Jamming with Jack

The not-so-poor song tailor and omni-mellow folk sitter, waiter, wisher and songwriter Jack Johnson has done it again. With his fifth full-length album, Sleep Through the Static, Johnson continues to evolve and impress those with an ear for true talent.

On the album's title track, the Hawaiian surfer gets political, offering a sweetly sung critique of the state of the so-called Union.

"Who needs keys when we've got clubs/who needs please when we've got guns/ who needs peace when we've gone above/but beyond where we should have gone/we went beyond where we should have gone."

The artist's political views can also be deciphered in the track "They Do, They Don't." Though Johnson's songs seem to have an anti-Bush agenda, he doesn't shove his political message down listeners' throats, unlike many of the artists of today. Showing a true mastery of his craft, he does so in an almost-abstract manner, mixing the sweet sounds of his guitar with deep-rooted emotion and slightly cynical sentiments.

And still, the album isn't purely political. There are plenty of the heart-warming love songs that Johnson fans have come to not only enjoy but also expect.

"Angel" and "Same Girl" are two paramount examples of Johnson's charming croon. Expect hundreds of girls across the States to brand one of these two emotional gems as "their song" with their beaus, and vice versa.

Upping the tempo and providing some refreshing variance is "If I Had Eyes," a song that not surprisingly starts off slow and smoothly, but works its way to a fun, funk-fused chorus.

Listeners should also look out for "Monsoon," a sweeping song with obvious jazz influences and a sweet structure built on piano. Even the harshest of Johnson critics will have trouble denying the appeal of this eccentric but endearing piece.

All together, Johnson fans will definitely be pleased with Sleep Through the Static. The musician maintains his laid back acoustic approach, but continues to grow and expand his musical repertoire. Sure, there are the mellow love songs within, but ever so softly sprinkled around them are the upbeat and jazzy tracks tempting change.

Hopefully Johnson will continue to expand his style and use his often-hidden mastery of foot-tapping rhythm and poetic lyrics to find out what he really wants his style to be.