Reviewing: John Mayer’s Continuum

In a rare case for the music world an artist names his album the one thing that actually comes to define what it’s all about: a continuation. This is what John Mayer does on this simply superb album with the uncomplicated cover: pushes the fold of his musical ability well past the pop radio-friendly sound that first made him famous and into a more mature blues, soul and electric guitar area. Add to this the usual expectation of his trademark soulful vocals and clever lyrics and Continuum is simply Mayer at the top of his game. Not many artists are willing to take that risk and try something new but this is an album that is a far cry from the if-it-worked-before-do-it-again formula.

Songs like “Gravity” and “Vultures” are revamped studio versions off of TRY! by the John Mayer Trio that deserve to be heard again. For the most part Continuum is filled with pretty laid back easy listening melodies like “Dreaming With a Broken Heart” and “In Repair” and only a few like “Belief” and “Waiting on the World to Change” can be considered more radio friendly (if at all). While â??Waiting on the World to Changeâ? is the song with the social message, everything else on Continuum is about life, growing up, love and lack thereof but all with a glass half full undertone. “The Heart of Life” is probably one of the best songs I’ve heard in awhile and is the Daughter-esque track on the album. A more diverse use of instruments like the piano and jazzy trumpets can be heard on much of Continuum but the electric guitar dominates every melody and rightly so. This is the album you want to play on a lazy Sunday afternoon when it’s raining out and youâ??re more than a little nostalgic. This was the album Mayer was meant to make.

Bottom Line: 5/5