Picture a Venn Diagram: one circle being “Talented Artist” and the other being “Head Up His Own Tuchas.” Now, these characteristics are not mutually exclusive. An individual can be one or the other, neither or both. Well, as much as I would like to defend Mayer’s integrity as a musician, I think it’s safe to say his position has progressed from the first circle riiiight on into the overlap (see explanatory figure below).
Mayer began his career as heartbroken and hopeful, hailing from Fairfield County, and crooning to whatever pubescent that could relate to his semi-intellectual stories about puppy-love. His resulting image was vulnerable and honest, but in an authentic way. He was genuine…I grant all due respect. But while the subject matter of his songwriting has changed only marginally in the past ten years (e.g. taking political stances he can’t publicly defend), his persona has shifted to stratospheric self-absorption. In a recent interview with New York Magazine’s blog Vulture, Mayer demonstrates how far up his own tuchas he actually has journeyed.
