Jack Johnson’s new album has been a huge success, not only among the general public, but also among the students at BYU-Hawaii. On Tuesday, Sept. 17, Johnson released his new album, “From Here to Now to You.” This album marked Johnson’s third consecutive No. 1 album. The songs on the album were mostly written on Johnson’s front porch on the North Shore of Oahu. He recorded and created the album with friends, including longtime band members, Ben Harper and producer Mario Caldato Jr., who recorded Johnson’s 2nd and 3rd albums in the mid-2000s. “I just write about whatever it is that’s on my mind,” Johnson said. “This record has been a lot of just sort of being in the family in just kind of my own little bubble. Dropping the kids off at school, and just day-to-day life, just washing the dishes, working in the garden, taking the trash out. That’s not necessarily what the songs are about, but that’s kind of where I was living, in that space.” Morgan George, a freshman in marine biology from Missouri, said, “I really liked it. I think it’s typical Jack Johnson music. I mean it’s not a lot different from his other stuff. So, at least he’s being true to himself and he’s not trying to branch out like Taylor Swift or Miley Cyrus.” “From Here to Now to You” is Johnson’s 6th album and moves away from the darker, more electric-oriented music on his last two albums, which were filled with songs affected by the deaths of his father and cousin. Levi Avans, a freshman in marine biology from Utah, agreed that Johnson has had some odd, darker albums in the past. He said, “I think this was better than his last album. It’s closer to his older albums, like more up beat. I didn’t like his last album, but I really like this one. He’s true to himself. The music videos are also very entertaining.” Nathan Kahaialii, a freshman in physical education from Maui, also seemed impressed with Johnson’s work. He said, “I really liked it! I think this was my favorite album. I like his songs because they’re easy to relax to, and they help me focus. I listen to it when I’m trying to read or study. It’s just nice. It sounds closer to home, with almost more of an island feel.” Johnson further explained this “island feel” or as he calls it, “easy listening.” “It’s like we’ve always talked about as a band,” he said. “That term easy listening can have kind of a cheesy connotation for people, but we’ve always wanted to make our music easy on the ears. We’re never really going for that kind of edgy thing that’s kind of like breaking new boundaries. We’ve always felt part of a tradition, kind of like folk barbecue or something. We just try to go in and do the simplest form of the song we can and just make it easy on the ears.”
Writer: Makaila Bergeson & AP~Multimedia Journalist
