Delicate lullabies

Sun, 03/23/2008 3:06 PM | Entertainment

Artist: Jack Johnson
Album: Sleep Through The Static
Label: Brushfire Records
Rating: **** out of *****
Standout Tracks: "Enemy", "If I Had Eyes", "Monsoon"

I noticed Jack Johnson's face on the cover ofRolling Stone and discovered he had a number one album in the U.S. last February. After the first run of Sleep Through The Static in my car stereo, I was convinced Johnson is one of the world's mellowest superstars.

Johnson is no newcomer in the music world. This cd is Johnson's fourth studio effort, which he produced using solar power in Los Angeles and Hawaii. He also previously created the soundtrack for the animated film Curious George.

He's made this blissful music as if he had just surfed a cool wave on a beautiful island and wanted to relax. Johnson himself is an avid surfer. This is sunrise or sunset music that can be enjoyed even in the darkest of nights.

All tracks on this album are splendid. No fillers whatsoever. It's an absorbing musical experience from start to finish as the sage tries to reinterpret life with his guitar. All the notes flow smoothly from one song to another.

Some fans think Johnson has created a "dark" album here. The lyrics in most of the songs, such as "Sleep Through The Static", "Enemy" and "Monsoon", are poetic and mystifying. Reading the lyrics from the sleeve alone, they feel almost esoteric. But once you pair them with the soothing melodies, it's clear Johnson is aiming for peace and tranquility.

After this record, neophytes of Jack Johnson's work might be curious to check out his older works.

-- Alvin Darlanika Soedarjo

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