John Mayer - Continuum
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Music CD Cover
Artist: John MayerEdition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 2006-09-12
Music Label: Columbia
Product features:
- MAYER JOHN CONTINUUM
- Waiting On The World To Change
- I Don't Trust Myself (With Loving You)
- Belief
- Gravity
- The Heart Of Life
- Vultures
- Stop This Train
- Slow Dancing In A Burning Room
- Bold As Love
- Dreaming With A Broken Heart
- In Repair
- I'm Gonna Find Another You
Free Music Notes for Continuum
Free Music Review: The Album That I've Been Waiting for Mayer To Make
Hit: 5 Stars
Finally, John Mayer has realized that he has the potential to utilize his great talents even moreso than he has been. Sure, such a potent Grammy winning number as "Daughters" is a song that might never be forgotten in music history, but CONTINUUM I believe maybe the truest and quite possible the first TRUE John Mayer album that we've heard. The material here as well as the overall sound and timbre easily trumps a majority of Mayer's earlier and previously best material. I am glad to see the virtuostic Mayer (where his guitar chops are concerned) actually embrace the blues-side of rock and venture out in a direction that showcases that bluesy-soulful influence. If nothing else, Mayer's CONTINUUM is easily Mayer's most soulful LP.
The album opens up with the simple enough, but brilliantly simple "Waiting For The World To Change". Unfortunate for the PROMO single is that radio didn't give it the respect that it should've. It is a very nice track and it is one that is tuneful enough that it sticks when you listen to it. What is most admirable and loveable is the soulfulness that pours from this track, almost a newfound soulfulness or a complete rejuvenation of Mayer that ditches "Clarity" or "Bigger Than My Body" for Hendrix, Buddy Guy, B.B. King influenced blues rock.
"I Don't Trust Myself (With Loving You)" is a second consistent number, keeping up the idea of minimalist soulful arrangements coupled with Mayer's awesome, virtuostic guitar playing. Something else key here is that Mayer's vocals sound as mature as ever, not to say that he didn't on HEAVIER THINGS (a very good album, not knocking it), but it is a new found maturity, which was foreshadowed by the TRY! which was a project featuring Mayer's newly formed trio, who are featured on CONTINUUM as well.
"Belief" is yet another strong track. What makes it so cool besides it's driving soulful-rhythmic feel is the booming bass line that is so often "underwhelmed" in adult-alternative music. Here, Mayer has the bass line turned up with a "booming" sound that is perfect for this track. What may even make Mayer's vocal performance stronger here is his subtlety and his use of instrumental breaks in between the verse and the chorus as well as in between parts of the verse.
"Gravity" sounds like it should be featured on say an Anthony Hamilton album or a B.B. King album. The opening guitar solo in the 6 feel is just immaculate. This is yet another 5 star number of 2006, perhaps one of the most touching tracks here. The organ is subtle in the background, but it serves its purpose ten-fold. The songwriting here is as it has been through the entirety of the album-- way above par and above the par that great songwriter Mayer has previously set for himself in the past.
"The Heart Of Life" speeds the tempo back up again after the chilling "Gravity". This track spans more than adult-alternative, and is a track that would sound nearly equally at home on say a Sufjan Stevens album or a country-rock folk album. The guitar sounds great here and yet again John Mayer doesn't disappoint, even if you expect him to after 5 straight great, consistent numbers.
"Vultures" returns a rhythmic groove back to continnum. The sound here is a mix of a classic soul groove and an overall soulful blues-rock arragement. I personally love the sound of Mayer's vocals here as well as the semi-polytonal element of the rhythmic guitar coupled with Mayer's guitar improvisations and riffs. This track is a masterwork of "in the pocket" rhythm section playing and it is just another phenomenal track.
"Stop This Train" is in the same plane as "The Heart Of Life", only there is a slight bit more rhythmic support on the bottom with a very supportive bass line at the bottom of the arrangement. The songwriting here is again great and the chord progression is perfect. I love and "heart" the folk feel and the hearkening to go back to the simpler times of acoustic music and the earthy feel of tracks such as these.
"Slow Dancing In A Burning Room" is personally one of my very favorite tracks here. While all the tracks on this album are great, this one just has the soulfulness that I've been hoping that Mayer would always pull out. It was like I felt Mayer was so close with numbers such as "Daughters" and "Come Back To Bed", but the soufulness that oozes here is phenomenal. The guitar sound is great and reminds me of listening to Buddy Guy, John Lee Hooker, Eric Clapton, B.B. or any of the great Blues artists.
While "Bold As Love" isn't my favorite, it is very ambitious that Mayer did a Hendrix cover. "Dreaming With A Broken Heart", starts out with an incredibly tender melodic piano line as well as somber lyrics and vocals by Mayer. This is among the tender and most plaintive sounding I've heard Mayer... another winning and enthralling vocal performance that starts out slowly and picks up more and more momentum as the song progresses. Another one of my favorites.
The introductory organ in "In Repair" again marks the maturity of Mayer with CONTINUUM. His sense of what "real music" should represent is made so clear on this album which deserves Grammy nominations! This time you just feel that Mayer got it right with the chilling melodic vocal lines, the exceptional guitar work coupled with everything else. He ends on a high note with "I'm Gonna Gind Another You", which begins with Mayer's soulful chops only accompanied by a bluesy electric guitar. Again, the feel is in six and gradually horns, drums, and organ are added to the mix. It is absolutely chilling and enthralling to listen to. This is the first Mayer album for me that I am able to listen to without stopping... it is THAT GOOD.
The production here is first rate as is both Mayer's songwriting and his vocals. The guitar playing was always there, but maybe because everything else is so great here it sounds that much better and that much stronger. For me, Mayer has made perhaps one of the VERY best albums of 2006. I would love, as I've already said, to see Mayer snatch Grammys for this wonderful and exciting music experience. 4.5 stars!!!
Continuum Poster
John Mayer's third studio album follows the multi-platinum "Room for Squares" (2001) and "Heavier Things" (2003), and marks his first turn as producer. It is his most soulful, cohesive collection yet and he says it's no accident that this project is where all of his efforts, his potential, and his disparate influences fully come together.
More from Mayer
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Continuum is about as apt a title as it gets for John Mayer's third studio disc. Every element, from the peerless guitar playing to the plainspoken poetry of the lyrics to the breathy-sincere singing, makes a return from previous efforts. But to weakly pronounce this another worthwhile effort from an artist the world has come to expect a whole lot from and then call it a day would be no minor misdeed, because it's also the best, boldest disc he's ever made. Taking maturity as a theme throughout, Mayer tackles a batch of adulthood's bogeymen: indifference on the uptempo chart-climber "Waiting for the World to Change," aging on the melancholy-sweet "Stop This Train," and emotional trainwreckage on the big-rocking "In Repair." That's not to suggest he's turned overly introspective--check the Jimi Hendrix cover "Bold As Love," where he hits one home for guitarists who've been living in the shadow of legend everywhere, and the hard-charging "Belief," which benefits from a mesmerizing, liquid groove. Continuum may be the third in a series, but a creative cop-out this is not; Mayer is his generation's musical superman--powerful, unassailable, and magnetic. Hand that man a cape. --Tammy La Gorce
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