is. I do think that some reviewers who wrote their thoughts after only a couple of listens would now rate it higher. It is a grower as it doesn't have the 'obvious' guitar solo licks to take you in upon first listen.

I still believe Continuum will be the album that defines him (so far) and when I hear it I sit up and take note. I do weirdly understand the argument that Battle Studies is more 'background' music (and by that I mean the best background music you can have!) The first time I heard Assassin for example it didn't jump out at me. Fast forward to a few listens later and it got me hook, line and sinker. There is an understated complexity to some of the songs which make them more unique and you know what - sometimes I want a decent album to listen to over a cup of tea or relaxing at home. They don't all have to make you want to get up and dance or strap on a guitar to join in with the solos.

As a side note, I think that the word 'pop' has such a negative connotation these days (and there are some pap songs that justify this) but to write a classic pop album that won't go out of fashion in a few years takes some unbeliveable talent. Please don't let the word put you off in context with John Mayer reviews.

Battle Studies doesn't have as many gems as Continuum but that's ok, there are still more on here than most. Continuum was an almost impossible act to follow but at the end of the day I believe that in 20 years time I will still be listening to all of Mayer's albums, including Battle Studies and how many current artists can you say that about?

I would say give this album a good listen before making your mind up. If you still don't like it there is always the blues side of Mayer or Joe Bonamassa and Jonny Lang for you guitar lick lovers!

(Please note that this review refers to some comments from UK amazon reviews as I am British. Thanks)

Battle Studies opens at a high point with the U2-sounding "Heartbreak Warfare," which features some of John Mayer's most honest lyrics. He continues his artistic growth on the unusual "Assassin," one of the best tracks of his career. "War of My Life" and "Do You Know Me" capture him again at pleasantly unguarded moments. Unfortunately, this record doesn't stand up next to any of Mayer's previous efforts. It's full of straightforward pop and soft rock that often blends into blandness, while fans of Continuum probably expect (and prefer) a grittier, more soulful sound. A cover of "Crossroads" is more James Taylor than Eric Clapton, and "All We Ever Do is Say Goodbye" moves forward at an insufferably slow tempo. "Half of My Heart" features Taylor Swift, but she's barely noticeable; I wonder why she wasn't given a bigger part or left out of the mix entirely. Battle Studies is far from a failure, but it's also far from what I expect to hear from a talented artist like John Mayer. 3 Stars.

John Mayer's Continuum is an excellent CD. Unfortunately, this effort has little of the passion characterizing his last. I think when the majority of music seems to be about casual relationships or the attempt to make them casual, then this emotional withdrawal and lack of commitment is (in his case) reflected in the music and songs as well. John can do better when he puts his heart in it.