Zeke Weeks

Zeke Weeks

Web Developer & Consultant


  • Blazing Wheel (My company)
  • GitHub
  • LinkedIn
  • Drupal.org
  • ContactMy preferred methods of interaction with the general public are through my Twitter or Google+ accounts. I love talking with folks in the tech community, brainstorming, debating, the works, and that’s where the conversation is richest. My instant messaging (Google Talk/AIM/MSN/Skype) and email addresses are made available on a need-to-know basis, and may be requested through the above public channels. At home, I’m in the Mountain Time Zone, and observe Daylight Savings Time. (Click here to see the local time.) If you need to reach me privately, you can do so through this form, which goes directly to my personal email account. Please respectfully consider that this form often contacts me while I’m with loved ones or getting some R & R; I cannot guarantee a response to every message.


Review: “Battle Studies” by John Mayer

Battle Studies

It’s been a while since I posted a music review, but here’s one worth mentioning. Battle Studies is a good new offering from John Mayer – stylistically different from his previous albums, not a pretentious attempt to answer his double-platinum, Grammy-winning release, Continuum.

Musically, Battle Studies strikes me with its layered tones that create a cool, moody backdrop. The tunes have a low to moderate energy level – no hard-hitting songs like “Bold as Love” here. With this album, Mayer mixes his earlier albums’ contemporary pop sound with Continuum‘s predominantly blues theme.

Lyrically, this album is about one thing, and one thing only: a major breakup. The album’s song lineup very closely presents a chronological overview of the his phases in dealing with the end of a relationship. “Heartbreak Warfare” begins the album and sets the stage for what is to come:

“I don’t care if we don’t sleep at all tonight
Let’s just fix this whole thing now
I swear to God we’re gonna get it right
If you lay your weapon down
Red wine and Ambien
You’re talking shit again, it’s heartbreak warfare”

Mayer ponders the depth of his commitment in “Half Of My Heart,” and begins to enjoy the upsides of single life in “Who Says” and “Perfectly Lonely.” Over the next several songs, he begins to feel the true depth of his relationship’s intimacy and the weight of the subsequent falling out, and expresses the full range of his conflicting emotions: “I want you so bad, I’ll go back on the things I believe / There, I just said it, I’m scared you’ll forget about me.” Finally, “Friends, Lovers Or Nothing” is a literal resolution of the whole ordeal, a ballad full of major chords and clear direction forward in the relationship.

This is definitely not my favorite John Mayer album. Each track bleeds of heartbreak, without respite. Also, his cover of “Crossroads” is thoroughly disappointing compared to live performances, and sticks out as a sore thumb from the otherwise cohesive album. To sum it up, Battle Studies is a great piece with some powerful songwriting, but its singular theme is enough to keep me from putting it in frequent rotation in my music library – though I’m sure it’ll be the first album I pull out the next time I’m in a similar situation.

November 17, 2009
Battle Studies, John Mayer, Music
Featured, Music

Get new posts by email

Website Powered by WordPress.com.

 

Loading Comments...
 

    • Follow Following
      • Zeke Weeks
      • Join 437 other followers
      • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
      • Zeke Weeks
      • Edit Site
      • Follow Following
      • Sign up
      • Log in
      • Copy shortlink
      • Report this content
      • View post in Reader
      • Manage subscriptions
      • Collapse this bar