John Mayer – The Search for Everything – Wave Two (Columbia Records – 2017)
John Mayer released the second round of tracks from his upcoming album, The Search for Everything. The album’s songs have been teased to fans in sets of four, Wave Two being the second set. In the opening track, “Still Feel Like Your Man,” Mayer confesses he has not let go of a past love. The song is full of groove and smooth vocal harmonies. The change of tempo in the bridge gives the blues-pop track an extra level of dimension. The ballad of the bunch, “Emoji of a Wave,” features a simple guitar melody. The echo-y oohs and ahs sung in the chorus can put you into a relaxing daydream. The energy picks right back up with “Helpless,” where Mayer’s electric guitar takes the lead—it lends itself to a few punchy solos that take up nearly half of the song. When looking at Wave One and Wave Two as one unit, it’s clear Mayer is staying true to his original blues-pop roots, but still adding a hint of country and folk here and there.
Trial Track: “Still Feel Like Your Man”
Rating: 8/10
