Traffic in the Sky Part II: Belief

The next two albums are where the two artists hit it big. Almost every single song on In Between Dreams (Johnson) and Continuum (Mayer) is popular and gets radio play. This acclaim is what these two albums hold in common. The first time I heard Continuum, I was blown away. I could not believe someone could ever come out with an album as brilliant, in all aspects, as Continuum was. Waiting on the World to Change, Vultures, Slow Dancing in a Burning Room, Gravity, and so many more. It marked a definitive transition into a different style of music for Mayer. He moved from a rock style to more blues and rock orientated style. Mayer remarked that it contains his most important song to date; Gravity. In concert in 2005, Mayer said:

"This is the most important song I’ve ever written, it's a time capsule song. I will listen to it every day of my life if I need to. It's honest to God the most important song I’ve ever written in my life, and it has the fewest words. . . Umm, this is a song about... making sure you still love yourself... making sure you still have your head on, making sure you still say no the way your mom would say no. And I will need it every day of my life because it's easier to mess up than it is to stay here."

I had not listened to Jack Johnson until a few months ago, but I had been an avid fan of John Mayer. I received some Jack Johnson tunes and became a fan ever since. In Between Dreams, while not my favorite album of his, holds the same aspect as Continuum, in that it has a ridiculous amount of hits; Never Know, Banana Pancakes, Good People, and Staple It Together to name a few. The title can be seen as eluding to his direction behind the album. Johnson wanted to give people his thoughts and dreams, which he gave through his songs. The album reflects his chill attitude, especially with a mango tree on the cover. Listening to this album makes me feel like I am under a mango tree relaxing to his music.

Finally, we are on to the last studio albums both artists have come out with. The albums are Sleep Through the Static (Johnson) and Battle Studies (Mayer). The two albums deal with much more deeper topics, and are at times even sad. The self titled song, Sleep Through the Static, is protest song on the Iraq War.

Who needs sleep when we’ve got love?
Who needs keys when we’ve got clubs?
Who needs please when we’ve got guns?
Who needs peace when we’ve gone above
But beyond where we should have gone?
We went beyond where we should have gone
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Shock and awful thing to make somebody think
That they have to choose pushing for peace supporting the troops
And either you’re weak or you’ll use brut force-feed the truth
The truth is we say not as we do

This song specifically says how we went way above what we had to do. Now people just sit back and watch it from their televisions and "sleep through the static." The truth comes from what we say, not what we have to do; in this essence, fighting will not bring peace.

Battle Studies is probably the saddest album I have ever listened to. He responded to interviews saying it wasn't even his best album. However, it still gets his point across. Mayer said that, "The album is called Battle Studies and that's because it incorporates a lot of the lessons, a lot of the observations, and a little bit of advice. Like a handbook, like a heartbreak handbook." You only have to go so far as listen to the first song, Heartbreak Warfare, to understand the direction of this album:

Clouds of sulfur in the air
Bombs are falling everywhere
It's heartbreak warfare

Once you want it to begin
No one really ever wins
In heartbreak warfare

If you want more love
Why don't you say so
If you want more love
Why don't you say so

This album delves deep into Mayer's true emotions and reflects the darkness he has in his life right now. This song portrays the battlefield that is his emotional life. Heartbreak is something no one can win and does nothing but damage us.

Hopefully you have enjoyed relaxing in the café this evening with your drink with smooth melodies and jazz playing. Come back soon for some new chill readings. Peace.