Review Summary: In Between Dreams is a standout album that I'll be still listening to in ten years. It is an album full of simple melodies and meaningful lyrics. This album proves that untechnical music can be good music, too.
I have heard a whole plethora of opinions on Jack Johnson over the past couple years. I did, however, notice one trend in the opinions. Those who enjoyed him the most tended to be the most laid back. Well, a few months ago, I decided to buy In Between Dreams to see what it was all about.
It blew me away.
Before I listened to In Between Dreams, I didn't enjoy acoustic music very much. I was by no means a metalhead, but I tended to lean more towards pop-punk and electronic indie. The only really acoustic artist I listened to regularly was
Josh Ritter, but other than him, it was all Green Day, Death Cab (Lots of Transatlanticism), Blink-182, The Who, etc. Not too much laid back, acoustic surf music.
The first song that caught my attention on this album was Sitting, Waiting, Wishing. I loved how the drums meshed with the minor key of the song, and I found myself humming the chorus incessantly. I found it truly amazing. Crying Shame was another initial favorite of mine (Well, it still is a fave...), due to its anti-war message and great guitar. But then, in what was something of an epiphany, I heard Constellations. It, in my mind, was amazing. It was the most relaxing song I had ever heard. I thought, simply, "Wow." After I heard it once, I kept skipping to it over almost any song. In my little world it was perfect.
Below is a track-by-track review with a short explanation.
Better Together- 5/5. This song is amazing. A great little love song that I'd put on my favorites list. If any song comes from the heart, it's this one.
Never Know- 5/5. Mellow and whimsical. I love listening to this song while biking, slacklining, or just chilling in a hammock.
Banana Pancakes- 4/5. It is a great song. It is not the masterpiece that everyone says it is though. On the whole, it's an enjoyable song, but something just doesn't make it quite as good as the others.
Good People- 5/5. This song begins with a great guitar riff, that, while nothing that Clapton ever did, is a perfect little intro to the song. The lyrics are all about reality TV ("People will tune in, how many trainwrecks do we need to see?"). A stellar song that corresponds to the real world.
No Other Way- 5/5. No Other Way took me a while to get into. But once I did, I realized how beautiful and artful this song is. A quite good component of the album.
Sitting, Waiting, Wishing- 5/5. A song about going through hoops for some girl you're not gonna get anyway. This song was what pulled me in in the first place, so if you're new to Jack Johnson, definitely give it a listen.
Staple It Together- 4/5. The first song to use a bunch of electric guitar. It has a sweet intro, and has awesome verses about missing opportunities. The only reason for the 4 is that the chorus is waaaaaaay too repetitive. ("Staple it together and call it bad weather, staple it together and call it bad weather, staple it together and call it bad weather, staple it together and call it bad weather")
Situations- 4/5. I love this song. It's catchy and has a great tune. I really should give it a better rating, but I am quite disappointed that it is so short.
Crying Shame- 5/5. One of the best anti-war songs I have ever heard. You can get into it even if you're not a Jack Johnson fan. Just.......nothing else to say but listen to it.
If I Could- 4/5. I like this song a bit less than some of his other stuff. It's sad but hopeful, sounds a bit regretful. It's not too whimsical, and when listened to with things like Never Know, the lyrics (not the tune though) seem out of place.
Breakdown- 5/5. Starts out with some ukulele, then goes on to discuss how it'd be great if the train that he's riding would break so that he could take a walk. It's pretty much a little commentary on everyday life, and I for one adore it.
Belle- 3/5. A French tinged love song. It is very out of place, though it is a good song. It might be a better song if you listened to it on a French accordion based album, but from Jack Johnson it is a song marring an otherwise excellent album.
Do You Remember- 5/5. This song remembers the early days of Jack Johnson's current love. It is a seemingly effortless love song, and provides very good company for the rest of the album.
Constellations- 5/5. My personal favorite. It is so laid back and relaxing that sometimes I just stick this song on repeat while I chill in a hammock. It's that good. It's more folky than a lot of the other stuff, so it may turn some people off, but I could not ask for a better song.
Well, that's my take on In Between Dreams. Sure, I gave it an overall 5. But don't call me a rabid fanboy. For me, it just stands out for being laid back, acoustic surf music. I will definitely be listening to this album ten years from now. It's just that good. I could recommend this to anyone, and the only reason to not like it is if you are disappointed with its lack of technicality or are a diehard metalhead. But otherwise, listen to it. I would almost guarantee that you'll like it.
