John Mayer is a singer, songwriter, and to top it off a 21st century poet. In his debut album Room For Squares he created a complete album that elevates above the usual ordinary music that we seem to be getting from recent artist. True writing skills are a rarity now a day. It’s refreshing to see a songwriter that creates complete songs. Songs that make you easily tell that some effort was given when being written. In this case his efforts greatly paid off. The result is music that is not only great but also intelligent. The lyrics are imaginative and fresh. Making repeat listening a great pleasure.
John Mayer could describe garbage as the most beautiful thing on this planet. He just seems to have a knack for describing thing in the most imaginative ways. Yet his lyrics don’t trail off to something that is so full of symbolic phrases that you loose touch of what the song is about. Frankly I feel that in 2001 he was the best new artist of that year. Putting him above Norah Jones and for those whom actually like her…. Avril Levigne.
Stand Out Songs
This c.d. has no bad tracks but it does have tracks that seem to stand out and show that special something that John Mayer holds. Three songs I specially liked were: My Stupid Mouth, Neon, and 83. The reasons for my liking them so much are placed below.
1. My Stupid Mouth
I really enjoyed the way he tells stories in his songs. In this particular song he tells the tail of a date that has gone terribly wrong. He repeatedly reminds us of the fact that his mom always warned him about thinking before speaking. It’s a delightful humorous and highly entertaining song.
Lyric Example: We bit our lips.
She looked out the window
Rolling tiny balls of napkin paper
I played a quick game of chess
With the salt and pepper shaker
And I could see clearly
An indelible line was drawn
Between what was good,
What just slipped out and
What went wrong
2. Neon
We always hear songs about a girl who parties allot and the various situations that she places herself in. In this song it’s not as plain as that. It has interesting wording and enticing play of words. An example of how this album takes ordinary things and makes them imaginatively different.
Lyric Example:
When sky blue gets dark enough
To see the colors of the city lights
A trail of ruby red and diamond white
Hits her like a sunrise
She comes and goes
And comes and goes
Like no one can
3. 83
In this song John recalls memories of back when he was a child and how he wishes things were like when he was 6. We enter his mind and as the song finishes we feel as though he has given us the gift of a tiny piece of his soul. The song shows expression filled with sincerity.
Lyric Example:
Thinking bout my brother Ben
I miss him every day
He looks just like his brother John
But on an 18-month delay
Well these days
I wish I was 6 again
Oh make me a red cape
I want to be superman
If only my life were more like 1983
All these things would be
More like they were at the start of me
FEEL GOOD MUSIC
Room for Squares is laid back music with lyrics that will actually make you think. It’s calm and mellow. Perfect for those days when you just want easy listening melodies. There is no doubt that this is a great album written and composed by a great and gifted artist.
