Fresh off a two-year hiatus from the spotlight, John Mayer has returned from the rolling hills of his Montana sanctuary with the release of his new album “Born and Raised.”

According to Mayer, the two-year break was a form of rehabilitation not only for his reputation in Hollywood, but for his personal health as well.

The break, which was originally planned for Mayer’s recovery from a throat surgery in October of last year, seems to have helped Mayer mature both musically and personally, and “Born and Raised” is indicative of the importance of Mayer’s time off.

“I’m glad I actually stayed out of the spotlight,” Mayer said. “I lost my head for a little while. I lost touch, and I didn’t want to ask for directions.”

As the old saying goes, for every door that closes, a window opens. 

Because of his throat surgery, Mayer says he was unable to sing for a considerable time. 

Luckily, it appears that time away from the microphone gave Mayer a chance to approach his music from a new angle, and the freshness and uniqueness of “Born and Raised” prove Mayer’s newfound style.

Lacking the poppy love songs that have come to define Mayer’s music, “Born and Raised” is inarguably mature. Mayer says that the trip to Montana was a way for him to “be 33 and 34 instead of 28 for the fourth year.”

With that in mind, “Born and Raised” sounds less like an album and more of a sung apology. The album, from open to close, is the most honest of Mayer’s career. 

The album’s first single, “Shadow Days,” seems to summarize the last few tumultuous years of Mayer’s life.  The most striking aspect of the album is its modesty. As stated, Mayer seems to have matured with “Born and Raised.” There are no grandiose guitar solos or indulgent lyrics. 

Instead, the album blends together acoustic guitars, lap steels and even harmonicas to create a sound previously unheard from Mayer. 

“Born and Raised” was not crafted by the same 22 year old who once wrote hits like “Your Body is a Wonderland” and “Neon.” The album lacks the pop vibe of Mayer’s earlier work, and its style is reminiscent of late Eagles and Neil Young albums. 

While the album lacks any truly memorable guitar parts (which, if you’re both a musician and Mayer fan, you’ve come to expect), the blend of instruments utilized by Mayer carries an almost-perfect tone. 

Unlike his previous work, in which Mayer was often reliant on complex guitar parts to make his music work, he seems to have approached “Born and Raised” from a purely musical standpoint.

Ultimately, this approach is indicative of Mayer’s personal growth. 

On “Born and Raised,” Mayer seems to understand his place and how being in the spotlight is not always conducive to success. “Born and Raised” is, for all intents and purposes, the most complete and solid work of Mayer’s career.

Mayer has matured both personally and musically, and “Born and Raised” seems reflective of that growth. 

While many people may dislike, or even hate, Mayer for his antics and behavior, “Born and Raised” is unlike anything Mayer has ever done. 

Even his biggest critics should give the album a chance, as there’s a good change it might grow on them.