“In Between Dreams,” the third CD from Jack Johnson, came out at the perfect time. The sunny, upbeat grooves make this CD a great spring-summer album to listen to while playing Frisbee or sunbathing in the park. Although not quite up to par with 2003’s “On and On,” “In Between Dreams” is a wonderful follow-up, with only one or two misses mixed into a collection of amazing songs.
“Better Together,” the first of the 14 tracks, is definitely a keeper. Its upbeat and fun rhythms make it easy to sing and dance along to. “Banana Pancakes” is another great song, which is about Johnson bribing his wife to sleep in on a rainy day with the promise of banana pancakes when they wake up. “Good People” is Johnson’s track-with-a-message, like “The News” was for “Brushfire Fairytales” or “Cookie Jar” was for “On and On.” My favorite track is “Breakdown,” which begins with a ukulele solo that leads into a slow but steady beat that eventually builds up to a funky chorus that makes you want to move along to the groove.
“In Between Dreams” is a great album for any collection, one that should definitely be put to good use in the beautiful months ahead. There are some obvious funk and jazz influences that come through, but Johnson sticks to what he does best on most tracks, making “In Between Dreams” another fantastic Jack Johnson album.

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