Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 16-20 of 475
 Solid CD from a great artist September 14, 2006
E. Jorgensen (NH)
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
John Mayer has thrown his fans some curveballs in the last few years with his departure from the style of music (Room for Squares/Heavier Things)that earned him his status of a great pop/rock artist from the younger generation. His John Mayer Trio CD certainly had many fans scratching their heads woefully wondering what happened to their artist so known for ballads like "Body is a Wonderland" and "Daughters" and favorites like "Clarity" and "No Such Thing". While certainly more bluesy than previous solo John Mayer albums, Continuum is a return to the type of music that John shines in; good lyrics, great guitar playing, and solid melodies. Fans will not be disappointed with his latest offering.
 NOT ORIGINAL. September 23, 2006
Misfit Kid (North Carolina)
8 out of 37 found this review helpful
"Waiting..." is a rip-off of "People Get Ready" by Curtis Mayfield...except it's way less soulful, interesting, meaningful or original.
Songs sung blue September 29, 2006
Amanda Richards (Georgetown, Guyana)
8 out of 10 found this review helpful
From the first bars of this CD, even an undiscerning ear can tell that this is no teeny-bopper pop music album. Having already taken home Grammy Awards for "Song of the Year" and "Best Male Pop Vocal Performance" (twice), Mayer sets his sights on new categories with this album, which is reminiscent of old-time soul and blues, with just a touch of his pop background for flavor.
The excellent guitar work makes this album even more remarkable, and Mayer proves that he has matured as an artist since his last solo studio album, "Heavier Things", in 2003. Even the mush-mouthed vocals of the past have cleared up, making the lyrics sound even more meaningful. Mayer puts a lot into this album, singing, playing the guitar, writing all but one of the songs, and even producing it, and it's obvious that he's proud of his efforts.
The first single is "Waiting for the World to Change" a soulful track where he finds his inner Curtis Mayfield, but the one that got repeat plays from me was "The Heart of Life", one of the best songs on the album. Listen also to "I Don't Trust Myself (With Loving You)" (reminds me of the Doobie Brothers); "Stop This Train"; "Bold As Love"; "I'm Gonna Find Another You"; and "In Repair" (my third favorite). Jimi Hendrix fans will also appreciate the cover of "Bold As Love".
Maturity sure sounds good on John Mayer
Amanda Richards, September 29, 2006
 He's not fooling me August 23, 2007
sand-da-man (Chicago, IL United States)
8 out of 13 found this review helpful
I was surprised by John Mayer on "Room for Squares," but even in the first analysis I suspected that the distinct character and the passing elements of sophistication in that CD might be due more to the handiwork of producer John Alagia than to Mayer's talent. Then, when I viewed this musician-singer-songwriter in his live DVD, "Any Given Thursday," I thought I would retch. Parading before a Birmingham, Alabama audience with his pretentious, pseudo-hipster attitude, he sounded no better than the high school acts that often delight the fawning, teen-age female fans who made up the majority of his audience that evening. The effect was to cause me to question his worth. Like an addict, though, I couldn't resist the impulse to return to the well-constructed, alluring sound found on a couple of the better traks on "Squares", giving me hope against proof that there must be something of substance in this artist.
Upon hearing Continuum, however, I know there is not. With the production in his own hands, Mayer exposes himself for what he really is- nothing more than a very average performer. This album may impress some, but it doesn't move me. Most of it is blase, ordinary and- most importantly- not very inventive. There are those who say it shows that Mayer has matured. I would argue that merely composing songs whose lyrics do not dwell solely on personal themes does not necessarily demonstrate a maturity in writing. On the contrary, with the exception, perhaps, of a few of the selections- such as "Belief" with its admittedly haunting guitar riff set against a political statement, "Stop This Train," a sentimental ballad bathed in a pleasant, though simple, acoustic arrangement, or "Vultures" which holds the listener with its steady rhythm (but also features Mayer's embarrassing falsetto voice on the chorus- like a poor man's Boz Scaggs)-there is very little that is enlivening here. The rest is mere mimicry.
Indeed, the main problem is that this CD is essentially an attempt to do blues and R & B. Our super-star has often admitted that he is inspired by that genre and that he has decided to move more in that direction. Unfortunately, he stumbles horribly in the process. It's not that Mayer can't do the blues. He's just not very good at it- certainly not in what we are offered here. (If you will, it's like Michael Jordan trying to play baseball.) Lacking any originality, he has resorted to aping the work of those performers who do (and have done) it well. For instance, on selections such as "Waiting on the World" and "I Don't Trust Myself," the production does not pay homage to Marvin Gaye; rather, it shamelessly copies his sound. Likewise, listen to the Percy Sledge imitation on "Gravity" and that of Otis Redding on "I'm Gonna Find Another You." Aside from these thefts and the lifeless character of the compositions, Mayer cannot provide any authentic passion of his own. The result is that he's not playing the blues; he's simply "playing at it." To make matters worse, as is often the case with similar pretenders, he even tries a cover of Hendrix material. Since it's not Hendrix, it just doesn't come off. It never does. But on this occasion, the interpretation is handicapped even more by the fact that Mayer is neither an innovative nor accomplished player (the comparison is not to lame rock guitarists but to the likes of Robert Cray, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and B.B. King), rendering "Bold As Love" an embarrassment of a different sort.
The unavoidable reality is that, like the stuff or not, John Mayer is at his best when he is doing mainstream pop, listenable numbers that include festive and clever variations (mixed in by a capable producer). Those little nuances and infectious accents make his sound entertaining and help to distinguish him from the other MOR performers. While that may not be much, at least it defines his contribution to the music scene. Sadly, for the most part Continuum does not even provide that, and it therefore deserves to be hoisted into a bargain bin.
overproduced September 22, 2006
Garrett Partridge
7 out of 22 found this review helpful
If you like overproduced pieces of junk, this is the album for you. I absolutely loved the song "Gravity" was one of the best guitar solos I ever heard and had alot of soul.
The version on this cd for some reason sounded like a 5 year old directed it. The guitar solo is painful and nothing like the original version that I heard which I am assuming is a live version. I don't know what happened, I am really just sad.
Alot of great songs that I am sure sounds awesome when he puts HIS creative genious in it, he needs a new record lable bad so he can stop selling out.
|
