John Mayer may be waiting on the world to change, but for many Mayer fans, the world already has. Continuum, his new album, departs from Mayer's usual acoustic-pop feel and moves towards a bluesy style. If "Waiting on the World to Change" -- which has reached No. 21 on the US Hot 100 chart -- has become your new favorite song, you may be a bit disappointed after spending money for the rest of the album; none of the other songs have quite the same combination of upbeat percussion, horns and catchy lyrics.
Listeners can expect more ballads than rock songs, yet Mayer tries to include impressive guitar solos in the middle of many tracks. Even songs such as "Bold as Love," which starts with a distinct blues sound, manage to end with a Jimi Hendrix-like electric guitar solo.
There's a song for every listener on Continuum as Mayer throws in everything from calm piano to wailing guitars to gentle acoustics. From this conglomeration of styles, Continuum somehow manages to make sense -- maybe it's Mayer's smooth voice or meaningful lyrics that tie these random sounds together.
To Mayer's credit, Continuum is one of those rare albums that seems as if it were written for the love of producing music rather than with the goal of getting the most plays on the radio. Bigger issues than the typical oh-I'm-in-love topic are tackled. Seven years after his independent release, Inside Wants Out, Mayer shows his maturity with songs that discuss current political sentiments and coming-of-age stories. Play "Waiting on the World to Change" to your kids in 15 years, and I bet they will understand how our generation feels about the war in Iraq. The lyrics that openly state, "It's not that we don't care / We just know that the fight ain't fair / So we keep on waiting / Waiting on the world to change."
Then play your kids "Gravity;" they probably won't like the slow beat or melancholy guitar, but if they are mature, this song will touch their hearts. The lyrics are impenetrable and don't make much sense standing alone, like, "Gravity, is working against me / And Gravity, wants to bring me down / Oh, twice as much ain't twice as good / And can't sustain like one half could." For "Gravity" to mean anything at all, you have to fill in the lines with your own life experiences.
Of course, Continuum would be incomplete without a few love songs, but don't play this album expecting to get in the mood. I certainly wouldn't be turned on after listening to "I'm Gonna Find Another You" or "Dreaming with a Broken Heart." (The titles are self-explanatory.) If you just went through a rough relationship, however, John Mayer's words could probably lift your spirits or at least give you something to empathize with.
As expected, John Mayer has released yet another quality album, this time with a little bit more blues than rock. Listening to Continuum forces you to reflect on your life, but consider this album's insightfulness a sign of its excellence.
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