Jack Johnson
doesn't do anything forcefully. Gentle, mellow vibes have been his stock in trade since his 2011 debut,
Brushfire Fairytales
, and that doesn't change on
Meet the Moonlight
, his eighth studio album, delivered some 21 years after his first. That's a long stretch of time to mine the same vein, but the relaxed vibes of
are somewhat deceptive; underneath the placid surface,
Johnson
is taking a few risks. Much of the shift can be attributed to his collaboration with
Blake Mills
, a guitarist who usually works with such indie rock and Americana acts as
Fiona Apple
and
Alabama Shakes
.
Mills
doesn't bring the noise or explicitly arty attacks to the laid-back environs of
. Rather,
coaxes out the atmosphere, allowing "One Step Ahead" to pulsate to a vibrant, colorful, and relaxed beat, and letting "Costume Party" unfurl with an appealingly languid gait. Other parts of
also have readily apparent textures -- "3AM Radio" gurgles softly, "Don't Look Now" almost has an urgency to its chorus -- but the
approach lets such spare numbers as the closing "Any Wonder" feel full and realized, and not like sketches. These subtle shifts and shadings help make
a quietly adventurous album as well as one of
's best. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine