Ashes on The Water4 Out of 5 Stars
Jack Johnson lost his father and his will to write before a sudden flood of songs emerged for the creation of "To The Sea," dedicated to his father's memory. While the songs rarely stray far from Jack's usual sunny surfer sound, there are a few moments where the grown-up lost-boy lets his emotions free in the lyrics. The result is my favorite Jack Johnson CD to date.
Both "To The Sea" and "Only The Ocean" have the emotional tug to them that has sometimes been absent from Jack's easy-going music. He was exploring relationships more on 2008's "Sleep Through The Static;" this time he's hitting the notes even better. And yet, his music, guitar playing and style are as smooth as always.
I am also enjoying his maturing lyrics outside the relationships. There's a certain Kinksian quality to "No Good With Faces" and "Pictures of People Taking Pictures," which ups the ante. "Red Wine, Mistakes and Mythology" is standard Jack Johnson, with a fun feel to it, with the clever wordplay and the sing-song feel of his best work. As always, Johnson sets a mood and runs with it through "To The Sea," and ultimately it's a satisfying one.
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