Are we seeing the death of that old chestnut, the "Live Double Album"? With the onset of DVD and online official bootleg recordings, why would you need to fork over your hard earned for something that: a. You can't visually take in or b. You have to wait a few months to a year for record companies to release just in time for the holidays.

Connecticut lad John Mayer, knows this and has ensured that his fan base gets the best out of the situation. Is he shunning potential new fans you may ask? Let's face it, if you're not into Mayer already, I doubt a second live album in the singer/songwriter's cannon (to join his 2 full length studio albums) is going to sway your vote.

As/Is therefore is a compilation of live tracks from summer 2004 that were originally released via iTunes but now come together and sold through Sony's online store. Bereft of fancy packaging (though the bunnies on the cover are cool), As/Is is all about the music and nothing more.

For those of you out there who don't intend to collect everything (official or otherwise) of Senor Mayer, what is there to persuade you to buy this release? After careful consideration I have come up with four songs that are so good that they deserve a star accreditation for each of them.

A very underrated song from 2003s Heavier Things, 'Split Screen Sadness' is played with such honesty by Mayer and band. Like he says, the song is to true to play all the time. Marvin Gaye's classic 'Inner City Blues' is bravely attempted, with help from DJ Logic, and is a perfect example of why Kanye West wants to work with him.

Older song 'Comfortable' always goes down a treat with audiences, usually in the encore, but what sets this version apart is the changing of one of the key lines to: "She swears that she's artsy, but you could distinguish me from Jack Johnson."

Finally, 'Clarity' could well be one of the best songs I have ever heard live. From the great brass section to his introducing of the band to his humble thanks to the crowd, it is a John Mayer concert packed down into a 9 minute track. If this track doesn't hook you, then i'm afraid you are soul-less bastard.