John Mayer "Queen Of California"

As I've written before, I've got some ambivalent feelings about John Mayer.

At times, I've been a John Mayer apologist, saying that even if you don't like his Middle-Of-The-Road-Singer-Songwriter Stuff, don't write him off.  If he can stand on the Crossroads stage with Clapton, et al, then he's For Real, and someday he may make a record you'll like.

And at other times, I just haven't been able to embrace Mayer at all.

The problem with the former of the two arguments, is that there hasn't been a ton of evidence to support it, at least as far as radio songs go.

But with "Queen Of California" I feel like I have something to talk about.

Now, how much you like this song is entirely dependent on your appreciation for a certain Classic Jam Band, but for me, the playing, the music, the groove on this track brings out something I haven't felt before, about Mayer's music.  There's a level of substance there that was heretofore lacking for me.

Maybe in a few albums, the idea of being an apologist will fade, and I can just be a fan.


Hear the song on Youtube.

Postscript: While I wanted to write something positive, because I really, sincerely love this track, I can't let it go without saying that there's an amazing lyric, that drives me just a little bit nuts.  "Joni wrote 'Blue' in a house by the sea/I gotta believe there's another color waiting on me."  While, at first, I was struck by the cleverness of the line, I then was kinda put off because it sounds like John is equating himself with one of the most acclaimed songwriters of all time, suggesting that he probably has an album on the level of "Blue" within him.  Change the line to "I wanna believe . . ." and it takes out the certainty of his statement.