"It's the kind of record you hate yourself for liking." (Q Magazine, Dec 2003, p.132)
A more complete album than 2001's Room For Squares, this sounds like Bruce Hornsby-meets-Chicago-meets-Dave Matthews. Lots of loops and horns by producer Jack Joseph Puig. Strong pop songwriting strongly rooted in the 1970s, Mayer's got a good voice, but his guitar playing is hardly present at all. That's a shame because it's his strong suit. Still, I like this (along with most white females in their 20's), mainly because I have a soft spot for '70s soft rock. Note: when I praise Mayer's songwriting, I'm only talking about the music, not the lyrics. Remember that I'm normally not much of a lyrics guy; I have no idea what dude is singing about.
Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #1 (1 week, Sept 27, 2003)
Tracks: even though this holds together as a solid album, the standout tracks are Clarity, Bigger Than My Body, New Deep, and Home Life. You can skip Come To Back to Bed and Wheel. I'm usually not a fan of ballads or pop songs in 3/4, but I've always liked the song Daughters. I must not be alone as that song won multiple Grammy awards in 2005. I've read that Mayer didn't think Daughters was strong enough to be released as a single, but I think it is the best song on the disc.
Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None. I think I bought this CD for my wife. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Previously revisited for the blog:
Where The Light Is: Live In Los Angeles (2008)
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