“Heartbreak Warfare” has a surprisingly soft sound to it. I don’t mean that I wasn’t expecting that acoustic rock sound that John Mayer employs to be absent; I just mean that I expected the sound to be angry and loud. It’s the opposite, and actually one of my favorites from the album. It works great as the lead-off for the album, letting you know that these “battle studies” are all about the warfare that accompanies breaking hearts. It’s a perfect setup.

“All We Do Is Say Goodbye” is my least favorite on the album. I like it, but it isn't a song I can listen to on repeat and enjoy as much the fifth or sixth time around. It's very slow, sung in John Mayer's upper register, and it's a sad song. All of that combines to make me appreciate it, but not love it.

“Half of My Heart” features Taylor Swift, and I honestly don’t know if I ever would have pictured these two artists working together before now, but this works amazingly well. (Note: she is, for the most part, a back-up singer on the track. It isn't exactly a duet, but her voice blends really well with his.) It makes perfect sense actually, with the two of them more focused on writing music that means something to them than anything else. Taylor is a great addition to John Mayer’s acoustic sound. I’d actually love to see him lend his vocals to one of her country-pop tunes one day just to be able to hear what that would sound like, with Taylor on the lead vocals and John as backup.

“Who Says” was actually the first single from the album, but it didn't get a ton of radio play, at least not where I live. This might have something to do with lyrics like “who says I can't get high.” (Just a thought.) References to drug use aside, it's a good song. It isn't about losing yourself in illegal substances; it's about making your life your own and doing what you really want to do, even if other people don't agree with you. And it's another one of my favorites.

“Perfectly Lonely” sounds like it could have come straight from Mayer's debut album. It's got that great rock edge to it while still holding on to the “easy listening” vibe that got his first few songs played on so many adult contemporary radio stations. It's an enjoyable song, one that I can listen to over and over.

“Assassin” is interesting because, in a way, it fuels the fire of the bad boy rumors surrounding the singer, but it also shows that he has a heart. Referring to himself as an assassin, and the girl he falls for as one as well, is very clever. It plays on the idea of a “ladykiller” not being an actual murderer, but as a “love them and leave” kind of a guy. It's a great way to play around with the lyrics and really fun to listen to.

“Crossroads” has a distinct honor on this album. It's the only song here that wasn't written by John Mayer, and it shows. It's easy to recognize that it has a bit of a different sound to it, and I would definitely love to hear him play this live with his band. It's one of those rock songs that uses its instruments well and benefits from a live arena. So good.

“War of My Life” is a track that has the “typical” sound you would find on a John Mayer album, but if something isn't broke, then you shouldn't fix it, right? It's nice to have what we might think of as typical songs mixed in with some of his more challenging pieces. It doesn't make the album seem like a huge departure from the last few, but it doesn't sound stale either.

“Edge of Desire” is one of my favorites on the track list, possibly one of my favorite songs by Mayer ever. It's got the slower pace and the smooth vocals of some of his other love songs, but the song is more about fear than about love. Unlike “All We Do Is Say Goodbye,” where I felt like the use of the high notes was overdone, there's a good balance here. It's a great song and one that I could easily listen to on repeat.

“Do You Know Me” kind of puts me to sleep, but I don't mean that in a bad way. The vocals and the music are so soft. It's a really pretty song, one that could be played in dimly lit restaurants or something. It just doesn't hit you or make you really take notice of it.

“Friends, Lovers, or Nothing” definitely does a good job of waking you up after the previous track. It isn't harsh or incredibly loud, but it's not sung in whispers. It's a song about having to make a decision, about getting rid of ambiguity, and it's a great way to close the disc. It's also another one of my favorites.

Like I said way up there at the start of this review, there was a lot of hype surrounding this album when it was released. All that hype usually sets an artist up to fall short, but not John Mayer. I enjoyed this album just as much as, if not more than, I enjoyed his last few. His songs get better each time he goes into a recording studio, and he's already got me anticipating his next disc.