Elijah Johnston: ‘Soul’ Man

With his boyish looks and knack for pop melodicism, Elijah Johnston could be the long, lost son of Ron Sexsmith.

And on his second Strolling Bones Records release, Stupid Soul, the Atlanta-based singer-songwriter continues to evolve his craft two years removed from his critically acclaimed debut Hometown Vampire.

The 12-track LP was produced in Athens, GA at The Zoo by Tommy Trautwein, where Johnston punches up his influences — The Beach Boys, Todd Rundgren, R.E.M. — to craft tunes that search for moments of grace during dark times.

On Stupid Soul, Johnston is joined by Gideon Johnston, Drew Beskin, Tommy Trautwein, as well as Aidan Hill of Hotel Fiction on a rendition of Bruce Springsteen’s “Valentine’s Day,” and Jordan Reynolds of Rose Hotel on the song “Everything We Hold Dear.” It was Johnston’s aim to spotlight everyone’s unique contributions and emphasize their particular dynamic as a band. 

“Even though it’s just one person’s name, it’s super collaborative,” Johnston explains. “People have asked me, ‘Why don’t you just come up with a band name?’ And the only real answer I have is that it’s too late. We’re too far down the track.”

Rock & Roll Globe had the chance to catch up with Elijah via email to speak about Stupid Soul, Bruce and the Bible.

 

What inspired your cover of Springsteen’s “Valentine’s Day”?

My bandmates Gideon and Aidan play in another band called Hotel Fiction, and that song had become very important to them because of a sentimental moment they shared while touring with that band a couple years ago. They told me their sweet connection to it while we were on tour playing my music, and I was struck by how relatable and relevant it is to anyone who has a dream or has to spend time on the road away from their loved ones for music. We decided to learn the song for a show we played on Valentine’s Day, and it stuck. We felt like it fit with the larger themes of the record and it had become a signature part of our live show, so it only felt right to add it to the record.

How did you arrive at your appreciation for Tunnel of Love?

Primarily through looping it on tour! It’s such a fascinating record, and I love hearing Bruce lean into pop textures while being so alienated and isolated, both romantically and from his band. It feels like it brings out a bitterness and realness from him that I find fascinating.

 

Which of the seven lost albums from Tracks II are you most looking forward to and why?

LA Garage Sessions. That’s my favorite era of Bruce, so I’m curious to see behind that curtain.

 

What informed the direction or directions you took on Stupid Soul?

90s rock, old-school power pop, kitschy early 2000s teen movie soundtrack staples. I was interested in big hooks and relatable feelings; anything that felt timeless or classic without overindulging in nostalgia.

 

What is the story behind the album’s title?

There’s a passage in the Bible (Romans 7:15-20) that was quoted at me often when I was young about how people will often do the things they don’t want to do. Whether your interpretation of it is related to concepts like sin or the less spiritual idea of Id/Ego/Superego, I think we can all relate to feeling like we have another voice or side to ourselves that’s keeping us from being our best selves all the time. I wanted to communicate a humility, and I’ve found the album title seems to disarm people a bit, which is an ideal posture for listening to the record. You can’t take someone too seriously who calls themselves stupid in the album title.

 

What came first for you with Stupid Soul — the lyrics or the music? Please elaborate.

I’m generally a melody-first writer. The best songs are written all at once, where phrases fit a melody I can’t shake. There’s a couple tracks here that are lyric first (“Leonard”, “I Know What You Did Last Summer”) but generally the songs begin with a hummed melody or a guitar line.

 

What do you miss about living in Athens, GA? How’s Atlanta treating you? 

I miss my friends, the restaurants, and everything being so close. Atlanta is lovely! I think it gets a bad wrap, but I enjoy it. Everything moves so fast and there’s so much motion that when I’m in Athens, I often feel like I’m moving in slo-mo, for better and worse.

 

VIDEO: Elijah Johnston “Ideas”

Tell me about Tommy Trautwein and the experience of working with him on this album.

Tom is one of the first people to ever ask to be part of my music, and he’s been a part of it ever since. He was initially just a guy I was friends with; we were shocked to learn the other made music in their spare time. In addition to being the producer, he’s the primary bassist on the record, and he’s one of the smartest musical minds I’ve ever met. He’s never met a hook that he couldn’t make catchier or a riff he couldn’t make cleaner. This was our fourth full length album together, and we’ve developed a shorthand and a working rhythm that keeps everything smooth and focused.

 

What are your plans to tour the album?

We head out in August on a tour that will take us to the midwest and northeast for most of the month! We’re thankfully able to get on the road a bit more than last time, and looking forward to even more touring afterwards.

 

What do you think comprises a great pop song in 2025?

The lyrics need to make sense 85% of the time; anything too didactic is boring. Can I sing the instrumental riff? If the answer is no, it’s too complicated. Do I get the sense that the song could take over my mind and pilot my body like a mech suit? That’s the power I’m searching for; this is what I require from pop music in the year of our Lord 2025.