Marcel Thee

Keys' experiments on "The Element of Freedom" are undermined by weak melodies. (Reuters Photo/Lucas Jackson)

Alicia Keys, John Mayer Heartache Songs Fail To Strike A Chord

On their new albums, Alicia Keys and John Mayer are intent on turning their heartache into an emotional musical ride — a feat that has worked well for so many artists but seems to never find its ground here. Filled with emotional explorations, their new records — the fourth for the both of them — should theoretically be their best yet. Unfortunately, half-hearted experimentation and cliche lovelorn lyrics adorn Keys’ “The Element of Freedom” and Mayer’s “Battle Studies.”

John Mayer: ‘Battle Studies’, Columbia Records

Bogged down by weak songwriting and mundane lyrics about the pains of separation, Mayer’s “Battle Studies” certainly feels like a “study” — the kind that keeps you struggling to stay awake during class. This is a disappointing turn for the worse for the Grammy-winning singer and songwriter, who made himself known through singles such as “Waiting on the World to Change,” “Daughters” and “Belief.” Mayer’s last album, 2006’s “Continuum” showcased his gift for mixing adult-contemporary pop-rock with an edgier blues and soul touch — which has remained an undercurrent of Mayer’s Jimi Hendrix-infused guitar playing.

“Continuum” showcased a progression while still retaining its consumer appeal, something that the bland and ironically emotionally jejune “Battle Studies” fails to do. The first single on the album, “Who Says,” is a stripped-down acoustic affair where the image-heavy lyrics focus on the supposed public perception of pop stars as constantly partying with girls up on cloud nine — something that according to Mayer, is apparently — gasp! — far from the truth. Turns out, stars have hearts too. They experience the same emotional roller-coaster as the rest of us mere mortals!

Lyrics such as “Who says I can’t get stoned/Turn off the lights and the telephone/Me in my house alone” reeks of adolescent self-pity that might have worked had the song’s subtle melodies been stronger, but as it is, the song is a drag to listen through.

Mayer’s fans may argue that the lyrics hold a deeper meaning, but lines like “Who says I can’t take time/ Meet all the girls in the county line/Wait on fate to send a sign/Who says I can’t take time” is poetry for the radio crowd: safe and predictable.

The second single and album opener, “Heartbreak Warfare,” is a better payoff. Leaning toward a 1980s sound a la U2 circa “The Unforgettable Fire,” the song is a mid-tempo pop-rock tune with an immediate chorus. As a result, the downer verse lyrics (“Dream of ways/To make you understand my pain”) sound a tad less cringe-worthy. It also helps that the song’s main chorus contains just enough hook to take focus away from the analogous war/heartbreak line that is “Clouds of sulfur in the air/Bombs are falling everywhere/It’s heartbreak warfare.”

“All We Ever Do Is Say Goodbye” is the album’s standout that sounds up to par with the better ballads from Mayer’s previous records. But by the time the dreary “Perfectly Lonely” and “Assassin” arrive, the album completely loses any momentum it had. A cover of Blues legend Robert Johnson’s “Crossroads” seems ill-fitting to the record — although it showcases just how talented a guitar player Mayer really is and how these radio-friendly, adult-oriented songs seem like such a waste of his talent.

Alicia Keys: ‘The Element of Freedom’, J Records

Thankfully, Alicia Keys’ newest release “The Element of Freedom” is less tedious, if only by a crumb. Her willingness to experiment makes for an interesting listen, although it does not always work. The lead single “Doesn’t Mean Anything,” is classic Keys — twinkling pianos and a melancholy melody backed by a catchy rhythm. It’s the album’s safest moment, and ironically also one of its best.

Unfortunately, the momentum tones down quickly. “Unthinkable (I’m Ready)” and “Love Is My Disease” embrace electronic influences and make for intriguing tracks, but they simply do not fit Keys’ voice and style of singing. It doesn’t help that the lyrics to “Unthinkable” are as dire as “I was wondering maybe/Could I make you my baby/If we do the unthinkable would it make us look crazy.”

One of the album’s most talked-about tracks is “Put It in a Love Song” where Keys teams up with Beyonce for a hip-hop styled dance track. The song is enjoyable by itself, but it is completely out of touch with the rest of the album — which treads mostly in slow-to-mid-tempo electronic ballads — making for an awkward intermezzo of sorts.

The closing song “Empire State of Mind (part II) Broken Down” is a sequel of sorts to the hit collaboration with rapper Jay-Z. Sans Jay-Z’s rap, Keys focuses on the song’s anthemic chorus of “New York/ Concrete jungle where dreams are made of/There’s nothing you can’t do.” Relying solely on her piano and vocals, the song soars and is — by a mile — the best cut on the album.

On “The Element of Freedom” Keys seems to be having fun experimenting with different genres of music. In the process, her characteristic strengths gets muddled. The melodies are the weakest she’s ever written and the electronic arrangement seems haphazardly thrown together.

But “The Element of Freedom” is far from an artistic failure. In context of the rest of her discography, it’s her most daring album. Unfortunately, what it gains in rhythm and arrangement it pays for in songwriting.

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