Album Review (New Release): John Mayer – The Search for Everything – Wave One

February 10th, 2017 by WLOY Staff

Review by: William O’Connor ’20

John Mayer – [itunes link=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/moving-on-and-getting-over/id1195111784?i=1195111863&uo=4″ title=”The Search for Everything – John Mayer” text=”The Search for Everything – Wave One”]

Released: January 20^th, 2017

Rate: 8.5/10

LIYL: Train, Ed Sheeran, and the John Mayer Trio

This first “wave” had a lot of hype leading up to its release and it’s finally here. This is his first release since [itunes link=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/dear-marie/id672720304?i=672720308&uo=4″ title=”Paradise Valley – John Mayer” text=”Paradise Valley”] and [itunes link=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/something-like-olivia/id516701586?i=516701811&uo=4″ title=”Born and Raised – John Mayer” text=”Born and Raised”],  those two albums being very different compared to what he has put out in the past. They were definitely not his best, and in anticipation of this new release we were all hoping for a huge improvement, something different from the singer-songwriter. For one thing, his trio band members who have made some of John Mayer’s best music with him, Steve Jordan and Pino Palladino, are backing in the drums and bass. They played songs with him such as “[itunes link=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/gravity-live/id388127285?i=388127511&uo=4″ title=”Gravity – John Mayer” text=”Gravity”]”, “[itunes link=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/music-video/who-did-you-think-i-was-new/id295970158?uo=4″ title=”Who Did You Think I Was – John Mayer” text=”Who Did You Think I Was”]”, “[itunes link=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/daughters/id322697981?i=322697997&uo=4″ title=”Daughters – John Mayer” text=”Daughters”]”, and “[itunes link=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/try-live/id159527304?i=159528791&uo=4″ title=”Try – John Mayer” text=”Try”]”.

This album has a new vibe to it with something we haven’t heard from John Mayer. It sounds like a fusion of funk and pop. John seemingly draws inspiration from his past relationships at the same time Mayer gives us insight to his life of fame. “[itunes link=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/moving-on-and-getting-over/id1195111784?i=1195111863&uo=4″ title=”Moving On and Getting Over – John Mayer” text=”Moving On and Getting Over”]” has very catchy riffs, something we have not heard from him prior to this body of work. A testimony to John as a guitar play is when he plays rhythm guitar he uses two wah pedals to add the extra ‘funk’ to this new project. As a whole the song is very groovy and enjoyable to listen to. “[itunes link=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/love-on-the-weekend/id1195111784?i=1195111865&uo=4″ title=”Love on the Weekend – John Mayer” text=”Love on the Weekend”]” is his next hit on the EP and has a very mellow vibe to it with effects that give it a relaxed echoing sound. It features both acoustics and a mildly distorted electric to give it a slow but catchy song. Each verse in this song describes each day of the weekend to him during this relationship. If he continues this groove in the next 3 releases of [itunes link=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/youre-gonna-live-forever-in-me/id1195111784?i=1195111866&uo=4″ title=”The Search for Everything – John Mayer” text=”The Search for Everything”], this will be his best release since [itunes link=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/vultures/id184335550?i=184335773&uo=4″ title=”Continuum – John Mayer” text=”Continuum”].