to listen or purchase
I'll admit to being one of those who was on the fence about John Mayer. My general disdain of all the fuss around "Your Body Is A Wonderland" made me question whether Mayer was the talent in the making that others claimed. So while I admired the risk-taking he took last year on Try, I was still in no way prepared for the magnificence of his newest release, Continuum. The production, the singing, the performance of his band and guests such as Roy Hargrove, Ben Harper and Memphis soul legend Willie Mitchell, are all outstanding. Most impressive though is Mayer's songwriting. With the intelligent, insightful lyrics behind such cuts as "Waiting for the World to Change," "Vultures" and especially the perceptive coming-of-age track "Stop This Train," Mayer arguably assumes the role of spokesman for a generation. And the tracks, drenched in southern soul and pop sensibilities, are
I'll admit to being one of those who was on the fence about John Mayer. My general disdain of all the fuss around "Your Body Is A Wonderland" made me question whether Mayer was the talent in the making that others claimed. So while I admired the risk-taking he took last year on Try, I was still in no way prepared for the magnificence of his newest release, Continuum. The production, the singing, the performance of his band and guests such as Roy Hargrove, Ben Harper and Memphis soul legend Willie Mitchell, are all outstanding. Most impressive though is Mayer's songwriting. With the intelligent, insightful lyrics behind such cuts as "Waiting for the World to Change," "Vultures" and especially the perceptive coming-of-age track "Stop This Train," Mayer arguably assumes the role of spokesman for a generation. And the tracks, drenched in southern soul and pop sensibilities, are infectiously superb from start to finish, one part Al Green, one part Steve Winwood, and one part Paul Simon. Mayer had said that his foray into blues had given him a "rawer" sound, and that element gives Continuum a palpably more honest feel that resonates and should appeal to lovers of just about every modern genre of music. It is, quite simply, the finest album you'll hear this year.
CR