Sleep Through The Static Review

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(More customer reviews)I'd read interviews where Jack Johnson had stated that his next album would feature a different direction with electric guitars. Well, he's not quite right. "Sleep through the static" isn't a radical departure, which is fine by me as what he does is great; Gently rolling surf like acoustic music. One listen to opening cut "All at once", "Enemy", or the lovely "Same girl" tells you that.
Lead single "If I had eyes" is bluesy and upbeat (well, by his standards), and you can hear the subtle difference new band member (pianist Zach Gill) makes to the music. I like the OO OO OOs!! Similar in feel is "What you thought you needed", with light marching beats and lightly buzzing guitars.
"They do they don't" is slower but with edgier (slightly distorted) sounding guitars (I really like this one), while "Hope" is lite reggae. "Adrift" is a tender piano sprinkled bluesy number, lovely!
I guess where there is more of a change in direction is lyrically; title track "Sleep through the static" sees him going political and lyrically references the Iraq war ("we went beyond where we should have gone" he says) or "Go on" (a lovely acoustic/piano ode to his growing brood, presently 2 children), and the very tender "Angel" (about his wife).
As long as you're not expecting a radically different sound, you should enjoy this,that is if you like the guy's music in the first place.


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My friends and I have just finished recording a new album called Sleep Through the Static. At this point in my life I weigh about 190 lbs and my ear hairs are getting longer. I also have a couple of kids. My wife popped them out, but I helped. Some of the songs on this album are about making babies. Some of the songs are about raising them. Some of the songs are about the world that these children will grow up in; a world of war and love, and hate, and time and space. Some of the songs are about saying goodbye to people I love and will miss. We recorded the songs onto analog tape machines powered by the sun in Hawaii and Los Angeles. One day, JP Plunier walked into the studio and told us, "It has been 4 to 6 feet and glassy for long enough," and so we gave him a variety of wind and rain as well as sun and so on. And Robert Carranza helped to put it all in the right places. After inviting Zach Gill to join Adam Topol, Merlo Podlewski, and myself on our last world tour, we decided to make him an official member of our gang. So our gang now has a piano player, which probably makes us much less intimidating, but Merlo, our bass player, is 6'3" so we are still confident. All of these songs have been on my mind for a while and it is nice to share them. I am continually grateful to my wife who is typing this letter as I dictate it to her. I hope you enjoy this album. Mahalo for listening, Jack Johnson
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