John Mayer’s career has hit some unfortunate speed bumps: debilitating throat granulomas and resulting vocal surgeries kept him off the touring circuit last year and steadied the public eye upon his tabloid-bait breakups. But on a musical level, the 35-year-old has never been stronger. “Paper Doll,” his first single since 2012’s folk-leaning “Born and Raised,” is one of his finest achievements, a return to his ultra-smooth jazz-pop roots topped off with a sublime guitar solo. “You’re like 22 girls in one, and none of them know who they’re runnin’ from,” Mayer sings over a supple groove that recalls both Dire Straits and Steely Dan. “Paper Doll” might be a winking reference to ex-flame Taylor Swift (and a clever response to her own breakup ballad “Dear John”), but much more important, it’s a perfectly crafted pop song. Mayer’s voice has triumphantly returned, ahead of his forthcoming album, “Paradise Valley.”
