John Mayer - Heavier Things (180 Gram Vinyl) (LP) M

With the experience of a Grammy-winning, major-label debut under his belt and the requisite pop stardom that goes with it, John Mayer continues forging a steadily impressive musical canon with his third full-length outing, HEAVIER THINGS. Like the introspective musings of fellow, mellow pop singer-songwriters such as Dave Matthews and Jack Johnson, Mayer's songs delve into the subtleties of relationships and their accompanying navel-gazing. "Bigger Than My Body" finds him not only on a search for self, but sounding like Matthews with his hint of falsetto, as "Something's Missing" does much the same on a bed of swirling guitar and the occasionally chiming chord. As for the fairer sex, there's the requisite pleading found within the confines of the bluesy "Come Back to Bed," and the realization of loving someone with emotional baggage in "Daughters," which stems from childhood issues. All is not entirely dour, however, as this former Berkley School of Music student includes a pair of more up-tempo cuts--"Clarity," the hip-hop-brushed opener featuring jazz great Roy Hargrove and Roots drummer ?uestlove Thompson, and the hook-filled pop nugget "Only Heart." Packed with such emotional heft, it's no wonder John Mayer went with the title HEAVIER THINGS.

• Genre: Pop
• Format: Vinyl