In Between Dreams

 

In Between Dreams 

The third studio album by singer-songwriter Jack Johnson, In Between Dreams was released in 2005. Johnson started playing guitar at 8 and began writing songs when he was 12, which shows his passion towards music. I was only ever familiar with his song Upside Down, which was a staple from my childhood. I was excited to listen to this one as I have been really enjoying calmer, more acoustic-focused music lately. The mellowness of this acoustic rock album was a major highlight, it felt distinctly nostalgic. I found myself completely relaxed listening to it in its entirety. I can’t help but praise the album for its sincerity, I really disagree with the critics who didn’t like this one. I think it accomplished everything it set out to do. 

The opening track Better Together is a beautifully sweet song to start on. He reflects on how fleeting time is but he chooses to spend it with his love. The song contains many uplifting lyrics that make me feel emotional. I believe this track sets the tone for the rest of the album perfectly. Banana Pancakes shows a love for the slower, more domestic moments of life. Even with the state of the world, we can find joy in the little things. It was a nice reminder to try taking a step back to appreciate what we have now. I really enjoyed this perspective, navigating through life can be very challenging but with the support of others we’re always growing. This was a theme that I resonated with as he stresses the importance of embracing life with open arms. 

Good People criticizes television for its influence on society. This is shown through the overwhelming amount of negativity that is present in the news. While this song is a protest against television, I believe the message is extremely relevant even today with social media. The public tends to idolize figures that aren’t good people, completely desensitized by their lack of morals. With influencers becoming such a public spectacle, he challenges the listener to think for themselves and to question the content that we are exposed to. His guitar work on this track was by far my favorite. Sitting, Waiting, Wishing covers the lingering hurt that comes with an unrequited love. Even with a simpler premise, I really enjoy the stylistic choices he makes on this one. Unfortunately, by the end of the song he isn’t given any sort of closure. I can see why this is one of his most popular songs, his lyricism really shines here. 

Crying Shame was one of my favorites overall. Johnson’s songwriting is at full display here and paints such a clear picture of the tragedies of war. With so many ways to communicate he is surprised that wars still exist. It’s almost an innocent perspective on this issue, it would be much simpler if these types of conflicts can be solved with just a conversation. The chorus is really strong, alluding to how there isn’t anything significant to gain from war, only loss. It is a pointless endeavor where nobody truly wins. Despite its short runtime, Belle is a lovely interlude that is sung entirely in French. Until the last verse as he realizes: Je ne comprends pas le français, and asks for her to speak to him another way. I think it’s really cute. 

Do You Remember is dedicated to his wife. The song is reminiscent of such a pure love that makes me tear up a little. He recounts all their memories together in such a sweet way. I love when I hear a song that so obviously comes from a place of genuine admiration. To close out the album, Constellations is a beautiful way to wrap up everything. We drew our own constellations is a lyric that I especially loved. Both of these songs were unbelievably sappy and fit right in with the central themes of the album. 

I see In Between Dreams as the perfect album to listen to on a rainy day. A lot of the critiques I've read surrounding this album view it as more one note or Johnson playing it safe. I really don’t think so, there were many standout tracks on this album that I kept going back to listen to. While it’s not usually the type of music I gravitate towards, I really loved it and admired how pleasantly charming it was. Johnson's music transported me to a place of serenity and has inspired me to seek out more music like this.