Born and Raised
| John Mayer
Born and Raised
Born and Raised is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter John Mayer, released on May 22, 2012 by Columbia Records. It marked yet another change in Mayer's musical style, incorporating elements of folk and Americana, as well as influences from Bob Dylan, Neil Young, David Crosby, Stephen Stills, and Graham Nash. Its cover, as well as that of the single "Queen of California", was designed by David Adrian Smith.-Wikipedia
Critic Reviews
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Rolling Stone
May 22, 2012. Usually, Mayer fastidiously cordons off his music from his slash-and-burn public persona. But on his fifth album, he forces them into the same room and demands they work things out.
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Billboard
May 22, 2012. It's one of Mayer's most diverse and exploratory albums yet, trying on a variety of different styles to accompany a set of particularly reflective and soul-searching tunes.
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The Know
May 22, 2012. . . . in the wake of a self-damaging round of publicity and a corresponding shudder of contrition, he has plumbed the depths of his broken soul, returning with lessons in song. So goes the irresistible subtext of “Born and Raised,” Mayer’s fifth studio album, a precious gift wrapped in burlap and baling twine.
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Blues Rock Review
May 22, 2012. John Mayer’s fifth studio album is a smooth return to roots, both musically and thematically. Mayer has always been a crooner that seems to try to dig deeper than the disposable veneer many popular artists rely so heavily on.
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AllMusic
May 22, 2012. Mayer never rock & rolls the way EC (Eric Clapton) did when he was in love with D&B, but he certainly is emphasizing his affection for American roots, particularly of the folk and country kind. Those two sounds are the best vehicles for the kind of solipsism Mayer engages in on Born and Raised, . . . .
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Plugged In
May 22, 2012. His fifth album, a folksy acoustic effort that would have sounded right at home alongside Joni Mitchell or the Grateful Dead in the late '60s or early '70s, indicates he's been thinking quite a lot, in fact. About his life. About his mistakes. About his struggle to commit. And about his desire to be a better man.
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Huffpost
May 22, 2012. But what sets Born and Raised apart from John Mayer’s other works is that he’s finally humble to his talent. In this record, Mayer is genuinely regretful for his past arrogance and has receded to making music simply because it makes him happy.
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Our Vinyl
“Born and Raised” is the perfect summer album to listen to 1 hour into a long road trip after the initial excitement has worn off and the calming noise of the wheels on the highway has set in.
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George Graham Reviews
May 30, 2012. But now Born and Raised is out and ignoring all the distractions and show-biz trappings, it turns out to be both another interesting change in musical direction, and a first-rate record. This time, Mayer has gone roots-rock, with the songs getting a mostly acoustic, but very tasteful, folky accompaniment with the easy-going rock groove that marks the best of the roots-rock singer-songwriters
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Redeye Chicago
May 21, 2012. . . . while Mayer's voice isn't really suited for straying from the intimate blues croon of his past hits into the more upbeat country pieces here, the instrumentation mostly sounds great, tapping into the comfy Americana of '70s radio rock
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LA Now
May 22, 2012. What he does offer is an expert musicality filled with charm, honesty and melody, and a peaceful, easy instrumental touch recorded by Was.
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Independent
May 19, 2012. It's all very laidback and earnest, but the endless lo-cal homilies ultimately grate: after all, what's most loveable about Neil (Neil Young) is his ornery, cussed nature, and there's not a bit of that in this bland Americana.
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Entertainment
May 23, 2012. Now he’s brought a laid-back country vibe to Born, tapping Don Was (the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan) to produce and draping his folk melodies in pedal steel and violin. The Laurel Canyon music scene of the ’60s and ’70s is a major touchstone here . . . .
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QRO Magazine
Mayer has successfully cranked out a totally sub-par album. From over-used and badly shaped lyrical concepts to corny guitar lines with grossly average tone, Johnny-boy has spared not one single aspect of his latest project from tastelessness.
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American Songwriter
May 30, 2012. The playing is understated and predictably excellent, with layers of piano and pedal steel flanking Mayer’s guitar lines, and Don Was’ production sets the vintage mood perfectly.
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New York Daily News
May 22, 2012. John Mayer aims high on his new CD, daring to conjure the spirit of the classic rock gods. Unlike earlier Mayer albums, which mined blues, power-trio rock or granola folk, his latest CD sets its sights on the rustic peak of the singer-songwriter movement from the late '60s and early '70s.
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MTV News
May 21, 2012. John Mayer has always been something of an old soul when it comes to music. He has shown it by teaming up with blues legends like B.B. King, and he proves it once again on his newest release, Born and Raised, the follow-up to 2009's Battle Studies.
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People
May 18, 2012. The singer-songwriter's earnestness and tasteful, understated musicianship will win you over.
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Newsday
May 18, 2012. "Born and Raised" (Columbia), with its '70s California, "Peaceful Easy Feeling" vibe, sounds little like Mayer's previous work, but, unfortunately, playing down guitar work and playing up his limited vocals and lyrics -- where he sometimes tries to defend himself as misunderstood, . . . .
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Mind Equals Blown
May 22, 2012. A unique quality about B&R is the combination of traditional Mayer-style lyrics and a new folk-esque style that seems like the storytelling of a specific moment, recorded even as the events unfold, . . . .
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Digital Spy
May 22, 2012. Given his voice is a perfect match for blues, the sensitive country cowboy routine is too hard to swallow, . . . . The result on Born and Raised is a man who has undoubtedly changed, though it's not always for the better.
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The Line of Best Fit
May 12, 2012. Fittingly titled Born and Raised, the album sees Mayer singing openly about his parents and America. Harmonies and harmonica abound throughout, and the entire affair is Mayer’s most tender, poignant album to date.
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Abundant Ramblings
June 4, 2012. The album is a great example of an artist suffering (whether self-inflicted or not, it doesn't matter), examining his life in the context of that suffering, and producing something precise, personal, and relatable. Not to mention pretty damn good.
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Philip Cummins
May 18, 2012. . . . John Mayer has spent the ensuing time eating humble pie; nowhere is this more evident than on his fifth record, Born and Raised, his most focused, mature, honest and fully realised album to date.
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Uproxx
May 21, 2102. That sound you hear on John Mayer’s “Born and Raised” is an artist entering a new phase of his career, and, more importantly, his life. “Born and Raised” is John Mayer with a side of humility and it suits him well.
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Steemit
I’ll give this album a solid 7 out of 10. It was a solid album but didn’t really wow me out of my seat. JM did a wonderful job in the folk genre and I would recommend this album to any folk, indie, or John Mayer fan because it really is quality music whether you like him or not you have it give this album a listen.
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20 Watts Magazine
May 16, 2012. I just want to know what happened John? Where are the Continuum style songs that I fell in love with at the prime age of 16? I just kind of feel like Gravity was really working against you on this one.
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Hit The Floor
May 21, 2012. ‘Born and Raised’ is released May 21st and is an acoustic and soulful album that definitely won’t disappoint. I guarantee that you won’t want to take it off repeat.
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MIMO
May 22, 2012. . . . from a musical standpoint, this is a master work, in that John Mayer has adapted stylistically to the country/folk genre without compromising his own soulful sound. Combining the reflective lyric with skillful songwriting and musicianship, Born and Raised is a breath of fresh air.
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PropertyOfZack
August 6, 2012. Born and Raised finds John Mayer at his best: from storytelling to musical composition to delivery, Mayer lives up to his full potential. It is a complete album, excelling from start to finish.
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The West Australian
June 8, 2012. When you eventually look back at John Mayer's catalogue, this will be the wilderness album. The one which dips into folk and country, and with producer Don Was at the helm, gives flight to a set of smooth soft rock influenced by 60s and 70s yacht and Cali sounds.
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Contact Music
May 28, 2012. John Mayer's fifth studio album is very much a back to basics affair, full of nostalgia, introspection and dreamy melodies. It's also the album that Mayer needed to make at this point in his career.
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ubermureli
June 18, 2012. The album’s genius lies in its simplicity. It feels effortless, like John Mayer was overcome with all these emotions all at once. It flows like a river without boundaries. It’s unapologetic.
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Daily Republic
Mayer is not out to impress anyone or make any bold statements with “Born and Raised.” There’s a comfortable air throughout it, mixing his pop, rock and blues influences.
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NZ Herald
June 5, 2012. Unfortunately, there's a few too many cliche sentiments and a bit too much "me time" to make it a classic. But there's a charm and honesty to the songs and on tracks like Born and Raised Mayer's peaceful, easy, appeal is clear.
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Guitar Planet
February 10, 2013. Even by Mayer’s standards Born And Raised is leisurely paced, the arrangements sway at a hammock’s pace, and the entire record kissed by the orangey rays of a California sunset. Mayer’s playing is easy and sensuous. What it lacks in arresting punch, it gains in subtlety and thematic cohesion.
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rehankhodaiji
May 20, 2012. The unique features of this album is that it’s an easy listen, doesn’t cause an urge to pay attention to each detail , there is no track which seems to take the limelight and the recording procedure gives a very analog and naturally rough around the edges touch which is something that is not at all common in present day production.
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RTE
June 27, 2012. Steeped in Laurel Canyon classicism, Born and Raised is one of those records for mornings when the only thing on the to-do list is thinking - mistakes made, blessings counted, truths accepted.
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The Courier Mail
June 1, 2012. In keeping with the album's loose theme, musically he's also looking over his shoulder. It's as if Mayer has raided his parents' record collection, with much of Born and Raised suffused with that soft Californian country-rock glow of the early to mid-'70s.
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The Cascade
June 22, 2012. . . . I have come to realise that this may very well be his best. Born and Raised revolutionizes John Mayer’s signature sound, while telling a genuine story of transformation through his lyrics and guitar.
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Post and Courier Charleston Scene
May 29, 2012. The whole album has a definite country-rock sound to it, and the material is much more mellow as a whole than past Mayer releases. Whatever the case, “Born and Raised” is as solid a collection of songs as Mayer has ever released.
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AMPs & 808s
May 18, 2012. . . . right now what we hear and are left with from Mayer's music box is a great new album 'Born and Raised'. He returns with legacy makers Crosby, Stills and Nash as the legends back Mayer's vocals on his own Neil Young, 'Harvest' esque sunny, Summer, sweet and sedate acoustic record.
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BestFan
May 22, 2012. John Mayer’s Born and Raised is lyrically simple, emotionally satisfying and stylistically complex. And while there is a lot here for us to break down, why make it so complicated? Take a step back and just listen.
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Snippets
March 10, 2013. Born and Raised is a great album for many reasons- the songs, melodies, vocals, and lyrics are all stellar. But more than that, the album is the resurrection of John Mayer’s career, and my faith in him as a musician.
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The Cafe Phenomenon
May 27, 2012. . . . this new, softer, amend-making side of Mayer catapults him into the kind, lovable man fans always wished he would be. He has said that making the album got him through the past few years, and bears the reality of those hardships.
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Meet In Montauk
July 31, 2012. Born and Raised is a spectacular comeback record. Will it lead to a new phase in Mayer’s rocky career — one based on his music and not his Twitter feed? I sure hope so. He has the chops to leave behind quite a legacy, if only he stays out of his way.
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Wix.com
While Born and Raised is not held in as high of a regard as albums like Continuum or Room for Squares, there is no doubt that it accurately reflects John Mayer’s talents and abilities. This album leaves the listener feeling confident, and encouraged. This album is nothing short of easy on the ears, and a request for forgiveness.
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Popblerd
May 23, 2012. Honest, sincere lyricism. Low-key, sympathetic production. Fantastic, yet subtle, instrumental performances. Born And Raised might be the first album of 2012 that I’ve been reluctant to stop playing on repeat.
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Spin
June 6, 2012. Mayer has rebounded musically, in the form of the easygoing country rock of current album chart-topper Born & Raised, but he still apparently hasn’t cured his longstanding habit of saying things that will make people get the wrong idea about his records.
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Snap Crackle Pop!
June 27, 2012. That's the thing about Born And Raised - each track tells a tale in it's own unique style from a man who's truly mastered his art.
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OOR
June 1, 2012. . . . Born And Raisedis a beautiful album, perhaps his best. Where Battle Studies was still pretty poppy, Born And Raised, produced by Don Wash . . ., is a real Americana album. Tinkling acoustic guitars, a steel guitar, a Hammond, cork-dry drums and a crunchy Stratocaster color the sound image.
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Rare Star Guitars
August 6, 2012. The production is great, the sounds are really smooth, but, Mayer doesn’t really have an edge though – he’s pretty circular – and I’m non-plussed already, after two minutes. The music feels non-committal, a little mass produced, plastique. It’s all so light, polite and inoffensive even Granma’s fallen asleep to it.
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The Arts Fuse
July 22, 2012. John Mayer’s Born and Raised departs from the melancholy-ridden songs redolent of youth, providing a subdued, folksier vibe that reflects the thoughts of an artist going on 35.
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Hartford Courant
May 21, 2012. Although Mayer has from the start displayed musical skill far beyond his years, “Born and Raised” is his first grown-up album, instead of an album that’s merely trying to sound grown up. Mayer came by his new maturity the hard way, but it suits him well.
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