Growing old with John Mayer

John Mayer spoke for his generation in his first two albums, Room for Squares and Heavier Things. Now with Continuum, his third studio recording, he brings to a close what has emerged as a trilogy of emotions that only the selfishly very young can understand. For this one though, Mayer brings to fore all the fears and insecurity that comes with growing older. Time to realize now that there is a real world out there after all and coming back to bed when the going gets tough will not work anymore.

That must be why Mayer the composer decided to take on some relevant topics in some of his songs. There is being indifferent in the album’s first single, Waiting on the World to Change and the pain of despair in Belief. He deals with growing old in Stop This Train and even has his own ego, all tattered with insecurities displayed In Repair. These are heavy stuff.

But as for you Mayer swooners, there is no need to fret, the guy has not given up on love songs. He has the various situations that go with romance expressed oh so precisely in I Don’t Trust Myself with Loving You, The Heart of Life, Slow Dancing in a Burning Room, I’m Gonna Find Another You and the truly beautiful Dreaming with a Broken Heart. There is one ambitious cover in the line-up, Bold as Love, originally by Jimi Hendrix. Mayer and Hendrix’s music do not really go well together but it is a nice effort.

Mayer, as the producer of Continuum, retains the bluesy mood he likes very much throughout the whole album. There is one mid-tempo song after another, all of them showcased in tight, perky arrangements. His guitar playing is excellent. Check out Gravity in the album for this. He is no Slowhand yet but is getting there.

Of course, nothing beats Mayer the singer. I believe that what initially won him the massive fan adulation was his singing. It was after listening to him that his followers got the message in his songs and liked them too. Continuum shows off his vocals just the way we like it, pared down but very heartfelt and always spiced with sexy falsettos. Listen to Vultures for the best example.

Mayer is only 27 years old and still licensed to use his youth and phenomenal success as excuses to be reckless about his work. Nothing of the kind is manifested in Continuum though. He has instead produced a cohesive collection that signals his maturity as an artist. This is a fitting end to the first phase of his career. Forget Your Body is a Wonderland and get into what really matters. Some of his fans might not like what he has coming. Still I am sure that they can’t wait to find out what Mayer’s next phase would be like.

Continuum is but one of the many star-powered music releases to hit the shelves these past few weeks. These are the albums expected to make a killing at the tills with the onset of the holiday spending. Others that you might want to consider as Christmas gifts or for simply using that extra money in your budget are: Future Sex/Love Sounds by Justin Timberlake; The Dutchess by Fergie; From This Moment On by Diana Krall; A Thousand Different Ways by Clay Aiken; B-Day by Beyoncé; A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out by Panic! At the Disco; Modern Times by Bob Dylan; The Christmas Album by The CompanY; Coming Home by Lionel Ritchie; Filipino Classics by Basil Valdez with the San Miguel Philharmonic Orchestra; Twilight by Hale, Now Hear This by Nyoy Volante; A Public Affair by Jessica Simpson; Sitti Live by Sitti; Isang Dugo Isang Ugat by Rivermaya, etc.

Top hits in the US

Meanwhile out there in the US, Continuum continues to remain in the Top 10 of Billboard’s 200 album list. Here are the big selling albums for the week: FutureSex/LoveSounds by Justin Timberlake; A Thousand Different Ways by Clay Aiken; The Dutchess by Fergie; Live: Live Those Songs Again by Kenny Chesney; Continuum by John Mayer; B-Day by Beyoncé; From this Moment On by Diana Krall; Lupe Frisco’s Food and Liquor by Lupe Frisco; Hoodstar by Chingy; and Extreme Behavior by Hinder.

The Top 10 in the Hot 100 Singles are: SexyBack by Justin Timberlake; Money Maker by Ludacris; How to Save a Life by The Fray; London Bridge by Fergie; Lips of an Angel by Hinder; Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol; Too Little Too Late by Jojo; Chain Hang Low by Jibbs; Pullin’ Me Back by Chingy featuring Tyrese; and Buttons by the Pussycat Dolls.