It’s been just shy of a decade since Hawaiian born Jack Johnson found success with the release of his debut album, ‘Brushfire Fairytales’. Renowned for his easy going acoustic style, the majority of Johnson’s tracks are a staple part of any ‘chilled’ playlist’; whether it’s set for a lazy Sunday afternoon or a bank holiday BBQ. His latest offering ‘To the Sea’ is no exception, although this, (being the fifth), time around it appears as though he has taken a leaf out of fellow acoustic songster Newton Faulkner’s book, occasionally embracing percussion in favour of lack lustre lullabies.
With the odd harmonica, tambourine and crashing symbol, newcomers to Johnson are in for a treat – as are his loyal, steadfast fans. For those familiar with crowd pleasers ‘Better Together’ and ‘Banana Pancakes’, there is hardly any need to be anxious. With tracks such as ‘To the Sea’ and the sentimentally oozing ‘My Little Girl’, Johnson hasn’t yet lost grip of his guitar, (and our heart!), strings.
Its track number four, ‘At or With Me’, where Johnson becomes more than background music. Despite the somewhat disjointed song title, Johnson keeps it simple. It’s upbeat, cheerful and reminiscent of Paulo Nutini’s recent musings. The end result is something entirely refreshing, rather than being annoyingly different.
Not to forget upcoming title track ‘You and Your Heart’; a delicate mixture between the two personalities Johnson so boldly emits throughout the album. Catchy like his previous hits yet packing a slight punch, it is bound to become a crowd pleaser – at the very least a top contender for this summer’s breezy compilations.
Don’t get me wrong, Johnson remains a constant feature within my CD collection, however after five previous albums his voice tends to become insignificant during ‘To the Sea’, only being pushed, nurtured and made the most of in a third of the tracks put forward.
Despite this, overall it looks as though he’s done it again; a mellow, optimistic collection with the odd crowd pleaser, a handful of smooth melodies and a pinch of something special. And the best thing? He’s done it just in time for summer.
So, get out your sun lounger, crack open a cold beer and have a listen to single 'You and Your Heart':
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