#assignmenttwo

American singer-songwriter and producer, John Mayer released his album, Continuum, in September of 2006. Continuum consists of some of Mayer’s finest works which include “Slow Dancing in a Burning Room”, “Gravity”, and “Dreaming with a Broken Heart”. Mayer is still continuing his career as a singer-songwriter/producer.  After Continuum, Mayer released three more albums: Battle Studies (2009), Born and Raised (2012), and Paradise Valley (2013).  Basically, Mayer is still an unmarried playboy that can make one hell of a love song. [1] Continuum was brilliantly produced by Mayer himself with the help of Steve Jordan.  It contains a little bit of everything from blues and soft punk to R&B a bit of pop, a very "John Mayer" album. Mayer covers just about everything in the twelve songs included in his album from world-wide issues in "Waiting on the World to Change" to extremely sad, "how can I live" heartbreaks like the one spoken about in "When You're Dreaming with a Broken Heart".

Mayer is known for using his lyrics to express himself clearly throughout his songs and in “Waiting on the World to Change” he utilized words perfectly to describe his view of on war and the media’s influence over everyone.  Mayer says, “"When you trust your television/What you get is what you got/'Cause when they own the information/They can bend it all they want,” Mayer slyly gives his outlook on the media and their way to change the news into whatever they want the public to think. 

One of Mayer’s stellar songs from Continuum definitely has to be "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room". This song is the song you play when you’re in a relationship that seems to be going down the drain, but you do your best to think it’s not because you’re way too scared to let go for whatever reason and then you listen to this song.  It’ll open up your eyes, maybe make you shed a tear or two and allow you to realize that you are indeed “Slow Dancing in a Burning Room”.  The old-school blues and jazzy rhythm and instruments utilized in this particular song adds onto the brilliantly thought out lyrics and vocals created and visualized by Mayer. Unlike some of his other songs with love as the topic, Mayer’s lyrics give the essence of sadness, but understanding of how a relationship could be everything someone one wants, but it’s slowly deteriorating in front of them.  Personally, this certain song is not only a favorite off of Continuum, but it is a favorite from every song John Mayer has composed. The soothing sound of the guitar with the Mayer’s vocals that express emotion through pitches and lyrics add so much value to the song and the album as a whole.

Although Continuum is an extremely brilliant album, there is one song that is somewhat a dud when compared to the other eleven songs on the album.  “Bold as Love” does not reach the high levels of the other songs on Continuum. It lyrically lacks some content and the instruments utilized does not assist the song in becoming any better.  The instruments overpower Mayer’s voice and distracts the listener a little. Sorry to break it to you Mr.Mayer, but "Bold as Love" is the ugly duckling of the album.