To the Sea

Channeling his inner Nilsson with this '70s-AM-radio-infused set, Johnson reveals he's a song craftsman at heart. Beefing up his arrangements with more electric guitar, old-school organ, and a little help from G. Love on harmonica, he pulls off these full-blown pop songs in grand style. From the charging choruses and jazzy verses of "At or With Me," to the hand-percussion rhythms and loopy atonality of "You and Your Heart," it's a treat to hear Johnson stretch beyond his comfort zone.