The Search for Everything
John Mayer
(Columbia)
Two stars
Earth’s reigning guitar hero, John Mayer, delivers his seventh studio album. It reveals a calmer artist taking a measured approach to accessible funk-laced songs.
It is a confident album that feels less an artistic exploration and more musical comfort food. There are few unexpected turns. The arrangements are solid, if slightly predictable.
Still Feel Like Your Man is the track that stands out – the easy-to-feel rhythm is accessible and the lovelorn message is a good fit. Rosie might have worked better slower, with more of a torch underneath it. Instead, Mayer opted for the path of least resistance when he might have pushed himself.
It is all good enough and there are no awful tracks but The Search for Everything gets softer with each song. Fans will accept but ultimately shrug at this album, which feels bereft of the songwriter tumult that got Mayer here.
* Associated Press