Credits:

Passage Du Desir

Description:

“Gonna hop on my scooter, go down to the store/When people say, Are you him? Ill say, Not anymore.” This passage from “Scooter Blues” isnt the only time Sturgill Simpson sings about leaving his old name and persona behind on Passage du Desir, the first album hes released as Johnny Blue Skies. Simpson adopted Johnny Blue Skies after a vocal cord hemorrhage during the supporting tour for The Ballad of Dood & Juanita, an injury that left the singer without a voice and with a deep depression. A move to Paris revived his spirits, leading to his rebirth as Johnny Blue Skies. The very title of Passage du Desir hints at Simpsons new home, as do the faint continental accordions that usher in the record, but the remarkable thing about this 2024 album is that it in no way feels as if hes running away from his past. Theres a cool breeze blowing through Passage du Desir, a mellowness that takes the edge