Jana Ariss
Throwing it back to the good ol’ “Curious George” days, Jack Johnson released his new album All the Light Above it Too, on Sept. 8, 2017, hitting us all with nostalgia.
All the Light Above it Too creates a relaxed and beachy atmosphere. Named the king of beachside pop/rock, Johnson strikes yet again combining the acoustics of a guitar and the soft, rhythmic beats of a beach drum with amusing lyrics.
Since Johnson’s last album release in 2013, his fans have anxiously awaited for new music and the four years were worth the wait.
Topics about politics present in this album display a certain maturity not present in previous albums that offered carefree music.
This album focuses on how Johnson feels about contentious issues, like American politics of the past year. In his song, “My Mind Is For Sale,” Johnson references Trump being elected for President. Johnson sings “I don’t care for your paranoid/us against the walls” addressing his view on Trump’s plans for construction of a wall along the US/Mexico border.
His album returns to more conventional topics in “Daybreaks.” The light pluck of ukulele strings overpowered by Johnson’s soft vocals, combined with the heartfelt lyrics, shows his passion in music. Johnson emotionally sings about the darkness that comes with love. The lyrics “If the ghost is supposed to love/then why do I feel pain/’cause nothing is for keeps,” evokes the sorrow of heartache.
Johnson takes on a different kind of theme in “Big Sur.” It is an upbeat and fun tune, a song perfect for a road trip with friends. Johnson’s story-like manner creates a visual song where he lies beneath the stars talking endlessly until the next day’s drive.
All the Light Above it Too proposes more mature topics than his previous albums. He goes in depth about what is on his mind and confronts political issues. These topics paired with calming music almost representing a Hawaiian-breeze is an interesting take on addressing such topics.
Johnson is known for his fun and vibey songs and he certainly combines that with important topics to create an captivating album.
