Cat Clyde & Dean Johnson
Dean Johnson's I Hope We Can Still Be Friends, his Saddle Creek debut, showcases the Seattle singer-songwriter's gift for blending dry wit, emotional honesty, and keen observations of everyday life. Drawing from years spent bartending and people-watching, Johnson crafts songs that balance humor with heartbreak, delivering sharp social commentary alongside tender reflections on love, loss, and human connection. His warm, understated voice and country-folk songwriting evoke artists like John Prine and Kris Kristofferson while feeling uniquely his own.
Produced by Sera Cahoone and recorded with a close-knit group of friends, the album pairs minimalist, twang-infused arrangements with Johnson's deeply personal storytelling. Whether exploring difficult relationships, existential fears, or the absurdity of modern life, I Hope We Can Still Be Friends finds beauty in life's contradictions, offering an intimate collection of songs that are as funny as they are moving.
Cat Clyde's fourth album, Mud Blood Bone, is a raw, soul-searching collection that blends blues, folk, country, and rockabilly into her most powerful work yet. Produced by Drew Vandenberg and released via Concord Records, the album explores themes of self-discovery, resilience, and finding love within after a period of personal transformation.
Written while traveling between festivals, living in a vintage trailer, and crossing continents, Mud Blood Bone captures Clyde's instinctive songwriting and commanding vocals at their most honest. Rooted in lifelong influences from traditional blues and folk, the album balances grit with vulnerability, marking a bold new chapter for one of Canada's most compelling singer-songwriters.

