Customer Reviews

To the Sea

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

Jack's new release 'To The Sea' feels like a day at the beach. It has a more raw, upbeat feel than his other CDs, but I think thats a good thing. There's nothing groundbreaking here, but Jack is not a groundbreaking artist. He is true to himself, and I think the direction he went with this CD is positive. There is definitely a noticeable influence from Zach Gill on this record, but I dont think that is a bad thing. Some people will complain that he's moving away from the simpler acoustic stuff, but for me it is a welcome change. Jack has turned it up a notch from Sleep Through The Static, IMO. Top to bottom its a rock solid CD that almost any Jack Johnson fan will like.

You And Your Heart - 8/10 - Took a few listens to grow on me, but its solid and a great opener to the CD. Great video, too.

To The Sea - 8/10 - A home run. Funky, fun, and just plain good. Love the guitar work near the end. Very Hendrix-like. This will be new vintage Jack in a few years.

No Good With Faces - 9/10 - I LOVE this song. One of the best on the CD, IMO. A simple song with a haunting feel. But lets not get ahead of ourselves, theres more songs to review...

At Or With Me - 10/10 - Wow. Best song on the CD, IMO. This song was recorded in a single take in the studio as a demo, but they liked the raw feel so much they put it on the CD. Very upbeat, very catchy, and a great live jam. Unlike anything hes ever done. Love the blues harp that comes in unexpectedly towards the end. I hope he keeps this in his live setlist. Oh-Oh-Oh-Ohhhh!

When I Look Up - 4/10 - I wish this was a longer song, and the length is the only reason I give it a low score. Could have been left off the CD and it wouldnt have made a difference. It sounds like an intro, and thats how I see it...as an intro to...

From The Clouds - 8.5/10 - I REALLY like this song. Its a summer beach song for sure. Love how the guitar and piano compliment each other. "Youre so sweet to me, when you beat me in double solitaire...and youre so sweet to me, in a world thats not always fair". Vintage Jack.

My Little Girl - 7/10 - A nice little love song. Simple, sincere, and to the point. Jack does mellow and tender like nobodys business. Best acoustic song on the CD.

Turn Your Love - 7/10 - I love the music on this track, and this song is growing on me quickly.

The Upsetter - 6/10 - My least favorite song on the CD...Just too much going on, it feels kinda clunky. I like parts of it and the lyrics, and get what he was trying to do, but it just doesnt work for me.

Red Wine, Mistakes, Mythology - 9/10 - Another song that WOWED me. A raw, jammy feel. Reminds me of something Id hear in a New Orleans club. Just a fun song with a funky vibe and great lyrics. This is summertime porch music.

Pictures of People Taking Pictures - 7.5/10 - This song had to grow on me. At first it annoyed me...but the more I listen, the more I like it. Ray Davies comes to mind when I hear the lyrics. And although it seems a bit repetitive at times, it somehow works. Give it a few listens and I think you'll agree.

Anything But The Truth - 7/10 - like the other slower, acoustic songs on this CD, this one is growing on me. Its soothing to listen to and the music is beautiful.

Only The Ocean - 8/10 - This song feels like a sunset on the beach, which is fitting for the closing song on the CD. Haunting music...good lyrics...it pulls me in every time I hear it. A great final track.


Having the CD for a few days, I now believe this may be his best release to date. Overall, a must have for any Jack Johnson fan, and for anyone who likes fun, mellow, feel-good, non-pretentious music. Two enthusiastic thumbs up.

Let's cut to the chase: if you have all Jack's other albums you've already bought this album or will (and you should, it's essential Jack johnson). If your interest in Jack has waned after the Curious George album (which is hard to consider a "true album" IMO) and the more melancholy Sleep Through the Static then I would definitely recommend this, it may renew your love of Jack. Although this album features all the typical elements from Jack's previous albums, I would say it is more akin to "On and On", not as poppy as "In Between Dreams" but more upbeat and enjoyable than "Sleep Through the Static." People (critics especially) give Jack alot of grief for playing the same style of laid back songs and not mixing it up or being "edgy" enough. Personally, I respect Jack mostly for NOT giving in and pandering to the forces and expactations of the biz. I grow tired at times of artists I initially like but get pretentious trying to push the envelope and reinvent themselves only to lose sight of what made them great to begin with. Ultimately, I think all anyone wants are good songs with good melodies, and that's exactly what Jack delivers.
I think "To the Sea" will rank as some of Jack's best work. I loved the catchy upbeat "You and Your Heart" which kicks off the album. I was a little worried upon my first listen when the following two tracks were slower and more melancholy. They're good songs, but I was afraid given that the album is dedicated to his father who recently died of cancer it would sink into being a sad slow album. NOT SO! The album really picks up from there offering a great mix of mostly upbeat, almost "garage rock" at times, tunes as well as island influenced songs and the classic typical folkier mellow tunes with great melodies, messages and harmonies that you would expect from Jack. I really like the rougher mixes and more live sound of the recordings. It really gives you the feel like you're listening to a garage band of great friends playing simple songs together after a day of surfing and hanging out. Which is exactly the case with Jack!! My only real criticism is that at times the songs don't seem to flow together real easily giving the album more of a "cut and paste" feel from whatever songs he'd been working on. Also, sometimes the extra instrumentation of Zach Gill on keyboards serves the song well, but other times it sounds a little too much like ALO and leaves me wishing for an even more stripped down (guitar, bass, drums only) sound like on Jack's first three albums. Overall, its a great enjoyable album that will get plenty of repeat plays this summer and has enough depth to dig into well after that last summer sunset.

The new Jack Johnson CD has some of his best, and worst songs.
1. To the Sea- best song on the CD amazing 10/10
2. You and Your heart-9/10 awesome single catchy, vintage Jack, while changing it up at the same time
3. No Good with Faces-6/10 it was ok nothing special
4. At or with Me- 9/10 great song 2nd best of the album, upbeat
5. When I look up- 5/10, it's like 30 seconds there's not much to review
6. From the Clouds-8/10 great song love the sound
7. My little girl-8/10 touching, and great guitar
8. Turn Your love-7/10 decent sound kind of repetitive
9. The Upsetter-6/10 not bad kind of annoying
10. Red Wine Mistakes, Mythology- 8/10 great rock sound, great way to change it up, love the harmonica
11.Pictures of People taking Pictures- 4/10, kind of annoying, it's amazing how many times he says pictures of people taking by far worst song of the CD
12.Anything but the truth-6/10, it's a sweet sound, but I feel like I've heard it before, unoriginal
13.Only the Ocean-6/10, again sweet sound good guitar, but this feels like twenty of his other songs
14.Better together (new version)-9/10 great rendition of the song

All in all this is a very good CD I would give it a 7/10, It had it's moments where I was just smiling while I was listening, and others where I was a little frustrated. But Jack did come through for a fifth time. I feel like this is probably his third best album, behind In Between Dreams, and Sleep through the Static. He is showing a lot more of his guitar skills which I like. The songs are moving to becoming more and more complicated, great guitar rifts and piano, but he still has those goofy three chord love songs which I love. It was a little repetitive, but that's to be expected. All in all great job, I'm a huge Jack fan and he did not disappoint.

I have been a Jack Johnson fan since he was just a good surfer who was great at selecting tunes for his soundtracks. I must say that this is the first album he has released that has really disappointed me. I keep hoping that it is going to grow on me, kind of like how Sleep Through the Static did after getting more accustomed to Johnson's electric guitar playing, but have just not been able to get into it. This album really feels like a compilation of the rare tracks that I would skip on his previous albums.

Overall, this album is OK at best, 2.5 stars. I think the title should have been, Stranded in the Sea: Rarities, B-Sides, and Other Songs that Were Not Good Enough for My Previous Albums. I just cannot understand where Jack was at on this one. If you are looking to buy a good Jack Johnson album, just buy any of his previous albums, including the surfing soundtracks, and you will happy with your purchase.

First listen to Jack Johnson's new CD "To the sea" and you'd be forgiven for thinking it's more of the same. Johnson's music invokes images of guitar playing on the beach by a campfire and this is no different.

"You and your heart" opens the album in jaunty form and is catchy, it became his first US top 20 hit a few weeks back. "To the sea" is a lulling ditty with quivery guitars and an edgy guitar solo.

The Blues-tinged "At or with me" has a nice start-stop effect with the instrumentation. The brief "When I look up" reminds one of The Beach Boys, while "From the clouds" has a light Reggae lilt. "My little girl" is a tender acoustic ballad with lyrics that sound like a father's wise words to his child.

"Turn your love" is calming with wonderful harmonies, while "The upsetter" features slightly complex rhythms. The cleverly titled "Pictures of people taking pictures" is an absolute gem, as is the quivering "Only the ocean".

So yes, it is more of the same at first listen, but with just the right tweaks and nuances making it one of his most upbeat and diverse collections yet.

The fact that Jack has run out of good ideas for songwriting has been made apparent in 'To the Sea'. Being a long time fan I have to be critical. On the brighter side this release is more positive than Jack's last effort and the gloom and doom that encompassed of Sleep Through the Static. However, 'Sleep' was a stronger effort as with all previous albums. This one lacks the catchy tunes and creative lyrics that are expected. There are a few good songs here but had they been released with any of his earlier albums they would have just been filler songs to the hits. If I would compare 'To the Sea' to another of JJ's albums I would compare it with the Curious George Soundtrack. Except CG had 3 really good songs on there. I'll compare it with this beacause of the continual tapping of piano keys and cheesy lyrics on some of the songs. 'To the Sea' should have been made for Curious George part II. No hard feelings, JJ is still my favorite Singer/Songwriter, I am just not going to be excited about his new stuff anymore, what do you do? Even Jack is human.

Sometimes in life you know exactly what to expect: Death, taxes and a chill CD from soul surfer, Jack Johnson. To The Sea opens with the instantly hummable You and Your Heart and ends gently like a spent wave returning to its source with Only The Ocean. The songs in between will calm your nerves like a freshening breeze at the beach.

Critics complain about the lack of urgency or edge in Johnson's music. I say in a world where we are all rushing a hundred miles an hour to nowhere with our tech toys in tow, it's nice to strip away the BS and live in the moment.

Haters say J.J's mellow vibe is an act. While I can't answer for Jack, I can say this: I've been a surfer (H20, not keyboard) most of my life and the joy is real; the good feelings lasting long after the final wave of the day... Jack Johnson has figured out a way to bottle this feeling and put it in a song. Only the biggest cynic could find fault in that.

I just didn't feel that it was as good--music or lyrics as any of his earlier albums. Just a couple songs stick in the head--the rest--fluff.

Let me start by saying I have been a huge fan and been following his growth since 2002.
Every album has been great and full of songs that make me want to sing, contemplate, and dance to.

'To the Sea' just lacks in all departments for the most part. There are all these rock songs on here, which just don't work with his voice or lyrics and they overall just fall short. I don't know what it is, but this album is just BLAH... nothing new or innovative either.
Sorry Jack, I am just being honest.

Although I will say that the closing track, "Only the Ocean" is a BEAUTIFUL song, maybe his finest piece of songwriting. Download this song for sure if anything.

Let me say this first - I have all Jack Johnson's other albums, and I listen to them frequently. After listening to this one a few times, it's just kind of bland compared to the others.

Why? There are really no songs that stand out. "You and Your Heart" has a bouncy beat, and I like it, but the rest of the songs seem like shadows of songs from other albums.

Somebody in another review called this album "B-sides" and I'd agree.

I like Jack's recent addition of the female voice to his songs. "Give it Back" has some tantalizing sound to it, but never goes beyond the lyrics "give it back, give it back, give it back." It just seems like unfinished work.

I might be a little hestitant to buy the next album.