fatvegan

I think John Mayer is good because he's a total dag, but manages to complain about his crap in a really peppy, poppy sort of way (no alliteration intended). He normalises all sorts of little things that everyone goes through, and manages to make them seem a bit trendy. On Room for Squares he talks about how he's going to show up everyone at his old high school (which isn't cool, but he makes it seem like it), and how he's all screwed up and people don't understand him (not cool), how women think he's a dickhead because he always says stupid stuff (not cool and kind of defeatist), how he's going to have sex with his mistress/girlfriend for hours and hours (only cool to brag about if you're an old school millionaire). I can't remember what he sings about after that, but it all sounds pretty cheery and reassuring. That's why I like him, and I think that's why he's so popular in general. When people are unself-consciously vulnerable everyone else feels less alone. Especially when their vulnerability has a catchy base-line and rhymes.