2008 Woodie Awards
Songwriter paints pictures on latest album
By Phil Geist
Issue date: 4/8/05 Section: Entertainment
Jack Johnson is back and has arrived just in time to awaken hopes into a perfect, carefree summer. His latest effort, In Between Dreams, is the type of CD you wouldn't mind listening to while floating through the many phases of sleep. Some may view that comment as an insult, but Johnson's smooth sounding vocals and soothing guitar riffs combine to form the perfect Hawaiian lullaby. A majority of the album revolves around the mysticism of dreams and the comfort of sleeping in late with someone special.
The third track of the album, "Banana Pancakes" not only makes me hungry, but also plays with the thoughts of persuading that special person that, "Everything we need is right here, and everything we need is enough." Pulling down the drapes on a rainy day and eating banana pancakes sounds like a tasty combination to shutting out the busy world outside. A majority of the songs on this album encompass the many stages of love in a relationship and I think such a similar atmosphere that is present in "Banana Pancakes" would be the ideal setting to discover this record.
Johnson eloquently looks back upon the beginnings of a long-term relationship and reflects his story in "Do You Remember." He nostalgically sings about how crazy he was about the woman in his life then, but the crazy thing that Johnson discovers through the process of rewinding is that it has been 10 years since their first meeting and they are still together.
Even though Johnson's home is Hawaii, it isn't always paradise there and he ventures into the frustrating realm of unrequited love in his first released single, "Sitting, Waiting, Wishing."
A criticism that I have about this record is that people who are landlocked within the continental United States can't exactly relate to orange florescent sunsets and the carefree lifestyle that so appropriately compliments the Hawaiian native's mellow melodies.
For those that live in Hawaii this album would be the perfect soundtrack to a relaxing day at the beach or even an exciting nighttime bonfire. Even the album cover of this CD depicts a picturesque view of Johnson with guitar in hand, picking a fruit from a tree with ocean cliffs beckoning in the background.
The third track of the album, "Banana Pancakes" not only makes me hungry, but also plays with the thoughts of persuading that special person that, "Everything we need is right here, and everything we need is enough." Pulling down the drapes on a rainy day and eating banana pancakes sounds like a tasty combination to shutting out the busy world outside. A majority of the songs on this album encompass the many stages of love in a relationship and I think such a similar atmosphere that is present in "Banana Pancakes" would be the ideal setting to discover this record.
Johnson eloquently looks back upon the beginnings of a long-term relationship and reflects his story in "Do You Remember." He nostalgically sings about how crazy he was about the woman in his life then, but the crazy thing that Johnson discovers through the process of rewinding is that it has been 10 years since their first meeting and they are still together.
Even though Johnson's home is Hawaii, it isn't always paradise there and he ventures into the frustrating realm of unrequited love in his first released single, "Sitting, Waiting, Wishing."
A criticism that I have about this record is that people who are landlocked within the continental United States can't exactly relate to orange florescent sunsets and the carefree lifestyle that so appropriately compliments the Hawaiian native's mellow melodies.
For those that live in Hawaii this album would be the perfect soundtrack to a relaxing day at the beach or even an exciting nighttime bonfire. Even the album cover of this CD depicts a picturesque view of Johnson with guitar in hand, picking a fruit from a tree with ocean cliffs beckoning in the background.
