On And On
Jack Johnson has found himself a groove. Indeed, the Hawaiian surfing champion turned alternative pop-folk star really hasn't changed things one iota for his sophomore release. Fans ofBrushfire Fairytalesshould be delighted with the results. The groove is a mellow one--most of the 16 tracks here are semi-acoustic--and that easy-going spirit filters into Johnson's lyrical philosophies. "What will be will be / And so it goes" he sings on "Times Like These," the opening track. Thankfully, Johnson is nevertoomellow, and there's a "Don't worry, be happy" vibe to most of his music. "The Horizon Has Been Defeated" even has a pseudo-reggae feel to it. Although classified as an alternative musician, the singer-songwriter's compositions owe much to past hits. "Traffic in the Sky" is reminiscent ofJim Croce's "Operator" andLooking Glass's one-hit-wonder, "Brandy." On the splendid "Taylor," Johnson sounds an awful lot likeDonovan. And "By The Way" recalls theLovin' Spoonful.-- Bill Holdship