John Mayer
Heavier Things

(Aware/Columbia)

First Appeared at The Music Box, February 2004, Volume 11, #2

Written by Michael Cooney

John Mayer seems to be evolving as a musician, and one can’t help but worry about him. He struck musical gold in 2001 with Room for Squares, and songs like No Such Thing and Your Body Is a Wonderland were irresistible gems of top forty radio. It was next to impossible to hear them without singing along. After quickly releasing the live CD/DVD combination Any Given Thursday, Mayer had succeeded in conquering the world of pop music. He was crowned with a Grammy and the title of hottest new singer-songwriter, and he knew how to make women scream. Who could ask for anything more?

With his latest release Heavier Things, Mayer appears to be stepping away from his established pop success. The first single Bigger Than My Body isn’t nearly as radio friendly as the songs that made him a star, and the album as a whole is a much lower-key affair than either of his previous efforts. Simply put, Heavier Things is a deeper, more beautiful album. It is a quiet, introspective collection of songs about a man searching for love and peace within himself. Mayer is at his best when he is lamenting lost loves and loneliness with songs like Something’s Missing and Come Back to Bed. His charming voice can still inspire some serious hand-holding, and he creates some surprisingly sweet sounds from his Stratocaster. For all of his efforts, however, one can’t help but worry that Mayer’s depth will be ignored. Heavier Things is not the typical pop record, and that’s what makes it so good.

47th Annual Grammy Award Winner:
Song of the Year
Daughters

47th Annual Grammy Award Winner:
Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
Daughters

Heavier Things is available from Barnes & Noble.
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Ratings

1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!

Copyright © 2004 The Music Box