Music for the new year

Happy New Year by the way!!

Welcome back!! It is day 6 of 2010 and I couldn’t feel better and more optimistic about the future and what it holds for all of us. I feel like we survived the first year of the economic depression and now we can carry on with our lives and continue our recovery as individuals and as a nation. So happy New Years again!!

On a more exciting note, this Christmas brought me the gift of music!! My cousin gave me the new Alicia Keys album, "The Element of Freedom" and John Mayer's new album, "Battle Studies". I have been anxiously awaiting both of these new records because of my deep rooted love for both of these artists. And now after listening to both for over a week, I write to you with a review of both. Put simply one was a tremendous let down, and the other has my heart exploding with excitement.

First of all, let me to tell you a little about my love for music. Ever since I was little I have loved music more than anything else. Music makes me feel good, it keeps me focused, it keeps me happy. I have played several musical instruments in my life, but to be honest, I prefer to be on the receiving end of music rather than the writer of riffs, rhythms and beats. I first came across both John Mayer and Alicia Keys in high school and I was not an immediate fan of either. I thought Mayer’s music and lyrics were immature and rather frat boyish and I wasn’t really into Keys music at that time.

When Mayer released Heavier Things, which included "Daughters", "Something's Missing" and "Split Screen Silence", it was obvious that he had gone through a tremendous amount of growth as an individual and as an artist, since Room for Squares. His second album was deeper and heartfelt, less poppy, more guitar oriented and lyrically much more mature. Then came Continuum. In my personal opinion, Continuum, Mayer's third album is one of the greatest albums out there to date. On this album his focus is Blues/Jazz and it can be felt on every track. The album also goes to new depths and areas lyrically with songs like "Belief" and "Waiting on the World to Change", both of which are drawn reactions to the political/social climate of the 2000's. The album also touched on sensitive subjects such as the impact of fame, life and living with a broken heart. Continuum showed a side of John Mayer that I was hoping to get more of on Battle Studies.

I first started getting into Alicia Keys through random songs like "Karma", "This woman’s worth", "Girlfriend", "Fallin’" and a few others. But it wasn’t until she came out with "No One" off her As I Am album, that I was sucked in and consequently blown away. I also regard As I Am as one of the greatest albums released in the past few years. From beginning to end it's solid and exciting. It's romantic, angry, sexy, mature, sensitive and respectful. I love this album so much that I never got sick of listening to it and then boom, two years later, The Element of Freedom came out and here I am falling in love with her stories, rhythms and voice all over again. The Element of Freedom lived up to all my expectations of how she would top As I Am.

The album is comprised of 15 new songs. Some of which seem to be a direct continuance of a few songs from As I Am, but show a continued growth and purpose. So far the songs that stand out to me are "Doesn't mean anything", "Try sleeping with a broken heart", "Un-thinkable", and "Like the Sea" which sounds like she borrowed the rhythm from an old Russian piano piece. This album is beautiful, original and a new stepping stone for her career. Each song is a consistent balance of great music, paired with great lyrics and vocal arrangements. If you haven’t figured it out yet, this is the album that I found an outstanding accomplishment and Mayer's was the let down.

I sat down to listen to Battle Studies a few days after I listened to Alicia Keys new album...maybe that’s why I'm not thrilled. Well, viewing the album on song-to-song bases, it has a couple strengths; but as a whole, this album has bombed. It almost sounds like a mixed tape. The songs "Heartbreak Warfare" sounds like a borrowed anthem from U2. The song "Half of my Heart" sounds country, my brightest guess is because it features Taylor Swift, ... in the background! "Friends, lovers or nothing" sounds like a cheap attempt at sounding like The Beatles. The songs "Assassins" and "Crossroads" begin with an annoying guitar solo or synthesizer, I can't make it past the first 10 seconds of either song. Oh and let’s not forget "Do you know me" which sounds identical to "Stop this Train" from Continuum. The only consistency was the common theme of heartbreak, but not much else.

However, on a good note, the song "Edge of Desire" is where this album did do good. The lyrics, match the guitar perfectly. He tells a good and honest story. His voice sounds pure and at ease. This is the direction that this album should have gone down. But somehow it took a wrong turn. This album ignores the BB King and Eric Clapton influences heard throughout Continuum. There are very few guitar solos but the ones that are featured are simple and not as melodic as those found on his last album and especially on Where the Light is: Live Album.

Well, there it is. I hope I helped you save 13 bucks, or maybe I made you want to spend it to see for yourself. Whatev. Either way I would like it to be known, not that it really matters, but I still love the shit out of @JohncMayer and I continue to anxiously await an album that will match or surpass Continuum.

If you like good- chill music. The Element of Freedom is it. Best album I've heard in a long- long time!! :) Me happy.


If you're still reading at this point, THANK YOU!!

Me Love You Long Time,
NITA