The very notion of the beach-bred bard loaded with campfire hooks and laidback cool begins with Jack Johnson. A surfer and nature lover, the singer/songwriter gently spins an inimitable blend of breezy Hawaiian folk and percussive jam pop infused with a hushed intimacy that makes it feel as though he's sitting next to you in the sand. As the easy-flowing “Banana Pancakes” demonstrates, Johnson is a sucker for chronicling the minor charms of romance. And the equally entrancing “Sitting, Waiting, Wishing” reveals an artist with a fragile soul who can make even disillusionment sound chilled out.