Hunter Hayes and John Mayer

Today I have some music for you by an artist who has consistently been able to make me stop whatever it is I may have been doing, and just listen. Hunter Hayes is an artist who doesn't fall shy of the mark when it comes to writing and composing good music. He is one of the most talented artists that I have heard, and especially for his youth. Every song is an inside view into the talented world he seems to be a part of. Hunter Hayes is an extremely gifted guitarist along with being a multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter. As a country artist, we don't always get that stereotypical country vibe from his music. In fact this song is far from it. I have to say, out of every song I have heard by Hunter Hayes, this is downright my absolute favorite. For starters, the song tends to take on more of a blusey sound. From the beginning of the song, we are privy to Hunter Hayes' guitar versatility. He eases into the strumming to lead us into the first verse. The guitar doesn't necessarily provide us with the melody to follow, but acts like a supporting voice to Hunter Hayes' vocals. And of course, no blues song would be complete without a guitar solo. The way Hunter Hayes plays that guitar solo is so beautifully in tune not only with the blues style that dominates the song, but also with the lyrical theme. There are some points where the notes soar, and other moments when the pitch mellows off to a deeper sound. Just as the song is about the seasons in life that we have, the ups and downs, the musicality of the song tends to reflect that. Now I kind of want to go back to the beginning of the song and do quick breakdown of the piece. The ballad opens up with a piano and drum introducing us to what seemingly sounds a but more upbeat. That sound gives way completely to that blues and slower sound I happen to love. The guitar comes in and gives us a short line which establishes the more melancholy and heart breaking kind of mood that the song has. Hunter Hayes comes in with his sweet voice, and starts the first verse. Now what I like a lot about what he did with this song, is that there is less emphasis on making his voice bright and fun. This feels a bit more stripped down in terms of vocals. He does have some high notes that he hits, but for the most part, Hunter Hayes tends to stray between slightly rapsy and muted with a hint of a country twang. However, this all changes after the guitar solo. From that moment onward Hunter Hayes takes on a new kind of strength and clarity in his voice. However, this strength comes from an emotional background rather than just having a voice that can belt out notes. We can feel the emotional context of this ballad when his voice breaks a little here and there. We can also hear it in the way his passion fuels his voice. That emotional strength carries so much weight in this song, and actually carries over into the instrumentation as well. The last time the chorus is sung, until the end of the song, we get this complex and smooth guitar melody. At this point, we really get to hear how well Hunter Hayes plays. It seems as if the guitar takes on a life of its own and decides to sing out the pain and the blues. There is such a beauty in the way Hunter Hayes carefully crafted this song. Each line and note has a significant purpose, and it builds the song up to a climactic moment, which gives way to a strong ending. There are so many different elements in this song which make it such an incredible ballad. Besides the fact that Hunter Hayes recorded every sound and instrument you hear, there is a genius and meticulousness to the composition of the song. From the way Hunter Hayes' voice and guitar melody weave in and around each other, to the way the piano subtly remains an integral part of the song, to the way he describes his emotional strife in the lyrics, there is a purpose. Hunter Hayes turned this ballad into such a musical and emotional masterpiece. Though the song is a bit lengthier, it is worth every second. From the moment the song starts to the moment it ends, the song is full of this rich bodied sound which Hunter Hayes creates entirely on his own. Today's instrumental song is from greatest blues guitarist of our time. John Mayer is without a doubt one of the most talented guitarists out there, and he does a phenomenal job of channeling this sound which cuts deep. I love that so much about his music, and his guitar work is so impeccably gorgeous and clean. I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment!