There's Always Room 4 Squares

Ok, so you know how after you cycle through your music collection, you always end up rediscovering an artist all over again? Well, that's what happened today and the talented winner is (drumroll please)....none other than John Mayer. There's a funny story that goes behind my discovery of this young man. The summer after my graduation from undergrad, I came to know a really cool girl who was just as into music (all types) as myself. It just so happened that she was ABSOLUTELY obsessed with Mr. Mayer, who was relatively new at the time and was coming to town that weekend. Of course, she was planning to go, but at the time, she had no one to go with. Although she had been ranting and raving about this young musician all week, I had not ever heard of him and wasn't really tuned up enough to go "pay" to see him. Well, as it turned out, her other friend did end up going along with her to check out the show, but her insistence on this guy's talent, at the very least, coerced me to check him out for myself. After sound checking some of his stuff, I gave a relaxed seal of approval to my friend, but it still wasn't enough for me to "actually purchase his CD". Eerily however, his songs followed me everywhere I went for the remainder of that year until I finally felt so moved as to, well.."actually purchase his CD". Now I am sitting here wondering what took me so friggin' long in the first place. Ok, so lemme break this down....

ROOM FOR SQUARES - this debut by John is a sheer knockout, enjoyable by both twentysomething females looking for love (good, real, sincere love) and twentysomething males that similarly emulate John's awkwardness in finding such love. While love is not big on my agenda currently, John has a very sincere way of conveying relationship situations... obviously credited to his superb lyricism. Track 3 "My Stupid Mouth" for instance, vividly captures the discomfort of a "slip of the mouth" on an already tense, figgedity first date. John not only delivers situational dialogue, but also paints a fabulous description of body mannerisms, nervous behavior, and emotion. You can't help but say "Damn, I've been through a situation just like that!" Not all his songs are about relationships though, tracks like "'83" and "3x5" show the true observer in John, respectively discussing the simplicity of childhood and how memories are so much bigger than any camera or 3x5 could ever capture.

HEAVIER THINGS - John's second effort successfully rids the curse of the sophomore slump, mainly because this boy is very, very talented!! Appropriately titled, this album is a lot more contemplative about life, its moments, and its uncertainties. It's slightly darker, but filled with curiousity and underbearing confidence ("Clarity and Bigger than my Body"). A couple other favorites include "Split Screen Sadness" (very cleverly titled), about a relationship gone wrong with both parties enduring pain of a breakup, and "Daughters", a message regarding the significance of parenting.

RECOMMENDATION: Regarding his music and especially his melodramatic stage presence (his fans know what I'm talking about), no one can do it quite like John. Looking very forward to his next album.