... It seems to be his third album, In Between Dreams, though that has finally helped him to break through. The current focus on singer songwriters shows that Jack's return this year with his third album was certainly well timed.
Of course in the States and many other parts of the world he ... Read review
includes 14 songs and a biography. Songs: Better Together * Break Down * Do You Remember * Good People * No Other Way * Sitting Waiting Wishing * and more.
lonely beach in native Hawaii, singer-songwriter Jack Johnson has carved out quite a remarkable career on the mainland. His 2003 album,On and On, went platinum on the back of hit single "The Horizon Has Been Defeated." The follow-up, meanwhile, seems destined to shine even brighter. The drifting chords and soft voice are still in place, only now Johnson's instinct for melody has sharpened alongside his ability to self-edit. These small concessions make third album,In Between Dreams, his most conspicuous, particularly on tracks like the three-minute relationship drama, "Sitting, Waiting, Wishing," and "Breakdown," a song he originally recorded for Handsome Boy Modeling School'sWhite Peoplealbum remade here to reveal its full stripped-down loveliness. Imagine all the coconuts it will buy.--Aidin Vaziri
A review by Andy.mack on In Between Dreams - Jack Johnson December 3rd, 2005
Author's product rating:
Originality
Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics
Sublime
Quality and consistency of tracks
Flawless
How does it compare to the artist's other releases
Not applicable
Value for Money
Excellent
Advantages:
Nice summer album with a relaxed vibe
Disadvantages:
I hadn't come across him before this year despite two previous albums
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
While James Blunt seems to be hogging the British music presses attention, Jack Johnson has crept in with his third album. The former Hawaii surf champion exchanged his board for an acoustic guitar a few years ago and released a couple of albums. It seems to be his third album, In Between Dreams, though that has finally helped him to break through. The current focus on singer songwriters shows that Jack's return this year with his third album was certainly well timed.
Of course in the States and many other parts of the world he is a pretty established artist and has been for sometime. This year though Jack finally broke into the UK market with first "Never Know" and more recently "Sitting, Waiting, Wishing". As a surfer Jack seems to have adopted a part of the laid back and relaxed lifestyle to his music and that will have been one of the main reasons for his success in both Australia and America. His music captures a nice mellow vibe that sounds deceptively upbeat for what are really quite slow paced tracks.
I wasn't really familiar with Jack until this album was released but after seeing the advert for this album and hearing a couple of tracks I decided to take a chance on the album. At the same time I also picked up the James Blunt album and a couple of Elliott Smith's older albums. As it happened I had four alums with a pretty similar sound and Jack's album seemed to get forgotten about for a while. A couple of months ago I found the album whilst clearing up a few things and stuck it on.
As a lot of similar artists the album is mainly Jack and his guitar with a couple of guys accompanying him on the drums and bass and for a couple of songs he drafts in the help of a pianist. The guitars create a nice soothing sound that sounds a lot more upbeat than the slow tempo really suggests. Each track is backed up with a slightly up tempo drum beat and a supporting bass line that give the tracks a little more depth than purely the acoustic guitar would. When the piano Is added for a couple of tracks it gives and even more laid back feel to the album and I think this is something that works in Jack's favour.
It's not only musically that this album sounds laid back and easy going. The evidence is plain to see in both Jack's vocals and the lyrical content of each track. I get the feeling that a lot of Jack's songs are written and thought up on Sunny evenings around a fire on the beach. They all seem to have that real summer vibe to them that would sound excellent laying around on a beach in a hot climate. I was worried when I first heard the album that it might be quite depressing and too down beat but in fact I really found the opposite. It doesn't seem to matter how I'm feeling I can put this album on and just drift away with the soothing sound of both musical and vocal content.
There are some truly brilliant pieces of music on this album. There are the songs that obviously attracted me to the album in the first place. Both "Never Know" and Sitting, Waiting, Wishing" are excellent examples of what Jack is all about. I thought however that there are some equally good tracks on the album itself. My favourite would probably have to be either "Staple it Together" or "Breakdown".
"Staple It Together" has a nice upbeat tempo to it and is a little quicker paced than the rest of the album. His vocals really stand out and you really get the summer feel whilst listening to it. This for me is one of the plusses as even though it's quite cold outside a track that reminds me of the warmth of summer is most welcome. From there "Crying Shame" is probably one of the least summery tracks on the album but the pace and combination of drums and guitars make it a pleasure to listen to. Johnson's vocals also sound amazing on this track and both of these prove he can adjust his vocal qualities to a wide range of styles.
There aren't any real weak tracks on the album but there are a couple of shorter tracks that seem like fillers but even these serve a purpose on the album. "Situations" and "Belle" see Jack on his own for around a minute and a half. While these are both really good pieces of music I cant help feeling the short punchy style of both tracks don't fit in with the overall feel of the album. They are still both good songs and the whole album is made up of decent tracks, more fitting than not.
Overall this is an excellent main stream introduction to the British music Scene for Jack. He's making his name at a time when singer songwriters seem to be all the rage. The progression from Surfer to musician seems to have been an easy one for Jack and this album certainly challenges the likes of James Blunt for the best singer songwriter's album of the year. If you like mellow songs that help you to relax and unwind then Jack Johnson is a must buy and an artist whose album I can't recommend enough.
Advantages: Unique music style, relaxed and mellow Disadvantages: You'll waste your whole day listening to his songs
First impression
In my opinion. this is Jack Johnson's best album. He also released another album "Sleep through the Static" last year. I really love it, but just not as much as this album. Music style
The thing that brought me to Jack Johnson's music is his really simple and unique acoustic guitar style. For most of his songs, he uses his trademark strumming style with drum, bass and piano. They sound so smooth together. In this album, ... ...I love every single songs in this album!
He also uses some picking styles in Constellations, If I could, No other way and Belle. The short song, Belle, only about 1:45 is written in 4 languages (Italian, Spanish, French and English) is a funny song for his wife, who speaks French as her second language. The first 2 lines in the lyrics all mean "hey beautiful, what's up" in Italian and Spanish. The third line means "but beautiful, I don't know how ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Unbelievably chilled out Disadvantages: Little samey but only if your being picky
...Acoustic guitarist and songwriter born in Hawaii. This is his third album and is a characteristically mellow offering and should appeal to anyone who knows how to chill out.
The album is packaged in a nice cardboard case which is a yellow background and a silhouette of a tree with a lone guitarist resting against it. This guy is seriously laid back. his album has 15 tracks but also comes with a bonus track when bought in the UK. A lot of people ... ...as the drums subtly creep in the guitar increases its tempo and Jack reaches his no-so-lively upper echelons of pace. The vocals are soothing and he draws out some words in the chorus to create nice harmonies. The guitar adds a little funky edge to the track and I prefer a little more than the last one, mainly for this reason.
[8/10]
[Track 3 - Banana Pancakes]
The guitar strums away effortlessly and JJ opens with 'Can't ya see that its just rainin... ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Originality
Lyrics
Quality and consistency...
How does it compare to ...
Value for Money
very helpful
10.02.2009
Sends Me To Sleep! Review ofIn Between Dreams - Jack Johnsonby
blonde_girl774
Advantages: Mellow, Relaxing & Soothing. Disadvantages: Songs Too Similar?
...Johnson who was born back in 1975. It came out back in April 2005 in the UK and has received some success over here. Upon first glance he appears to be your typical laid back, surfer boy which is reflected to a certain extent in his music. However this guy goes deeper with some uniquely named tracks and truly emotive lyrics also going in his favour. He's previously found rather limited success in the UK despite being quite an established name in ... ...of what is to come in the remaining tracks and in my opinion is a great opener for the album. "Never Know" is up next and the beat is almost identical to the previous track which gives a slightly monotone feel to the album yet it soon quickens up to distinguish it. Once again there's a distinct laid back feel to this track despite the beat creating a sense of urgency almost as the song progresses. The chorus to this track is brilliant; it almost ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: great album Disadvantages: none at all
...on what mood I am in and this is an album that can be listened to anywhere and any time.
I got this album from HMV and it cost a whopping £11.99 but what more do you expect when buying from HMV!
Jack Johnson on this album, In Between Dreams works along side bass player, Merlo and drums player, Adam Topal. His official website is jackjohnsonmusic.com.
Jack Johnson's music is basically him singing in laid back style, slightly like that of James ... ...Jack Johnson was born in 1975 in Hawaii. He has grown up as a surfer under the influence of his father a famous Hawaiian surfer. After Jack's surfing career was cut short at the Pipeline Masters, ages 17, when he had a near death experience when he crashed into a massive reef, he started a career in filmmaking and soon became a surf film director. In 2001 Jacks songs were shown to Ben Harpers producer, JP Plunier, and quickly Jack had made a name ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: It is cool music and refreshing especially when you are down. Disadvantages: Just the way it was package
...casing and started playing it in my cd player. I even downloaded it on my computer so as if I am using it I could listen to the music.
Cover and packaging:
To be quite honest I was not able to ascertain how Jack Johnson looked like. Do not get me wrong but the cover of the album bore a shadow of a man with a guitar reaching a tree as if it was getting something from the tree. The background is yellow. For a start if I just base my buying to the ... ...was not interested in the packaging. By the way the one that I bought was simply a cardboard protecting the CD.
Lyrics:
Better together> As the title suggests the lyrics of the song connotes how Jack perceives relationship that it is better together rather than seperately living. How it is nice to have dreams shared with someone and that you could live with it. I think the words are cool...especially under the mango tree.(Uhmm I think it is a mango ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
...As many of you may have seen JackJohnson is being touted as the Bob Dylan of the twenty first century. In my opinion this is a complete untruth. JackJohnson can sing!
This is bound to be a slightly controversial view but in my opinion Bob Dylan was rubbish! Ok he was a great lyricist, but his singing was dreadful. This is however just my opinion and not one to be judged in this review. I'm just trying to convey how much I like JackJohnson and his music.
InBetweenDreams is JackJohnson's third album after 'On and On' and 'Brushfire Fairytales'. However, this is the only one of his three albums to really get any attention in the UK. I'm sure that many of you are aware of the adverts on TV proclaiming that he is the best thing since sliced bread and about to explode onto the UK music scene. Well for once the TV is not lying...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: A great chill out album, perfect for summer evenings Disadvantages: Very similar songs, not much variation
...Everybody has those days in their life when they don't want to do much of anything. Maybe you've had a bad week, or things just haven't gone the way that you'd like them to. Whatever the case may be, it just seems like a good day to do nothing. And relish in it. Until recently, I called these days Mondays. But now I have a different name for them: "Johnson Days." (Now let's not take this to a weird place, it's far too early in the review for that.)
I had never heard of JackJohnson prior to InBetweenDreams. A few months ago, my aunt purchased this CD that she was incredibly excited about. So she popped it in his CD player while we were driving and I was treated to my first meeting with Jack. Cool, mellow, simple Jack.
Since that first listen, I guess you could say that I've been somewhat immersed in a world of soothing melodies...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: easy toe-tapping summer tunes Disadvantages: some saminess between the tracks
...~ JACKJOHNSON
I thought I was behind the times having only just purchased my copy of 'InBetweenDreams' by JackJohnson, but it appears that I can contribute here at Ciao by introducing at least a few of you to this singer. This is not his first album, but it's the first one I've bought. My brother put a track on a cd he made for me of his favourites in an attempt to 'educate' my music tastes. I resented the implication but liked the music (don't tell him).
~ PRICE
Then I made a wee visit to the US and got the cd for 11 dollars (about £6.10) at Target which seemed fair, so I bought it.
~ COVER
Let me get the peripheral stuff out of the way - the cd cover is cardboard which I guess is environmentally friendly but I'm nervous about it getting rained on. I'm not personally a big fan of the mustard colour, and I have trouble fishing...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
In Between Dreams (Special Edition) [Digipak] - Jack Johnson
Product details
Title: In Between Dreams
Performer: Jack Johnson
Genre: Rock & Pop
Sub Genre: Singer/Songwriter
Release Date: 28/02/2005
Recomended Retail Price: 13.99 GBP
Original Release Year: 2005
Label / Distributor: Brushfire / Universal Music
Engineer: Mario Caldato Jr; Robert Carranza
Producer: Mario Caldato Jr
Pieces in Set: 1
Studio / Live: Mixed
Stereo: Stereo
Format: Performer
EAN: 602498802526
Catalogue Number: 9880252
Additional notes
Album Notes: A former professional surfer and self-proclaimed beach bum, Jack Johnson is an unlikely candidate for rock-star status. Somehow, however, this everyman's mellow pop songs seem to tap into a commonly held desire for the simple life. The formula on IN BETWEEN DREAMS doesn't vary much from Johnson's previous albums, but is no less engaging--delicately strummed acoustic guitar, round bass lines, and gently funky drum patterns form a comforting bed for the Hawaii native's effortlessly soulful R&B-meets-folk vocals. Sounding at times like a more laid-back G. Love (without the rap tendencies), Johnson celebrates the simple pleasures and asks the big questions with the childlike innocence that only someone living in a literal paradise could muster. "Banana Pancakes" is a Harry Nilsson-like groover that urges listeners to skip work and enjoy themselves every so often, while "Good People" decries the age of reality television with a poignancy reminiscent of Donovan at his free-spirited best. Perhaps the track that most accurately encapsulates Johnson's unique less-is-more approach, however, is "Belle," a jazzy ditty that clocks in at less than two minutes and lets a swooning accordion tell the bulk of the story.
Album Reviews: Mojo (p.109) - 3 stars out of 5 - "A rare feat: gentle and kind without becoming soppy or daft."
Titles on disc 1
1.: Better Together
2.: Never Know
3.: Banana Pancakes
4.: Good People
5.: No Other Way
6.: Sitting Waiting Wishing
7.: Staple It Together
8.: Situations
9.: Crying Shame
10.: If I Could
11.: Breakdown
12.: Belle
13.: Do You Remember
14.: Constellations
15.: Mudfootball (live) - Johnson, Jack & G. Love/Donavon Frankenreiter
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Listed on Ciao since : 01/06/2005
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