John Mayer – Battle Studies : Album Review

Let’s get one thing straight; I’m a huge John Mayer fan. As a budding singer/songwriter, John Mayer’s ability to structure a tune with an involved musical section against a beautifully simplistic melody always blows my mind.

While many people know him as the “Your Body is a Wonderland guy”, taking one good listen to his music proves there is substantially more to him than his ability to bed beautiful women.  Not that that’s a bad thing…

Recently visiting Australia, the guitarist hit the promotional trail to announce the release of his latest album, ‘Battle Studies’. 

A militaristic take on the sinister side of love, ‘Battle Studies’ chronicles the ‘battle’ between a couple at the end of a relationship and has raised many eyebrows as to whether the ‘couple’ is in fact Mayer himself and his on/off lady Jennifer Aniston.

In response to these raised brows, I say ‘Who Cares’.  Mayer receives so much media scrutiny these days that it’s impossible to ignore but take one listen to the album in full, in particular his repetition of ‘Do you know me?’ and you’ll realise that we do not know John Mayer at all. 

For all I care, he could be singing about his relationship between himself and his preferred hand, in ‘Battle Studies’ the music is left to do the talking and takes you along for the fight.

Over a period of 6 months, Mayer combined the writing, recording and production elements of ‘Battle Studies’, living and breathing music in a home recording studio (actually a $20 million LA mansion). 

Co-produced by the renowned Steve Jordan, the beauty in the album lies with it’s feel, structure and brilliant song-writing.  Each song is placed perfectly and the album seems to play with a rhythm that makes it float from beginning to end without a single thought to hit ‘next track’.

Highlights include Half of My Heart – an upbeat Fleetwood Mac style tune featuring Taylor Swift, Perfectly Lonely – the feel good track with a KILLER melody and Assassin – an incredible song that plays out like you’re watching a classic film-noir movie.

‘Battle Studies’, John Mayer’s latest release, comes packed like a perfect soldier ready to fight bare-knuckle to keep his dignity and self-respect alive. 

Whether you’re a long-time Mayer fan, a keen guitarist or a reader of ‘US Weekly’, I can promise that you will not be left disappointed; this album has your back. 

It’s like your own personal bodyguard without Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner getting it on.

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JOHN MAYER – “BATTLE STUDIES” hits stores FRIDAY 13th NOVEMBER, 2009