When John Mayer stops doing interviews and makes music, the results are always noteworthy. Especially so on Born and Raised, the singer/guitar/songwriter’s hazy acoustic fifth album where he heads to California several decades ago.
While Mayer may be a style traveler with a sleepy voice, his sojourns are variations on being a guitar hero or chick-friendly acoustic poster. He does well in both situations.
As a guitarist he has a lyrical touch that he chases on this album. His playing has the ring of truth when he’s tasteful, more George Harrison than Jimi Hendrix, despite his stint as a blues rock guitar hero.
Mayer is always acoustically proficient, playing and songwriting. On the sleeve photos Mayer strikes a cowboy pose. Or is it a pose? If so, it’s convincing when matched to the music within, but it’s probably a harbinger of another change.
Born and Raised is Mayer’s most atmospheric album yet and his strummy songs are beautifully shaded by producer Don Was and a core three-piece group consisting of Church Leavell on keys, Aaron Sterling, drums, and Sean Hurley on bass.
Mayer references Neil Young and California queens and it’s not idle imagery. He matches the words with sound and casts sun drenched desert vibes song by song. It feels natural, unlike many dilettantes in retro fashion and time-period grave robbery.
Also significant are the collaborations with David Crosby, Graham Nash and Jim Keltner, whose names scream ‘70s California rock.
Mayer has the songs that faithfully tap the spirit of west coast cowboy rock, and the album sounds like a full-fledged immersion in simple reflection and redwood acoustic rock, Topanga Canyon style.
It’s consistent and sincere.
–– Dean Gordon-Smith is a Vernon-based musician who writes music reviews for The Morning Star.
