Guitarist plays pop without cliches

John Mayer's Room For Squares is simply the best CD I've heard this year. It also has more pop potential than anything else I reviewed this year. Mayer's voice has a familiar quality, and though the music is pretty straightforward, it exhibits the artist's total realization of his project. \nAlthough simple on the surface, a closer listen reveals that Mayer was closely involved with every step of the production. The band perfectly compliments this talented artist who understands restraint but has the songwriting and guitar playing chops to take the Mariah Carey approach if he wanted to. Thank God he doesn't! He never comes off as cheesy or over the top. His voice as writer and guitarist is heard throughout every song but without the distracting pop music practice of the performer constantly reminding you who you are listening to with trademark cliches. \nThe disc comes with a bonus two-song disc featuring live performances of Stevie Ray Vaughan's "Lenny" and Jimi Hendrix's "The Wind Cries Mary." Both are impressive in that they establish Mayer as a master of interpretation. His spirit is present throughout the pieces, but he keeps both free from tasteless self-indulgence.\nJust as impressive are his originals. "Neon" is a pop masterpiece that sparkles with clean, jazzy timbres, a bumpin' bass and a chorus that immediately gets stuck in your head. Song "83" is a nostalgic look at growing up. "Why Georgia" is one of the acoustic standouts that features Mayer's pop writing abilities and impressive unisons and harmonies that weave together the guitar and vocals. The guitar leads and solos have a very understated but smooth Larry Carlton-like quality to them.\nRoom For Squares is just a pretty good rock record if that is all you take it for. But what makes it really great is how rewarding it is to pay closer attention, as Mayer obviously did, to the details. Usually middle of the road, unoffensive and well-produced are words with a negative connotation when associated with rock music. This is one of rarest of exceptions. The more you listen and the more deeply you listen, the better this disc sounds.