Room for Squares
Encyclopedia
Room for Squares is the debut studio album
of American musician John Mayer
, released September 18, 2001 on Columbia Records
in the United States. Originally released independently through Aware Records
on June 5, 2001, the album peaked at number 9 on the U.S. Billboard 200
chart. Upon its release, Room for Squares received generally positive reviews from most music critics and earned Mayer a Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
for the single "Your Body Is a Wonderland
". It remains as his best-selling album to date, with sales of over 4,308,000 copies in the U.S. as of July 2009.
's No Room for Squares
album. All songs from the album were written by Mayer; four songs, "No Such Thing
", "Why Georgia
", "Neon
", and "Love Song for No One", were co-written with Clay Cook
. The first and third of these, along with "My Stupid Mouth" and "Back to You," originally appeared on Mayer's 1999 EP Inside Wants Out
.
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 brought him to the attention of "launch" label, Aware Records
. 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 2001, Columbia remixed and re-released Room for Squares. 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 included reworked studio versions of the first four songs from his indie album, Inside Wants Out. 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).
sympathized with PopMatters' negative stance on the album, criticizing its lyrical composition (specifically, the lyric "She keeps a toothbrush at my place/As if I had the extra space" of "City Love
").
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.” He referred to himself as being sixteen, a remark that many mistook to mean that he was only sixteen years old at the time.
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
of American musician John Mayer
John Mayer
John Clayton Mayer is an American pop rock and blues rock musician, singer-songwriter, recording artist, and music producer. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut and raised in Fairfield, Connecticut, he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. He moved to Atlanta in 1997, where he refined his...
, released September 18, 2001 on Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
in the United States. Originally released independently through Aware Records
Aware Records
Aware Records is an American record label, existent to seek unsigned musical artists and expose them to the mainstream media. The label has had success with a range of artists, including John Mayer, Train, Five For Fighting, Mat Kearney and Guster....
on June 5, 2001, the album peaked at number 9 on the U.S. Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart. Upon its release, Room for Squares received generally positive reviews from most music critics and earned Mayer a Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance was awarded between 1966 and 2011...
for the single "Your Body Is a Wonderland
Your Body Is a Wonderland
"Your Body Is a Wonderland" is the title of a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter John Mayer. It was released in October 2002 as the second single from his first album, 2001's Room for Squares...
". It remains as his best-selling album to date, with sales of over 4,308,000 copies in the U.S. as of July 2009.
Background
The album's title is a reference to Hank MobleyHank Mobley
Henry Mobley was an American hard bop and soul jazz tenor saxophonist and composer. Mobley was described by Leonard Feather as the "middleweight champion of the tenor saxophone", a metaphor used to describe his tone that was neither as aggressive as John Coltrane nor as mellow as Stan Getz...
's No Room for Squares
No Room for Squares
- Track listing :# "Three Way Split" – 7:49# "Carolyn" – 5:30# "Up a Step" – 8:31# "No Room for Squares" – 6:57# "Me 'N You" – 7:17# "Old World Imports" – 6:08# "Carolyn" [alternate take] – 5:35 Bonus track on CD...
album. All songs from the album were written by Mayer; four songs, "No Such Thing
No Such Thing (John Mayer song)
"No Such Thing" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American singer-songwriter John Mayer. It was released in February 2002 as the lead single from his first album, 1999's Inside Wants Out. Like many of the songs from Mayer's early musical career, the song was co-written with Clay Cook...
", "Why Georgia
Why Georgia
"Why Georgia" is the third single released by John Mayer from his first album, Room for Squares. As a B-side, the international version single featured the live version of "Why Georgia" as it appeared on Mayer's first live album, Any Given Thursday, as the single followed the live album's release...
", "Neon
Neon (song)
"Neon" is a song performed by John Mayer and written by Mayer and his former songwriting partner Clay Cook. The two wrote the song while they were known as LoFi Masters...
", and "Love Song for No One", were co-written with Clay Cook
Clay Cook
Douglas "Clay" Cook is a songwriter, producer and musician who co-wrote several songs with Grammy-winner John Mayer including "No Such Thing", "Comfortable", and "Neon"...
. The first and third of these, along with "My Stupid Mouth" and "Back to You," originally appeared on Mayer's 1999 EP Inside Wants Out
Inside Wants Out
Inside Wants Out is the debut extended play and very first overall release by American blues rock musician John Mayer. Released by Mayer Music on September 24, 1999, the album was later re-released by Columbia Records on August 2, 2002 with the omission of "Neon 12:47 AM"...
.
Through constant shows, including in the Atlanta-area Eddie's Attic
Eddie's Attic
Eddie's Attic is a music club in Decatur, Georgia. Founded in 1992 by Eddie Owen, it is a venue for both local musical talent and musicians of some acclaim who often got their start in the Atlanta area. Artists who developed their fanbase at Eddie's Attic include Shawn Mullins, Sugarland, Indigo...
, Mayer's reputation began to build, and a March 2000 appearance at the South by Southwest Music Festival brought him to the attention of "launch" label, Aware Records
Aware Records
Aware Records is an American record label, existent to seek unsigned musical artists and expose them to the mainstream media. The label has had success with a range of artists, including John Mayer, Train, Five For Fighting, Mat Kearney and Guster....
. 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
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
that gave Columbia first pick in signing Aware artists, and so in September 2001, Columbia remixed and re-released Room for Squares. 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 included reworked studio versions of the first four songs from his indie album, Inside Wants Out. 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
No Such Thing (John Mayer song)
"No Such Thing" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American singer-songwriter John Mayer. It was released in February 2002 as the lead single from his first album, 1999's Inside Wants Out. Like many of the songs from Mayer's early musical career, the song was co-written with Clay Cook...
", "Your Body Is a Wonderland
Your Body Is a Wonderland
"Your Body Is a Wonderland" is the title of a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter John Mayer. It was released in October 2002 as the second single from his first album, 2001's Room for Squares...
", and ultimately, "Why Georgia
Why Georgia
"Why Georgia" is the third single released by John Mayer from his first album, Room for Squares. As a B-side, the international version single featured the live version of "Why Georgia" as it appeared on Mayer's first live album, Any Given Thursday, as the single followed the live album's release...
" (a radio-only single).
Reception
Anthony Decurtis (with Rolling Stone) gave the album four out of five stars, calling it "irresistible". PopMatters gave an unfavorable review, saying "It doesn't offend, nor does it attempt to make itself too exciting for the most part." Robert ChristgauRobert Christgau
Robert Christgau is an American essayist, music journalist, and self-proclaimed "Dean of American Rock Critics".One of the earliest professional rock critics, Christgau is known for his terse capsule reviews, published since 1969 in his Consumer Guide columns...
sympathized with PopMatters' negative stance on the album, criticizing its lyrical composition (specifically, the lyric "She keeps a toothbrush at my place/As if I had the extra space" of "City Love
City Love
"City Love" is the name of a song by the musical artist John Mayer. He released it on his studio album, Room for Squares. It is the album's sixth track...
").
By the end of 2002, Room for Squares had spawned several radio hits, including, "No Such Thing
No Such Thing (John Mayer song)
"No Such Thing" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American singer-songwriter John Mayer. It was released in February 2002 as the lead single from his first album, 1999's Inside Wants Out. Like many of the songs from Mayer's early musical career, the song was co-written with Clay Cook...
", "Your Body Is a Wonderland
Your Body Is a Wonderland
"Your Body Is a Wonderland" is the title of a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter John Mayer. It was released in October 2002 as the second single from his first album, 2001's Room for Squares...
", and, ultimately, "Why Georgia
Why Georgia
"Why Georgia" is the third single released by John Mayer from his first album, Room for Squares. As a B-side, the international version single featured the live version of "Why Georgia" as it appeared on Mayer's first live album, Any Given Thursday, as the single followed the live album's release...
", which was released as a CD single six weeks before the follow-up album, Heavier Things
Heavier Things
Heavier Things is the second studio album by American musician John Mayer, released September 9, 2003 on Columbia Records in the United States. The title of the album itself is a subtle response to certain criticism of Mayer's music. The album debuted at number 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart,...
, was released in 2003.
In 2003, Mayer won a Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance was awarded between 1966 and 2011...
for "Your Body Is a Wonderland." In his acceptance speech he remarked, “This is very, very fast, and I promise to catch up.” He referred to himself as being sixteen, a remark that many mistook to mean that he was only sixteen years old at the time.
Track listings
Note: On the Columbia release, "St. Patrick's Day" is consistently listed as track 14; track 13 is an unlisted song with a duration of 0:00.Alternative covers
The album's cover for its initially planned June 2001 release in the United States and its Japan release had alternative covers.Musicians
- John MayerJohn MayerJohn Clayton Mayer is an American pop rock and blues rock musician, singer-songwriter, recording artist, and music producer. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut and raised in Fairfield, Connecticut, he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. He moved to Atlanta in 1997, where he refined his...
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
; guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s; Korg TritonKorg TritonKorg Triton is a music workstation synthesizer featuring digital sampling and sequencing created by Korg. All Tritons use Korg's HI Synthesis tone generator. They are available in several models and various upgrade configurations. The Triton is world famous among many musicians for being a...
synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
on tracks 1, 4, 7, 10 and 11; omnichordOmnichordThe Omnichord is an electronic musical instrument, introduced in 1981 and manufactured by the Suzuki Musical Instrument Corporation. It typically features a touch plate, and buttons for major, minor, and diminished chords...
on track 1, 5, 10 and 12; pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and vibraphoneVibraphoneThe vibraphone, sometimes called the vibraharp or simply the vibes, is a musical instrument in the struck idiophone subfamily of the percussion family....
on track 4; vibraslapVibraslapA vibraslap is a percussion instrument consisting of a piece of stiff wire connecting a wood ball to a hollow box of wood with metal “teeth” inside. The percussionist holds the metal wire in one hand and strikes the ball...
on track 7; percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
on track 11 - David LaBruyereDavid LaBruyereDavid "DeLa" LaBruyere is a musician, songwriter and producer, most notably known as the former longtime bass guitarist for John Mayer. He has also been a member of Vigilantes of Love and worked with Michelle Malone.-External links:*...
– bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
on all tracks - Nir ZNir ZidkyahuNir Zidkyahu is a well-established studio-session drummer, and the brother of Blackfield's drummer Tomer Z. He played the drums for eight songs on Genesis' 1997 album, Calling All Stations, and subsequently joined the band for their 1998 tour.In 2001, he drummed on John Mayer's breakthrough album,...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
on tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9 and 13 - Brandon Bush – Hammond organHammond organThe Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
on tracks 1, 2, 3, 7, 9 and 13; Wurlitzer electric pianoWurlitzer electric pianoWurlitzer 200A|250px|thumbThe Wurlitzer electric piano was one of a series of electromechanical stringless pianos manufactured and marketed by the Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, Corinth, Mississippi, U.S. and Tonawanda, New York...
on tracks 1, 4, 6 and 9; Rhodes pianoRhodes pianoThe Rhodes piano is an electro-mechanical piano, invented by Harold Rhodes during the fifties and later manufactured in a number of models, first in collaboration with Fender and after 1965 by CBS....
on tracks 5 and 13; mellotronMellotronThe Mellotron is an electro-mechanical, polyphonic tape replay keyboard originally developed and built in Birmingham, England in the early 1960s. It superseded the Chamberlin Music Master, which was the world's first sample-playback keyboard intended for music...
on tracks 12 and 13 - John AlagiaJohn AlagíaJohn Alagía is an accomplished music producer. He is best known for his work with the Dave Matthews Band and John Mayer. Alagia is a native of Louisville, Kentucky, and a graduate of Georgetown University...
– percussion on track 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 and 9; guitar on tracks 5 and 9; Hammond organ on track 4; jingle bellJingle bellA jingle bell is a type of bell which produces a distinctive 'jingle' sound, especially in large numbers. They find use in many areas as a percussion instrument, including the classic sleigh bell sound and morris dancing...
s on "St. Patrick's Day"; productionRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
; mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
on tracks 2, 5, 6, 11, 12 and 13; engineeringAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
- Clay CookClay CookDouglas "Clay" Cook is a songwriter, producer and musician who co-wrote several songs with Grammy-winner John Mayer including "No Such Thing", "Comfortable", and "Neon"...
– backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
on tracks 2, 5 and 9 - Doug Derryberry – backing vocals on tracks 5 and 9
- Chris Fisher – congaCongaThe conga, or more properly the tumbadora, is a tall, narrow, single-headed Cuban drum with African antecedents. It is thought to be derived from the Makuta drums or similar drums associated with Afro-Cubans of Central African descent. A person who plays conga is called a conguero...
s on track 4 - Carole Rabinowitz – celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
on track 6 - Jon Catchings – cello on track 6
- Kristin Wilkinson – violaViolaThe viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
on track 6 - David Angell – violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
on track 6 - David Davidson – violin on track 6
- Jerry MarottaJerry MarottaJerry Marotta is a drummer currently residing in Woodstock, New York. He is the brother of Rick Marotta, who is also a well-known drummer and composer....
– drums on track 8
Production
- Jack Joseph PuigJack Joseph PuigJack Joseph Puig is a Grammy Award-winning music engineer and producer with a long track record of successful productions, including the mid-1990s production of Tonic. Puig also worked with Hole, Jellyfish, The Black Crowes, John Mayer, Weezer, Fiona Apple, Green Day, The Counting Crows, No Doubt,...
– mixing on tracks 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9 and 10 - Jeff Juliano – mixing on tracks 2, 5, 6, 11, 12 and 13; engineering; Pro ToolsPro ToolsPro Tools is a digital audio workstation platform for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X operating systems, developed and manufactured by Avid Technology. It is widely used by professionals throughout the audio industries for recording and editing in music production, film scoring, film, and television...
engineering - Scott HullScott HullScott Hull is an American heavy metal musician, and the current guitarist and producer for Pig Destroyer, Agoraphobic Nosebleed, and Japanese Torture Comedy Hour. He has been part of many other projects including the controversial band Anal Cunt . Aside from his music works, he currently works as a...
– masteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced... - John Mark PainterJohn Mark PainterJohn Mark Painter is an American musician and songwriter. He is best known for his role, with his wife, singer Fleming McWilliams, in the rock and roll duo, Fleming and John....
– stringsString sectionThe string section is the largest body of the standard orchestra and consists of bowed string instruments of the violin family.It normally comprises five sections: the first violins, the second violins, the violas, the cellos, and the double basses...
arrangementArrangementThe American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
s - Dan Fallon – artworkAlbum coverAn album cover is the front of the packaging of a commercially released audio recording product, or album. The term can refer to either the printed cardboard covers typically used to package sets of 10" and 12" 78 rpm records, single and sets of 12" LPs, sets of 45 rpm records , or the front-facing...
- Alex Fallon – artwork
- Joshua Kessler – photographyPhotographyPhotography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
External links
- Room for Squares at DiscogsDiscogsDiscogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...