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Continuum
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Continuum Image
Metascore
67

Generally favorable reviews - based on 18 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.7

Universal acclaim- based on 164 Ratings

  • Summary: The singer-songwriter's first album in three years was produced by Steve Jordan and, for the first time, by Mayer himself.

Top Track

Waiting On the World to Change
"One, two, one two three" Me and all my friends We're all misunderstood They say we stand for nothing, and There's no way we ever could Now we see... See the rest of the song lyrics
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 18
  3. Negative: 0 out of 18
  1. AllMusic
    90
    Continuum is a gorgeously produced, brilliantly stripped-to-basics album that incorporates blues, soft-funk, R&B, folk and pop in a sound that is totally owned by Mayer. It's no stretch when trying to describe the sound of Continuum to color it in the light of work by such legends as Sting, Eric Clapton, Sade, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Steve Winwood.
  2. The New York Times
    80
    Mr. Mayer has been writing songs again, good ones, with all the leanness and directness that distinguish his strongest work.
  3. Mojo
    80
    A great blue-eyed soul record. [Dec 2006, p.108]
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  4. E! Online
    67
    On "Waiting on the World to Change," Mayer breathily imagines a world where frat boys get off their couches and have people sign petitions. Sigh. A little more of that and less of noodley songs like "Vultures" and "Gravity" would have been a good step toward reminding us who Mayer really is.
  5. Slant Magazine
    50
    With no edge to the songwriting and with such spit-polished, tasteful production, Continuum just doesn't convince as a heady, soulful rock album or as Mayer's creative quantum leap forward.
  6. Lost At Sea
    50
    In the end Continuum feels like little-more than the self-indulgent effort of a possibly-peaked pop star.
  7. Q Magazine
    40
    Ultimately, this is dour stuff reminiscent of a yogic Sting. [Dec 2006, p.138]
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See all 18 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 55 out of 63
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 63
  3. Negative: 3 out of 63
  1. ibadukefan
    Feb 2, 2014
    10
    This is John Mayer in the zone. This is where he lives. This is the kind of music he should be making for the rest of his career. I knowThis is John Mayer in the zone. This is where he lives. This is the kind of music he should be making for the rest of his career. I know artists hate to be pigeon-holed, but there is nobody else making this stuff. If he doesn't, who will?! This is an amazing blend of pop and blues. Most people, for whatever reason, can't sit through a blues record. Mayer makes the blues accessible. This is an all-time Top 10 record in my opinion.… Expand
  2. RossW
    Jan 24, 2007
    10
    John Mayer's crowning success so far. With Room for Squares he was a shy kid who didn't know stardom, on Heavier Things he was John Mayer's crowning success so far. With Room for Squares he was a shy kid who didn't know stardom, on Heavier Things he was still a kid trying to please the people, but with Continuum, John is himself, and we hear all parts of him through his music. Mayer is the superman of this generation, and hopefully he and a supporting cast of other artists can bring musicianship back into the mainstream… Expand
  4. JohnC
    Sep 15, 2006
    10
    Most mature and accurate potrayal of John Mayer in the studio yet
  5. TTW107
    Feb 11, 2012
    10
    One of the rare albums where I can listen right through and enjoy every single second of it. Slow dancing in a burning room, vultures, andOne of the rare albums where I can listen right through and enjoy every single second of it. Slow dancing in a burning room, vultures, and stop this train are the highlights for me.… Expand
  6. PJ
    Sep 20, 2006
    9
    Excellent effort.
  7. gideonbrown
    Aug 25, 2019
    9
    Beautiful, high fidelity record from a master songwriter. This is probably John Mayer’s best work to date.
  8. ToddW
    Sep 27, 2006
    1
    I give Little, Good John kudos for at least turning on the lights in a studio. That said, I wish he would crawl back into the primordial I give Little, Good John kudos for at least turning on the lights in a studio. That said, I wish he would crawl back into the primordial adult-contemporay ooze from which both he and David Gray have sprung. A poor man's Mark Knopfler, he has neither the chops nor the writing ability of the former Dire Straits frontman. I'm ashamed to admit that Room For Squares sucked me into its miasma, but I realized the jig was decidedly up when he produced more live albums (three) than studio records since that touchstone. Sadly, his best gig since has been backing Dave Chappelle.… Expand

See all 63 User Reviews

Awards & Rankings

41
#41 Most Discussed Album of 2006
14
#14 Most Shared Album of 2006

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