Jack Johnson's New Album Review

The cult of Jack Johnson exploded a few years ago with the huge commercial success of "In Between Dreams" leading to a retrospective discovery of his beautiful, wistful, acoustic, musical poetry, from previous releases. So why is his latest album suffering from such harsh, negative reviews?

It seems that the answer lies somewhere in that "explosive cult" moment. As with many artists who have integrity, true musical brilliance and find commercial success, Jack Johnson is afflicted with two types of listeners. There are the genuine lovers of his music and the pop-whores.

This latter category want nothing more than endless variations on "the big hit single" and have no interest whatsoever in hearing something new, something original or anything different. These, unfortunately, have been the people responsible for the slew of unfavorable reviews of "Sleep Through The Static" appearing all over the internet and print press.

Since this album lacks the instant appeal, demanded by the pop-whore contingent, it has been rubbished in virtually every review I have seen. In this article I will attempt to set the record straight. First thing you need to know, as with much of Jack Johnson's previous work, this is a "grower" of an album, not a "grabber."

The catchy, radio friendly melodies of "In Between Dreams" may have caught the attention of the world but their lasting power was diminished by that instant immediacy. "Sleep Through The Static" represents a return to the earlier album's subtler, softer content. The danger with such sublime beauty is that at first listen it can tend to blend together and seem "samey."

It is not surprising that the pop-whores are so disappointed by this album, they have no time or patience, to let it grow on them. The majority of negative reports about this album were posted within hours of its release, likely cobbled together after one quick skim through the songs. The affliction of the I-Pod generation, we listen to the first thirty seconds of a song then skip on, thinking we have heard it and know its worth. No wonder they are so wrong.

So on to a review derived from a slightly longer exposure to the material. As must be clear by now my opinion is it's another masterpiece from an artist of true genius and apparently endless talent. The lullaby sweet sounds and poetic brilliance blend seamlessly, the production is perfect, Jack's earliest albums occasionally suffered from being slightly over-produced. The improved and extended palette of instruments and styles add variation, while the whole album still retains that distinctive Jack Johnson sound. His lyrics are, as always, insightful, sensitive, wise and thought provoking.

Standout tracks on this album may seem few, but that is because it defies that other trend of the I-Pod generation, an album as a collection of filler material serving no other purpose than to pad out the single. This is not only a body of work in the album's entirety, but also a continuation of the ongoing Jack Johnson story in music. Each album has been a page in his book of poetry. Taken alone they are wonderful, but considered together, they are far greater than the sum of their parts. Having said that, there are still a few tunes that particularly caught my attention.

The title track's examination of the war in Iraq is easily on a par with Bob Dylan's classic Vietnam War protest songs. Jack Johnson cuts through the politics to the human, not just protesting a war, but protesting the damage done to a nation by the dichotomy this war has created. “An awful thing to make somebody think, that they have to choose pushing for peace (or) supporting the troops”.

The stunning love song “Angel.” Perfect in its minimalist acoustic guitar and its direct, simple lyrics. “She gives me everything I could wish for, she gives me kisses on the lips just for coming home.” This is an album littered with such sublime, slow moving and great songs. Listen to “Losing keys” or “Adrift”, The soft strength and gentle power ebbs like an ocean tide, instead of the crashing wave that many reviewers must have been hoping for.

A more melancholic offering from Jack Johnson, no doubt, but still with the positivity and hope he has become famed for. This is pending modern classic, this is one of the albums that people will still be listening to and enjoying in twenty years time. Buy it and listen to it closely. It will make you sad and happy, it will make you laugh and it will bring a tear to your eye, it will make you think and it will make you feel.

I defy anyone but the hardest cynic to truly listen to this music and not be moved. That is what Jack Johnson understands, that many of the one-hit-wonders forget, music is to move you, not just to entertain.