Jack Attack

It was hard to call how, or if, Jack Johnson was ever going to return to what the industry may describe as his solo studio album successes of ‘in-between dreams’. The album sold more than 15 million copies worldwide (putting that in perspective would mean that, the population of Ireland would have almost 4 copies of the album each , quite impressive) and was probably as commercial as Jack has been in his music to date.

Sleep through the static is Jacks 4th studio album. It sees him reunite with producer JP Plunier, who was the chief architect in Jacks first offering, and coincidently my most favoured Johnson album, Brushfire Fairytales. Holding this in consideration would mean that I quite like ‘Sleep through the static’. As yet I haven’t had a chance to tear it apart completely, but what I have heard I liked. Others though are not so keen,

“Sleep through the Static has one gear, and that's the one marked 'Actually, can we do it tomorrow?'."

[The Guardian]

The constant reference to the sun in the album (featured in at least six songs) is undoubtedley linked with the fact that the album was recorded with 100% solar energy. Songs I particularly like are the title tune ‘Sleep through the static’, ‘If I had eyes’ which is getting some airplay at the minute, the quirky beats featured in ‘What you thought you need’ and as its coming close to valentines day (that one day per year were humanity deems it possible to show expressions of love to one another) ‘Angel’. Guys this song is gold dust and its inclusion on the inside of a valentines card would mean serious brownie points, it reads;

“I’ve got an angel, she doesn’t wear any wings
She wears a heart that could melt my own
She wears a smile that could make me want to sing

She givs me presents, with her presence alone
She gives me everything I could wish for
She gives me kisses on the lips just for coming home.

You’re so busy changing the world
Just one smile and you could change all of mine
We share the same soul.”

[Jack Johnson]

So is it worth a buy, at under a tenner definitely! In so many ways it’s a step forward from ‘In between dreams’ but ironically its also a step back to Jacks earliest offerings, and there is not even one cartoon monkey in sight.