John Mayer Heavier Things CD

This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.
Personnel: John Mayer (vocals, guitar); Jerry Hay (trumpet); Steve Jordan , Ahmir Khalib Thompson, Steve Jordan (drums); Larry Castro, Lenny Castro (percussion); Michael Chaves (guitar); Greg Leisz (lap steel guitar); Dan Higgins (saxophone); Roy Hargrove (trumpet); Jamie Muhoberac (keyboards); J.J. Johnson , Matt Chamberlain (drums).
Audio Mixer: Jack Joseph Puig.
Recording information: Avatar Studios, New York, NY; Ocean Way, Hollywood, CA.
Photographer: Danny Clinch.
Don't take the title of John Mayer's Heavier Things literally. Mayer offers nothing heavy on the follow-up to his breakthrough hit, Room for Squares -- nothing heavy in the music and nothing heavy in the lyrics. No, Mayer is smooth, slick, and streamlined on his second or third album (it all depends if you count his 1999 debut, Inside Wants Out, half of which was re-recorded for Room for Squares, which itself was released in two different incarnations), playing things straight and following the blueprint his big radio hit, "Your Body Is a Wonderland," provided. The title Heavier Things does reflect his new directness, lacking the lithe playfulness that resulted in a Hank Mobley joke, of all things, for an album title last time out. That extends to the rest of the album -- the humor and interesting wordplay have been toned down, leaving very little ambiguity. Actually, there's little left unexplained on the record, with every song on the album spread across several grids explaining where they were written and how many beats per minute they are, breaking them down into keywords, charting what "suggested target points" on the body the song should hit (tellingly, not one track is targeted at the crotch), and even grouping the songs together by key. The latter is a bit of a mistake, since it shows that for all those jazzy major and minor seventh chords gliding by in his songs, he's keeping his songwriting pretty simple, sticking to D, E, F, G, and A, with a G minor thrown in for good measure. This, of course, is not really a problem for listeners, since most listeners don't care how a song is written as long as it sounds good, but this does confirm that he's kept things simple, concentrating on how the record sounds and feels. And, as a piece of mood music, this is really quite effective, delivering on how "Your Body Is a Wonderland" sounds, with some really nice lush, laid-back textures and songs that are melodic without being truly catchy. It's music that floats through the speakers nicely and never leaves much of a lasting impression; it's how a jazzier, laid-back, less adventurous, and MOR-oriented Dave Matthews would sound. Mayer is now more of a record-maker than songwriter, which will undoubtedly dishearten those who liked the song-oriented Inside Wants Out, but those who just enjoyed the sound and feel of Room for Squares should feel right at home. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
With the experience of a Grammy-winning, major-label debut under his belt and the requisite pop stardom that goes with it, John Mayer continues forging a steadily impressive musical canon with his third full-length outing, HEAVIER THINGS. Like the introspective musings of fellow, mellow pop singer-songwriters such as Dave Matthews and Jack Johnson, Mayer's songs delve into the subtleties of relationships and their accompanying navel-gazing. "Bigger Than My Body" finds him not only on a search for self, but sounding like Matthews with his hint of falsetto, as "Something's Missing" does much the same on a bed of swirling guitar and the occasionally chiming chord. As for the fairer sex, there's the requisite pleading found within the confines of the bluesy "Come Back to Bed," and the realization of loving someone with emotional baggage in "Daughters," which stems from childhood issues. All is not entirely dour, however, as this former Berkley School of Music student includes a paRolling Stone (12/25/03, p.108) - Included in Rolling Stone's "50 Best Albums of 2003"
Rolling Stone (10/2/03, p.116) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...With his follow-up [to ROOM FOR SQUARES], Mayer offers an equally available yet more sophisticated album...Most of these tracks proceed more subtly, with an emphasis on interior life..."
Q (12/03, p.132) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...'Clarity' rejoices in falsetto wailing and excellent jazz trumpet..."
Mojo (Publisher) (12/03, p.112) - 3 stars out of 5 - "Mayer's progress is an open book, deep thoughts and all."