As we wish our fearless leader (Shoe) godspeed on his much deserved (eh hmmm) vacation at OBX, we wanted to make sure he was properly outfitted with the proper attire (Jesus sandals & black knee-highs), the proper adult beverages (sorry it was Smirnoff - the budget is shot), and the proper tunes to take in the sun & the sand by. Recommended SPF = Jack Johnson this season, and just about any other season you need to just kick back and mellow-out. The guy is so basic & laid-back, he takes all the thought out of listening and provides the perfect soundtrack to any vacation on the beach.
For those of you living under a rock, Jack Johnson splashed onto the scene in 2001 with Brushfire Fairytales, which includes my personal favorite "Bubble Toes." Before getting into the music business, the Hawaii-born Johnson was an accomplished surfer. After a severe surfing accident at the age of 17, Johnson turned to music as part of his recovery. "I like to joke that I hit my head so hard that that's why I'm so mellow, but I think it did mellow me out" he states in a March 2008 interview with Rolling Stone. Taking time out from surfing and focusing on music led to forming relationships with G. Love & Ben Harper, two talented recording artists in their own right. Both contributed to Jack Johnson's soundtrack for the the 2006 film Curious George.
It was 2005, however, that provided Johnson with his biggest success to this point with In Between Dreams. This is one of those albums that has absolutely nothing wrong with except it has a last song - a "magnum opus" if you will as we throw that term around to some degree on RHT. "Banana Pancakes," "Good People," "Sitting, Waiting, Wishing" and "Breakdown" are all great songs that provide a vibe of plain & simple relaxation for your ears and mind. This is one of those albums that will fit nicely in any time capsule to exhibit was was actually right with my generation. We value time with our friends & families, plus we're not afraid to step away and get away from it all.
Well, there's my contribution to Shoe's knapsack as he hitchhikes down to NC. Thelma greatly regrets that the travel budget was squandered on lottery tickets, MD 20/20 & Lucky Strikes, but bless her heart, she was only trying to invest in our future. Still much safer than playing the stock market...plus who would pay over $4.00 for a gallon of gas anyways? Happy hoofing, Shoe!
Since we are in the vacation mode - I feel it only appropriate to send in my shout out from sunny Destin, Florida. Great post on JJ - from a fellow fan. I've been diggin' Jack for a while now and have all of his albums. Even my little Isabella digs Jack thanks to the "Curious George" soundtrack. As I've said before, with nothing more than an acoustic guitar, Jack can create more pleasing sounds than a lot of other bands combined. Jack Johnson has what Jimmy Buffett has, just in a more modern, cool-surfer style. Great music that takes you away to someplace you would rather be. Long live Jack Johnson!
ReplyDelete