Description
The Isle of Dreams is an album by the American singer, songwriter, keyboardist and producer Jeff Johnson, independently released on Ark Records in October 1994. The album was produced, recorded, and mixed December 1992 – January 1994 by Jeff Johnson at The Ark in Camano Island, Washington. All songs by Jeff Johnson except track 5 by Johnson, Dave Hagelganz, and Rick Crittenden. Featuring Derri Daugherty of The Choir fame on guitar.
Introduction
In Northern Europe, entire Viking ships have been discovered buried in the ground. I saw one once in Denmark. One needs a ship to get to an island unless he can walk on water like Jesus did.
I’ve also seen the image of a horse carved out in the chalk-white hills of southern England. For many years that horse has roamed like I imagine the poet, Tennyson once roamed the Isle of Wight.
Like Prospero on his island, I have followed the great conversation in books that I’ve read and I may be wiser for it. But deep down, my heart still quivers when I walk along the seashore. For the older I get, the more vulnerable I feel towards the crashing waves.
Yet it is only a matter of time until I can go to where my heart longs to go. In my dreams, it is an island that I go to and, by God’s grace, I will land there someday. – Jeff Johnson
To call the arrival of Jeff Johnson’s new vocal-music album “eagerly-awaited” is to understate the case. For the past 12 years, Johnson has been sending forth a steady stream of the most artistically sensitive popular music of the Christian faith from his Ark studio in Oregon. The instrumental albums are good, but the vocal projects have been something truly special. Now that Johnson has finished his music for Steven Lawhead’s ‘Albion Trilogy’, he’s been able to set aside some time to finish his latest project, ‘The Isle Of Dreams’.
The theme of ‘Isle Of Dreams’ is that of longing to journey to the world that is to come, a homesickness for God’s kingdom. For instance, in «Quiver», Johnson sings out of restless fear and relentless dissatisfaction with the fallen life in a fallen world: “And a voice from within/ longing to be free, cries/ I can’t take this anymore…”
‘Isle of Dreams’ has some fresh elements for Johnson. There is a more effective “spacy” sound fill, and the electronic sounds are generally more natural and less techno. Briefly flirting with harmony on several songs, Johnson sings with some passion for some moments in «Quiver» and John Milton’s «Comus», yet elsewhere keeps himself at an even keel. However, there are minor stylistic annoyances, such as when Johnson sings several of Lord Tennyson’s lines at breakneck speed on «Cry».
Johnson’s well-established crew of sidemen contribute much to the overall sound. The title instrumental «Isle Of Dreams» has Derri Daugherty (guitarist of the The Choir) and Brian Willis (drummer, ex-of Quarterflash) blending in well: Their distinctive sounds are nonetheless a coherent part of the whole. In «The Great Conversation», Dave Hagelganz (sax) and Rick Crittenden (acoustic bass) play off each other, as if in conversation, talking back and forth in relationship beyond words. Yet, «Prayer» starts right off with a Hagelganz sax lead which sounds just like any other sax lead he’s done for Johnson. He blows a fine stream of melodious notes, but his volume and tone are almost uniform, lacking the color and texture to give the music more grip.
On ‘Isle Of Dreams’, Johnson provides nothing as breathtakingly daring as his earlier gems like «He Is Not Here» or «Windemere», nor anything as accessible as «One Of These Days». At times, one can almost feel the punch being pulled. ‘Isle’ maybe head-and-shoulders over most new age/jazz instrumentals or ambient music, but it’s a step shy of brilliance. Johnson invites such high standards because he aims so high, and has so often hit his target in the past. This time out, there are a few sparks, but there’s a lot of almosts and much that is too familiar. ‘Isle Of Dreams’ reveals that Johnson, too, is getting a bit restless with some elements of his style. Longtime fans know he is capable of better than this, but it’s plenty good, anyway. [Robert Longman, Jr., Syndicate Magazine, October 1994, #40, Vol. 9, Issue 4]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-isle-of-dreams/58213351)
CD tracklist:
01. Prayer – 6:03
02. The Isle Of Dreams – 4:30
03. Quiver – 5:18
04. Comus – 3:11
05. The Great Conversation – 3:10
06. Only Time – 5:26
07. Cry – 6:37
08. Tear – 3:44
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by Ark Records. Available at Bandcamp: https://jeffjohnsonarkmusic.bandcamp.com/album/the-isle-of-dreams
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