Some of the best things come in groups: socks, cookies and John Mayer’s new album, The Search for Everything. In a world when media binging is the norm, the release of the album in three waves forced fans to have some self-control when diving into Mayer’s recent work.

Although Mayer has dabbled in various forms of music, ranging from blues to country to pop, his album takes hints of each genre and blends them together seamlessly to create a palette of musical perfection for all listeners’ ears. The Search for Everything is as if there was a SparkNotes for music that summarized all of Mayer’s previous work from 1999 until today.

His song “Helpless,” released in the second wave, starts off with the familiar bars of old-style pop/rock. It is a refreshing song that starkly contrasts the slower ballads and bluesy pieces of his album. “Helpless” shows how ironic the world can be. The line “the same drink that gets me out the door is the same drink that puts me on the floor” depicts the harsh reality of things that are both helpful and destructive.

Despite “Helpless,” relationships are the main focus of this album. Mayer describes the high of seeing his significant other on the weekend and delves into the pain of letting a girl go. This may lead others to consider it a “shallow” album; however, although the focus is undoubtedly on relationships, I was able to interpret all the songs in a variety of ways.

For example, “Moving On and Getting Over,” a catchy, quick-tempo song released in the first wave, can be interpreted as not getting over a relationship despite the time that has passed. The way I chose to view it, however, was through the lens that it was about the problems that drag people down and hold their thoughts captive.

Nonetheless, despite third wave songs such as “Rosie” and “Never on the Day You Leave” also focusing on relationships, the album’s genres include Mayer’s range of musical varieties. The calm, smooth songs that Mayer is known for relax me while allowing me to think about the meaning I take from each piece.

For this reason, Mayer’s music is not music you would put on to tune out while reading. It is the kind of music that engulfs your thoughts and forces you to delve into problems that everyone faces and see how they affect you.

In short, Mayer’s new album takes your mind to new places with the mixture of vibes varying between melancholy, meaningful songs like his piece “You’re Gonna Live Forever in Me” to “Roll It On Home,” which highlights his lifestyle in Montana through the leisurely tempo and country roots of the song.

The Search for Everything allows you to see the big picture problems and conditions all people are facing if you are willing to look past the relationship side of the album and let it. The album included something for everyone. It not only brings a wide array of music to the table, but it also takes your mind away from trivial things.