Born and Raised

Born and Raised is the fifth studio album by American musician John Mayer that was released on May 22, 2012. The first single, "Shadow Days", was released February 27, 2012, on Mayer's blog. It was made available for purchase as a digital download on March 6, 2012. The music video for the second single, "Queen of California", was released on July 30, 2012. "Queen of California" will officially impact adult contemporary radio on August 13, 2012. This album marks the return of John Mayer after a two-year break from the public eye due to the surgical removal of a granuloma near his vocal cords. Born and Raised marks yet another change in Mayer's musical style, incorporating musical elements of folk and Americana that take influences from Bob Dylan, Neil Young, David Crosby and Graham Nash.
American Songwriter stated that "Mayer approaches Born and Raised like a method actor, diving headfirst into his new sound — a mix of Laurel Canyon folk and California country-rock," praising Mayer's technical skills as well as Don Was' production work. Born and Raised has received generally positive reviews from most critics, some calling it "his best album to date".