I’ve been sitting on this for a fair while. Listened to it ages ago – and actually, it’s been on heavy rotation in the house since the Christmas music went away – but I just haven’t worked out what to say about it. The problem with this album is that it’s so straightforward, so undemanding, that it almost defies description. Trouble is, as soon as you say that, it sounds like a massive criticism, and it’s not meant to be, as this is a very fine record. I listened to ‘Brushfire Fairytales’ a few weeks ago, and it’s best track (‘Flake’ – if you think otherwise, you’re wrong) is matched, quality-wise, by almost everything on ‘In Between Dreams’.
So, it’s easy to listen to, but it has a warmth and a lightness of touch that’s hugely enjoyable. Johnson’s songwriting and vocal delivery have both developed well since his first two albums. Most of it is fairly simple, whether in the one-man-and-his-guitar tracks of ‘Do You Remember’ or the loose-acoustic-rock style of ‘Good People’, but there are some more ambitious moments – the close harmonies of ‘Staple It Together’, say. And that’s it, really. Let it wash over you. All done.
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