Dean Johnson isn’t new to the slow burn. The Seattle songwriter was a local legend for years, a barman dispensing libations and lyrical gems at Al’s Tavern. His 2023 debut, Nothing For Me, Please, offered a glimpse into his world, but it’s his forthcoming Saddle Creek debut, I Hope We Can Still Be Friends (out August 22, 2025), that truly ushers him into the muted, wistful spotlight he deserves. Across 11 tracks, Johnson’s haunting tenor—a spectral blend of Roy Orbison and a lovelorn Everly Brother—glides over brushed drums and mournful slide guitar, painting vignettes of human foibles and fleeting hope.
The album’s lead single, “Before You Hit the Ground,” is a masterclass in bittersweet rumination. Ever the connoisseur of cosmic irony, Johnson grapples with the elusive nature of optimism in a world seemingly determined to pull the rug out from under us. The accompanying Ryan McMackin-directed video references Ingmar Bergman’s thematically similar The Seventh Seal, amplifying the track’s existential dread, albeit with a dark, knowing wink.
On the single, Johnson Shares: “This song speaks to the challenges I’ve had writing upbeat lyrics, and more broadly suggests how difficult it’s become to feel hopeful amidst the literal and figurative tornadoes and tempests surrounding all of us. These sentiments contrast references to Buddy Holly, a guy renowned for finding the sunny side. Ultimately, it has more congruity with his plane going down and evokes the growing divide between us and the chances of happy outcomes. Hey Buddy, did ya close your eyes and pray that you would wake up?”
Pre-Order the album: https://deanjohnson.scfm.me/friends
Produced by Sera Cahoone and recorded with a small band of kindred spirits, the LP is a testament to the power of quiet observation, offering a potent dose of both laughter and tears.
LIVE DATES
% = supporting Kurt Vile
# = w/ Erin Rae
^ = supporting Gregory Alan Isakov
* = supporting Rilo Kiley
@ = w/ Esther Rose
6/28 – Spokane, WA – Knitting Factory Concert House %
6/29 – Boise, ID – Knitting Factory Concert House %
7/16 – Manchester, VT – Billsville #
7/17 – Brattleboro, VT – The Stone Church #
7/18 – Portland, ME – SPACE #
7/19 – North Haven, ME – Crabtree Sessions #
7/20 – Exeter, NH – The Word Barn #
7/21 – Woodstock, NY – Bearsville Theater #
7/23 – Nelsonville, OH – Creekside Stage #
7/24 – Kalamazoo, MI – Bell’s Eccentric Cafe #
7/25 – Berwyn, IL – Fitzgeralds #
7/26 – Spring Green, WI – The Shitty Barn (sold out)
7/27 – Madison, WI – The Bur Oak #
7/31 – Bellingham, WA – Structures Brewing (w. Vincent Neil Emerson)
8/2 – Orcas Island, WA – Dylanfest
8/8 – Colorado Springs, CO – Lulu’s Downtown
8/9 – Lyons, CO – Rocky Mountain Folks Festival
9/4 – Salt Lake City, UT – Red Butte Garden ^
9/5 – Boise, ID – Morrison Center (sold out) ^
9/6 – Carnation, WA – Remlinger Farms ^
9/7 – Troutdale, OR – Edgefield ^
9/8 – New York, NY – Central Park Summerstage *
9/10 – Washington, DC – Anthem *
9/11 – McKees Rock, PA – Roxian Theatre *
9/14 – Grand Rapids, MI – Meijer Gardens Summer Series *
9/16 – St. Paul, MN – Palace Theatre *
9/17 – La Vista, NE – The Astro Amphitheater *
9/18 – St. Louis, MO – Old Rock House (solo)
9/20 – Washington, DC – Songbyrd Music House (solo)
9/21 – Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s (solo)
9/23 – Cambridge, MA – Club Passim (solo)
9/26 – Boonton, NJ – Boonton Coffee Co. (solo)
9/27 – Northampton, MA – The Iron Horse (solo)
9/28 – Providence, RI – Alchemy (solo)
9/29 – Brooklyn, NY – Baby’s All Right (solo)
11/6 – Salt Lake City, UT – The State Room
11/8 – Fort Collins, CO – The Armory
11/9 – Boulder, CO – Fox Theater
11/11 – Denver, CO – Bluebird Theater
11/12 – Santa Fe, NM – Meow Wolf
11/14 – Phoenix, AZ – Valley Bar
11/15 – Tucson, AZ – Club Congress
11/16 – Jacumba Hot Springs, CA – The Old Bath House
11/17 – Los Angeles, CA – Lodge Room
11/18 – San Francisco, CA – The Chapel
12/5 – Austin, TX – 29th St. Ballroom @ (solo)
12/6 – Dallas, TX – The Kessler Theater @ (solo)
12/7 – Houston, TX – Heights Theater @ (solo)
12/9 – New Orleans, LA – Chickie Wah Wah @ (solo)
12/10 – Birmingham, AL – Woodlawn Theatre @ (solo)
12/11 – Atlanta, GA – Center Stage (Vinyl) @ (solo)
12/12 – Durham, NC – The Pinhook @ (solo)
12/13 – Asheville, NC – AyurPrana Listening Room @ (solo)
12/14 – Charlotte, NC – Neighborhood Theatre @ (solo)