A carefully constructed and thoughtful album, John Mayer's Continuum (Aware/Columbia) deftly grapples with politics, religion and the mistakes lovers make-all while delving deeper into the world of blues and soul.
The first single, "Waiting on the World to Change," is a slow, body-swaying, finger-snapping song that beckons images of friends sipping drinks and mellowing out on beat-up furniture. Nonetheless, it still packs a lyrical punch. Lines like "and when you trust your television/ what you get is what you got/ 'cause when they own the information, oh/ they can bend it all they want" demand deeper introspection among listeners. Mayer's lyrics remind the Facebook generation that someday they will be the ones in power.
Mayer also explores a more mature take on relationships, distancing himself from heartthrob status with songs like "I Don't Trust Myself (With Loving You)" and "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room," which draw attention to his own fallibility. While the former serves as a warning to future lovers, the latter chronicles the death of a relationship, recognizing that both partners are guilty of its failure.
A mellow, pensive album that skillfully avoids inducing boredom, Continuum is what fans of pop-rock and blues have been saving up for.
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