Why John Mayer made his 'worst' album
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- čas přidán 13. 10. 2023
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John Mayer has said that Paradise Valley is his least favourite album. This isn't to say that it's bad, but it's certainly different. Not only was it made under different circumstances but it was also made in a different way to his previous albums.
Paradise Valley is the most innocent, honest and laid back album he’s made. I love it.
Yeeees
It was the last of his albums I discovered and funnily enough I play it the most of any these days. It's just a great vibe album.
Ahhh to be simple 😴
Personally I’d always felt born and raised and paradise valley could’ve almost been a double album.
Yeah it’s always seemed to me like paradise valley was the B side to born and raised.
I love the flow of B&R into PV. It’s like he’s moving though hard times into a softer period of life and the vibe follows suit
Stop. Even when the man is telling yall paradise is ass you still won’t accept it. It’s ass. Not a single great song. Leave born and raised out of it. It’s not incredible but has the Mayer magic and several songs that stood the test of time. Paradise he got obsessed with that weirdo producer , the guy was limited on time , John absolutely absorbed his energy (see cringe hat) and shit out this record that dumb dumbs who clearly have terrible taste still try to defend even when the man who made it tells you it’s straight ass on a stick.
love this take
As someone who loves all of John’s music, and a creator myself, I always appreciate when a world class musician shares some of the insecurities they have or works they aren’t as proud of. I feel like a lot of us struggle with a bit of that so it’s nice to know the people we look up to are dealing with the same thing. Thanks for the great video!
Born and raised and Paradise valley are two of my favourites. Paradise has a few of his best songs, for me. Nice video!
in all honesty, im surprised he chose Paradise...its one of my favorites
same here
Honestly I’d take this over sob rock any day, though that might be my (reverse?) recency bias thing speaking. Too many songs I like his live renditions of too, to lose. And then the Frank Ocean interlude is so nice in the album too.
I like every single song except maybe the frank ocean one. Surprised too.
That is what I said I love that one!
Damn straight - it's the one I go back to the most.
Waitin on the day is a perfect, delicate, deep, brutally honest song. Touches me every time. This is my personal fav Johns´s studio record.
John plays waiting on the delay all the time in concert! I think he likes it too :)
Great video! Really love the format of this video and the one you made about “born and raised” awhile ago. You don’t see many articulate and interesting deep dives in to everything surrounding an album release! Awesome stuff!
This was really well done. You really brought a lot of cohesion to this interview. I saw the interview live, and was just board, so I decided to watch this video. But you produced it really well. I really enjoyed this video.
To me, Born and Raised is my favorite album.
Waitin on The Day is top 3 for me, easily. Wildfire is also a banger and a very unique song in his catalog.
Absolutely man. You get it. Such a beautiful song. And wildfire is incredibly catchy and unique, such a cool killer track.
This album is actually my favorite album, easily the best of the best out of all his discography. The overall sound is definitely unique, so many layers of emotions, very reflective (like you said in the video), very mature, I might add. Thanks for actually covering this stuff, David.
Thank God he doesn't need to take it out of his discography, cause i love it, I love Paradise Valley, i love Born and Raised, both are unique, both are great.
yup
Great video. This was the first album by him that I didn't listen to all of. It wasn't bad, it just didn't stick out to me. I haven't listened to any of his new music since then though, I probably should. Continuum and Born & Raised are 2 of the best all around albums of the century so far.
Highly recommend these newer songs:
Helpless, Moving on, Rosie, In The Blood, You're Gonna Live Forever
Shot in the Dark, Wild Blue
👍
@@oxsila thank you! I was hoping for some newer recommendations
John Mayer doesn’t have a “worst” album.
The Search for everything is without a doubt his worst album
Great video. I saw the interview live with Andy Cohen as well. This was a great follow up
Well when I was a couple of years younger,
I never liked Born and Raised & Paradise Valley ..
But these are the kind of records that grows on you,
The emotions attached to it is just different..
It's like listening to life as it passes by..
Love the video essay. Here's my thing about Paradise Valley: I wouldn't argue anyone who says it isn't his objective-best album, but I think it holds a LOT of merit in its own right. For me personally, the songs resonate with something very specific in me--I'll put this below. But as far as marking a point in JM's career, PV cemented Born and Raised into place. After all that stuff in 2009, instead of being like "whoopsie!" to the press and then not growing as a person at all, he went off and stayed quiet for a bit. Choosing not to speak + *literally not being able to* (which is why I love Speak For Me so much, lol). And then--bada bing, bada boom--Born and Raised! Honest, heartbreaking, introspective almost to a fault, and an honest expression of turning in a new, good direction. But any artist can fake it for awhile. Any artist can say "nahh that's the old me--look at THIS!" and then show that it was all talk. But PV... PHEW! THAT's walking the walk. He made a second, sort of unsuspecting, under-the-radar, not-quite-curated-for-radio-popularity album and it. kicks. ass. Musically and lyrically. To say it one more way, if the Queen of Cali stepped down during Born and Raised, Paradise Valley was her first day as a regular citizen. Hahahaha, corny I know--but one of the reasons I love the album so much.
Bonus content, lol: the specific feeling it gives me is what I think of as a kind of quiet joy, like... idk, a rainy, happy day. One of those days where--sure--you didn't do *anything* productive and you didn't hang out with your friends, but it was perfect. The kind of feeling that everything in the world is exactly as it should be, without needing your help to keep it spinning. It feels like a jog on a chili day followed by a fresh cup of coffee while petting your dog. And I don't want every day to be quite like that, but I LOVE when they make an appearance.
Unsolicited essay: concluded. Hahaha
Well put, chap. Any album that makes me feel like a jog on a chili day followed by a fresh cup of coffee while petting my dog is worth a spin. Cheers!
@@webbsteronihahaha yes, couldn’t agree more! Lmk if you dig it
Born & Raised and Paradise Valley have grown to be amongst my most favorite albums from him.
This was a fun video, looking forward to seeing more of your content.
Como assim? Eu adoro esse álbum, letras incríveis e arranjos bem criativos
I always saw Paradise Valley as a metaphor for him transitioning into a different season of life. Almost like a salute good bye to the Born and Raised era of his life
Yes!!! Like he needed ir for transitioning.
I love this album. I went to one of his shows right after he released it and it was without a doubt one of the best concerts I've ever been to, the energy was fantastic.
Its at least my second or third to least favorite. Gun to my head, my ranking from least to most favorite would be Sob Rock, Heavier Things, Paradise Valley, Battle Studies, TSFE, RFS, Continuum, Born and Raised.
Thats actually my favorite album of him. That's how I started listening to him, and I didn't like his previous work because I already liked the Paradise Valley sound so much. I haven't listen to another album from Mayer since Paradise either.
I sometimes wonder if it’s because he went in such a different direction that was fun for him at the time, due to moving to Montana. Kind of like if a singer/songwriter moves to the islands and puts out an island/reggae album and years later was like huh?
Waiting on the Day is super underrated.
I skipped Paradise Valley when it was released and just thought it was like a continuation of or out takes from Born and Raised, then last year I listened to it for the first time and I was blown away by how instantly I loved each song.
I think people were just expecting two more Continuiums or Battle Studies, and they reacted harshly to Born and Raised and Paradise Valley, almost out of spite.
I personally love that each of John's albums zig when everyone is expecting him to zag, it keeps him interesting.
This is my Favorite and when I started to listen to him more.
Some people lack taste... 🦋💕
Totally agree sister!!😄
i love the born and raised/paradise valley era. the show for that tour stands as my favorite too as far as songs and the band he had during that tour
I love all of his albums. Paper Doll is awesome.
one of if not my favorite jm songs for sure
I think it’s one of his best if not the best. It’s one of his only albums that doesn’t have any cringy/ super corny songs
Just listened to a few tracks just now its not horrible or regretful even its too twangy for me got that country element which is like saccharin to me ❤
John Mayer sang songs from "Paradise Valley" in his Solo tour. I enjoy the album alot!
I have to say I TRULY LOVE SO MANY SONGS from this ALBUM. Life wouldn't be so Joyfull without these Songs.
Heavier Things is my least listened to album followed by Battle Studies. They both have highlights but i think Paradise Valley is pretty comprehensive album thematically speaking.
I was shocked to hear him say PV during that interview, as I feel like Heavier Things is his weakest by a VERY long shot. He's spoken a number of times about how tumultuous the recording time scale and process was too rushed, resulting in things like the nonsensical lyrics in Clarity, for example. On top of that, there's so many songs from HT that he hasn't rarely played live at all in almost 2 decades now (Split Screen Sadness, New Deep, etc.). In my opinion, he clearly wanted to make the transition over to the electric/blues sound that he'd always wanted to play, and Heavier Things was a failed attempt at that, which spawned the Trio era, which gave birth to Continuum, his best album by far, even to this day. I still wonder if the Trio era had happened right after the RFS era, Heavier Things may have been so much better...but that could've made Continuum much different. In the end, I'm sure he'd admit he's glad the timeline of everything went as it did.
He has actually played Split Screen Sadness a few times on this tour and Wheels
I thought he should’ve said Sob Rock, but he can’t say that his latest output sucks, right?
@@paradise_valley hehe I don’t think it’s a bad album. I rank it higher than HT and PV, close to Search for Everything
I respect that @@efilacchione! Quite personally my favourites are Wild Blue and Til The Right One Comes. The solo on I Guess I Just Feel Like is amazing, the song itself is a little bland tho.
I don’t think there’s such thing as a bad John Mayer album ,just an album that you’re not into at the time ,it’s happened to me multiple times through the years ,I used to hate Heavier things and right now I think it’s an amazing album ,Clarity is easily one of John’s best songs, come back to bed is a master piece as well ,Only heart, Daughters ,Wheel, Bugger than my body ,Home life ,they make me feel like I’m back in 2000s even if I was a baby ,it’s almost like I lived everything that he lived ,and that’s what makes Mayer special ,he transports you to specific times he’s lived but also times you’ve lived ,it’s hard to explain but I’m sure a lot of Mayer fans would understand
this one wouldn't be leaving my collection if I had to launch one of Johns albums, it'd more likely be room for squares or heavier things
I love Paradise Valley but I get all the points made. Great video
It's much better than battle studies
I love JM's guitar playing, I do feel like he constantly trips himself up in an effort to be overly profound re his song writing . To me PV is him getting out of his own way and just being a musician
One of my favorites also. Very different from everything else he’s released. Very open and refreshing sounding from him.
Born and Raised and Paradise Valley are what made me fall in love with him 😢
it's so interesting to hear this from john, and it goes to show how music is so dependent on the audience, it's a back and forth between the musician and peers.
I can understand his justification about the record but at the same time if you look at how the fans received this album, and i'm talking about the majority of people who like the record and I include myself in that category because I absolutely love the record, you can see that his doubts were overcome by the people's desire to dive into any new stuff john throws out there.
I actually disagree with you on this one, when you said Paradise valley stands alone compared to the other records when in fact every other record stands alone except Paradise Valley which is a younger sibling to Born and raised.
I loved his rendition of, J. J. Cale's - Call Me the Breeze.
I guess maybe overall but I love Wildfire, On The Way Home, Who You Love and Paper Doll.
That’s literally my favorite Mayer album 😂😭😭
i love all albums... i couldn't take out some album or song
Good lord Born and Raised and Paradise Valley will remain my favorite Mayer albums. While everybody knows his talent with the blues, I think the albums also show how great he is in making more folksy and country songs. I think that's him at his best, and I will forever love it.
I respectfully disagree John!! I love that album as much as all the rest. So you John, should just make your music and not judge it! Because you obviously are not aware that your “least favorite” album is better than all the other musicians best album, in my opinion. I listen to this album as much as your others. I think the genre is so different too. I love all your music John. Don’t worry about which one is the best or least!! Lol
We all just have our preferred tastes. It's like the magic of The Beatles. They have an album, a song for every mood, every different type of person near enough. One year my favorite album is X, the next it's Y. That's why like The Beatles, i've been a fan of John's for so long because of the variety.
I love that one!! Like a love letter to country and folk. I guess once again. I am an oddball..😂
I love paradise valley. It doesn’t sound like John dislikes paradise valley, more so it was an experiment that felt less like an ‘album’ than his others. But songs like ‘lost at sea’ and ‘badge and gun’. They’re beautiful.
i like quite a few songs off that album (maybe more in total than from any of his other albums) because they don't necessarily point to a hard overall theme - and nobody's forcing you to leave one off, john lol
On the way home is still one of the most fitting send off/outro songs to an album I have come across.
It’s one of my favorite albums. Too bad he feels this way
If he 'moved on' and 'reinvented' himself, why did he include Paper Doll on his 2nd 'post revival' album?
I thought he was going to pick Battle Studies. Artists usually can't be objective about their own art. Paradise Valley is actually what got me into John Mayer. It's my second favourite next to Born and Raised.
The last one, and Paradise Valley - I love it!
WHAT! But Paradise Valley is like in his top 3 albums to me (born and raised and continuum are the top 2)
I think Paradise Valley is an extension of Born and Raised genre wise and its actually one of my favorites!
I love this album. Kind of sad that JM feels the way he does about it but I also completely understand
Paradise Valley was incredible, chill and down to earth, yet deep ✊
Idk love this album but I get why others might not. It’s more loose and sparse. I love it though
Battle Studies
"duet" with taylor swift? she's on the track, lets not dignify it with the moniker "duet", its a guest vocal at the most
thats like saying sting duets with mark knofler on money for nothing, or tina turner duets on I wanna know what love is
it's my favorite album, although i see the importance and greatness of the others
Paradise Valley was my 2nd fave, just behind Continuum
I'm glad John did Born and Raised + Paradise Valley to get them out of his system, but I'm glad Poncho John is gone and we have Rock Star John back
Very interesting. Paradise valley is actually the record that made me like John Mayer. Still my favorite to this day.
Damn, I listen to paradise valley just about everyday😂 You’re No One Til Someone Lets You Down, Wildfire, I Will Be Found, and Call Me The Breeze!
I love this album! My fave of his.
Lol it's one of my favorites
As John Mayer fan I get why he doesn't like though I felt the one after was horse crap. And the one after that he was trying too hard.
But I love folk and country and he did it very very well... It's an album I listen to during transition from spring to summer. It's his album where I don't skip vs his other ones usually have two or three weird ones no one listens too... So weird
I love Paradise Valley! It’s one of my fave albums
Dear Marie my fav John Mayer song, love this album
Mine too. A brilliant song all around in my opinion.
Wtf thats my favorite album of his lmao
Same
Worst? Bro I'm in love w this album
It's what has given his career such longevity, evolution, trying different things.
wtf, I love paradise valley. That album is the perfect road trip or hanging out on the pourch watching the sun go down music.
Paradise Valley is one of my top 5 albums of all time lol like literally one of the first albums I’d share with someone ever
What's ironic is this is the record that turned me into a fan. I didn't like his music before this....
Paradise Valley and Born & Raised are by far my two favorite albums he's ever made
I love all his albums except sob rock wasn’t digging it
When he had released that album, I have stoped listening to Mayer until sob rock ( the legend is back bitches )
I'm a big fan but i have difficult to like the full albuns released after 2008. For me Sob Rock is the worst one.
It's his least "important" album but I also think it's the one where he feels most comfortable in his own skin.
I think Paradise Valley is an absolutely great JM album and stands strong along side his whole catalog.
Paradise Valley is probably my favorite album of all.
I would take sob rock out. Dear Marie and paper doll are pretty good songs
Paper Doll is a great song.
I really like Paradise Valley. My #2 of his work
It's "pored" over. He didn't spill a beverage onto the album.
Paradise Valley and Born and raised are really the only albums I like by him. His other stuff is too girlie pop for me
Love the Mayer content 👍
This is a great and entertaining album. Fun for guitar players.
dear marie is in my top 10
The funny thing is it’s one of his best albums 😅 Only one I listen to on repeat.
The best album in his discography in my opinion.
Now here is somebody who thinks like me!! 🤓
Paradise Valley is Born and Raised 2. But Sob Rock is his worst.
6:00 “unlike any other”? 😂 it’s exactly the same as Born and Raised. John’s musical decline began with Born and Raised, started to get better with The Search For Everything, but then plummeted with Sob Rock.
I like it more than Born/Raised
Funny how his "worst" album is comfortably better than most people's best albums.