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John Mayer
If I were John Mayer’s manager, I would have inadvertently ruined his career. Once he hit the charts with the terrific pop song, “No Such Thing,” I would have insisted that he stay the course and keep writing pop songs. All of that blues-guitar stuff that he toiled with for the past few years? I would have advised him that he was angling for an audience that would never accept him on their terms, while ostracizing the teenaged girls who liked his songs and thought he was cute (and who could care less about his guitar playing abilities). Why aim for credibility when the pop music yellow brick road could lead you to a pot of riches?
Thank God I wasn’t around to screw him up with bad advice. It must be incredibly rewarding to earn the respect of Buddy Guy and Herbie Hancock, and to show the world that you are a multi-faceted human being with talent that goes beyond the superficialities of commercial pop music. My bad advice apparently knows no bounds, though, because I definitely would not have approved of “Continuum” either. Seeing as how he was teetering on the brink of two distinctly different images, I would have insisted that he make an album that tied them together. I definitely would not want him to re-release studio versions of tracks that already appeared on his live album (both “Gravity” and “Vultures” reappear here). Instead, Mayer made an album that is uniquely his own. It is neither a pop record nor a blues record. “Continuum” is as understated an album as I’ve heard in a very long time, and it defied all of my expectations. Is Mayer brave? Indifferent? Crazy? No, he’s not crazy. He’s just a LOT smarter than I am when making his career decisions, because “Continuum” is the type of album that will last a lot longer than any trend.
This isn’t the type of album that jumps out at you, grabs you by the neck and demands your attention. There is no obvious hit here, and if you don’t pay attention, you might miss the details that make this record shine. On a casual listen, “I Don’t Trust Myself” could be any other seduction tune with a mellow groove. Listen closely, though, and the details emerge. Isn’t that one of the coolest, slinkiest horn charts you’ve ever heard? “Stop This Train” is as graceful and gorgeous a reflection about ageing as I’ve ever heard, but you could miss it if you underestimate Mayer’s artistry. ‘Subtle’ is the key word, and there’s a mellow yet fulfilling depth to all of his writing here. As the saying goes, still waters run deep, and Mayer finds the essence of his artistry by writing personally about topics of universal interest. He addresses the dangers of apathy in “Waiting for the World to Change,” then debates the negative connotations of blind faith in “Belief.” Does that sound like the work of a pop songwriter, or the lyrical expression of a blues player? Sting can only dream of writing something so personally effective, and Eric Clapton only wishes he could write an album this poignant.
So, a note to John Mayer’s manager - good job, dude. And a note to John, too – fantastic job, mate. “Continuum” will certainly be remembered as one of the best albums of 2006. Finally, note to self – stay away from artist management.
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