Born and Raised is a masterpiece and his best songwriting to date. Only small blemish is 'Shadow Days' everything else is a huge step up from a lyric craft pov. This record deserves to be next to Continuum on the tier list. It's the adult representation of shedding the ego of your 20s and it's sonic restraint feels intimately dynamic. I have put this record on many times and always seem to let the album roll through to the end.
Hard disagree on the born and raised placement. Regardless of whether you like the style of music or the vibe he is going for, the craftsmanship on that album is A tier. The writing is very strong and so is the instrumentation. Its an older musician's album and isn't as flashy as RFS or continuum, but it should really get the love it deserves
My Ranking: 8. Sob Rock - Just a boring 80's Yacht Rock tribute album. Kind of a letdown after the long wait. New Light and I Guess I Just Feel Like are good, but those songs and a few other had already been released long before the album, so we already knew they were good. Wild Blue is a vibe, though. 7. Paradise Valley - A few gems, but kind of forgettable in the grand scheme of things. Wildfire is probably the best track, which sucks cause it's the opener. Dear Marie and Paper Doll are pretty great as well. 6. Heavier Things - Again, not terrible, but certainly not the greatest in his discography. Daughters is obviously the stand-out track, but Bigger Than My Body and Clarity are great as well. Not much else after that to look forward to. 5. The Search for Everything - I agree that its not the most cohesive album, but that gives it an almost Beatles White Album kind of vibe to it; throwing a bunch of ideas at the wall to see what sticks. I dig it. Still Feel Like Your Man is a great opener, Emoji of A Wave and You're Gonna Live Forever In Me make me cry, Helpless rocks, Moving On And Getting Over is funky as hell. Solid album. 4. Battle Studies - Probably his most underrated album ever. Such great songs and concepts on this album. Heartbreak Warfare is great, Edge of Desire is a masterpiece, Half of My Heart is a solid pop hit, Friends, Lovers, Or Nothing is one of the strongest closers to an album I've ever heard. It sucks that the girlfriend drama and magazine interviews overshadow this. incredible work of art. 3. Room For Squares - Boy, talk about hitting the ground running. It's rare that an artist's first album is the one that launches them into stardom so quickly, and John Mayer proved with his first album that he was more than worthy of that early success. If you just listened to it with fresh ears, without knowing who he was, you would be able to tell just how much untapped potential this kid has. 2. Continuum - No, it's not number 1, but it's as close as an album can get. A culmination of all of his influences (from B.B. King and Stevie Ray Vaughn to Wes Montgomery and John Schofield) in one album. I Don't Trust Myself, Belief, Gravity, The Heart of Life, Vultures, Stop This Train, SLOW DANCING IN A BURNING ROOM, this album is just banger after banger after banger. What more could you ask for? 1. Born and Raised - This. This is what more you could ask for. This is without a doubt his magnum opus. Not only his most stripped down and folky album to date, but also his most personal and heartfelt. He really lays his soul out bare for all the world to see in this album, and you can tell that he cared very deeply about the final product. From the confessional lyrics of Shadow Days and Speak for Me to the heartbreaking self-awareness of Born And Raised and If I Ever Get Around to Living, this is John Mayer, for the first time ever, letting the listeners into his head, his heart, his soul. No question, this is his greatest work by far.
Well, it just goes to show how different people’s views can be about the same material! I absolutely agree with @MrDOUB… that Born and Raised is vastly underrated. I wonder if it was such a different style from his previous albums and people didn’t immediately take to it, rather than listen with “fresh ears”. I have say, to call “if I ever get round to living” a “dud”, is nothing short of totally criminal! Living in the UK, I had no previous knowledge (or preconceived ideas) of John Mayer. One day I heard it on my step-son’s playlist when he was visiting and I was absolutely blown away by what a beautiful song it was. And so the obsession with John Mayer’s music began. The other week I created a playlist of 133 songs from all the albums I’ve since bought, and I just let them play on shuffle mode. I have my favourites (like “if I ever get round to living!!), but I can honestly say, whichever random song comes up next, I’m never disappointed and never want to skip past one. That really is a remarkable tribute to his song writing, singing and his remarkable musicianship on the guitar. I enjoyed your presentation though, nice work.
Wtf are you talking about describing Born and Raised as when the wheels started to fall off and putting it in the D tier? And Walt Grace is absolutely brilliant, couldn't disagree with you more about that. For me it's up there with Continuum as his two best records and it's not even close. To me Paradise Valley is far and away the weaker album between the two.
Born and Raised is a masterpiece and his best songwriting to date. Only small blemish is 'Shadow Days' everything else is a huge step up from a lyric craft pov. This record deserves to be next to Continuum on the tier list. It's the adult representation of shedding the ego of your 20s and it's sonic restraint feels intimately dynamic. I have put this record on many times and always seem to let the album roll through to the end.
shadow days slaps
Walt Grace is not a dud.
its one of his best its also johns brothers fav song
One of my favorites
Hard disagree on the born and raised placement. Regardless of whether you like the style of music or the vibe he is going for, the craftsmanship on that album is A tier. The writing is very strong and so is the instrumentation. Its an older musician's album and isn't as flashy as RFS or continuum, but it should really get the love it deserves
Disapointed no S+ Tier for Where the Light is, great rankings though.
Oh wow. Born & raised should be right up there with Continuum. Give it another listen my man!
Nah Born and Raised deserves much more respect. I hated it at first but it ended up becoming my favorite album of all time
My Ranking:
8. Sob Rock - Just a boring 80's Yacht Rock tribute album. Kind of a letdown after the long wait. New Light and I Guess I Just Feel Like are good, but those songs and a few other had already been released long before the album, so we already knew they were good. Wild Blue is a vibe, though.
7. Paradise Valley - A few gems, but kind of forgettable in the grand scheme of things. Wildfire is probably the best track, which sucks cause it's the opener. Dear Marie and Paper Doll are pretty great as well.
6. Heavier Things - Again, not terrible, but certainly not the greatest in his discography. Daughters is obviously the stand-out track, but Bigger Than My Body and Clarity are great as well. Not much else after that to look forward to.
5. The Search for Everything - I agree that its not the most cohesive album, but that gives it an almost Beatles White Album kind of vibe to it; throwing a bunch of ideas at the wall to see what sticks. I dig it. Still Feel Like Your Man is a great opener, Emoji of A Wave and You're Gonna Live Forever In Me make me cry, Helpless rocks, Moving On And Getting Over is funky as hell. Solid album.
4. Battle Studies - Probably his most underrated album ever. Such great songs and concepts on this album. Heartbreak Warfare is great, Edge of Desire is a masterpiece, Half of My Heart is a solid pop hit, Friends, Lovers, Or Nothing is one of the strongest closers to an album I've ever heard. It sucks that the girlfriend drama and magazine interviews overshadow this. incredible work of art.
3. Room For Squares - Boy, talk about hitting the ground running. It's rare that an artist's first album is the one that launches them into stardom so quickly, and John Mayer proved with his first album that he was more than worthy of that early success. If you just listened to it with fresh ears, without knowing who he was, you would be able to tell just how much untapped potential this kid has.
2. Continuum - No, it's not number 1, but it's as close as an album can get. A culmination of all of his influences (from B.B. King and Stevie Ray Vaughn to Wes Montgomery and John Schofield) in one album. I Don't Trust Myself, Belief, Gravity, The Heart of Life, Vultures, Stop This Train, SLOW DANCING IN A BURNING ROOM, this album is just banger after banger after banger. What more could you ask for?
1. Born and Raised - This. This is what more you could ask for. This is without a doubt his magnum opus. Not only his most stripped down and folky album to date, but also his most personal and heartfelt. He really lays his soul out bare for all the world to see in this album, and you can tell that he cared very deeply about the final product. From the confessional lyrics of Shadow Days and Speak for Me to the heartbreaking self-awareness of Born And Raised and If I Ever Get Around to Living, this is John Mayer, for the first time ever, letting the listeners into his head, his heart, his soul. No question, this is his greatest work by far.
Unless I missed something, why is Continuum the only album in the S tier if it’s not your favorite?
Well, it just goes to show how different people’s views can be about the same material!
I absolutely agree with @MrDOUB… that Born and Raised is vastly underrated. I wonder if it was such a different style from his previous albums and people didn’t immediately take to it, rather than listen with “fresh ears”.
I have say, to call “if I ever get round to living” a “dud”, is nothing short of totally criminal! Living in the UK, I had no previous knowledge (or preconceived ideas) of John Mayer. One day I heard it on my step-son’s playlist when he was visiting and I was absolutely blown away by what a beautiful song it was. And so the obsession with John Mayer’s music began. The other week I created a playlist of 133 songs from all the albums I’ve since bought, and I just let them play on shuffle mode. I have my favourites (like “if I ever get round to living!!), but I can honestly say, whichever random song comes up next, I’m never disappointed and never want to skip past one.
That really is a remarkable tribute to his song writing, singing and his remarkable musicianship on the guitar.
I enjoyed your presentation though, nice work.
Its also Mayers favourite song, or at least one of them.
People when someone has a different opinion than theirs on an album: 🤯
Where my Born and Raised lovers at? This has to be a troll right??
Born and raised is definitely S
saying the backend of born and raised is “dud after dud” is insane lol
Continuum is my favorite album. I love the songs on that album. Waiting on the World to Change and Slow Dancing in a Burning Room are my favorites.
Insane musicality and mature songwriting on there. Blows me away how young he was when he made it. There shall never be another Mayer!
The born and raised album is his best album
born and raised at d tier is all i needed to see
Nah born and raised is kinda the magnum opus in the fans eyes, especially the die hard fans
L take on Born and Raised. Up there with Continuum for sure.
Wtf are you talking about describing Born and Raised as when the wheels started to fall off and putting it in the D tier? And Walt Grace is absolutely brilliant, couldn't disagree with you more about that. For me it's up there with Continuum as his two best records and it's not even close. To me Paradise Valley is far and away the weaker album between the two.
born and raised is easlity S tier for me, might be even better songwriting then continuum. Def not D tier.
Why you no love me is terrible
If you call Walt Grace a dud. This is 18 minutes of absolute nonsense