"Jack Johnson - In Between Dreams"

Jack Johnson is a very consistent musician. He just keeps cranking out mellow, folky rock that you can just sit and listen to on a rainy afternoon. On his third album, In Between Dreams, he doesn't fix what isn't broken, though he does tinker with a few new elements that ultimately give the album a bit of depth it might've otherwise lacked.

The basic setup for a Jack Johnson song is simple: guitar (usually acoustic), voice, bass, and percussion. Johnson has had the accusation that his songs all sound the same, taking a similar groove and guitar playing style in every single song. This is an unfair accusation. The songs are subtle in their differences, and Johnson adds a few sonic flourishes (piano and accordion) in a few songs to create a slightly different atmosphere. Johnson's mastery of laid-back acoustic groove is as impressive as ever. Each song on here is fun, thoughtful, and slightly wistful. The band is tight but not wound-up. They're very comfortable, both with the music and one another.

Lyrically, Johnson is just as strong as his two previous outtings. Topics range from the recent birth of his son to love won and lost and the current state of the world. But Johnson never gets up on a soapbox. He is of the impression that the answer to most every question in his mind is love: love fixes everything. He genuinely believes that if everyone learned to love one another, we'd all get along just fine and all the problems would be gone. He's a peacenick in the best sense of the term. It makes for very affirming lyrics: yes, things are messed up at the moment, but we can get through this if we just try. Coupled with Johnson's warm, half-spoken vocal delivery, it makes for some warm, peaceful music.

All in all, In Between Dreams follows the same paths and byways that Brushfire Fairytales and On and On followed. If you liked those two albums, you'll like this record. It offers no surprises, either musically or lyrically, but that's not the point. Johnson has fun with his music, and after the first few tracks (especially standouts like "Sitting, Waiting, Wishing," "Banana Pancakes," and "Good People"), you can't help but tap your toes and smile along with him.

~chuck

Song of the Moment: Jack Johnson, "Belle"