Heavier Things (featuring Bigger Than My Body)

Not Enough Lift
by: john reed

How the mighty "unplugged" have fallen.

2002 was the biggest year of the singer songwriter appreciation since Tracy Chapman (circa 1988/'89) and John Mayer led the pack. He even landed a Grammy for Best Pop Vocal, impressive especially in the midst of the Norah Jones love-fest that was the 2002 Grammy Awards.

His follow-up to the smash Room for Squares lacks the smart pop hooks and sensibilitles that made his hits "No Such Thing" and "Your Body Is a Wonderland" sound so fresh and charmingly naive.

No doubt he was rushed to get Heavier Things out to capitalize on his hype, but the songs just don't blend with his voice or personality.

He does have some bright moments in the bluesy "Come Back to Bed," but saddling his audience with such schlock as "Clarity" and "Bigger Than My Body" is just sad and does not live up to the potential that we all know Mayer's possesses. 08-Dec-2003 9:57 PM