The name “John Mayer”, when mentioned, will probably conjure thoughts of poppy acoustic songs about love and such. Well, with the John Mayer Trio, Mayer is trying to shed that image, and show his blues side. With Pino Palladino and Steve Jordan on bass and drums respectively, the John Mayer Trio shows you a different side of John Mayer.
Who Did You Think I Was (3 of 5)
Catchy, just like a single should be. Nice guitar riff, in all it’s nothing special though.
Good Love Is On The Way (3 of 5)
Cool intro. Another catchy, pop-ish song, like the first. Nice bass work by Palladino (what an awesome name), but doesn’t really sound too different from Mayer’s other work. The lyrics are about getting out of a bad relationship, and knowing that a good one will replace it.
Wait Until Tomorrow (5 of 5)
Ah, here we go. An awesome cover of a great Hendrix song. Mayer’s vocals go well with the song, and in a whole it’s performed flawlessly. The solo’s great, you can really start to see Hendrix’s influence on Mayer.
Gravity (4 of 5)
Things slow down here. I like the guitar work throughout the song, it’s slow and soulful. The lyrics here are definitely deeper than any of the previous songs. Overall a great song, mellow and deep, the music and lyrics fit together perfectly.
Vultures (4 of 5)
Don’t know how to describe it exactly, but Vultures has a different sound than the rest of the songs. Not really blues, not funk, I don’t really know how to describe it. A good song to drive to at night, good guitar parts over a simple drum groove. It’s different than the rest of the songs, but good nonetheless.
Out Of My Mind (4 of 5)
Straight-up blues. If you still weren’t convinced Mayer could do more than write catchy pop songs, then there’s no way this won’t change your mind, as there’s not an ounce of his old pop ways in this song. I can hear hints of Stevie Ray Vaughan, B.B King, and other blues greats in his playing. His voice even reminds me of SRV in some points; I can see Vaughan playing this song. Nothing complex here, just some sweet old blues.
Another Kind of Green (5 of 5)
Excellent song. To me, sounds like he’s trying to convince his girl that she doesn’t need to try other relationships and compare other guys to him to know he’s the right one for her. I love the opening. Great lyrics (“You’re not the perfect hand/But I don’t hit on 19”), and you can sense the emotion in both the music and the lyrics.
I Got a Woman (5 of 5)
Sadly, if you ask most people nowadays, Kanye West wrote “Gold Digger.” Few people will know that he ripped off Ray Charles for the beat, and some of the lyrics. I don’t mind Gold Digger, but Mayer’s version > Kanye’s. Nice opening with good drum and bass work by Jordan and Palladino. Just as Wait Until Tomorrow, Mayer’s voice surprisingly fits the song. Great song that you can just sit and groove to. The longest song on the CD, clocking in at 7:40
Something’s Missing (4 of 5)
Going back away from the blues, but this isn’t really a pop song. I’m trying to think of a band this sounds like, but I can’t think of one. As the title suggests, it’s about how he can’t figure out what’s missing in his life, because it seems like he should be happy with everything he has. I guess the same can be said for this song. I don’t know exactly what’s keeping it from gaining that last start- good music? Check. Good lyrics? Check. I can’t put my finger on it, it’s a great song, but something’s keeping it from being excellent.
Daughters (3.5 of 5)
I’m sure everyone’s heard this song. It’s better live. Good chorus, no solos, but I don’t think one would fit in here, so good decision. Not quite deserving of a 4, but above a 3.
Try (5 of 5)
Awesome guitar intro. You can tell right away that this is heavier than the previous song. No clue what the lyrics are about, but the second time around you’ll find yourself singing along with the chorus. Great guitar work throughout the song, and Palladino and Jordan keep a solid rhythm behind Mayer’s guitar. Excellent closer to the CD, as this song lets it go out with a bang.
In all, this is a great CD. Even if you’re not a fan of Mayer’s other works, I’d still recommend this CD if you’re into blues-rock. Mayer’s guitar work is definitely the focus here, Palladino and Jordan create a nice rhythm, but neither of them really standout throughout the CD. They do their job, but nothing more. In my opinion, there are no “weak” tracks on here. A few average ones, but none that I will skip over everytime.
Highlights
Wait Until Tomorrow
Another Kind of Green
I Got A Woman
Try
Overall Rating: 4 of 5
