Saturday Spins Vol. 32

Johnny Blue Skies' Passage Du Desir

Every Saturday I use the Discogs Randomizer Gizmo to pick a record from my collection and write about it here.

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This week on Saturday Spins the Randomizer decided to put forth a new LP by Sturgi—er Johnny Blue Skies. Having previously noted that he was done releasing albums as Sturgill Simpson, I personally fretted that we’d heard all that was to be heard. Couple that with his burgeoning acting career, and I feared the worst for one of the best singer-songwriters of my generation. Thankfully all of my fears were extinguished when he announced a new album under a new moniker, Johnny Blue Skies.

Sturgill fans have seen that name before on some liner notes, at least those of us that don’t rely on streaming and that still listen to, ya know, albums as they were meant to be listened to. Much like Dylan’s “Jack Frost” producer alter ego, Johnny Blue Skies is Sturgill Simpson’s alter ego.

Coming in at 41 minutes and 8 songs, this album has to be designed to make fans want MORE. I gotta say, I want to hear more Johnny Blue Skies after playing this one front to back and then a few more times after that. The sound on here is crisp, resonant, and very reminiscent of country rock of the late 60s and early 70s. Lyrically he writes about longing, love, and the general feeling of melancholy mixed with some nostalgia.

My copy is the metallic gold indie exclusive with the Stoughton old style tip on jacket with the artwork being a black and white photograph of unknown origins. I will note that the back cover photography was done by someone going by the name “Dreez Nutz”—an 80-grade nickname if I have ever heard one. Also surprisingly the second best on printed on this jacket, because Johnny Blue Skies is pretty damn good.

Some of the highlights for me are “Scooter’s Blues”, "If the Sun Never Rises Again", "Jupiter's Faerie", “Mint Tea”, and "One for the Road". Although, I would go ahead and say that this is a no skips record, but after several listens I have found myself humming a long to the above-listed songs more frequently. “Mint Tea” sounds like some classic Sturgill Simpson to me, while “Jupiter’s Faerie” and “One for the Road” clock in at seven and a half and nine minutes respectively with some extended jams and guitar solos.

I wish you all a great weekend and recommend you put this album on to make it even better. It’s going to be unseasonably warm in my neck of the woods this weekend, perfect for porch-sittin’, beer drinking, and Johnny Blue Skies.