Lately, with all the dreary, cold weather we’ve been experiencing, I have found myself reminiscing about all the good memories of last summer. As I look back on trips to the beach with friends and lazy days at the pool, one of Jack Johnson’s songs always seems to be playing in my mind. To me, Jack Johnson is the epitome of “sunny day music” and most of my fond memories have his songs as a soundtrack.

With the release of his new album Sleeping Through the Static on February 5th, Johnson provides a ray of hope for escaping the winter doldrums. I was looking forward to more cheerful tracks such as “Upside Down” and “Better Together” that have become iTunes playlist staples; however, Static was not exactly the upbeat album I was expecting.

Incorporating keyboardist Zach Gill and an electric guitar into his band changes the dynamics of the songs to be a bit edgier than his acoustic classics. Although the album still holds Jack’s signature comforting melodies, there is a definite, intentional move away from his old style.

The lyrics are also a surprising break from Johnson’s usual. Perhaps reflecting the maturity he has gained from being a father of two small children, his tracks deal with more serious subjects. On songs such as “Go On,” he discusses the difficulty of raising and letting go of his children. Also, the war protest song and title track “Sleeping Through the Static” highlights more mature emotions with lyrics such as “Who needs please when we've got guns?/Who needs peace when we've gone above/But beyond where we should have gone?”

However, with all this being said, Jack still satisfied us traditionalists with upbeat, optimistic tracks such as “If I Had Eyes,” “All at Once,” and “Monsoon.”

After listening to the CD a few times, I have to commend Johnson for attempting to mix things up a bit with heavier lyrics and stronger melodies. He did a decent job with this new style, yet I miss the old Jack. I can get serious, deep songs from similar artists like John Mayer and Dave Matthews. When it comes to Jack Johnson, all I want is easy melodies and maybe some “Banana Pancakes.”