On a whim I purchased John Mayer's newest album, Continuum last night..it's very good (definitely one of the better records I've picked up this year). It alternates between the standard well-written pop songs that Mayer's known for ("Heart of Life" is basically "Daughters" Part II) and some very good soul/blues numbers, the best of which is easily "Gravity". Mayer has got some serious chops as a bluesman and he stretches out a little on this song. It opens with some soulful licks from Mayer's guitar and what sounds like a Hammond organ. It's one of those songs that you imagine could have been cut late night in the studio and the groove just felt right and they nailed the take.
"Stop This Train" is a great tune about aging and trying to preserve things we wish would never change. "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room", to me, sounds like some long lost Tom Petty song. There's something about the guitar and the backing that evoke a small dive bar, a bottle of Jack, and a flood of memories over a relationship lost.
The lead single, "Waiting for the World to Change", is Mayer's "What's Going On". It's definitely the most overt political song Mayer's penned to date, with lyrics like:
"Now if we had the power
to bring our neighbors home from war
they would have never missed a Christmas
No more ribbons on their door"
In fact, the song even feels like it could have come floating out of Motown...jingly bells, a head nodding beat, an organ pushing things forward. It's very well done and it's much weighter than almost anything else coming across the airwaves these days.
All Music Guide gave this 4 1/2 stars out of 5 and I see no reason to contest that rating in the least.
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