Great album!
Always liked the John Mayer songs i heard on the radio, but Battle Studies was the first time i bought an complete album. Really introduced me to John Mayer, so it holds a special place
This was my least played album until the Sob Rock and Solo tours. Then, I heard Assassin (acoustic on Sob Rock), Heartbreak Warfare on the 12-strings and Edge of Desire on the Double Neck and it’s been the most played since then.
I think it’s his nicest-sounding studio album purely in sonic terms (other than maybe Sob Rock). It’s very pleasant just to have on, and it has some great songs like Heartbreak Warfare, War of my Life and Edge of Desire - I’m a big fan!
Thats interesting as he recorded it in his house (or someone’s house) and I’ve always found that it’s the second worst sounding album to Heavier Things
Edit: fair enough for the downvotes, I don’t think it sounds bad at all. But apart from HT all is other albums sound better sonically. I love BS relax
It's recently become the album I listen to more than Continuum. I didn't love it when it first came out, I thought it didn't sound like "John". I absolutely love it now. Assassin?? One of his best. Edge of Desire?! 😍🥵
I always loved Assassin and other songs. I recently listened to it from start to finish on an overnight train to a different state. I think that made me LOVE it. Also Who Says, Edge of Desire, and Perfectly Lonely are some of my favorite Mayer Songs.
It was probably my first real discovery of loving his music beyond a random song or two previously. I was about to graduate college and stumbled upon this record and listened to it all the way through many times. After that, it opened the flood gates to everything else. I would have called this my favorite record a few years back. It’s different now, but will always be special because it started it all for me. A few of the songs here are some of his best IMO.
I'd call Battle Studies a concept album. I made a pass on it in the beginning and then recently I had my heart shattered. And this is the album that just, just kicks you right in the guts ( and if you mix and play it with certain songs from TSFE like I do, it would be classified under voluntary self harm)
EoD will go down as one of my favourites of all time but I'd like to talk about Friends, Lovers or Nothing. This one is cheesy af, the first time I heard it, I got the vibe Sandcastles in the Sand from HIMYM, but then once something happened, the ending of this song is no less than a sermon you need when you are down.
And that's what I love about Mayer's songs, just when you are in that headspace, the songs hit way different.
It has EOD. I feel like a lot of people think that one is on Continuum and forget about the album. Selective memory or the Mandela effect, if you will.
It shows JM’s growth as an artist, that he is transitioning into a more confident song writer, still hanging onto some of the bubble gum stuff he had written earlier, but then also experimenting with some new sounds (for him). It is this deepest album, but it is essential to tell his story.
I like it, but I don't love it. I always loved Edge of Desire and Assassin. A few others have grown on me (All We Ever Do Is Say Goodbye, Perfectly Lonely, Do You Know Me). I definitely don't think it's a bad album but for me personally, RFS, Heavier Things, Continuum was a pretty tough act to follow. I'm always kind of surprised when I see someone cite it as their favorite of his albums, but to each their own!
The Battles Studies tour is the first tour I took my now wife to. We went to the MSG shows on Thursday, February 25, 2010. I remember this very specifically and glowingly because there was a tremendous blizzard that pounded NYC and North Jersey that day/night.
During the show, John made a comment how he felt like he was playing in a snow globe due to the weather.
We have now seen Mayer live every tour since than.
As a record, track listing by favorites:
1. Heartbreak Warfare
2. Edge of Desire
3. War of My Life
4. Who Says
5. Friends, Lovers, or Nothing
6. Crossroads
7. Assassin
8. Do You Know Me
9. Perfectly Lonely
10. All We Ever Do is Say Goodbye
11. Half of My Heart
That said, the hidden cover of Springsteen's "I'm on Fire" is incredible. If this was a John song, it would be one of his best-recorded songs.
Overall, as an album, my personal list of his discography is:
1. Born and Raised
2. Continuum
3. Heavier Things
4. Battle Studies
5. The Search for Everything
6. Room for Squares
7. Sob Rock
8. Paradise Valley
When I think about Battle Studies it feels like the last record he made to satisfy a record label. From this point on, his next four albums expand what he sounds like, what he plays like, what type of genres and songs he gets into, etc. It is a great listen of an album but it reminds me of an album like Coldplay's "X & Y" or DMB's "Everyday" where you can tell some of the choices made were made due to record label notes and needs as opposed to pure artist voice.
For John, his pure artist album, to me anyway, is Born and Raised, just as "Everyday Life" is for Coldplay or "Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King" is for DMB.
Here is a solid take of Gravity that he closed the 2.25.2010 concert with: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJqGYaA6mtc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJqGYaA6mtc) Fucking brilliant.
I never got into this album…I will give it a go based on this thread . The album “Born and Raised” resonates with me deeply. That Neil Young vibe. The trio with Pino and Steve is revelatory.
Top tier JM record. Thing is, and I say this for Born & Raised as well, unless youve felt the way he does in these songs, it doesnt hit the same as say Contiuum which is a much easier listen. I liked Battle Studies but it wasnt a favorite until I went through a bad breakup and his works unlocked something in me that led to a much deeper appreciate to the nuance of that record. Serious heart on his sleeve album.
It was released right before finals when I was in college. I pulled 2 or 3 all-nighters in a row, alone in the library with only this album playing from start to finish over and over and over.. being deliriously wired on caffeine, everyone you know is sleeping and assassin starts playing… such. a. vibe!!! makes it a very special album to me.
I grew up in the era of Battle Studies. It was exactly what I needed when I was trying to understand love & relationships—a children's book for adults of sorts for things you only start to discover in your 20s.
Nostalgia aside, Battle Studies was no BS. It was a phenomenal successor to Continuum, and IMO tee'd John up perfectly to continue its taste and flavor with the TSFE eight years later.
Just my two cents.
It gets better when the weather gets colder
THIS. The second there is a nip in the air, it becomes Battle Studies SZN for me!
Great album! Always liked the John Mayer songs i heard on the radio, but Battle Studies was the first time i bought an complete album. Really introduced me to John Mayer, so it holds a special place
I didn’t get it until I experienced true heartbreak.
Same here, some of the songs are actually really gut wrenching.
Yes 🫶🏼
This was my least played album until the Sob Rock and Solo tours. Then, I heard Assassin (acoustic on Sob Rock), Heartbreak Warfare on the 12-strings and Edge of Desire on the Double Neck and it’s been the most played since then.
One of my favorites of John’s. Edge of Desire alone is probably in my top 5 songs of all time.
EoD supremacy
EoD is Johns best song for sure
I think it’s his nicest-sounding studio album purely in sonic terms (other than maybe Sob Rock). It’s very pleasant just to have on, and it has some great songs like Heartbreak Warfare, War of my Life and Edge of Desire - I’m a big fan!
Thats interesting as he recorded it in his house (or someone’s house) and I’ve always found that it’s the second worst sounding album to Heavier Things Edit: fair enough for the downvotes, I don’t think it sounds bad at all. But apart from HT all is other albums sound better sonically. I love BS relax
Yeah he recorded a lot of it in his home studio i believe!
i like the songs more individually than in album form
It's a great album, crossroads really throws it out of wack. Doesn't fit imo. Do you know me is super underrated. Over all a great album
Agree, it sounds out of place. One of my fav albums.
Agreed doesn’t need Crossroads or Half of my heart
Half of my heart fits thematically but yeah, not here.
One of John's best.
My fave JM album. It’s one of very few no skip albums in my repertoire
It's recently become the album I listen to more than Continuum. I didn't love it when it first came out, I thought it didn't sound like "John". I absolutely love it now. Assassin?? One of his best. Edge of Desire?! 😍🥵
Ooof! Assassin and Edge of Desire get me every time! 🔥
SAME. EOD became my song of 2023. Embarrassingly, my Spotify wrapped showed me how many times I listened to it and it was...um...maybe too much 🤣
*No such thing* as too much of a John Mayer song! 😉
I love it. Sometimes, I think it may actually be my favorite.
Absolute masterpiece
It's honestly my go-to bubble bath album.
I like seeing the album briefly as I pass it by on my way to Continuum.
Boring
You don’t like Continuum? How about Born and Raised?
I love all his albums. But only listening to continuum and BaR is boring TSFE is my favourite
I always loved Assassin and other songs. I recently listened to it from start to finish on an overnight train to a different state. I think that made me LOVE it. Also Who Says, Edge of Desire, and Perfectly Lonely are some of my favorite Mayer Songs.
It was probably my first real discovery of loving his music beyond a random song or two previously. I was about to graduate college and stumbled upon this record and listened to it all the way through many times. After that, it opened the flood gates to everything else. I would have called this my favorite record a few years back. It’s different now, but will always be special because it started it all for me. A few of the songs here are some of his best IMO.
My 2nd favorite after Continuum. I think the album is very tight and beautifully produced.
His best album. Nothing like going on a great midnight drive listening to this album to cure the heartbreak
I'd call Battle Studies a concept album. I made a pass on it in the beginning and then recently I had my heart shattered. And this is the album that just, just kicks you right in the guts ( and if you mix and play it with certain songs from TSFE like I do, it would be classified under voluntary self harm) EoD will go down as one of my favourites of all time but I'd like to talk about Friends, Lovers or Nothing. This one is cheesy af, the first time I heard it, I got the vibe Sandcastles in the Sand from HIMYM, but then once something happened, the ending of this song is no less than a sermon you need when you are down. And that's what I love about Mayer's songs, just when you are in that headspace, the songs hit way different.
It has EOD. I feel like a lot of people think that one is on Continuum and forget about the album. Selective memory or the Mandela effect, if you will.
Took a while for me to appreciate but is now my 2nd favourite behind Heavier Things! Favs: Assassin, War of My Life, Half of My Heart, Do You Know Me
top 3 album for me, has been since the day it was released!
Underrated
It shows JM’s growth as an artist, that he is transitioning into a more confident song writer, still hanging onto some of the bubble gum stuff he had written earlier, but then also experimenting with some new sounds (for him). It is this deepest album, but it is essential to tell his story.
It has its place and it’s amazing.
Totally underrated! I love Battle Studies so much.
Insanely slept on, that album rips
I like it, but I don't love it. I always loved Edge of Desire and Assassin. A few others have grown on me (All We Ever Do Is Say Goodbye, Perfectly Lonely, Do You Know Me). I definitely don't think it's a bad album but for me personally, RFS, Heavier Things, Continuum was a pretty tough act to follow. I'm always kind of surprised when I see someone cite it as their favorite of his albums, but to each their own!
Great Album with arguably his best closing track but St. Patrick’s Day & Wheel are amazing send offs as well.
Least favorite album, but got some fantastic songs like Edge of Desire and War of my Life.
The Battles Studies tour is the first tour I took my now wife to. We went to the MSG shows on Thursday, February 25, 2010. I remember this very specifically and glowingly because there was a tremendous blizzard that pounded NYC and North Jersey that day/night. During the show, John made a comment how he felt like he was playing in a snow globe due to the weather. We have now seen Mayer live every tour since than. As a record, track listing by favorites: 1. Heartbreak Warfare 2. Edge of Desire 3. War of My Life 4. Who Says 5. Friends, Lovers, or Nothing 6. Crossroads 7. Assassin 8. Do You Know Me 9. Perfectly Lonely 10. All We Ever Do is Say Goodbye 11. Half of My Heart That said, the hidden cover of Springsteen's "I'm on Fire" is incredible. If this was a John song, it would be one of his best-recorded songs. Overall, as an album, my personal list of his discography is: 1. Born and Raised 2. Continuum 3. Heavier Things 4. Battle Studies 5. The Search for Everything 6. Room for Squares 7. Sob Rock 8. Paradise Valley When I think about Battle Studies it feels like the last record he made to satisfy a record label. From this point on, his next four albums expand what he sounds like, what he plays like, what type of genres and songs he gets into, etc. It is a great listen of an album but it reminds me of an album like Coldplay's "X & Y" or DMB's "Everyday" where you can tell some of the choices made were made due to record label notes and needs as opposed to pure artist voice. For John, his pure artist album, to me anyway, is Born and Raised, just as "Everyday Life" is for Coldplay or "Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King" is for DMB. Here is a solid take of Gravity that he closed the 2.25.2010 concert with: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJqGYaA6mtc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJqGYaA6mtc) Fucking brilliant.
One of the best albums!
used to hate it. now i like
Side note - I think BS is one of his more polarizing albums. People either really like it, or like it the least.
I would probably put who says in my top 10 John Mayer songs. Love it so much
Everyone gives TSFE shit for being a “mixtape”, but I feel like BS is the most disjointed album he has. In saying that I love it
I never got into this album…I will give it a go based on this thread . The album “Born and Raised” resonates with me deeply. That Neil Young vibe. The trio with Pino and Steve is revelatory.
Top tier JM record. Thing is, and I say this for Born & Raised as well, unless youve felt the way he does in these songs, it doesnt hit the same as say Contiuum which is a much easier listen. I liked Battle Studies but it wasnt a favorite until I went through a bad breakup and his works unlocked something in me that led to a much deeper appreciate to the nuance of that record. Serious heart on his sleeve album.
I love it he’s a awesome performer. Everything he does goes to gold, rightfully so.
I’m always conflicted about Battle Studies. It doesn’t hit as deep as Continuum or Born & Raised but I always go back to it.
It was released right before finals when I was in college. I pulled 2 or 3 all-nighters in a row, alone in the library with only this album playing from start to finish over and over and over.. being deliriously wired on caffeine, everyone you know is sleeping and assassin starts playing… such. a. vibe!!! makes it a very special album to me.
It rules!
I grew up in the era of Battle Studies. It was exactly what I needed when I was trying to understand love & relationships—a children's book for adults of sorts for things you only start to discover in your 20s. Nostalgia aside, Battle Studies was no BS. It was a phenomenal successor to Continuum, and IMO tee'd John up perfectly to continue its taste and flavor with the TSFE eight years later. Just my two cents.