Sleep Through the Static-Jack Johnson

For all of the soft rock, easy-listening, adult contemporary music fans out there, you may know that Jack Johnson just recently released his newest record Sleep Through the Static. People didn’t get that good of a vibe from it…which is understandable because it didn’t really have the stuff to draw new people, but for a serious Jack Johnson fan, it was different for Jack.

Jack went electric on this record, which was kind of a weird change, and seemed kind of ballsy to the people who were die hard Jack Johnson fans when it was him and an acoustic guitar. He also brought back long time friend and pianist Zach Gill, who in a way, made the record what it was creatively, especially when it comes to the back part of the record when you get to the song Monsoon, which had a creative balance of piano, guitar, and outstanding lyrics. This was one of Jack’s best records.

People would disagree with that statement though…sadly. It still is, in a way, same ol’ same ol’ Jack Johnson, just a guy with a guitar who writes slow, and frankly, girly songs. The difference between this record, and the previous records (besides the sound) was the meaning behind all the songs. Usually, as Jack Johnson fans know, all of his songs dealt with love and friendship, or in a few circumstances, what was going on in society (i.e. Cookie Jar, Fall Line, ect.) But this record broke those things that stereotyped him as a “one-trick pony.”

He focused this record on what’s going on in the war (not necessarily his personal opinion.) It focuses on how it affects my generation, that being the one that has to grow up during this war and seeing the killing on the TV screen. It’s different then any other “anti-war” statement that’s been released in recent music history. That is, because it doesn’t put the blame on someone or something, rather it gives solutions to the problem. Which is…cool. You don’t really get that from many artists. It’s his actual views and him releasing musically, rather then selling himself out to get a cheap cheer.

It’s different for him, that’s all I can really say about it. I’d give it five stars, because he pushed his own boundaries and reached his expectations. He really did it this time. He changed his sound in a great way, which you don’t really get anymore. I’d pick it up if you like this kind of music, and you like Jack Johnson. If you don’t have it, you should pick it up. It’s definitely worth it.