Best Albums !: John Mayer

John Mayer. Continuum (2006)

Continuum is the third major label studio album from John Mayer and was officially released in the United States on September 12, 2006. It marked a change in Mayer's musical style, and incorporated blues and rhythm and blues elements more heavily than before. He was heavily involved in the production of the album, along with fellow musician Steve Jordan.

Continuum was played live and broadcast on radio several times prior to its release. The album reached the top ten of the charts in several countries, and remained on the Billboard 100 in the US for more than a year, eventually reaching double platinum certification in that country. Critical response to the album was largely positive and helped to solidify Mayer's standing as a leading guitarist of his generation. The album garnered three 2007 Grammy Award nominations, and won two: Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for the single, "Waiting on the World to Change". The single "Belief" was nominated for the 2008 Grammy Awards in the Best Male Pop Vocal Performance category.

Mayer made the decision to name his third album Continuum at least a year before the album was released. In his column in the April 2005 issue of Esquire, Mayer wrote, "I'm obsessed with time lately, constantly crunching the numbers to get some sense of where I stand in the continuum." In his column in the September 2005 issue of Esquire he confirmed the title, writing, "I've never experienced anything like the recording process involved in making Continuum, my third-album-to-be.

The album features mainly new songs, though "Gravity" and "Vultures" are available in live versions from John Mayer Trio's Try!, and "Bold as Love", which is a Jimi Hendrix cover: the first Hendrix cover that Mayer has ever recorded as a studio release (although Mayer has recorded other Hendrix songs over time in live settings such as "The Wind Cries Mary" and "Wait Until Tomorrow"). (Mayer had played "Bold as Love" live many times prior to the release of Continuum such as on the televised Tsunami Aid: A Concert of Hope which aired on January 15, 2005.) The album contains a collaboration between Mayer and 8-string guitarist Charlie Hunter on the tune "In Repair".

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John Mayer. Room for Squares (2001)

Room for Squares is the first major-label album by John Mayer, released commercially on September 18, 2001.

The album's title is an inside joke/reference to Hank Mobley's No Room for Squares album. All songs from the album were written by Mayer; however, three of the songs, "No Such Thing", "Neon", and "Love Song for No One", were all co-written with Clay Cook, with whom Mayer had a duo group known as "The LoFi Masters."

Through constant shows, including in the Atlantic-area Eddie's Attic, Mayer's reputation began to build, and a March 2000 appearance at the South by Southwest Music Festival brought him to the attention of "launch" label, Aware Records. After including him in the Aware Festival concerts and having his songs included on Aware compilations, in early 2001, Aware released Room for Squares as an internet-only album. During that time, Aware inked a deal with Columbia Records that gave Columbia first pick in signing Aware artists, and so in September of the same year, Columbia remixed and re-released Room for Squares. As part of the major label "debut", the album's artwork was updated, and the track "3x5" was added, which didn't appear on the original as the recording wasn't yet complete at the time. The re-release also included reworked studio versions of the first four songs from his indie album, Inside Wants Out. The cover art for the most recent release of Room for Squares features a periodic table design beginning from the back cover which continues to the front cover, ending at the right-side.

The album was relatively unknown at its time of release, but it became more well-known through word of mouth and John's touring. By the end of 2002, Room for Squares had spawned several radio hits, including "No Such Thing", "Your Body Is a Wonderland", and ultimately, "Why Georgia" (a radio-only single).

Track Listing

This release was produced and packaged by Aware Records and released June 5, 2001.

"No Such Thing" (John Mayer, Clay Cook) – 3:51
"Why Georgia" – 4:28
"My Stupid Mouth" – 3:45
"Your Body Is a Wonderland" – 4:09
"Neon" (Mayer, Cook) – 4:22
"City Love" – 4:00
"83" - 4:51
"Love Song For No One" (Mayer, Cook) – 3:21
"Back To You" – 4:01
"Great Indoors" – 3:36
"Not Myself" – 3:36
"St. Patrick's Day" – 5:21

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John Mayer. Heavier Things (2003)

Heavier Things is the second major label studio album by singer-songwriter/guitarist John Mayer, released in 2003. Since his successful debut album, 2001's Room for Squares, Mayer had gained popularity as a creative and thoughtful songwriter, and this characteristic shines through on Heavier Things. The title of the album itself is a subtle response to certain criticism of Mayer's music.

Billboard said the album "firmly establishes him as a legitimate--albeit still puppy-eyed--singer/songwriter." James Hunter with Rolling Stone called Heavier Things an "equally available yet more sophisticated album" than Room for Squares. In contrast, People magazine said the record lacked "another killer single...that would have cemented his standing as a major new artist built to last^. In a self review for Esquire, Mayer gave the album a "B minus", adding, "Am I the only one who finds this record creepy to make out to?"

Mayer earned his first number one single with the song "Daughters" as well as a 2005 Grammy for Song of the Year, beating out fellow contenders Alicia Keys and Kanye West. He dedicated the award to his grandmother, Annie Hoffman, who died in May 2004. He also won Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, beating Elvis Costello, Prince, and Seal for the award. At the 37th Annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in 2006, Mayer was honored with the Hal David Starlight Award.

The album did well commercially, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200.