John Mayer - Sob Rock (July 16, 2021) Album • Page 14

Can someone please link to where he explains "Why You No Love Me" was supposed to sound like how a little kid would talk.....?

 

Sometimes I just need some music like that in the background haha

 

Assuming it’s this


John Mayer: The Sob Rock Interview Radio Station on Apple Music

 

Thank you. I can't listen to that though. I was hoping it was something that could be read. I really wanted to know how a 43-year-old adult human in 2021 thinks that phrase sounds like a little kid talking and not an ESL joke.

I like the other 9 songs on the album though. I understand the background music criticisms, but the 80's sounding production stuff is so right up my alley it isn't even funny.

 

You can read it here - bottom left, a few pages in: https://www.reddit.com/r/JohnMayer/comments/nruawq/sob_rock_zine_all_pages/

 

Yeah as a big Mayer fan I'm a little underwhelmed by this. Definitely think Search is the better album. As Jason said, this album is mostly songs that are just "there." Nothing straight up awful, but nothing that stood out either. I do think think version of Carry Me Away is a big step up. The closer was probably my favorite song, but it all kinda just blended together.

I should give this another listen tonight.

 

The 10 songs length and also the fact we’ve had a few of them for years didn’t help here.

 

Love Wonderland.

 

I mean I’m in my mid 30’s and I never would have thought it was a ESL joke until it was brought up here. Either way I hated the song.

 

I just came here to say that I like the album.

I also have no idea what an ESL joke is. And googling it did not help me learn.

 

making fun of the english speech patterns of those for whom english is a second language. it isn’t as complicated as you’re making it seem.

 

I’m truly not trying to make it complicated. If it’s easier I could have just asked “what is ESL?” But then I’d probably just get told to Google it.

thanks for clearing it up though. Nothing but good vibes here.

 

And again for what it’s worth - I do NOT think that it’s funny to make fun of said speech patterns. So if the song title is in fact that , or even could be misconstrued as such, then shame on Mayer. But it’s not really my place to judge

 

Yeah, the title of the song and some of the lyrics sound nothing like any child I have ever heard speak while also sounding very close (or exactly like, to my ears) a hurtful trope / joke. Even if that wasn't his intent, I feel like the idea should have been dropped or reworked in the writing phase when that became clear. But John Mayer has always struck me as being pretty far up his own ass so it doesn't surprise me in the least. Even if you take the problematic aspect away, I still just think they are pretty bad and clunky lyrics, and it was extremely cringe worthy reading Don Was saying he is "in awe of the incredible beauty of the writing" in regards to those lyrics.

It's a shame because I think the song is pretty good musically and fits right in with the whole vibe of the album, and dropping it makes a 9-song album where we've already had like 3 or 4 of those songs for a couple years, but it is what it is.

 

Yeah agreed that musically it’s nice - and being TOTALLY honest (again call me naive if you will), but had I not read about it here I don’t think I ever would’ve thought of that.

but now I can’t Unhear it.

 

I think my fave so far out of the songs we hadn’t heard before the release is “wild blue”. Def get very Dire Straits/“sultans of swing” vibes musically.

 

Grew on me some. Still a little boring. It’s an okay album I guess. Right now it’s one of those situations where the merch and packaging is more intriguing then the music.

I just can’t get over how great New Light and Last Train are. Really wish the album was more in vein of those, especially New Light. I really thought John was onto something there.

 

Quite possibly the most precise and to the point review ever.

 

Yeah its sad that those two are the most fully realised and interesting songs and one of them has been out for three years. I feel like he could have done so much more with that sound and some better songwriting.

 

Definitely this. Overall it does feel the vision wasn’t fully fleshed out.

Still Last Train Home is one of my favourite songs of the year and I don’t see that changing.

 

Yeah this is boring. Born & Raised/Paradise valley is still my favorite era of his

 

English as a Second Language. it's taught in schools/communities for those who, as it states, do not primarily speak english.

 

If you’re into this album (or not), I recommend giving the new Wallflowers album a go. I’ve been really enjoying it.

 

I mean I agree, but they sound nothing alike.