When I last made the 24 hour road trip from KC to LA, my buddy overloaded me with all types of CDs (WAY more than I was expecting, but to be fair, on that long trip, I ended up listening to all of them).  Mixed in among the music I was expecting, she burned me a CD by a guy whose name I was starting to hear more often: John Mayer.  From the first time I heard Continuum, I became an instant fan, and it’s been a bonding point between me and her ever since.  I’m Gonna Find Another You is, for me, one of the best ‘rebound with a smirk on my face’ songs of my lifetime.

So this week, Battle Studies came out and me and her have been texting back and forth about which songs we like and how we feel about the album over all.  I think it’s nice overall, but I don’t think after the first couple of listens I have the instant charge I felt with Continuum.  I do have a few favorites already though:

• All We Ever Do Is Say Goodbye – From the very first time I heard this, I saw the video.  The second track instantly jumped out at me as having a cinematic feel, and being a ‘John Mayer’ song.  My current favorite from this album.
• Who Says – John says the whole album was written in a California state of mind.  If the lead single doesn’t express that, I don’t know what does.
• Crossroads – One of those songs that makes me want to get in the car and just drive.  I guess I’ll forever associate this cat with road trippin’.
• War of My Life – Not the first one to make this comment, and Lord knows I pull the same routine, but I hear a song like this and I wonder, ‘How is this the same cat I hear all the crazy Hollywood stories about?”  Ah, the line between artistry and reality, gotta love it.
• Do You Know Me – Strong candidate for song ‘Most Likely to Appear on a Who is Malik?’ Playlist about a year from now. Another ‘John Mayer song’ by the way.
• Friends, Lovers, or Nothing – The man knows which song should close an album, doesn’t he?  I hope I don’t have to bust this one out too many more times, but I can this one being on iPod playlists, or whatever it is the young people use these days to send ‘we’re over’ songs to each other.

Anyway I picked 6 songs on an album I liked.  In this day and age if most anyone else had 6 songs I liked on one album they’d be getting blown through the roof.  You’re set your own standard pretty high, Mr. Mayer.  Good album though.