Continuum

I don't really have any qualms with John Mayer, but I've never understood the people that paint him as some sort of genius guitarist. This album might as well have been Gravity and 45 minutes of songs that sound like but are not as good as Gravity. 7/10

I want to use this space to somewhat publicly apologize to Mr Mayer. I thought I knew all I needed to because room for squares came out in the Kid A/Amnesiac era and around the same time as Blueprint. And I was in college. My mistake because it made me miss this album. He’s got tunes on here and it’s really well produced.

A clear should-have-been in the 1001 list. Mayer's pinnacle as an artist and one of great albums of the 00's

Most of these songs sound like they would work well during the emotional climax of a Hallmark movie.

While his stuff isn't really my bag, it feels like a necessary addition.

I feel like this is just solid enough to secure 4 stars. It is a consistently good record (if rather samey), and it even manages a few upward spikes into greatness.

The guitar has a funny history, from sharing a body with instruments handcrafted to resonate against human flesh to electric squeal at the limits and back again. Sympathetic strings reduced to simple diagrams and mass-production, well-loved and impossible to escape. It's no surprise that Continuum traffics in natural metaphors. Mayer is not interested in the border with the unmusical, but with success elsewhere and older. The result is a bit plastic, still with heart: A thoroughly modern and easy album, hit fakeouts with twins ultimately not annoying.

John Mayer is cool. 3/5.

Transported back to mid 00s pop radio, and not in a good way.

Bland pop that sounds like bad Christian rock

Great album!

Calssique John Mayer. Super bon couté 100x

It’s really interesting to hear this album now because I’m honestly impressed this bluesy pop album heavily inspired by Hendrix and SRV was as massively popular as it was in the mid-2000s. Of course elements of this album are dated, but when John Mayer lays on the soul and blues, he does it with such fantastic phrasing; he never overplays despite his insane guitar skills. His slower more contemplative songs are great as well and his cover of ‘Bold As Love’ is phenomenal. I was really into this album as a young guitarist and I’m glad to see that it still holds up.

Rating: 9/10 Best songs: Waiting on the world to change, Belief, Vultures, Slow dancing in a burning room, Bold as love, In repair

Album was a good fit for my mood yesterday. Thanks for suggesting.

Rock. Blues

7/10. Yeah, this was a good album, and with enough prominent songs on it that I am surprised that it didn't make the list. Or I would be surprised if I was a naive baby who thought that albums released after the 1st edition of the book in 2005 were likely to be included in subsequent revisions.

I would listen to any of this any time without complaint. I do think he puts his limitations on display in the cover of Bold as Love. In spite of having by many measures a better overall signing voice, he just can't match the emotion and subtle inflection Hendrix brought to the original. Likewise Mayer's perfectly competent, serviceable lyrics don't have anything to match the wild imagination of Anger's "shiny metallic purple armor". Very good, but a little basic.

Mayers music will go with almost any mood. It basically blends in with whatever it is you are doing. Pleasant to the ear and yet pushing no boundary whatsoever. The guy has a good voice: yes. The guy can play guitar: yes. Does he play it on the safe side? Oh yes.

Although I have a weakness for John Mayer, I can't help but think that it is always so neat and tidy and no sharp edges. That's also the case with this album.

John Mayer will always in my head be like "that guy my aunt listened to in the early 2000s" He's very fine and very safe and I struggle to think of anything negative to say about his music.

Okay I can get into some John Mayer now

I like this best when Mayer is rocking out a little, like on Bold as Love. The more polished, smooth stuff that makes up most of the album is good but a little bland. 3 stars.

Not my personal taste, but pleasant listen more or less

Good as background music

Yeeees 5

This is really easy to approach and enjoy. What stands out the most is the slow blues guitar feel in many of the tracks that seems to perfectly capture the emotion of the song and carry it forward. It doesn’t need to be flashy or fast, but just hits the vibe and elevates the song. Beliefs, Gravity, Slow Dancing and Bold as Love as all standouts though the album is really strong from start to finish.

Guys I regret to inform you that I liked this

A neat album. Modern throwback to clean electric guitar sounds with quite a few great tracks. The Heart of Life is a great, somber track.

Tame, inoffensive well sung, jazz rock guitar playing vaguely reminiscent of Steely Dan without the bite, but pleasing nonetheless.

Pleasant and fine. Far from a must listen, but nice.

Not quite my thing, but I agree that this should have made the original list just based on how ubiquitous and popular John Mayer was at that point in time. Affable, easygoing and well-produced, with some highly listenable singles. The Hendrix cover was a valiant but bloodless effort, which would have been best left as an outtake. Fave Songs: Slow Dancing in a Burning Room, Belief, Waiting on the World to Change, Gravity, Stop This Train

Pop rock, blues rock, blue-eyed soul, soft rock. Ni fu ni fa.

Didn't really cause me to have any emotions

This album in 06 was pretty huge. John Mayer was able to combine beautiful guitar work with pretty simple pop music. None of it is that deep, breakup songs. Love songs anti ware songs but it’s done in a simple and tasteful way that can enjoyed today. Overall this is a solid album and a classic from the 00s. 7.5/10

Pleasant indie singer songwriter fare. But of a chilled Jack Johnson vibe in places. Rating: 3 Playlist track: The Heart of Life Date listened: 26/09/24

It was ok

Not for me...

John Mayer can certainly play the guitar, but the songwriting here is so inoffensive and bland that the instrumentals hardly matter. I certainly don’t miss this radio-friendly soft rock era of the early aughts, as it’s so common denominator focused that every track becomes a similar brand of melodic mush designed to be just pleasing enough to be memorable but not so bold as to be offensive. This LP deserves to be forgotten - the list is supposed to be a collection of artistry and creativity, not the place of mainstream mediocrity.

Imagine the worst person you know made an album and other people liked it. Good for them, but I'd rather not hear it again.