Inside Wants Out

Infobox Album
Name = Inside Wants Out
Type = EP
Artist = John Mayer


Released = September 24 1999 (original)
August 2 2002 (re-release)
Recorded =
Genre = Folk rock
Length = 31:51
Label = self-released
Producer = John Mayer
Glenn Matullo
David LaBruyere
Reviews =
*Allmusic rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:l2oibkj9aakc link]
*CD Universe (favorable) [http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/5026305/a/Inside+Wants+Out.htm link]
*"Rolling Stone" rating|3|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/johnmayer/albums/album/178420/rid/4422308?rnd=1140446513827&has-player=true&version=6.0.12.1040 link]
Last album =
This album = "Inside Wants Out"
(1999)
Next album = "Room for Squares"
(2001)

"Inside Wants Out" is a self-released debut album by John Mayer, initially distributed in the Atlanta, Georgia area. It later led to his major-label record deal with Columbia Records, "Room for Squares". The first four songs from this album made it to the latter. After the "Room for Squares" commercial re-release, Columbia re-released the EP with the omission of the second version of the song, "Neon".

Despite having released several albums since "Inside Wants Out", Mayer continues to play all of its songs in regular rotation in his current shows.cref|a

Production and history

Mayer enrolled in the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, at the age of nineteen.Ruth Shaut ("ELLE")(2006). [http://jmeyecandy.org/thumbnails.php?album=480 "Blues Brother"] J-mayer.org. Retrieved on 2006-08-03.] After two semesters, he chose to cut his studies short, and at the urging of his college friend and Atlanta native, Clay Cook, the two moved to Atlanta, Georgia.Small, Mark (2005). [http://www.berklee.edu/bt/172/coverstory.html "John Mayer '98: Running with the Big Dogs"] Berklee.edu. Retrieved on April 23, 2007.] Quickly making a name for their two-man band, LoFi Masters, they began their career in earnest there, frequenting the local coffee house and club circuit in venues like Eddie’s Attic. (2005). [http://www.askmen.com/men/entertainment_100/140c_john_mayer.html "Men Of The Week: Entertainment - John Mayer"] "AskMen.com". Retrieved on April 12, 2006.] Cook has said, however, that they began to experience musical differences due to Mayer’s desire to take the duo in more of a pop direction.Guthrie, Blake (2003). [http://atlanta.creativeloafing.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A14103 "Mayer of Atlanta: John Mayer plays Philips Arena, and all I got was this lousy cover story"] CreativeLoafing.com. Retrieved on February 17, 2007.] The two parted ways, and Mayer embarked on a solo career.

With the help of local producer and engineer Glenn Matullo, Mayer recorded the independent EP "Inside Wants Out". Cook is also cited as the co-writer of four of the songs from the EP, most notably, Mayer's first commercial single release, "No Such Thing". The EP includes only eight songs, all with Mayer on lead vocals and guitars, with the exception of “Comfortable” in which Mayer only recorded the vocals. For the opening track, “Back To You”, a full band was enlisted, including the EP’s co-producer David "DeLa" LaBruyere on bass guitars.Alter, Gaby (2007). [http://mixonline.com/live/tourprofiles/audio_john_mayer_2/ "Tour Profile: John Mayer"] MixOline.com. Retrieved on April 23, 2007.] Mayer and LaBruyere then began to tour throughout Georgia and the surrounding states.

Reception

Critical

Critical response to "Inside Wants Out", that came mostly after the Columbia re-release, was warm and optimistic. David Thigpin (with "Rolling Stone") called the album's sound, "curving, melodically rich tunes that weave folk, blues, rock and wisps of jazz [and] place him in the company of David Gray and Jeff Buckley, minus the melancholy." [Thigpen, David (February 14, 2002), "JOHN MAYER". "Rolling Stone" (889):45] Gavin Edwards gave the album four out of five stars, and said, "Mayer's gift for melody was already in full effect on this record". [Edwards, Gavin (October 31, 2002), "Inside Wants Out (Music release)". "Rolling Stone" (908):154]

Commercial

Track listing

Original EP release

#"Back to You" (John Mayer) – 4:00
#"No Such Thing" (Clay Cook, Mayer) – 3:51
#"My Stupid Mouth" (Mayer) – 4:16
#"Neon" (Cook, Mayer) – 3:56
#"Victoria" (Mayer) – 3:49
#"Love Soon" (Cook, Mayer) – 3:39
#"Comfortable" (Cook, Mayer) – 5:00
#"Neon 12:47 AM" (Cook, Mayer) – 2:45
#"Quiet" (Mayer) – 3:20

Columbia re-release

#"Back to You" (John Mayer) – 4:00
#"No Such Thing" (Clay Cook, Mayer) – 3:51
#"My Stupid Mouth" (Mayer) – 4:16
#"Neon" (Cook, Mayer) – 3:56
#"Victoria" (Mayer) – 3:49
#"Love Soon" (Cook, Mayer) – 3:39
#"Comfortable" (Cook, Mayer) – 5:00
#"Quiet" (Mayer) – 3:20

Personnel

The following personnel worked in the studio on Inside Wants Out: [ [http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=5026305&BAB=E Inside Wants Out] CDUniverse.com Retrieved 2007-11-20]
*John Mayer - vocals, guitar
*Casey Driessen
*Clay Cook - guitar, background vocals
*David LaBruyere - bass, loops
*Matt Mangano - bass
*Sigurdur Birkis - drums
*Stephen Roberson - drums

Notes

References