# This old fart finally discovered John Mayer **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [October 17, 2023, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-old-fart-finally-discovered-john-mayer/991707 "2023-10-17T15:01:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2023, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-old-fart-finally-discovered-john-mayer/991707/1 "2023-10-17T15:01:04Z")
I rarely listen to modern music. I already have a google drive full of music I love. I read about John Mayers newest album _Sob Rock_. It’s a concept album based on the 80’s ballads. Link [Sob Rock - Wikipedia](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sob_Rock) I bought it and am enjoying the album. Mayer captures the sound of the 80’s quite well. I play _Sob Rock_ as background music when I’m doing household chores or just chillin 🕶 on the deck. I can’t point out a specific song and say wow! But the entire album is good. Mayer plays a lot of different styles. I may not like all his albums. I bought _Continuum_ yesterday. It’s from 2006 and his best seller. I like it. I need to listen to it a few more times. I need to hear the songs and learn the lyrics to fully appreciate a new album. I’ll continue buying Mayer’s albums. Hopefully I’ll like most of them. What should I buy next? What Mayer albums do you like? ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2023, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-old-fart-finally-discovered-john-mayer/991707/2 "2023-10-17T23:59:53Z")
Of course I have heard John Mayer, but not Sob Rock. Eh, it almost put me to sleep. But rather than dwell on that, I will suggest another artist that many people haven’t heard of but probably should: Butch Walker. I suggest starting with the album ‘Letters’. I think you might like that. Back to Mayer, I know he’s a good guitarist, but his transition from pop to rock was a bit obscure. Maybe I need to listen to some of his later work. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2023, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-old-fart-finally-discovered-john-mayer/991707/3 "2023-10-18T00:26:05Z")
I’ll check out Butch Walker. I’m avoiding Mayer’s early pop albums. I probably wouldn’t like that early 00’s style. I’ll sample some singles on YouTube to confirm. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2023, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-old-fart-finally-discovered-john-mayer/991707/4 "2023-10-18T00:52:51Z")
> [@Dag\_Otto](#): > > Eh, it almost put me to sleep. That describes my reaction as well. I also tried his top rated album _Continuum_ and it also was a snoozefest for me. I try not to come into threads for art/music/tv/movies and crap on stuff others are loving, but I know that OP is a guitar player so I’m curious for more details on what is grabbing him. There is SOOOO much good music out there. The guys I’m playing with just turned me on to At the Drive-In (I knew Mars Volta) and we are now playing a couple of their songs. So, I’m still eager to find new music but Mayer just doesn’t hit any of the brain receptors I have left. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2023, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-old-fart-finally-discovered-john-mayer/991707/5 "2023-10-18T01:15:42Z")
Mayers guitar playing is really good. His lead work is unique. He uses a lot of triads in the intro to _Gravity_. I agree that Sob Rock isn’t power rock. Mayer is more light jazz and R&B. I liked the album as background while I’m doing tedious stuff. I have a lot of music to play when I’m working. I can’t concentrate if the music demands my attention. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2023, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-old-fart-finally-discovered-john-mayer/991707/6 "2023-10-18T10:24:58Z")
Search on YouTube for “John Mayer Buddy Guy FarmAid”. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2023, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-old-fart-finally-discovered-john-mayer/991707/7 "2023-10-18T10:33:17Z")
He may not be Jerry Garcia, but he’s been darn good as the frontman of Dead & Company for the last decade or so. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/vAlpbsM63Zg/maxresdefault.jpg "Dead and Company - Casey Jones - Dallas Texas 12/01/2017 (Best version w/ John Mayer)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAlpbsM63Zg) ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2023, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-old-fart-finally-discovered-john-mayer/991707/8 "2023-10-18T14:39:48Z")
Its great that some of the original Grateful Dead band can still perform. There’s still a big audience for their music. Mayer is a good fill in for Garcia. There’s a youtube with Mayer and Steve Miller singing _The Joker_. I like how Mayer watches Steve closely and follows what he wants to do. That’s Respect. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/kE0lq_BBfYw/maxresdefault.jpg "John Mayer & Steve Miller - The Joker") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kE0lq_BBfYw) ---
**Author:** ![Chad\_Sudan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chad_sudan/32/4509_2.png) [@Chad\_Sudan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chad_Sudan)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2023, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-old-fart-finally-discovered-john-mayer/991707/9 "2023-10-22T08:02:06Z")
Thanks for the recommendation, @aceplace57! I hadn’t heard John Mayer before. I was astounded at how convincingly this album captures the '80s soft-rock sound. One song in particular sounds like Dire Straits joined the Alan Parsons Project. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2023, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-old-fart-finally-discovered-john-mayer/991707/10 "2023-10-22T13:33:41Z")
@Chad_Sudan I had a similar reaction. I wondered if he used older session guys from the 80’s. I like the labels gift. Vinyl with a record player and scented candles. LOL Sent to a popular youtuber. The box is printed professionally and is probably from the label. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/xRZwNz7oO74/maxresdefault.jpg "John Mayer sent me a gift... #shorts") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRZwNz7oO74)