Jack Johnson's new album From Here to Now to You is all of the things that I've come to expect from the folk icon: simple, happy, romantic and relaxing. It doesn't represent a major departure from most of his previous work, but in this case I think that's a good thing. Jack Johnson's music is the kind that you listen to in a Sunday afternoon lazy kind of mood and that's been continuous throughout much of his work.

Most of the songs have simple, generic titles, which might bother me in other contexts, but with Johnson I don't mind. He doesn't try to make his music something that it's not. There's no pretension or facades-it's just Johnson and his guitar.

The first song on the album is also my favorite. "I Got You" is contemplative, cheerful and passionate, enhanced by its slow and rhythmic nature. It's optimistic and wistful at the same time, the kind of song you can't stop listening to-or singing-once you've heard it. The lyrics are simple to understand and engage with, as Johnson sings that he doesn't need anything more than his lover to enjoy life. At the same time, the meaning of the song is layered and deep with references to more difficult times.

Another song I enjoyed on the album was "Radiate." It's a bit more catchy and upbeat than some of the others, and it's again quite forward- looking and optimistic lyrically. As Johnson sings about watching someone discovering the world and creating things, it seems like he's singing to a child, which reinforces the loving image created by the rest of the album. I really like the imagery of Johnson looking on while a child plays on a beach and enjoys the world. Musically, the track uses segments of scales creatively and ends with a cool distorted guitar instrumental, which caps it off nicely.

One track that breaks the lyrical theme of the album is "Shot Reverse Shot," which makes several references to film techniques, such as "rack focus" and "depth of field," a nod to Johnson's education in film and early career as a filmmaker. This song reminded me of Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire." Both shout out words in a stream-of-consciousness manner, and the two are musically alike as well, with fast rhythmic verses and similar chords. The first time I listened to "Shot Reverse Shot," I thought it was strange because it didn't match the rest of the album, but it grew on me and I decided that I liked the style departure from Johnson's typical work.

Another song that I think deserves special attention is "Don't Believe a Thing I Say," which amusingly comes right before "As I Was Saying" in the album order. The former contains an interesting contrast: the theme is cosmic, with mentions of planets, fate and other ideas beyond our understanding, whereas the sound is simple and earthy, like most of Johnson's music. The lyrics also brought up some interesting questions about fate and the role of people in the universe. "Are we free or afraid/Of what we're told/Are we out of or under/Control," asks Johnson, and it makes you think a bit more than some of his other lighter songs.

The final song on the track list is an excellent way to end the album. "Home" has a theme of love and happiness, and returning to a familiar place. Perfectly symbolic of Johnson's music, the song has closure but promise at the same time. "This old trail will lead me right back to where it begins," Johnson sings, and I hope that means that he'll have another album coming out soon. Meanwhile, From Here to Now to You will be on my list of go-to music when I'm in that particular Jack Johnson mood, sitting around on a weekend afternoon, not doing or thinking about anything-just being.