Maps of Music

Paradise Valley (2013)

Where the lyrics of Paradise Valley take you, and where it was really made.

The title is a real place, not a metaphor: Mayer's home along the Yellowstone River in Montana's Paradise Valley, where he has lived since 2012.

Key places

Electric Lady Studios, New York City (2013)

Recording site Electric Lady Studios — Electric Lady Studios in New York City is listed as one of the album's recording locations. The point uses the studio's building coordinates. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

The Village, Los Angeles (2013)

Recording site Village Recorders — The Village in Los Angeles is listed among the album's recording locations. The point uses the studio's building coordinates. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Berkeley Street Studio, Santa Monica (2013)

Recording site Ruby Red — Berkeley Street Studio is listed as a recording location in Santa Monica. Only a city-centre coordinate is known, so the point does not mark the building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Ocean Way Recording, Hollywood (2013)

Recording site The Music Grinder (Hollywood) — Ocean Way Recording is listed as a recording location in Hollywood. Only a city-centre coordinate is known, so the point does not mark the building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter John Mayer
• Released August 20, 2013 by Columbia Records
• Title refers to Mayer's home on the Yellowstone River in Montana's Paradise Valley, where he has lived since 2012
• Singles: "Paper Doll" (June 18, 2013), "Wildfire" (July 16, 2013; officially impacted Triple A radio on August 20, 2013), "Who You Love" (third single, Hot AC radio on September 3, 2013)

Background

• Musically similar to the previous album Born and Raised (2012)
• More musical breaks than its predecessor
• Instrumentals built on electric guitars rather than harmonica
• On August 19, 2013, Mayer performed "Wildfire" on the Late Show with David Letterman to promote the album
• The same night he played a concert in the Live on Letterman series, a web stream event

Recording

• Recording locations listed in the source: Electric Lady Studios (New York City), The Village (Los Angeles), Berkeley Street Studio (Santa Monica), and Ocean Way Recording (Hollywood)
• Producers: Don Was and John Mayer; Michael McDonald is credited as executive producer
• Mixing by Manny Marroquin; mastering by Bob Ludwig
• Core players: Chuck Leavell (keyboards), Aaron Sterling (drums and percussion), Sean Hurley (bass)
• Guest vocals: Katy Perry on track 6; Frank Ocean on track 8, where he also plays Wurlitzer

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• John Clayton Mayer, born October 16, 1977, in Bridgeport, Connecticut, American singer, songwriter, and guitarist.
• Attended Berklee College of Music in 1997, then left for Atlanta with guitarist Clay Cook to form the short-lived duo Lo-Fi Masters.
• Released the independent EP Inside Wants Out (1999) and was later signed by Aware Records, a Columbia Records imprint.

Career

• Debut album Room for Squares (2001) produced hits including "Your Body Is a Wonderland", which won Best Male Pop Vocal Performance at the 45th Grammy Awards.
• Heavier Things (2003) peaked atop the Billboard 200.
• Shifted toward blues and rock, forming the John Mayer Trio; Continuum (2006) won Best Pop Vocal Album at the 49th Grammy Awards.
• Withdrew from public life in 2010 after controversial interviews; later albums include Born and Raised (2012), Paradise Valley (2013), The Search for Everything (2017), and Sob Rock (2021).
• Member of Dead & Company since 2015 alongside surviving Grateful Dead members.
• Ranked number 61 on Rolling Stone's 250 Greatest Guitarists of All Time (2023).
• Sold over 20 million albums worldwide by 2014.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Metacritic gave the album 73 out of 100, a generally positive reception from critics
• Brian Mansfield of USA Today said the release may have only the permanence of a summer camp fling
• Anthony DeCurtis of Rolling Stone said the album continues Mayer's autobiographical journey and shows him in a relaxed, joyful frame of mind, carrying less baggage
• Gary Graff of The Oakland Press noted an anything-goes attitude and said Mayer turned in some of his most peaceful music yet
• Matt Collar of AllMusic said the album's sound rings true
• Randall Roberts of the Los Angeles Times said Mayer keeps his showmanship in check, and that his instrumental skill warrants the display
• Glenn Gamboa of Newsday graded the album B-, saying Mayer may still be a little lost but may soon find his way
• Mark LePage of The Gazette called the album consolidation, soundly done, though Mayer was not advancing the form
• Craig Manning of AbsolutePunk rated the album 85 percent, calling it a solid set of songs
• Adam Lukach of RedEye said the soundscapes are sweetly arranged and Mayer's voice after throat surgery remains inviting, but the album could use more decisiveness
• Melinda Newman of HitFix graded the album A-, praising its unrushed, timeless feel
• Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian wrote that Mayer may be his own worst enemy
• Michaelangelo Matos of the New York Post said the throat surgery did not make the songs any less silly
• Matthew Horton of Virgin Media gave three stars and said listeners may be right to be hesitant
• Jim Farber of Daily News gave three stars and said the album succeeds more than Mayer's last effort at the styles that inspired it

Records

• Debuted at number 2 on the Billboard 200
• First-week sales of 145,560 copies in the United States
• First album since Continuum (2006) not to debut at number 1

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• On August 19, 2013, Mayer sang "Wildfire" on the Late Show with David Letterman, and that night he also played a concert for the Live on Letterman web stream.
• Full album streaming began on iTunes on August 13, 2013, and downloads were enabled a week later.
• The release was first set for August 13, then pushed back one week to August 20.
• The CD came in a jewel case with a white tray and a 16-page booklet.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · es.wikipedia.org · pt.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com

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