Reviews
Jack Johnson
Sing-A-Longs and Lullabies for the film Curious George
by Dawn St John
I'll be honest - I wasn't expecting to like this CD as much as I do. I expected it to be cutesy and kid-friendly, and not so well-suited to an adult listener. I was wrong.
Starting with the bouncy-happy "Upside Down," Jack Johnson gives us some hope for the future. Lines such as, "Who's to say I can't do everything?" are encouraging to a younger audience, but the fun rhythms and sing-a-long tune appeal to music-lovers of all ages. "Broken" and "People Watching" both talk about relationships between people, and how life is often so much improved by the presence of a certain person in your life. Though neither is quite as bouncy as the first track, they are just as catchy.
"Wrong Turn," to me, is a stand-out track on the album. It's slower and has a sadder feel to it. The song features just a strumming guitar and vocals, with gorgeous harmonies. Jack's emotional tone and point-blank lyrics tug at the heart-strings before smoothly segueing into the more upbeat "Talk of the Town," which will find you tapping your toes to the even, percussive rhythm.
By the time the album gets to track 8, it has moved back to a kiddie tone with "The Sharing Song." Between that and "The 3 R's," the soundtrack gives positive messages to children. In fact, he has a backup chorus of younger voices to highlight this point on both of these tracks, which flow seamlessly from one to the other.
The guest performances on this CD are also noteworthy. Though I'm not generally much of a fan of G. Love, I do enjoy his efforts on "Jungle Gym." The harmonies created between Jack Johnson and Matt Costa on "Lullabye" are absolutely gorgeous, and add an aura of tenderness to the sweet lyrics.
The album is rounded out by two more of Jack's more characteristically mellow tracks, "Questions" and "Supposed to Be." Both are down-tempo and pretty, though the album's finale features a drum kit which brings the whole sound up a notch without detracting from the overall feel of the soundtrack.
Overall, I enjoyed the album. It meets the level of musicianship and quality of Jack Johnson's other efforts, with his feel-good, melodic sound. Also, as a magazine which supports not only music but also environmentalism, we applaud his green tendencies. This album, like all of his, comes in biodegradable cardboard rather than plastic. The case and lyrics sheet alike were printed on "100% post consumer waste recycled paper," per the insert. Thank you, Jack!