ALBUM REVIEW
John Mayer’s Empty 1980s Excess
“Sob Rock,” an album bloated with signifiers but light on hooks, uses the idea of nostalgia to sell new collectibles from John Mayer, the brand.
John Mayer’s “Sob Rock” is full of throwback musical nuggets designed to trigger old pleasure centers. Credit...Robert Gauthier, via Getty Images
By Jon Caramanica
July 21, 2021,
Sob Rock
Right off the top, it needs to be said: great merch. Beautiful merch.
John Mayer’s “Sob Rock” era comes with an aesthetic both pristine and sublimely ridiculous: rich Florida retiree in the 1980s, Alessandro Mendini, the Sony Discman, proto-“American Psycho,” near-peak cocaine. Teal and lavender. Slender sans-serif fonts. On the album cover, Mayer wields his guitar like a phallus.
These are detailed signifiers, an advertisement for a familiar kind of casually louche rock excess — not the rowdiness of hair metal or the maximalism of prog, but the slick unctuousness that heralded the arrival of the yuppie. They suggest notionally angsty rock to listen to in your imported German convertible.
As retro costume choices go, it is an apt one for Mayer, who in the last decade has largely been musically at sea as the blues-pop of his younger years has drifted with no anchor in the Drake era. The conceit of “Sob Rock,” Mayer’s eighth studio album, offers an opportunity for, if not a contemporary context, at least a context.
And yet for all the stylistic cosplay of the album’s visual presentation, very little of this aesthetic is in the songs, which are mostly eminently fine, occasionally oh-he-really-pulled-it-off nostalgic and more often dour. “Sob Rock” sometimes crackles with the frisson of a performer cracking the code on a well-worn style, but more often displays just how challenging it is to build a flashy house on a weak foundation.
Mayer has come this far by being a virtuosic guitar player, a fine songwriter and a largely uninspiring singer. None of that changes on “Sob Rock,” which teems with limp lyrics, blunt emotional broadsides that defy deconstruction. “It shouldn’t be easy/But it shouldn’t be hard/You shouldn’t be a stranger in your own backyard,” he declaims on “Shouldn’t Matter but It Does.” On “Shot in the Dark,” he laments, “I don’t know what I’m gonna do/I’ve loved seven other women and they all were you.” “Why You No Love Me” repeats the title phrase, the plea of a child, ad nauseam, past cute and cloying all the way to irksome.
Throughout the album, Mayer’s singing is utterly convictionless. His syllables are indifferent, blasé. On “Shouldn’t Matter but It Does,” he sometimes sounds like he’s leaving lyrical place holders he never returns to.
Where “Sob Rock” comes alive, as it were, is on the song outros, which nod to the sort of musicianship that has made Mayer a cognoscenti favorite and a seamless inclusion to Dead & Company, his primary musical outlet of the last half decade. There’s a saccharine twinkle running throughout “New Light,” and the end of “I Guess I Just Feel Like” is thick with appealingly dusty guitar.
“Sob Rock” — produced by Mayer with Don Was, a stalwart of ’80s and ’90s adult rock who’s worked with Bonnie Raitt, Bob Dylan and more — is full of throwback musical nuggets (“Last Train Home,” “Wild Blue”) designed to trigger old pleasure centers. That extends to the behind-the scenes players, who include Greg Phillinganes, who played with Michael Jackson, Anita Baker, Richard Marx and many more; the highly regarded session drummer Lenny Castro; and the bassist Pino Palladino, known for work with D’Angelo and Elton John. (Palladino also played on Don Henley’s 1989 solo pop breakthrough “The End of the Innocence,” a clear touchstone here.)
In places, like “Carry Me Away,” the triumph of the arrangement is potent enough to cloak the brittle lyrical bones it sits upon. But in general, Mayer’s songwriting is resistant to even the most thorough gussying up. And even at its most robust, “Sob Rock” is placid, never doing more than winking.
But then, the album is merely a pretense for Mayer. In his recent interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, Mayer said, “I’ve done this for long enough that the idea of just a single layer offering doesn’t excite me anymore.” Which is to say: the songs are not enough. Maybe they never were.
When it comes to all the associated ephemera of stardom, though, Mayer — a collector of rare watches, Japanese clothing and other sartorial obscurities — is taking as meticulous an approach as the merchandising maven Travis Scott. The album cover was designed by Jeremy Dean (who makes wildly creative Grateful Dead bootlegs and, because of Mayer, official merch for Dead & Company), and the T-shirts call back to advertising for hi-fi stereo systems of the 1980s. Mayer also collaborated with the nü-hippies of Online Ceramics for limited-edition shirts. The style is corpo-progressive, so on-the-nose ahead-of-the-curve it verges on tasteless, then rounds the corner right back to refined.
In 2021, being a full-service brand has become fully integral to pop stardom, and this approach to physical product allows Mayer a way to participate in that ecosystem while making music that has nothing to do with it. All of which means that at this point, a decade or so past when he regularly scored hit singles, enjoying John Mayer may have not all that much to do with enjoying John Mayer songs.
And even if Mayer’s choices are specific and a bit outré, they’re not audacious. The era he’s chosen to inhabit has limitations. Even in their day, these reference-point songs weren’t quite serrate, or scabrous — they were the globular middle. Now, three-plus decades on, they are the stuff of innocuous background music, the sorts of songs that generate passive revenue for their publishing owners.
But maybe this is exactly the slipstream Mayer is hoping to melt into. I’m pretty certain I heard “Wild Blue” in a Staples yesterday. Couldn’t be sure, though.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Lance minimum goad Newberry heathentom
on Wednesday, July 21, 2021 – 09:10 pm
Longest thread title ever?
Longest thread title ever?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Racketinmyhead Racketinmyhead
on Wednesday, July 21, 2021 – 09:15 pm
This album is so bad I
This album is so bad I thought it was a joke.
so it's not a joke?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Def. High Surfdead
on Wednesday, July 21, 2021 – 09:28 pm
Not a joke, but still a joke.
Not a joke, but still a joke.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Hitchhiker awaiting "true call" Knotesau
on Wednesday, July 21, 2021 – 09:56 pm
Blues is a joke.
Blues is a joke.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: long live the dead love matters
on Wednesday, July 21, 2021 – 09:57 pm
Dead And company is a joke
Dead And company is a joke Mayer Sucks
have fun kids
And everyone is entitled to their own opinion
Desperate for adult nostalgia?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: long live the dead love matters
on Wednesday, July 21, 2021 – 09:58 pm
Slacker is slacking blues are
Slacker is slacking blues are the real deal don't get confused
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: long live the dead love matters
on Wednesday, July 21, 2021 – 09:59 pm
And don't forget SOB stands
And don't forget SOB stands for son of a bitch
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Mice elf Bss
on Wednesday, July 21, 2021 – 10:00 pm
((( people who listen to John
((( people who actually buy and listen to John Mayer albums )))
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Thumbkinetic (Bluestnote)
on Wednesday, July 21, 2021 – 10:29 pm
Neither a fan nor a hater of
Neither a fan nor a hater of Mayer.
Time spent hearing Mayer beats time spent reading Jon Caramanica. I wonder what Lou Reed would have thought of him.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: good at drinking water infinite ignorance
on Wednesday, July 21, 2021 – 10:55 pm
if an imported german
if an imported german convertible is bad,
is an imported german camper van bad too?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Lance minimum goad Newberry heathentom
on Wednesday, July 21, 2021 – 11:23 pm
>>>everyone is entitled to
>>>everyone is entitled to their own opinion<<<
Just like Trumpers?
Desperate to feel superior?
It's OK. That's a malady we all suffer from time to time.
Some of us more than others.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: nevermind mikeedwardsetc
on Thursday, July 22, 2021 – 12:44 am
> Longest thread title ever?
> Longest thread title ever?
"Meh" would have sufficed.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: long live the dead love matters
on Thursday, July 22, 2021 – 01:15 am
I must be desperate to feel
I must be desperate to feel superior Tom
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: long live the dead love matters
on Thursday, July 22, 2021 – 01:16 am
Regardless I am looking
Regardless I am looking forward to being at a glorious Greek theater Saturday
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Lance minimum goad Newberry heathentom
on Thursday, July 22, 2021 – 01:25 am
You're going to the Wolf
You're going to the Wolf Brothers show?
Good for you!
Don't focus on the tempo's, just listen to the music.
It'll be beautiful, in that beautiful venue.
I'm at the Giants game that night, otherwise I might just be there too.
GO BOB!!!
GO JJ!!!!
GO GIANTS!!!!!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: long live the dead love matters
on Thursday, July 22, 2021 – 01:46 am
The venue
The venue
the expanded band
And I adore a freaking good pedal steel
Good for Bob w
He's been a part of our family for a long time and he is still cranking
go giants
Go downed brims
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Lance minimum goad Newberry heathentom
on Thursday, July 22, 2021 – 01:51 am
humm baby
humm baby
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Zzzzzz Zang
on Thursday, July 22, 2021 – 07:55 am
Evidently, the one thing our
Evidently, the one thing our Senior Leadership all agrees on is Mayer. Emails flying yesterday about how no one would ever go to a show even if it was free (as the case was)....that thread quickly turned into how we should all go to a show for group bonding. Please lord, no.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Rasputin O'Leary Rasmataz
on Thursday, July 22, 2021 – 08:04 am
<< Blues is a joke.
Mayer trolls, just wow.
<< Blues is a joke.
Wow, it's a wonder that you still know how to breathe
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Briank Briank
on Thursday, July 22, 2021 – 08:26 am
Mayer clearly isn't taking it
Mayer clearly isn't taking it all seriously with this album. It's pretty funny that people who don't like him and won't listen to the album are taking it seriously. The name of the album is "Sob Rock," for Christ sakes!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: eastcoastneil VTGDF/NFA
on Thursday, July 22, 2021 – 08:37 am
^ clearly garbage. Enjoy his
^ clearly garbage. Enjoy his brand bro. Ive found it pretty telling that everyone has given dude a free pass on his misogynistic, and racist past, which is very well documented.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Briank Briank
on Thursday, July 22, 2021 – 08:53 am
Lol, I wouldn't buy that shit
Lol, I wouldn't buy that shit.
He made some stupid comments in the past, just like every friggin' rock star and actor.
May I suggest that you listen to this while you nurture your outrage: https://youtu.be/ZmDuKFc9ZoI
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: long live the dead love matters
on Thursday, July 22, 2021 – 04:40 pm
Tell him open for Stevie
Saw him open for Stevie Nicks many moons ago
I think he was a TINY bit better then
Gotta love the new terminology "senior leadership"
While I'm at it, how does one define trolling
humm baby
i will attend "Jerry day". By the bay
I haven't seen any moon Alice news how is that possible
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: long live the dead love matters
on Thursday, July 22, 2021 – 04:42 pm
Family reunion Saturday in my
Family reunion Saturday in my second hometown
Getting stoked. I anticipate Everett and Jones and some greasy RIBS will make me smile also
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: |-|/-\|_|_ Googlymoogly
on Friday, July 23, 2021 – 01:27 pm
Mayer's milquetoast aside,
Mayer's milquetoast aside, does anyone else see LLTD's posts as some modern form of Frontier Gibberish?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96SaTcCccJc
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Philzone Refugee Herbal Dave
on Friday, July 23, 2021 – 01:34 pm
He balances out Bryen. It's
He balances out Bryen. It's pretty easy to scroll past both, unless wallowing in the derp is your thing.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Mice elf Bss
on Friday, July 23, 2021 – 01:53 pm
Lol wallowing in the derp
Lol wallowing in the derp
point taken
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: |-|/-\|_|_ Googlymoogly
on Friday, July 23, 2021 – 02:00 pm
Balancing? Is that what
Balancing? Is that what feeding trolls is called now? I haven't been around much...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: long live the dead love matters
on Friday, July 23, 2021 – 03:20 pm
Great clip hall
Great clip hall
been to long, hope to see you soonish