Now releasing his most earnest and sensitive work yet, singer-songwriter and indie recording artist Johann treats listeners to a unique, personal listening experience with his debut 8-track album, Surrendering Sunday.
At first, "Surrending Sunday" was a single in 2022 that Johann fell in love with and decided to build on for his first LP. Having released previous singles like "It Wouldn't Be Sincere", "I Know You (feat. Hanna Mars)", and "Safe And Sacred," Johann is ready to bring listeners even deeper into his personal life with a long-awaited debut album that's already nestling into the alternative music scene quite nicely.
Created with the help of his best friend and long-time collaborator Aleks Liskauskas (singer of Guelph band Excuse Me.) as co-writer, producer, and engineer, the album opens with the gentle and personal intro track, "Stomping Grounds." While a warm acoustic guitar strums its way to the soul, Johann makes his tender vocal appearance and discusses the theme of one more shot at a relationship. The beaming alt-rock outro keeps the spirits high and seamlessly leads us to track number two.
On "Spoonful (Come Here)," Johann sinks deeper into his emotions alongside warm yet spirited acoustic guitar and 90s alt-rock instrumentals to infuse this song with energy from the get-go. But, while the atmosphere is pristine, Johann expresses a more personal lyrical theme rooted in a desire for someone special. The song's instrumentals are chilling - packed with anticipation and killer transitions that keep our attention locked until the last beat.
Reaching the album's third track with "Feels Like (Babe You're All I Know)," Johann expresses a theme many know all too well. While his soothing vocals open the song with lyrics about his delicate post-breakup mind frame, we get hints of punchy Brit-pop and classic 90s alt-rock instrumentals to keep the energy high and mighty. It's a reminder of the time it takes to heal our wounds of past love, and no matter what we do to try and forget them, there's still a glimmer of hope that you might rekindle that flame again.
On track number four, "It Wouldn't Be Sincere," we're met with an emotional and alternative-infused electric guitar that gradually leads into a warm alternative breakdown. As Johann enters the scene with his chilling vocal stylings, he touches on more post-breakup thoughts and the lingering loneliness that follows. His vocal harmonies are stunning, elevating the song to another emotional level, leaving us in a trance. It's a profoundly introspective and relatable song that perfectly highlights the reality of facing uncomfortable truths.
Reaching the album's second half with track five, "I Know You (feat. Hanna Mars)," this beautiful, previously-released single opens like a daydream, with ethereal organ-like melodies, a downtempo alternative instrumental, and Johann's velvety vocals that highlight reminiscing on what happened, what could have been, and what went wrong. Hanna Mars' stunning and dreamy vocals are the cherry on top, rounding out this song to perfection with a captivating back-and-forth dynamic, making the song's theme even more palpable.
Ramping up the alternative vibe is track six, "Safe And Scared," kicking off with a bright electric guitar that leads into a full-throttle instrumental breakdown, radiating energy from every angle. Johann's laid-back vocal appearance, discussing the overwhelming feeling of loneliness and weakened mental health, reminds listeners that it's okay to give ourselves room to breathe. The influential outro, where Johann states that he's been "stuck in struggling," closes the song on a deeply personal yet relatable note.
Hitting play on the album's seventh song, "Perth (I Haven't Smile In A While)," we're greeted with a gentle acoustic guitar alongside Johann's breathy vocals expressing how he's 25 but hasn't moved on since 15. This slice into Johann's personal life is a page from his journal - expressing rhetorical questions and romanticizing past relationships. As he reaches the outro, his beautiful harmonies close this reflective song by reciting that he hasn't smiled in a while, but that's not stopping him on his quest for peace.
Landing on the album's eighth and title track, "Surrendering Sunday," Johann's soft vocals and warm acoustic guitar kick the song into gear alongside vulnerable, personal lyrics that share Johann's inner perspective. This is the most powerful song on the album. It tracks the post-breakup aftermath, the internal struggles of 'needing' that person, and the final release, the surrender, of accepting that only time will heal this wound. The rich alternative outro brings the album home on a note of hope for the future, where Johann's at peace with himself, and this relationship has been put to rest.
Johann's 8-track debut album, Surrendering Sunday, is the most personal, vulnerable, and compelling album we've heard this year. Packed with post-breakup emotions and the turbulent aftermath, this album is a must for anyone searching for a chilling alternative journey through love and loss. Find Johann's Surrendering Sunday on all digital streaming platforms.