Album Review: John Mayer- Battle Studies

Hi, 

    My name is Surjo and I am a pro-musician, the songs you're hearing (hopefully) are from my debut album 'The Key Has Turned' which you can buy here: here

Today, I shall be reviewing 'Battle Studies' by John Mayer. It's John's 4th studio album and does seem to mark a departure from his sounds from his first 3 studio offerings. The overall sound mellows out a bit, and it also doesn't hit you in the face with crazy guitar melodies. I'm not saying that's missing, it's just not in the forefront, thanks to a more textured sound in the album. Also, for anyone who has heard Steve Jordan play, his stamp and signature style is all over this album, in the drums as well as in the production. The guitars sounds a little grittier, it all sounds a bit warmer, and it all sounds great. 

                                                                                                                                                                    

The first song in the album is 'Heartbreak Warfare', and the first thing that pops up is the guitar riff, a cool whammy bar flutter. Off the top of my head, I personally can't remember this being used as the riff for the entirety of a song so John racks up cool musician points walking in. The lyrics are centred around the betrayal by a woman, and the different ways in which John wants to resolve the issue. He wishes her to understand just how much he loves her and he wishes she stop tormenting him. Now who amongst us men hasn't had a woman do that to us. Ladies, treat us gentle. A line which resonated with me in particular was, "How come the only way to know how high you get me, is to see how far I fall?" John has always had a knack for writing people's love stories and he doesn't disappoint here.

'All We Ever Do Is Say Goodbye' is next and that might be a really unlikely song title, there's just something about that phrase that makes it a little morose as a song title, and on listening to the song it is completely justified, the song is just sad. It speaks of a couple in a dysfunctional relationship and the desire of the female to want to try again, and the reluctance of the male since he's walked down that road before, taken steps to reconcile before, given his heart to her before but it has never worked out, and the most common thing that they ever do is two people is break up. A lot of violins in the background on a straightforward melody, which uptil this point in Mayer's career is a rarity. The words are well-written and well expressed, this guy knows what he is doing. 

Next up is 'Half Of My Heart' featuring Taylor Swift. Now, I think most of us know that John and Taylor were seeing each other at a point in time and that it ended poorly after that point in time, but I wouldn't be able to say whether they were dating before or after this song. I know it has nothing to do with the song, just trivia I guess. The song is as straightforward and feel-good as can be as far as the music goes, and the lyric isn't quite as feel-good but seems honest enough.This could have been a Fleetwood Mac song, now that I think about it, it does sound like one. More cool points for John. The song talks about John having certain notions about himself as a man who's meant to be alone as a result of his journey so far, and then someone walks in who makes him question that. It's a really smart lyric with some cool plays with words, and it's super feel good. 

 

'Who Say' is the first single from 'Battle Studies', and I can't figure out why. It's not a bad song, but definitely not the killer in the album, maybe trying to reprise 'Daughters' in some way. Although the lyrics score really high on the cool meter. John has always had a sense of expressing that there are more layers to him than his label would allow the public to see. The song challenges his public image with the words expressing a hidden anger that the guitar riff doesn't reflect. The jazz brush routine and the chromatic lines in the riffs almost are happy-go-lucky, but the words are anything but. 'I don't remember you looking any better, but then again, I don't remember you', and 'fake love for an hour or so' are some of the choicest gems from this song. He also referenced his Japan trip in the middle of recording in the song. This man gets a lot of cool points. 

'Perfectly Lonely' features a slide double stop riff that one wouldn't associate with Mayer, but then we should know by now that he has far too many layers to typecast. This song goes back to this sentiment of never being tied down, and how he's better off being perfectly lonely. In his singing, I got to say that the way he hits his falsettos are so natural, that really stands out to me, because I wouldn't say his singing is his strongest suit. The music is such that it's almost he's celebrating his solitude, 'Cuz I don't belong to anyone, and nobody belongs to me'. Also, a guitar solo rears his head in this song, and of course it's choc-a-bloc with effects. I don't think he likes to keep the solos clean in his pop offerings somehow. 

'Assassin' has a cool music video if only I could get a decent quality version on youtube. The song is actually very complex with a lot of shades in the musicianship. The start of the song with the xylophonish sounds and the relaxed approach with his voice really comes alive in the chorus with the gritty guitars and Steve Jordan's snare drum finding it's voice. Lyrically, the song is a metaphor, with John comparing his one-night standing nature to a hired killer. He does a pretty solid job of setting the metaphor, especially the line before the chorus stands out for it's IQ. 'Should have turned around and left before the sun came up, but the sun came up again'. In the song, he, who is a serial womanizer, has met his match, and he didn't know the girl he was bedding was a serial 'manizer' (??? That's not a word, but you get it, hey how come there is no word for that?). He pays the price. 

'Crossroads' is of course a blues classic, born out of legend, and Robert Johnson's Faustian Pact. Trust Mayer to put his own spin on the riff with an absolutely bizarre effect on the guitar. I don't know how to feel about that, which immediately puts it in the not-cool category. Very weird arrangement of the vocal harmonies, and again I'm at a loss to understand what happens. What I do know is that Steve Jordan and John locked in superb on the bass and drum groove. That's right, John plays the bass line on this. How does that make us feel? Very depressed of course, John, dude, let some other people do some stuff too man. 

'War Of My Life' starts off at an urgent pace, almost like someone walking quickly. Some ambiguity in the early verses as to why he is in the war of his life, but he starts off by challenging the circumstances to bring all they can for he's ready. The ambiguity isn't really settled by the end of the song, and we don't know what has brought about the war. Nevertheless, the riff is a relatively simple one with quite a few layers running through the stereo field. The guitar solo is again filled with effects, must help that he has cupboards full of pedals. All the tricks needed to fill space are used like the soft chorus, the buildup, the 2 line bridge to a guitar solo. Wish he were more specific with the song. 

'Edge of Desire's' guitar riff is strangely reminiscent of 'The Police', which again rakes in the cool points. The lyrics are rough though, it's a reflective song, where John laments his failures in love. He showcases his trademark insecurity and vulnerability which had been missing in the words so far but which was choc-a-bloc in his previous albums. Steve Jordan's playing style is like a fingerprint, completely unique in sound and execution. There is quite a bit of cool music in here, including a Coldplay style buildup before the final chorus which is sung with a lot more anger and tension. 

'Do You Know Me' starts up with a melodic guitar riff, but not as involved as some of his riffs from his first 3 albums, he's learnt to calm down it'd seem. The song is about a sense of deja vu, or atleast that's what I could make from it. He seems to be speaking to a vision in his dream, and asking whether the vision knows him because he can't seem to place her. Btw, classical guitar at the forefront in this song, which is a departure from his usual fare.

 

'Friends, Lovers Or Nothing' finishes out the song, and it is very much in the Elton John territory. I started having visions of Robert Downey Jr walking around in the video of 'I Want Love' because of those bursts in the piano, and that drum beat. Ok, this sounds like a tale of old lovers who are trying to find some love in each other when it fails elsewhere, or is it some kind of friends with benefits gimmick? A lot of music in the song, lot of interludes and the piano adds a lot of depth to the entire range. The lyrics are tight in execution but doesn't it leave you wanting some resolution? I don't know, I felt that way. 

All in all, a very enjoyable album, and for those who were teenyboppers when Wonderland came out, they might just be old enough to get into the maturity here, and for those who are teenyboppers who are listening to this as the first offering from Mayer, I might actually say go through the entire journey from 'Room For Squares' because this is a sincerely good album which'll demand your attention. I hope you have as much pleasure listening to the album as I did. Enjoy. 

Album Review: Dave Matthews- Busted Stuff!

Hi, my name is Surjo and I'm a professional musician. The songs you're hearing (hopefully) are from my debut album 'The Key Has Turned'. Buy my album here.

I'll be reviewing Dave Matthews 5th studio album today called 'Busted Stuff'. It was released by RCA records on July 16, 2002. 

The wiki link to the article has revealed that "Nine of the eleven tracks on this album are re-recorded versions of songs that first appeared on 2000's abandoned project now known as The Lillywhite Sessions. "Where Are You Going" and "You Never Know" were not from those sessions, the former of which was the first single."

Moving on to the album itself, the first song is the title track 'Busted Stuff', and the immediate standout for me was just how wonderful the drums sound. Carter Beauford had me at hello. I confess to doing a fair bit of research into his drum sound after listening to this album. Another standout feature of the music in general is that there seems to be a feeling of incredible power delivered in the most relaxed manner. The drum groove is powerful, but it doesn't thrash, it just sits up nice and tall and makes your head bob. A cool guitar riff and just a sweet bass line set up Dave's vocals as he talks about a woman who looks like love but who'll leave his broken heart behind her. Which man amongst us hasn't been with a woman like that? The way he sings 'She's the one' which sounds more like 'See the one', maybe that's how they say it in South Africa, sounds cool to me, has a certain flavour. The sax solo at the end with the change of key was inspired, and the way it ends, with the triple-note passage, reminds me of the end of Pink Floyd's 'Money', but only for a second. 

The next song is 'Grey Street', and I'm already at a loss to explain just how they're composing the music. How there can be such poise, intricacy and force all in one, is quite astonishing. Also, that must be what God intended a snare drum to sound like, the saxophone has a much bigger role this time as it lays the riff down while the acoustic is further in the background. The lyrics are incredible, talking about how a woman with dreams to see the entire world and all it's glories is now shut off in her own little corner, and she tries to infuse some colours into her life but they all mix to be grey. She tries to break out, but fails, and silently suffers the everyday, it's pretty potent stuff. 

'Where Are You Going' bring the acoustic guitar back to the front for quite a melodic little ditty to start things up. They manage to achieve a really full sound on all their songs, must be to do with having a large band and of course incredible mixes. The words are somewhat ambiguous, not really giving reasons for the statements. Dave talks about being human and not having answers for his subject (Friend? Girlfriend? Wife? Family?), but commits to always wanting to be there with the person in their search. Is ambiguity a good emotion to portray? I must look into that. 

Next song is 'You Never Know' and midway through the song I felt Carter was trying to say 'You Never Know' what this drum pattern will be. That's a complex groove on that song. Maintaining all the wonderful musicality that I've spoken about in the 3 previous songs, Dave talks about being just as fierce in trying to reach our goals when we're adults, and trying to maintain the sense of wonder that we have as kids. Talks about time being too little to not go all out in realizing our life. I'd say some really smart writing on this, very impressive actually, and also, his most dynamic vocal so far. A lot of movement in the singing for this song. 

'Captain' brings forward almost a dual storyline, because he starts off talking about how his actions might seem crazy to the world, but that's for him to decide. The metaphor is brought in of how he's the captain of his ship and how sometimes there's a mutiny against his feelings from within. But he sails far and wide and longs for his love day after day, and he doesn't need her to pity him, just to be

with him and love him like she can. The guitar riff almost veers into regions of funk, and ably supported by the bass caravans and the drums. This is a seriously good band, makes me feel small as a musician.

'Raven' almost threatened to start like a Chick Corea song and then morphs into a steady groove with Dave singing about a conversation between a father and son. There seems to be quite a good bit of tension between the father and son in the words, and the son is clearly dissatisfied with the dad. Again, there is an ambiguity here, since the issue isn't specified or resolved. It's like writing about a small fragment in time, and resisting the temptation to write the happily-ever-after. It's odd that the lyrics take you in some kind of trip and the music takes you in some kind of trip too. I'm realizing as I listen and write why this band enjoys the position it does.

'Grace Is Gone' starts with some slide licks, before the 12 string kicks in. Throwback melody. The lyrics and music are again top-notch. The lyrics are of the quality which make you feel like he's saying what you want to say, only saying it better than you. I'm not sure whether Grace has left the relationship or left the world (cold hand), but he is in pain over her leaving and the song is pictured with him sitting in a bar and trying to drink his troubles away. 'One drink to remember, one drink to forget' mirrors the sort of duality we have with most of our previous relationships, and of course some stunning metaphors are thrown in. 

'Kit Kat Jam' starts with an uptempo riff and whole lot of musical movement, a sax solo and cowbell. Very gnarly guitar riff if you pay close attention. The sudden release of energy after every 8 bars of the riff has a different feel to it altogether. A shift to an almost 'Kaleidoscope Eyes' (Beatles) type of chord progression, punctuates the main riff, and what sounds like violin harmonics come through my right headphone. Carter and Stefan, locked in a death-grip it seems, that's how tight they groove. 

'Digging A Ditch' starts with a lovely acoustic guitar riff, and a sigh as Dave starts singing. This is an odd idea to sing about, but sing it he does. The idea of digging a ditch, which you'll most likely use after your death, and to dig it yourself, is quite an interesting thought to say the least. The words run through an entire range of thoughts and emotions. Btw, did I talk about God's snare drum sound. 

12 string riff starts 'Big Eyed Fish' and then Stefan's bass sound dominates while the words come in almost percussive. The words speak of sticking to what is natural for us and what we're good at, and while the grass might look greener on the other side that doesn't necessarily mean much. The first verse speaks of a fish who wanted to fly and died on a beach as a result of catching a big wave. The second verse speaks of a man who held his breath till he died, and the third talks of a monkey who quit the trees for the city life and is close to death. Good message, and a unique way to present it, more blatant than our homogenizsed society might prefer. 

'Bartender' is the last song of the album. Starts off with a really weird horn section ( It is horns? Bagpipes? Hurdy-Gurdy ), and then leads into a tuba riff (Is it Tuba? Don't be surprised man, I'm a guitar player not a horn player). Oh and this song, Carter decides to abandon his hi-hat for the better part of the song, with all his focus on flams on the snare. This sounds like a man trying to face his mortality, and again seems like it's set in a pub, with a whole catalogue of thoughts running through the mind. Then there are some references to losing one's way as a result of money and a desire to step back into the fold. 

Overall, it's an exceptional album but I must say, it isn't for the faint-hearted, or for those who listen to music on a fly-by-night basis. To truly gather the depth of what's happening, one must listen carefully and get engulfed in the music. 

Enjoy.