Folk songwriter Jacob Johnson releases virtuoso fourth album, Surviving The Dream.

By Graeme Smith

Feature photo by Sandlin Gaither

Jacob Johnson has been a touring musician for almost twenty years and has shared stages with Grammy winners Tommy Emmanuel, Paula Cole, Zac Brown Band, and Victor Wooten among others. His music is appearing on our blog for the first time.

A ten track mix of originals and covers, his new album Surviving the Dream takes the listener on the road, painting an unflinching picture of the realities of travel and adventure. A sense of Americanness runs through it all, from Jacob’s cultural references to his folksy instrumentals. The tone is set by the lingering opener The Sketchiest Motel in Fayetteville and is never lost.

The album sees Jacob take on two classics – Willie Nelson’s Still is Still Moving to Me and The Allman Brothers’ Jessica. The latter includes Mickey Raphael on harmonica and Jack Ryan and Stephen Campbell of The Marcus King Band, and is a tribute to Jacob’s partner who was named after the song. The two sit as centrepieces in the collection, bookended by Jacob’s original compositions.

Those include the lively and moving F. Scott Fitzgerald, the brooding and bluesy (Why Are You) So Far Away?, the stripped-back and soulful instrumental Old Soul, singalong, timeless title track Surviving the Dream and the rousing, observational The Goodnight Chorus. The album is rounded off by live versions of The Sketchiest Motel… and The Goodnight Chorus.

What sets Jacob out from the crowd is his virtuoso guitar playing and storytelling lyrics. He delivers his music with charisma and swagger and with four albums to date, he is making a case for being the most exciting voice on the underground folk scene.

Surviving The Dream is out now and you can give it a listen below.