Dean Johnson‘s new album, I Hope We Can Still Be Friends, arrives with a long history. Though he’s been writing for decades, he didn’t release his debut until 2023 at the age of fifty. This long gestation period may be what makes his songs so special, with some tracks dating all the way back to 2004.
The album explores Johnson’s lyrical self-awareness and vulnerability. On Before You Hit The Ground, he tackles his feelings about the struggle to write upbeat songs and the elusive nature of optimism. Against a simple backdrop of acoustic guitar and bass, his insecurities play out as he wonders, “How do you put the sun in a song?/ I still can’t find a way/ I don’t know why, but I always get it wrong.” The song even references Buddy Holly, a “guy renowned for finding the sunny side,” and ends with a poignant quote from one of Holly’s lyrics.
Johnson’s gentle musical approach, crafted with producer Sera Cahoone, is a key element of the album’s charm. His high tenor and quiet arrangements allow his lyrics to go down smoothly, even when he’s delivering a biting putdown. On Death of the Party, he eviscerates a “know-nothing windbag” with the sharp lines: “Words don’t come easily to me/ I notice you don’t have that problem/ It sounds to me you cannot stop them.” The acoustic guitar, bass, and drums are so soft that the listener almost forgets the powerful takedown at play.
Johnson’s history of heartbreak seems to shape the likes of So Much Better, which somehow manages to tread lightly, even as it mentions electroshock therapy while singing about unbearable heartbreak. The song suggests some romances are best forgotten. With memorable phrases like, “I’ve broken the phone not to hear it ring,” it becomes clear that this lonesome tenor doesn’t have to look far for the subjects of his songs.
This beautiful contrast between the sweet and the sour is the album’s core strength. Johnson can tear down his subjects with lyrics as sharp as thorns, while his music is as gentle as a flower. I Hope We Can Still Be Friends is an album to be savoured, a tender and biting collection of songs that reveals its power slowly.
I Hope We Can Still Be Friends (August 22nd, 2025) Saddle Creek