Album Review: John Mayer – ‘Continuum’

By Patrick luce Sep 13, 2006, 14:35 GMT

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 ...more

John Mayer’s ‘Continuum’ features the singer’s unique voice and style of lyrics mixed with influences of soul and blues. At times, the 12 tracks on the album seem like a soulful journey down memory lane, and Mayer makes sure on every song that fans will enjoy the trip. 

The new album also sees Mayer moving further away from the sound that helped launch him to stardom on ‘Wonderland,’ and further into a the bluesy style of music - something that the singer made no apologies for.

The new direction does pay off, but some of his fans may be expecting more of what the singer has done with past releases. His style of writing remains solid on every song, as does his soft-spoken voice – which some listeners may feel doesn’t quite fit to the blues style that he is trying to incorporate into his sound.

Mayer kicks the album off with the bluesy “Waiting on the World to Change” – which will remind listeners of some of the hit songs of the early 1960s. The singer/songwriter (who also produced the album along with Steve Jordon) follows the track up with three songs that seem to fit his signature sound, but also show how he is continuing to grow as an artist.

He slows things down a bit for “Gravity” – which is one of the best songs on the album, and once again demonstrates Mayer’s ability to craft lyrics that stay with you long after you stop listening to the album. At the same time, Mayer makes sure every song (from “Stop This Train to the somewhat rocking “Bold as Love”) has something new to offer his fans.

I didn’t quite know what to expect out of ‘Continuum,’ but was already hooked on the new album by the second track (“I Don’t Trust Myself (With Loving You)”). Mayer makes sure that every track delivers in some way, and that he once again offers his fans a solid album that is worth the purchase price. If you are already a fan of John Mayer then I would highly recommend taking a chance on the album. If not, this might be the album that turns you into a fan.

‘Continuum’ is now available at Amazon. Visit the music database for more information and a complete track listing.