Sob Rock
by John Mayer
  • Record Label: Columbia
  • Release Date: Jul 16, 2021
User Score
8.1

Universal acclaim- based on 40 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 31 out of 40
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 40
  3. Negative: 4 out of 40
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this album

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. AJKolevsohn
    Jul 16, 2021
    6
    Not a bad album. Kind of sounds like a standard John Mayer album but it does have some nice little flourishes. I just hoped that it would deliver something a bit more exciting
  2. Stjm9999
    Jul 17, 2021
    4
    Too safe. Middle of the road country lyrics and production. To my ear it's like John isn't in the same place as the rest of the musicians. So was this a lockdown album? As a result no real musician interaction. Vocals done in isolation? There's something not right about this album. Maybe it's the rhythm section. Drums and bass quantized to the click, then overmixed... Aaaah! Maybe I'mToo safe. Middle of the road country lyrics and production. To my ear it's like John isn't in the same place as the rest of the musicians. So was this a lockdown album? As a result no real musician interaction. Vocals done in isolation? There's something not right about this album. Maybe it's the rhythm section. Drums and bass quantized to the click, then overmixed... Aaaah! Maybe I'm just over this stuff. John is a stunning and able musician. His riffs are usually cool, but this is verging on just clever with his use of seemingly odd modes. Not emotional. His guitar should be making us cry or dance. Not looking on and politely applauding his great playing ability. This album is beneath him. Sorry John... '4/10 could do better'
    And to be honest I had to stop listening after 6 tracks as I found it too irritating.

    With my review it'll probably go double or triple platinum. ! ;-)    … Expand
  3. WakandaJanitor
    Jul 17, 2021
    5
    Note: All of this is coming from a long-time John Mayer fan.

    Y'know, Mayer used to have a couple of whiny songs here and there back in the day, but it felt genuine/maybe a tad relatable. If it wasn't, worst-case, I'd skip the track. But this album, hoo boy this album. It's the self-pity of a former "ego addict." I get it; with a name like Sob Rock, what else was I to expect? But I find    Note: All of this is coming from a long-time John Mayer fan.

    Y'know, Mayer used to have a couple of whiny songs here and there back in the day, but it felt genuine/maybe a tad relatable. If it wasn't, worst-case, I'd skip the track. But this album, hoo boy this album. It's the self-pity of a former "ego addict." I get it; with a name like Sob Rock, what else was I to expect? But I find myself skipping every track after hearing this album all the way through. Way overhyped, don't waste your money. "Wild Blue" is a track worth the listen, though.    … Expand
  4. VBSBazooka
    Nov 4, 2021
    5
    Listening to this album while the idea and actually some of the execution were good, they didn't change up the formula too much here. It feels like for 80% of the album you are listening to the same song over and over again. The idea of nostalgic 80's rock music is good but it just goes to show that maybe some of this 80's rock he based it off of wasn't much different than the product thatListening to this album while the idea and actually some of the execution were good, they didn't change up the formula too much here. It feels like for 80% of the album you are listening to the same song over and over again. The idea of nostalgic 80's rock music is good but it just goes to show that maybe some of this 80's rock he based it off of wasn't much different than the product that came out here, if you get what I mean. Overall, every song is fine and listenable but I wouldn't be able to pick a favorite or a least favorite due to the same-ness of the entire album.

    Favorite Songs: N/A
    Least Favorite Songs: N/A    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

67
#67 Most Discussed Album of 2021

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
70

Generally favorable reviews - based on 9 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 9
  3. Negative: 0 out of 9
  1. AllMusic
    Jul 27, 2021
    70
    Sob Rock is a pleasant album whose thematic '80s affections add some stylistic flair to Mayer's laid-back songs.
    Read full review
  2. The New York Times
    Jul 21, 2021
    40
    In places, like “Carry Me Away,” the triumph of the arrangement is potent enough to cloak the brittle lyrical bones it sits upon. But in general, Mayer’s songwriting is resistant to even the most thorough gussying up. And even at its most robust, “Sob Rock” is placid, never doing more than winking.
    Read full review
  3. Variety
    Jul 16, 2021
    80
    His performance style is just affectless enough that he’s always tended to be more of a heart-tugger than tearjerker. And yet there’s a real pathos at the bottom of these era-specific arrangements that lends itself to the idea that a lonely boy might seek solace from the troubles of today in the musical comfort food of the yacht-rock era. All of which is to say: The damn thing kind of works.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »