John Mayer's major-label debut came in 2001 with Room For Squares. Hits such as "No Such Thing" and the Grammy-winning "Your Body is a Wonderland" secured him a spot as one of, if not the top, sensitive singer-songwriters of our generation. His mellow and melodic sounds were captivating and earned the singer a large number of fans.
Mayer's success continued on his sophomore attempt, Heavier Things. Though some might say his second CD wasn't as good as his first, it still boasted several admirable qualities and revealed even further aspects of Mayer's talent.
Then there was the John Mayer Trio album Try!, created by Mayer, Steve Jordan and Pino Palladino. Though the album was impressive, no one seemed to want to listen to it. The fact that it wasn't just John Mayer, but the John Mayer Trio, seemed to put some sort of hex on it, and the general public rejected the album.
Mayer's new album, Continuum, continues along the same musical vein as Try!, especially since two of the songs, "Gravity" and "Vultures," actually appeared on the previous album. And in addition, Jordan and Palladino are featured in every song. However, its blues-infused sound shows how Mayer has matured since his introduction to the music scene.
The first single off Continuum is "Waiting on the World to Change." The beat of the song makes it one of two songs that offset the more placid tone of the album, while its pop feel supplements Mayer's hopeful lyrics. He sings, "Now, we see everything that's going wrong with the world and those who lead it./ We just feel like we don't have the means to rise above and beat it." The single encapsulates much of what our generation feels, making Mayer an accessible and relatable voice.
"I Don't Trust Myself" has a nice, bluesy feel, not unlike most of the album, but what sets it apart is the chorus. Normally, Mayer creates rhythms and melodies that are simplistic. This time, however, the chorus has a complicated rhythm that initially catches listeners off guard, but will eventually cause them to sing along.
One of the album's most uplifting songs is "The Heart of Life." Although the beginning starts off a bit slow and depressing, it quickly transitions to convey a more optimistic message with Mayer singing in his signature, breathy falsetto, "No, it won't all go the way it should/ But I know the heart of life is good."
"Stop This Train" is an introspective song about how life moves too fast — a perfect song for college students. You'll find yourself singing with Mayer, "So scared of getting older/ I'm only good at being young."
Paying homage to one of his heroes, Mayer covers the Jimi Hendrix song "Bold as Love." The song gives Mayer something to sink his teeth into, with poetic lyrics and complicated guitar solos.
One of the best songs on the album is "Dreaming With a Broken Heart." Starting out with the simple plunking of piano keys and a gentle chord progression, the listener is allowed to fully concentrate on the song's beautiful lyrics. Then the drums, guitar and bass are integrated to gain momentum paralleling the mounting emotions of the song.
The song ends with the same poignant lyrics that it started with, giving it a nice symmetry: "When you're dreaming with a broken heart/ the waking up is the hardest part."
The album ends with "I'm Gonna Find Another You." On this song, Mayer takes his bluesy sound to another level by improvising on the rhythm and incorporating the trumpet, trombone and saxophone.
Continuum is an amazing CD that will reassure those who doubt Mayer's talent or singing prowess. Guitar players of this generation have the daunting task of living up to the almost unmatchable talent of their predecessors, like Hendrix and Eric Clapton — both of whom Mayer counts as influences, but Continuum shows that Mayer is fully capable of living up to the expectations.
Grade: 5 out of 5
