Key Tracks: "You and Your Heart," "From the Clouds, "Turn Your Love," "Only the Ocean"

Jack Johnson’s new album is out. And it’s good. Really good.

I’m not gushing over the Hawaiian acoustic god’s latest masterpiece just because I’m a 19-year-old female college student. I’m gushing over To the Sea because it’s somehow just as wonderful as JJ’s previous four albums—maybe better.

Let’s not get too carried away. I am—and will always be—a diehard fan of older Johnson tunage, such as “Bubbly Toes” and the ever-perfect Sunday morning favorite “Banana Pancakes.” But this album is home to a number of tracks that will soon find their way into fellow Jack Johnson-ites’ top playlists.

The first single, “You and Your Heart,” leads off with Johnson’s signature, even-layered guitar riffs. In an interview with MTV, he described the melody as being similar to that of the Jimi Hendrix song “Who Knows.” Hmm, who knew?

While this song is definitely catchy and therefore well deserving of its early April 5 debut, I believe the hidden gems on this album lay tucked away further down the tracklist.

Take, for example, “From the Clouds.” A non-biased person—okay, she’s a 19-year-old college student, too—told me this was her favorite track after listening to the album, which she pre-ordered Monday night. Did I say non-biased? But, joking aside, I have to agree. The first five seconds are all you need to hear to know that you’ve found one of those unexplainably wonderful Johnson tunes, up there with the likes of “Sitting, Waiting, Wishing” from In Between Dreams or “If I Had Eyes” from Sleep Through the Static. “Like you’re so sweet to me / When you beat me in double solitaire /
 You’re so sweet to me 
/ In a world that’s not always fair.” Come on, you guys, how can you not like this? Here is a perfect example of why girls, such as myself, adore the musical workings of this man. And if you need another illustration, keep reading.

“Turn Your Love,” the eighth track, is a slow, soulful cup of Johnson’s sensuous strumming at its finest. There are female backup vocals on this one, which are something new. Combine this with his distinctively simple-yet-sincere lyrics—“It’s not that it goes too fast / It’s just that it goes at all”—and you’ve found the perfect song for a sunset drive home from the beach.

The album’s finale, “Only the Ocean,” is a sweet satire for endings, whether it be the end to a relationship or the summer: “And all of these lines / Will all be erased soon / They go out with the tide / And come back with the waves.” As corny as it sounds, this one left me feeling bittersweet. I can already hear this song being played through my car speakers as I make my way back to school in the fall. And based on my current feelings about this album, there’s a good chance that will happen.