Room for Squares

Album infobox
Name = Room For Squares
Type = studio
Artist = John Mayer


Caption = Cover for the commercial September 2001 release
Released = September 18, 2001
Recorded = Loho, New York, New York; Sunny Acre, Easton, Maryland; 33 & 1/3, Brooklyn, New York; Applehead, Woodstock, New York; Media Mix Studios, Nashville, Tennessee [http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/2102430/a/Room+For+Squares.htm Room For Squares] CDUniverse.com Retrieved 2007-11-19]
Genre = Pop rock
Length = 54:14
Label = Columbia Records
Producer = John Alagia
John Mayer
Reviews =
*ABC rating|5|5 [http://www.abc.net.au/splatt/review/music/reviews/s580517.htm link]
*Allmusic rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:8pkzu3i0anxk link]
*AVRev.com (8/10) [http://www.avrev.com/music/revs/johnmayer.shtml link]
*"Blender" rating|3|5 [http://www.blender.com/guide/reviews.aspx?id=1171 link]
*PopMatters (unfavorable) [http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/m/mayerjohn-room.shtml link]
*"Rolling Stone" rating|4|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/johnmayer/albums/album/130467/rid/5945575 link]
*Slant Magazine rating|4|5 [http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/music_review.asp?ID=325 link]
*"Stylus Magazine" (B) [http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/john-mayer/room-for-squares.htm link]
Last album = "Inside Wants Out"
(1999)
This album = "Room for Squares"
(2001)
Next album = "Any Given Thursday"
(2003)
Misc = Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = Alternate cover
Type = Studio album


Lower caption = Cover for the initial June 2001 release Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = Alternate cover
Type = Studio album


Lower caption = Japanese version Singles
Name = Room for Squares
Type = Studio album
single 1 = No Such Thing
single 1 date = April 23, 2002
single 2 = Your Body Is a Wonderland
single 2 date = September 3, 2002
single 3 = Why Georgia
single 3 date = April 29, 2003

"Room for Squares" is the first major-label album by John Mayer, released commercially on September 18, 2001.

Production

The album's title is an inside joke/reference to Hank Mobley's "No Room for Squares" album. All songs from the album were written by Mayer; however, three of the songs, "No Such Thing", "Neon", and "Love Song for No One", were all co-written with Clay Cook, with whom Mayer had a duo group known as "The LoFi Masters."

Through constant shows, including in the Atlanta-area Eddie's Attic, Mayer's reputation began to build, and a March 2000 appearance at the South by Southwest Music Festival [cite video|url=http://www.blender.com/JohnMayerSXSW2001/video/7344.aspx?src=BB3839:MD|title=South by Southwest Music Festival|publisher=Blender|date2=March 2000|accessdate=2007-10-11|format=Adobe Engagement Platform] brought him to the attention of "launch" label, Aware Records. [Proefrock, Stacia (2005). [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:kifqxqrkldfe~T1 "Biography"] AllMusicGuide.com. Retrieved on April 23, 2007.] After including him in the Aware Festival concerts and having his songs included on Aware compilations, in early 2001, Aware released "Room for Squares" as an internet-only album. During that time, Aware inked a deal with Columbia Records that gave Columbia first pick in signing Aware artists, and so in September of the same year, Columbia remixed and re-released "Room for Squares". [No byline. [http://www.awarerecords.com/company.php "A Brief History"] AwareRecords.com. Retrieved on June 12, 2007.] As part of the major label "debut", the album's artwork was updated, and the track "3x5" was added, which didn't appear on the original as the recording wasn't yet complete at the time. The re-release also included reworked studio versions of the first four songs from his indie album, "Inside Wants Out". [Back, Alan (2001). [http://www.nique.net/issues/2001-06-15/entertainment/2 "John Mayer carves out his own niche with national debut album"] Nique.net. Retrieved on June 22, 2007.] The cover art for the most recent release of "Room for Squares" features a periodic table design beginning from the back cover which continues to the front cover, ending at the right-side.

The album was relatively unknown at its time of release, but it became more well-known through word of mouth and John's touring. By the end of 2002, "Room for Squares" had spawned several radio hits, including "No Such Thing", "Your Body Is a Wonderland", and ultimately, "Why Georgia" (a radio-only single).

Reception

Critical

Anthony Decurtis (with "Rolling Stone") gave the album four out of five stars, calling it "irresistible". [Decurtis, Anthony (December 6, 2001), "John Mayer". "Rolling Stone". (883/884):152] PopMatters gave an unfavorable review, saying "It doesn't offend, nor does it attempt to make itself too exciting for the most part." [Thompson, Jason (2001). [http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/m/mayerjohn-room.shtml "Room for Squares"] PopMatters.com Retrieved 2007-11-19]

By the end of 2002, "Room for Squares" had spawned several radio hits, including, "No Such Thing," "Your Body Is a Wonderland," and, ultimately, "Why Georgia", which was released as a CD single six weeks before the follow-up album, "Heavier Things", was released in 2003.

In 2003, Mayer won a Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for “Your Body Is a Wonderland”. In his acceptance speech he remarked, “This is very, very fast, and I promise to catch up.” [Bream, Jon (2007). [http://www.star-ecentral.com/news/story.asp?file=/2007/2/9/music/20070209092322&sec=music "Win or lose, John Mayer says his work keeps him happy"] Star-Ecentral.com. Retrieved on April 23, 2007.] He also figuratively referred to himself as being sixteen, a remark that many mistook to mean that he was only sixteen years old at the time.Serpick, Evan (February 2007), "Grammy Preview: John Mayer", "Rolling Stone" Volume unknown: 32]

Commercial

Chart positions and certifications

USA

*Chart peak position: #8
*4x Platinum

Australia

*Chart peak position: #5
*2x Platinum

Track listing

All songs written by John Mayer, except where noted otherwise.

Aware release

This release was produced and packaged by Aware Records and released June 5, 2001.

# "No Such Thing" (John Mayer, Clay Cook) – 3:51
# "Why Georgia" – 4:28
# "My Stupid Mouth" – 3:45
# "Your Body Is a Wonderland" – 4:09
# "Neon" (Mayer, Cook) – 4:22
# "City Love" – 4:00
# "83" - 4:51
# "Love Song for No One" (Mayer, Cook) – 3:21
# "Back to You" – 4:01
# "Great Indoors" – 3:36
# "Not Myself" – 3:36
# "St. Patrick's Day" – 5:21

Columbia re-release

Following this independent release through a joint deal between Aware Records and Columbia Records, the album was remixed, reproduced. The album was released on Columbia Records on September 18, 2001. This release, in contrast to the initial release, has the triskaidekaphobic (i.e. fear of the number 13) omission of track thirteen and includes the song "3x5", which wasn't complete when the Aware version was released. Another difference is that the cover (as indicated in the information box to the right) was redesigned predominantly in white with a wider shot of Mayer with his guitar in the background.

# "No Such Thing" (John Mayer, Clay Cook) – 3:51
# "Why Georgia" – 4:28
# "My Stupid Mouth" – 3:45
# "Your Body Is a Wonderland" – 4:09
# "Neon" (Mayer, Cook) – 4:22
# "City Love" – 4:00
# "83" – 4:50
# "3x5" – 4:50
# "Love Song For No One" (Mayer, Cook) – 3:21
# "Back To You" – 4:01
# "Great Indoors" – 3:36
# "Not Myself" – 3:36
# (blank) – 0:00
# "St. Patrick's Day" – 5:21

Bonus disc

A bonus disc for "Room for Squares" was released along with the Columbia re-release. It was released in the U.S., but wasn't released internationally. Internationally, these two songs were included as B-sides on the singles from the album.

# "Lenny" (Stevie Ray Vaughan) (Live at the X Lounge)
# "The Wind Cries Mary" (Jimi Hendrix) (Live at the X Lounge)

Personnel

The following personnel worked in the studio on the album:

*John Mayer: vocals, lead guitar, piano, keyboards, vibraphone, percussion, Omnichord
*John Alagia: guitar, Hammond B-3 organ, percussion, bells
*David Davidson, David Angel: violin
*Kristin Wilkinson: viola
*Carol Rabinowitz: cello
*Jon Catchings: cello
*Brandon Bush: Wurlitzer piano, Fender Rhodes piano, Hammond B-3 organ, Mellotron
*David LaBruyere: bass
*Nir Z: drums, percussion, loops
*Jerry Marotta: drums
*Chris Fischer: congas
*Clay Cook: background vocals
*Doug Derryberry: background vocals

References