Artist: John Mayer
Album Title: Any Given Thursday
Label: SMA
Bones:
Summary: Wunderkid rolls the dice on live album
Reviewed By: Stuart 'Record Store Guy' McPhee

The downright nerve! This snot-nosed punk releases one full length album then has the hide to serve up the same songs and a few newbies on a live recording, a double CD set no less! If this was in the hands of any other pop artist so early in their career, one might assume the end is nigh. Yet, like the John Butler Trio, John Mayer has a healthy reputation as a live performer and this release cements those credentials.

Filmed on any old night of his never ending tour (actually Sepetmber 12, 2002 for the trainspotters) 'Any Given Thursday' shows an entire John Mayer concert complete with great covers, bum notes, and genuine humour by Mayer himself. As a point of interest, the DVD version has a lot of the between song banter that Mayer is famous for.

While not everything sounds better live ('Love Song For No One' and 'My Stupid Mouth' lack the warmth of the studio), a lot of the songs are enhanced by added intros that stem from half written tracks while on tour. Highlights of those include opener '3x5' and the new U.S. single 'Why Georgia'.

As far as the new material is concerned, the next album looks set to be just as strong as his debut 'Room For Squares'. 'Something's Missing' is one of those 'on the road too long' tracks yet has a story to it that everyone can relate to. The sequel of sorts to 'City Love', 'Covered in Rain' carries the story along in a post 9/11/01 New York. It is sad yet has a scarred beauty to it that doesn't come over as a hokey patriot song. Let's leave it to the contestants of American Pop Idol shall we?

This album is by no means essential. No doubt if you have seen Mayer perform in the flesh you have your own memories for the mental scrapbook. But as a refreshing change from those 'one special night live' releases, this may be you bag.