PunchBook

Grade - C

One word, PLEASANT

Sleep Though the Static is the first real forgettable album put out by Jack Johnson, even the Curious George Soundtrack was better than is. The album kicks off with a politically charged track that shares the name of the album Sleep Through the Static. Jack criticizes decisions made by the US government in response to 9/11. Those challenges are very fair, the problem I have are two fold.

One - he’s missed the George Bush hating bandwagon. The way he goes after the government in a passive aggressive tone makes throwing jabs at the White House seem out of style. Two - Jack’s songs are not really known for their negativity. Putting a song like this on the first track left a bad taste in my mouth from the start. When I hear Jack Johnson, I want fun sing-a-longs that I can share with my daughter. On previous albums, Jack has asked questions like “Where’d all the good people go?” but the feel of that particular song wasn’t as negative as Sleep Through the Static. I think if a well respected and talented artist like Jack Johnson is going to point fingers well after the fact, his songs should be more inspiring and map out solutions instead of highlighting well documented screw ups. He’s got a ginormous audience and his influence could be astounding if the right positive ideas were communicated effectivly. Static doesn’t do that.

Jack also lacks newness in this album. It’s softer than others and I would like to see him branch out from the acoustic beachy feel and incorporate a little louder drum beats along with more electric guitar. If I Had Eyes is a good example of how Jack uses these elements to step up his music without sacrificing the style that people love him for. The music is a little heavier and bolder but the overall aesthetic is still intact.

This record’s negative demeanor is definitely like a black cloud looming overhead but we don’t hear an angry tone until 10 tracks in on They Do, They Don’t. I don’t like Jack being negative but for one song he puts the passive aggressive in the back pocket and wears some emotions on his sleeve - which is somewhat refreshing at this point in the album. It’s like Zach de la Rocha with an acoustic guitar…..ok not quite like that.

If you are a Jack Johnson fan I don’t think you will be impressed by this album, however I do recommend downloading Monsoon and If I Had Eyes if you want to hear a couple songs off this album without having to sleep through Sleep Through the Static. Take the money you would have spent on this album and think about making a donation to support disabled veterans.

If you have a different opinion or are hearing/seeing something I’m missing please make a comment, I’d love to hear from you.