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Call it the signature of a surfer so bleached by the sun that he rushes nothing, but To the Sea substitutes the sunset strum-alongs of his earliest records for a sleek daytime sheen that might glimmer too brightly for hippies but it makes for a better overall pop record.
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A natural progression from 2008 release "Sleep Through the Static," the new set features more electric guitars and a brighter, full-band sound while still bringing plenty of singalong acoustic romanticism and breezy melodies.
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Here's another set of strummy beachside ballads from the most successful surf bum in history.
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On To the Sea, the 35-year-old surfer and filmmaker is still staring down adult fears. But this time he has made an existential chill-out record that feels substantial, at times even edgy, without feeling forced.
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Should he ever stretch himself as a musician the results could be fascinating – think The Beach Boys before Pet Sounds, and what they felt capable of afterwards – but right now he's operating in a comfort zone that should guarantee continued commercial success.
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If you dig Johnson, you will like this record. If you've heard a few songs and never been interested, little on this album is likely to change that.
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Time and again, his choices are predictable, but it's comforting and hard not to like in its gently strummed affability.
User score distribution:
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Positive: 24 out of 33
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Mixed: 4 out of 33
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Negative: 5 out of 33
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Apr 4, 2021Another Banger by Jack Johnson! I don’t think he has an album I dont love!!
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Jul 28, 2011Every album this guy makes is a wonder of laid-back rhythmic strumming and brilliant lyrics- and they just keep getting better and better.
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NickFJun 3, 2010Great album. JJ returns to his roots in a good way. Reminds me of his first album more so than his last one.