You could easily describe John Mayers latest set in a single phrase: Its a breakup album.
But that glib shorthand does this probing set a disservice.
What about this feeling that Im never good enough?
Credit: SONY
/ Will it wash out in the water / Or is it always in the blood?
Moments like these makeThe Search for Everythingthe most deeply personal album Mayer has ever released.
At the same time, the slickness of the music blunts some of the impact.
As always, his songs stick to a scrupulously tidy mix of pop-R&B and folk-rock.
In both melody and arrangement, its tasteful to a fault.
But if mellowness remains Mayers weakness, the brilliance of his best compositions provides a worthy trade-off.
Coupled with the Bing Crosby-like whistling and Billy Joel-esque melody, the song has the feel of a classic.
Key TracksIn The BloodPerhaps the first ballad to explore nature versus nurture.
