Got a bit of time while I wait for a big FTP download at work so I thought I’d mention my thoughts on the John Mayer show Friday night.

This past week was another perfect example of how having expectations that are too-high can almost ruin a show. Like I mentioned in my last post, I enjoyed the Eric Clapton show, but expected so so so much more. Hell, even just one specific song more. On the other hand, I didn’t expect much from this John Mayer show. I’d already seen him twice and, while he’s really great and a thousand times better live than on his albums, I’d spent months figuring the Eric Clapton show was going to be so life-changing that John Mayer would just be an afterthought.

I absolutely loved the first John Mayer show I ever went to (2003) because he showed me that he wasn’t just an acoustic singer/songwriter, he was a guitarist. The second show (2007) was ok, but considering the album he was supporting (Continuum) was heavily blues, I was disappointed with the setlist. (How do you cover “Bold As Love” on your record and then not play it on tour? Really.) So Friday,with following Clapton and this current album being REALLY weak in my opinion, I wasnt’ going into this show expecting incredible.

But I got incredible.

First of all, his lead touring guitarist was Robbie McIntosh. Robbie McIntosh from The Pretenders & Paul McCartney. Pretty effing cool.

The setlist was strong and the Battle Studies songs John Mayer played were at least the ones I would’ve chosen if I had to pick. I do love “Who Says” and that sounded great and I was pleasantly surprised by how good “Assassin” was live. I ended up going back and listening to that track on the way home and it’s grown on me considerably.

He also threw a bit of Simon & Garfunkel’s “Homeward Bound” into some song (I don’t remember which) but I love when musicians do that. It’s like they’re saying “Hey, I’m musician enough that I can pick up on melodic similarities and put them together.” I don’t know. That sentence made more sense in my head.

One of the funniest moments came when he took Tesla’s “Signs” (which I found out isn’t actually Telsa’s song, it was written by Five Man Electrical Band) and replaced most of the verses with banter about the random signs in the audience. I later learned that he’s been doing this at every show, but it was still pretty amusing as long as you overlook the fact that it just encourages these idiots to bring signs that block their poor neighbors’ views.

…Which he actually did comment on very early on when a group of girls in about the 7th row held up a “sign” that actually looked like a twin bedsheet stapled to three wooden spikes (how do you get that shit into the show?!). He read it (Dear John, don’t egg them on, really.) then said “I’ve started judging signs by how many people’s views they block and I’m pretty sure your sign blocks…I dunno… about 2,000 people.” Naturally, that didn’t deter the girls from holding it up after every other song, but luckily I wasn’t behind them so I could ignore it.

Toward the end of the show he covered “Don’t Stop Believin’” which, I’ll unabashedly admit, has become one of my favorite songs. It’s not in the “Favorite Song Because It’s Amazing” category, it’s better suited for the “Favorite Song Because It’s Silly Fun & Makes Me Smile” category, but still in the favorites nonetheless. It landed there after my trip to LA this past September when Alexis, Jen, Michelle, Dave, and I, after spending a long and exhausting day at the Sunset Strip Music Festival, ended up at the Rainbow Room. Jen was at such an inebriation level that she was knocking anything made of glass onto the floor and things we’re getting tense and then “Don’t Stop Believin’” came on. And we just started singing. First it was the five of us. Then the people surrounding us. Then, eventually, the whole patio of Rainbow was singing. Haha. See what I mean? “Silly Fun & Makes Me Smile” category. Anyway, I called Alexis during John Mayer’s cover. Don’t know if she picked up or it went to voicemail though. I should probably call her. haha

Anyway. Overall John Mayer’s show was really fantastic. And turned my Mom into a huge fan. Socially I got to talk to some people that I haven’t seen in a while, including my God-Brother and his very pregnant wife.

Expectations aside, Eric Clapton was really good and being able to see him from that close was amazing. Then the incredible John Mayer show really ended the week on a good note musically.

remember when i said, in my “best albums of 2009” blog, that i knew i would like john mayer’s battle studies eventually, but at the moment it just wasn’t the right time?

well i watched his episode of “storytellers” this past weekend (or maybe it was friday) and that was what it took. i’ve always preferred john mayer live to john mayer on the album. probably because on the album he plays it safe, does what “they” want and live he takes those safe songs and plays them like they were meant to be played. with a little soul or heart or something. i don’t know.

anyway, i found myself singing along to almost every song, even the new battle studies ones that i didn’t really like. so i ended up listening to the album for the rest of the weekend and i’m really liking it. especially “assasin,” “half of my heart,” and “who says.” i like the lyrics to “perfectly lonely,” but i’m not partial to the arrangement on the album. it was a little better on “storytellers” but the music doesn’t really do the song justice.

anyway, i’m warming up to this album and can’t wait to see him again next month.

abrupt. end.

these are my favorite albums of the year. they may not be the best (muse’s resistance is a great record…but not on my list), but they are the albums that i’ve listened to over and over and over this year.

i have to say though, i was kind of disappointed with music this year. granted i’ve been broke and haven’t spent nearly as much time rifling through magazines and the internet in search of new tunes, but there wasn’t much that stuck with me this year. i mean, kings of leon’s only by the night is still in my 6-disc changer in my car (yes, i listen to actual CDs whenever possible. whole other blog.). it wasn’t just that very little new music struck a chord with me, bands i’m used to counting on let me down too. for instance, blue october’s new album, approaching normal went through two spins in my car, was uploaded to my itunes and i haven’t listened to it since. they’re my FAVORITE BAND. this record was just…lacking in substance.

anyway. in no particular order…

i love love love this record. yes, i originally bought this because the lead singer/guitarist/songwriter is george harrison’s son, dhani, and i pretty much love anything that has to do with the late, great george. i couldn’t find it anywhere in tulsa and was planning on buying it online, then i found myself in dallas visiting friends one weekend so i stopped by good records in lower greenville and, lo-and-behold, they had it. it played on repeat for the duration of the four-hour drive back home.

dhani sounds eerily like george. this record is the perfect balance of chilled out and rock. it kills me that i couldn’t make it down to see them play with wolfmother and heartless bastards this past fall.

listen to: “yomp,” “bluesy,” and “another john doe”

totally blows last year’s rest remixed out of the water. growth and a step in the right direction in the biggest way possible. there’s an overture that, at times, sounds like it belongs in “fantasia.” then they blow your mind for a few songs. then they take it way down. then they melt your face again. then they bring it back. the dynamics on this record are incredible. the lyrics are supurb. “take a picture of / everything you love / all the joy you have / in a photograph.”

listen to: “photograph,” “straight out the gate,” “just tonight,” and “back is broken”

love everything about this album. it’s so cohesive. and almost theatrical in some places. and the melody in the verses of “arrhythmia” are brilliant. it makes me think of spring. driving with the windows down. playing piano and cowbell on my steering wheel. singing along until i’m out of breath. these lyrics changed the course of my year:

and i’m finding my own way out of here and i’m only taking one on my way / you can mentally sit on the fence all day but i’ll have the time of my life and no one will take that away from me anymore / i’m right, i’m right, i’m right, i know i’m right / so get me out ‘cause this is my turn to speak or scream / i’m gonna says this from the top of my lungs as clear as i can but as clear as i could would never produce the effect that i want so stop and listen good / i won’t write one more song about what happened or what went wrong i’m moving on ‘cause it’s time for a change / a change in my life / i’m ready to just let this go / and leave you by yourself for awhile until you finally know how hard it is to be alone.

listen to: “one more song,” “arrhythmia,” and “instead”

this is a recent purchase (read: a week ago) but i’ve been meaning to get it for a while. and since i bought it, i haven’t listened to much else. i heard about this band from a guy named beau who may or may not be in the band jonathan tyler and the northern lights. he was at the time. don’t know if he still is or what. anyway. my friend gary and i took beau and jonathan out to see a killer guitar player (dustin pittsley) and pedal steel player (jesse aycock) after a JTNL show one night and, since i’m convinced that i’m partially autistic based on my complete lack of conversational ability i broke the silence in my car with the only weapon in my auditory arsenal: “so what are you listening to right now?” and beau said “cage the elephant.” and the next day i checked them out. and i liked them. and i finally bought the record. the end.

listen to: “james brown,” “in one ear,” and “ain’t no rest for the wicked”

i’m kind of cheating on this one. i haven’t bought it. yet. BUT i’ve listened to it over and over and over and over on grooveshark at work. and i love it. it’s just as amazing and melodic as their previous albums. i can’t explain how much i love this band. whereas blue october let me down with their record, starsailor exceeded my expectations.

listen to: “tell me it’s not over,” “all the plans,” “change my mind,” and “hurts too much”

for whatever reason i feel like paramore is a guilty pleasure band. i don’t really know why. but i liked riot. didn’t really proclaim my love publicly, but i liked it. and i REALLY like brand new eyes. i don’t like girl singers either, but hayley williams is ok. she’s like, what avril lavigne wanted to be but didn’t have the pipes or songwriting ability to pull off. i know bringing avril into this doesn’t help my case much, but the other day my mom said, “hm, sounds kind of like avril lavigne,” and i made the above remark and i was rather amused by myself and thought it was blog-worthy.

listen to: “looking up,” “all i wanted,” “ignorance,” and “the only exception”

cheating again. don’t own it. yet. (i told you i was broke!) i’d never heard this band until i found out they were playing with thenewno2 in dallas. back when i thought i was going to go to the show i checked them out and started listening to this album non-stop on grooveshark. i was so pumped for the show. and then i couldn’t get away from work. damn the man.

listen to: “california queen,” “10,000 feet,” and “phoenix”

was really excited for this one. i liked it. i think i’ll like it more if i take another listen. timing you know.

listen to: “you and i,” “wilco (the song),” and “one wing”

this is at the bottom for a reason. john mayer, you disappointed me. almost as much as blue october, but obviously…you’re on the list. they’re not, so you did something right. i LOVED continuum. i LOVE the trio stuff. frankly, i think he should just stick with the blues full time. BUT, i like that he’s exploring. there was the acoustic pop record, the blues record, and now this ’70s-esque mellow record. i don’t like it right now, but i’ve been listening to cage the elephant and wolfmother. don’t really mesh well with this album. the reason this made my list and blue october didn’t is that battle studies is a GREAT record. and i WILL like it. (except for that god-awful reworked cover of “crossroads.” ew. ew ew ew.) i go in cycles, and when i start to chill out again, i’ll pop this album in and i’m 99% sure i’ll love it. (i have, however, loved the taylor swift duet “half of my heart” since i first heard it.)

this is also the first album i’ve ever bought digitally. well, where i had a choice. i’ve bought a couple digital albums and tracks because they weren’t available tangibly. i bought this digitally because, if i haven’t mentioned this before, i’ve been really broke. and i had to swallow my stubborn, CD-loving, pride and save almost $10 by choosing the digital copy.

listen to: “half of my heart,” “perfectly lonely,” “friends, lovers or nothing,” and “assassin”

note: you were going to get a pretty little audio snippet of a song from each of these albums, but i can only upload one song per day via tumblr and no audio/playlist sites seem to want to play nice with blogs anymore. some backward-ass music exec’s doing i assume. or i could just be an idiot. either way, click the album art and it’ll take you to the amazon page which should have samples of all the songs.

i apologize for the lack of consistency here. see, i used to have a lot of free time during the day. now i don’t. which means fewer blogs for you kiddos.

BUT. i did find a spare minute at work to scribble some of my favorite albums of this year onto a post-it note and it’s been stuck to the inside of my wallet for the past three weeks. so now [that i’m on day five of this cold/flu/thing], i’m finally getting around to blogging the list for you. i don’t know how much commentary (if any) i’ll give for each one, but hey, it’s better than nothing at all.

(that was an admiral twin reference…)

NUMBER ONE ::

kings of leon - only by the night
i wrote a blog about this album and, however many months on, i don’t have anything new to add. the record is still amazing, phenominal, classic. i still listen to it as much as i did right after i bought it. my dad bought it for me on vinyl for christmas. i haven’t listened to it yet though because i need to hook up some better quality speakers so i can enjoy it in all its imperfect, vinyl-y goodness.

NUMBER TWO ::

oso closo - rest: remixed
i don’t know how much more i can say about oso closo either. this is THE best band i’ve heard all year. incredible musicians, killer songwriting, and the live show. the live show! they’re going on tour early next…er…this year and i strongly suggest you see them for yourself.

NUMBERS THREE - TEN ::
i can’t rank the rest, so here they are…

jonathan tyler and the northern lights - hot trottin’

ludo - you’re awful, i love you

death cab for cutie - narrow stairs
“i will possess your heart.” enough said.

coldplay - viva la vida

john mayer - where the light is

the effects - …and it is

the raconteurs - consolers of the lonely

david cook - david cook
(that link is to the old one, i don’t remember the “official” link off the top of my head). i’m sure this album won’t make many (any?) other “best of” lists, but i like it. i still listen to it. it’s not great, but it’s not terrible. i think there are some really awesome moments on the record. “lie” is one of the best songs i’ve heard a while. the lyrics are so honest and spot on. i can’t wait to hear “a daily anthem” live again, but this time with a thousand people singing the end part instead of fifteen.

anyway. i had a good year in music terms. there were these releases and i was also introduced to jeff buckley and dredg and ryan adams. i rediscovered the feds and the foo fighters.