Ray Johnson, Illinois-based singer-songwriter, has just recently released his newest full-length piece, an album titled “Watercolors”. On this album, Johnson explores the wide variety of feelings that makes us human, and he pays attention to every minute detail. Be it the boundless love or the grief of missing out, or the melancholic remembrance of a passed friend, those states of mind and more have a place among the record’s collection of atmospheric acoustic folk made with love.
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“Watercolors” is aptly named after the medium that produces such beautiful results while being also merciless when it comes to mistakes. When it comes to living, it’s pretty much the same process and the mistakes cannot be undone, only layered on with hopefully not more mistakes. Either way, the result is uniquely human and filled with emotions and references that we can share universally.
Enter love. The first track of the album, “Be Still My Heart” starts off as a song of absolute deep love that makes one’s heart leap from joy out of control, as the song tenderly describes the loved one’s features. You won’t know what to do with that boundless love, and similarly, how to handle that deep grief described in the following song, “Eternally Blue”. Mistakes were made and as a result, that beautiful person is now in someone else’s life. Realizations of what really was right there within reach hurt bad.
A deep desire for connection runs through us, and it forms the foundation of “Heart Shaped World”, a song about a person wishing to find someone to let into his private realm, the world of his own. It’s followed by the album title track, which observes that deeply ingrained doubt making us cautious and uncertain of everything. Yearning for something more finds its beginning here to properly open up into the next song “Say My Name”, a friendship with one side wanting to spill his soul, and the other sadly not quite interested in that depth of connection.
The next two songs tell two different storied with music as their common theme. “Jobo” is of a street musician performing his songs with all of his soul, and how an RCA man tried to get him sign his soul away for unknown future benefits. The other, “Music For The Soul”, is a romantic slow song of people yearning and looking for a new connection on a night out dancing.
“Play The Fool” shifts the attention to failed relationship, specifically the kind where love has already gone and the only good choice left to do is accept the fact and move on. “Alibis” continues on a similar theme, but with a partner trying to iron their wrongdoings with lies and alibis.
The album ends on a mournful note, with “Ghosts” looking back at what was and the echoing remnants of them today. A sad yet loveful song for those, who have departed and now only exist as memories and their belongings.
Ray Johnson’s intimate storytelling and skill at turning rather difficult to explain emotions into easily felt songs has created a beautiful gentle album. Now that the days are long and dark (unless you live in South), the usually hidden emotions come out to tackle us. “Watercolors” can and will help soothing thy soul and invite to take a deeper introspective look into your own mind and its tangled emotions.
Listen to “Watercolors” now on your favourite platforms!
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🛑#ListenNow🛑The first track of the album "Watercolors" by Ray Johnson, "Be Still My Heart," opens as a song of deep, absolute love that makes one's heart leap with joy, tenderly describing the loved one's features.
⭐Stream on your favorite platform NOW! ⭐
— Jpgchief (@jpgchief.bsky.social) 2 de noviembre de 2026 a las 14:37
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You can find it in these Playlists: Less Than 1,000 Followers, Fresh Singles, 12 New Songs This Week, Chill – Folk – Acoustic, and Unknown but Essentials!
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