I was awake until just after 2 am last night/this morning. There were numerous reasons as to why, none of which we will go into detail about now. As I lay there I was thinking, 'I wonder if this album I have pre-ordered will download now', as its release date was today. I gave it a go. Fail! Our country is so bloody massive it had to be 23/8/2013 all across OZ. Unfair! I eventually fell asleep, all be it for less than 4 hours. Speaking of country, this album has a bit of a country feel to it. Not every song but there are a few that stand out. So yes you've probably cottoned on that this really will be a blog about my thoughts on this album. John Mayer's newbie Paradise Valley. Frankly I don't really care anymore what people think when I tell them my favourite artist is John Mayer. I usually get an 'oh hahaha response' and I know some people find it weird because I don't listen to commercial music (much) and they certainly don't play John on Triple J, in fact I've heard them pay him out before, but that's cool, they're still alright! I must be honest but the first time I heard John was back in 2002 and I HATED his music, well the one song I had heard. This song is the one most people think of when they hear his name, 'Your Body is a Wonderland'. I think I hated it because all of the "popular *coughsplutterskankscoughsplutter* girls at school liked it. Still don't know why that turned me off of it, my friends didn't dig it either.
I found myself in Borders one day, yeah good ol Borders books and music, and as I quite frequently did, stood there and listened to the whole album. Next thing you know I was in love. At first my family was into his music, I don't play it as loud as I used to because now they have had enough of him. Dad still has respect for his music and I know that deep down so does my brother, as he is talented, not a biased perspective at all. Dad took me to his gig a few months later. It was great but I secretly wanted to be down the front screaming with all the other teenies, even though it was a seated show. My time came for that again, twice actually, one time I was in the 3rd row. That show deserves a book not just a blog post, but I don't have time for that, sorry to disappoint.
Well after all the lead up to this review I won't do I'll just put it out there that I won't be doing an indepth Rolling Stone addition but just make a few points. The opening tune, Wildfire, is good, fullstop. It's got a bit of country feel to it, but it's catchy and sweet. Paper Doll was released as a single earlier this year. This song is probably the closest to his old style, simple, I'll put it in the Continuum category. The videoclip for this, only John Mayer can get away with. I'll post it and then you might get why he's the only one that can get away with it. I think it's because of his supposed carefree atitutde. Track 6, oh dear track 6! It's a beautiful love song BUT Katy perry you RUIN the end/almost the whole song for me because of that stupid giggle you do at the end. Now I've never hated Katy, she's alright and considering John and her are a couple it's fair enough they did this track together but that ending is surely her idea and it's terrible. WHY did you fall for this John, why?! I'm thinking this is an advertising thing, works for both of them, well more for Katy fans really. Other die hard John Mayer fans probably feel the same way as I do, unless they are also a die hard Katy fan as well. It's just way off track, even the song with Taylor Swift on Battle Studies works better. But having said that it's not my least favorite on the album. At the moment that is Track 5. Track 7, possibly a tear jerker, beautiful! Track 8 presents us with Frank Ocean. I swear that man canNOT sing live but I'm digging this song, the whole 1:26 of it. Don't really know why, I'm thinking it may wear off on me. After this, the catchy upbeat hillbilly sound returns and it's needed after the previous tracks but then we head back into the slow, solemn and mellow sounds. He ends it nicely, it's not depressing, not too much chingy changy country, just a well placed track.
I have often thought it would be a difficult job to order tracks. If you think about it, you don't want all the happy songs at once followed by all the sad songs otherwise your upbeat mood will just drop but then if you put all the sad, melancholic songs first then come the upbeat songs can you concentrate on the positive aspects of them? Being a "deep thinker" I think I would love such a job yet it would probably drive me mad!
This album gets 4/5!
Here's Paper Doll for you.
On another note, I spent over three hours at the hospital today. Had 7 tubes of blood taken! I'm alright, trying to stay postive. I'm loving how I'm writing about visiting the hospital yet many people who may read this, be they "friends" or not will have no idea why I visited the hospital. Weird, possibly twisted, I know, but come on everyone loves a bit of suspense Actually I think I'm still just too scared to share the story. Keep checking and you may read the story!
Time to sleep! Basketball in the "morning" let's see if I can be top scorer 2 weeks in a row. Maybe shouting 'it's off"' every time I shoot is playing reverse psych with the ball. I'll try it again tomorrow
'You is kind, you is smart, you is important'.
Wrote the review too early! Change that to 3.25! Big drop I know but compared to Continuum days that's all it's getting!
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