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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A truly outstanding masterpiece, 18 Jan 2006
I was first introduced to John Mayer's music by my brother at the end of 2002, when he returned from a global trek and presented me with a cd single from the USA he thought I would like. The single was 'No Such Thing' a catchy tune with intelligent, if not too serious, lyrics. However, the stand out track on this short cd was Mayer's artful interpretation of Jimi Hendrix' 'The Wind Cries Mary'. This new cd, 'Try'- which sees a collaboration between the extraordinarily talented Mr Mayer with two less-publicly celebrated but amazing musicians with impeccable track records; Steve Jordan (drums) and Pino Palladino (bass)- is a return to this kind of inspired and spectacular music. A few of the tracks are Mayer's own take on 'classics' (it would be grossly unfair to label them cover versions), but most are original works written by Mayer himself. Lyrically, he is as articulate and expressive a writer as any. His music complements his thoughtful lyrics perfectly, with soaring guitar solos and melodies that can turn your spine to custard. His re-working of his grammy-award winning single 'daughters' is a case in point. To hear the audience' reaction when they recognise the tune makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck. With new and original works such as 'Gravity' and 'Vultures' we hear a more familiar Mayer sound, but with an added edge. It would be hard to say he has matured as a writer, as his writing has always been mature, but what he is doing is building on extra dimensions and giving the listener just a little bit more each time. That this is a live album enhances it still further, as the raw emotion and outstanding vocal performances added to the trio's superlative musical skills make it something very, very special. So, pour yourself a large one, turn up the volume and lay back on the sofa. It'll feel just like heaven.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
John Mayer Try!, 30 Nov 2005
Who is John Mayer? He's the handsome singer/songwiter that seems to have taken the world by storm. He's the guitarist who has impressed and played alongside his heroes: B.B. King, Clapton and Buddy Guy. He's also the one contemporary musician that seems quite content following his instincts no matter where they take him, and thats exactly what he has done here. He's gone home to the blues.
The first thing you notice when looking at the cover of the CD is that there is no image of the man himself, and that he is no longer a solo performer but part of a very talented trio. So no egos here. That's because this is about the music and that is apparent from the energy that has been captured in these recordings. John obviously pens most of the material himself, but it is the band that brings this music to life. This can be felt on their interpretation of Mayers own song, 'Daughters'. There is no acoustic guitar on this track just a song led by the rhythm section, complimented by Mayers lead guitar.
The set opens with the new single "Who did you think I was", an upbeat guitar driven song that could have been written by Hendrix in his Band of Gypsies era, this is swiftly followed by the equally upbeat "Good love". The third song Hendrix's "Wait until tomorrow" is a good indicator of the tone of the album, this is not like Mayers' previous output. This is raw, seemingly unfinished and spontaneous and all about bringing the blues to a new generation. "Gravity" is another new tune and the most reminiscent of the old Mayer."Vultures" is amongst the strongest tunes here and sounds distinctly like a Police classic. John throws in more of his new material before performing the Ray Charles classic "I got a woman". An excellent version, utilising his falsetto. Mayer starts to close the night in safety by playing two of his better known songs "Somethings Missing" (very much like the original) and "Daughters" which send the crowd into a frenzy as soon as they hear their intros. The night ends in style with the title tune "Try". This ends the night in style, and closes what is truly a fantastic live record. Buy this today!
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perfect fusion of blues, pop and funk, 7 Jan 2006
Well, being a total John Mayer nut I naturally went for 5 stars for this album. But even if I hadn't heard of John, I would certainly be impressed by this effort. I have only listened to it twice and already its a classic to me. I think what does it for me is the mix of tempos among the songs and the rawness of each song. You can almost visualise them playing it. There's no fancy production - what you hear is what you get. And what you get is great. Eleven tracks on the album two of which are from John's solo album Heavier Things. Both are given a fresh sound and I love the version of Daughters more than the original. Covers include Wait Until Tomorrow and I Got A Woman, which I have to say sounded so "John" I didn't realise they were originally performed by Ray Charles and Jimi Hendrix. Am looking forward to getting out and hearing them too! But the standout part for me is the fact that it isn't just John. You can tell he is part of a band now and that he's fitting in with them as much as they are adjusting for him. They are a unit and because of it, it works so well. All I would say to anyone thinking of buying this is - and pardon the pun - give it a try. I guarantee you'll like it.
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