Mayer's first album in three years to hit shelves Tuesday, Nov. 17

After leaving his "Your Body is a Wonderland" image behind him with the release of the bluesy, live album Try! in 2005 and then the award-winning studio album Continuum in 2006, John Mayer has become the most popular singer-songwriter in music today.

On Tuesday, Nov. 17, his latest creation will be officially unveiled: Battle Studies, an 11-song concept album containing lyrics of war and destruction.

"I was loving the war theme, the battle theme; the militaristic, vulgar, violent side of a relationship on the down slope," Mayer told Rolling Stone in an interview last month. "The record starts out sort of like the sun is out, then it gets darker. And then the sun comes back out at the end."

Battle Studies is Mayer's first concept album, and while it doesn't necessarily stack up to the giants laid before him like The Who's Tommy or Pink Floyd's The Wall, there's no question it's the best album to come out in 2009.

The record is flying somewhat under the radar because the album's first single, "Who Says," was an underwhelming, mellow song that didn't fully grasp the public's attention.
But have no fear Mayer fans: this could be Mayer's best work yet.

The album starts with "Heartbreak Warfare," a surprisingly catchy song with quick guitar solos and honest, heart-wrenching lyrics. If "Who Says" put you off, listen to "Heartbreak Warfare" and you'll be hooked for all 11 songs.

He then jumps into "All We Ever Do is Say Goodbye," a slow song that harmonizes nicely at the end, and "Half of My Heart," which is a great strum-along that includes a duet with pop country star Taylor Swift.

"Who Says" slows everything down for a few minutes before "Perfectly Lonely" picks you right back up with the kind of snazzy electric guitar no one else can imitate right now. "Assassin" comes next, and it dazzles with a sort of dark, creepy sexiness that is atypical of any other Mayer song I've heard.

Then, as he did with Jimi Hendrix's "Bold As Love" on Continuum, Mayer covers another guitar legend with Eric Clapton's "Crossroads" for the seventh track on Battle Studies. It's fiery guitar riff serves Clapton well.

The album wraps up with four songs that are reminiscent of the impressive closing few on Continuum. "War of My Life" and "Edge of Desire" combine Mayer's soothing vocals, instrumental skill and mind-blowing lyrics. "Do You Know Me" might be the only disappointing track on the album, but Mayer more than makes up for it by closing with an epic ballad, "Friends, Lovers or Nothing."

One time through, the album sounds good. Twice, it's great. And by the third or fourth or fifth listen, it approaches a perfection I haven't heard in any genre since Continuum. People wonder why it took Mayer so long to make this album – three years, two months – but they'll answer their own question after hearing Battle Studies.

It's nothing short of amazing, and it's exactly what the music world has come to expect of him.