John Mayer’s new album drops August 20. (Photo by Dylan Dulberg)
Anytime a singer has to undergo any type of vocal or throat surgery, there is no promise of a return to music. This is something that falls under the same category as a world-class sprinter losing a leg or a Major League Baseball pitcher undergoing Tommy Johns surgery. John Mayer has done it twice now, coming back with his soft folk-blues style music on his new album Paradise Valley
From the beginning of the album, he shows that he isn’t changing but still finds a way to produce new music. Perhaps the most noticeably different styling of this album is Mayer using the folk-blues that he has grown so accustom to, to make music that still sounds great but requires less vocal range. The music does not suffer one bit for it.
The more simplistic soundings in some of the songs sound like a lot of older folk or even some bluegrass. For example the song “Badge and Gun” almost channels old Bill Monroe with the howls through the song. But don’t let the name of an old bluegrass legend scare you away if that’s not your style as Mayer brings something for everyone on this album.
Blending pop, folk, blues, country, southern rock and Americana isn’t easy but Mayer pulls it off. If only he had some people around him to help. Oh wait!
Mayer doesn’t come into this album alone featuring Katy Perry in the song “Who You Love” and Frank Ocean in a rendition of the opening song “Wildfire”. Mayer also covers an old JJ Cale favorite; previously covered by Lynyrd Skynyrd, “Call Me the Breeze”.
Following surgery and subsequent rehabilitation John Mayer has found a way to show that he still has his own unique styling that has made him famous while not crossing that fine line between staying in one style of music and creating the same album over and over with a different name.
Paradise Valley Comes out on album August 20, 2013 and is available now for streaming from iTunes.
Will Churchill is a contributor for The Pit. If you have any questions or opinions email him at wgchurchilljr@yahoo.com.
