It’s weird the feeling you get when you’re re-introduced to something that has been so critical to you for the part of your life that you remember the best.  When you get those familiar feelings in and out of comfort and solace.  To have such a strong connection with a sense, in this case my hearing and how that one sense can effect every emotion for 49 minutes.  Today, “Born and Raised”, John Mayer’s latest effort was released as an iTunes stream and I’ve had it going on repeat since about 8:30am.  I knew this one was going to be different.  As an artist, John has reinvented himself not once, twice or three times.  This is a fourth side of John that we’ve only had hints of in the past.

Songs like “Who Says”, “Stop This Train”, “Tracing” and “Heart of Life” were peeks into this side of him.  It’s always been there and I always knew it would come out.  He’s managed to combine an entire album and showcase this new angle.  It’s his strongest album yet.  “Walt Grace’s Submarine Test 1967” is lyrically the best song he’s ever written.  The story he tells about a man who escapes his past life in a submarine is pretty much breathtaking.  Every word fits together like a puzzle.  Like one of those puzzles that makes a beautiful painting.  As the lyrics come together I can envision a puzzle with a deep blue ocean and a tiny red submarine churning along.  Inside is a guy who stumbled in his past but was determined to get past them and accomplish more than he ever has before.  People are going to be proud of Walt Grace again, just like John’s fans are going to be proud of him again.  He’s found his spark.  It’s a shame he can’t go out and tour and promote this album because it’s great.  But at the same time he seems to be in a really great place musically, and if this leaves him the opportunity to focus on creating more then I’m all for it.  The thrill of putting on a new JM album alone has never lost its shine, so keep them coming.