Continuum
by John Mayer
  • Record Label: Sony
  • Release Date: Sep 12, 2006
User Score
8.7

Universal acclaim- based on 164 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 146 out of 164
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 164
  3. Negative: 11 out of 164

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  1. ChristopherG.
    Aug 1, 2007
    3
    John Mayer... oh John Mayer. A talented blues-guitarist he may be, but "anyone can play guitar" if what Thom Yorke has to say holds water. Writing a song that is not complete pants to play guitar along with might have been a nice start for Mr. Mayer. His words are empty, the music hollow, and everything he is doing that might be construed as good music has already been done better by John Mayer... oh John Mayer. A talented blues-guitarist he may be, but "anyone can play guitar" if what Thom Yorke has to say holds water. Writing a song that is not complete pants to play guitar along with might have been a nice start for Mr. Mayer. His words are empty, the music hollow, and everything he is doing that might be construed as good music has already been done better by someone else. A lot better. Unfortunately, the songs are catchy enough that I will still ave to listen to loads of Dave Matthews fans raving about this album endlessly, so that they can have some "credibility" in between listening all kinds of derivative pop bilge.… Expand
  2. 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 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 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
  3. AnOnymous
    Sep 26, 2006
    3
    So, I've tried to like JM since his first album, and I have friends who are still big fans. Trouble is, he's too light & fluffy. I feel like he's the guy at the party strumming "sensitive" songs to get laid. I just don't buy his act. His singing voice is an irritating affectation, and his lyrics are college-frosh journal material. Overall the overproduced slickness of So, I've tried to like JM since his first album, and I have friends who are still big fans. Trouble is, he's too light & fluffy. I feel like he's the guy at the party strumming "sensitive" songs to get laid. I just don't buy his act. His singing voice is an irritating affectation, and his lyrics are college-frosh journal material. Overall the overproduced slickness of this album and puddle-deep musings are a turnoff for me. Granted, I'm not his core audience, but alas, he's just another of the sensitive male crooner types clogging our airwaves these days. Sure, he's a good guitar player, granted, no argument there. But if he really wants to be a bluesman, why not put out a legit blues record? Well, because that would mess with his sales, and a lot of the cute girls would stop showing up to his shows, and we can't have that. This is calculated, prefab fluff-pop with some songwriterly accoutrements for "credibility". But make no mistake, this has all the artistic merit of a car commercial. I give it a 3 for JM's musicianship.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
67

Generally favorable reviews - based on 18 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 18
  3. Negative: 0 out of 18
  1. Blender
    70
    Where his earlier music was a parade of bright primary colors, these plaintive melodies come in delicious shades of gray. [Oct 2006, p.138]
  2. PopMatters
    70
    While Continuum doesn’t necessarily contain a sure-thing pop hit, it’s one of the few mainstream pop/rock albums that’s satisfying from the beginning to the end.
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  3. 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.
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