Dean Johnson’s music is a slow burn – years in the making, rich with storytelling, and deeply reflective. The folk artist spent decades writing and playing music before finally releasing his debut album, Nothing For Me, Please, on his 50th birthday in 2023. Tracked over five days, the album embraces a raw, lo-fi aesthetic that feels unfiltered and intimate. That same charm carries into his latest single, “Before You Hit the Ground.”
“Before You Hit the Ground” is the opening track from Dean Johnson’s upcoming sophomore album, I Hope We Can Still Be Friends, set to release later this summer. It’s a sweet and slightly twangy number, with honest lyrics that tastefully use metaphor without diminishing its emotional core.
Johnson’s talent for storytelling and weaving words together creates a beautiful song about heartbreak and finding joy in life. It’s a song that has the familiar air of something you’ve already heard, yet there’s a freshness brought to the music. We’re given a preview of Johnson’s vocal range, from shaky, vibrato-laced highs to tender, understated lows. There’s a raw vulnerability that comes out in his singing, revealing an artist unafraid to sit with discomfort, to linger in the ache between words, and to let emotion lead the melody. It’s the kind of opener that invites you into the room and lends you a seat by the window of his inner world.
I Hope We Can Still Be Friends is Dean Johnson’s follow up album to his debut, building on his distinct style, spanning years of songwriting while blending witty observations with emotional depth. He has an organic, intimate quality that defines his music, and themes that can spark kinship with spirits across all generations and walks of life.
“Before You Hit The Ground” is released ahead of Dean Johnson’s upcoming album, I Hope We Can Still Be Friends, out August 22, 2025 on Saddle Creek. Preorder available here.
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