John Butler released his 10th full-length studio LP on September 5th, 2025, marking his third in just two years. Prism is a return to John’s solo roots, though not to the style that defined his early solo work.
The single “Trippin’ On You”—released in April ahead of his U.S. summer tour—leans more toward Jack Johnson–style surf folk than the guitar-centric sound of John’s earlier releases. With minimal percussion, it’s a neo-poppy keyboard tune built around a gumball power-pop lyrical hook. Compare this to “Ocean,” John’s 1998 all-instrumental, 12-minute debut opus, and it feels like two completely different artists. That contrast seems intentional—a line in the sand declaring: “I am not what I was before. I am new, and I want to do new, different things.”
“So Sorry,” the second single from Prism, follows in the same spirit as “Trippin’ On You.” To find tracks with more grit, like “Gets No Better” and “The Way Back,” you have to dig deeper into the LP. Those cuts carry a little sumptin’ sumptin’—call it cojones if you will—a bit of raw energy over polished intent. Reportedly, it took John nearly six years and several restarts to complete this LP, during which he released two others. By his own admission, birthing this album was not easy or straightforward. Perhaps only “Hand in Mine” reflects the guitar style he began with nearly 30 years ago; everything else pushes into new, if not fully conquered, territory.
Throughout his career—whether solo or fronting the ever-shifting John Butler Trio—John’s music has spanned reggae, alt-rock, folk, and ambient. But this latest release feels more commercially oriented than his past work. Produced with keyboardist James Ireland (Pond, San Cisco), the record is slick—at times bordering on plastic. There are no errors anywhere, but of course it’s the flaws and atonal mutations that make music feel alive, and this album lacks that spark.
As a collection, Prism is certainly listenable, but it doesn’t feel like a progression in John’s music. It’s also not the LP I would reach for first in his catalog. Ultimately, it feels unfinished—like John stopped short of where the music was leading him and settled for, “It’s good enough, and it will sell.” That’s a shame, because he remains an artist capable of so much more.
