Uncovering an alter ego, “Johnny Blue Skies,” Sturgill Simpson releases Passage Du Desir, fully encompassing and becoming Johnny Blue Skies. This album takes us through Skies’ story and introduces us to a well-versed person.

Starting this album is “Swamp of Sadness,” a very balanced and smooth track that sets the tone for the rest of the record. The production of this song layers ethereal guitar riffs and piano as Skies ties it all together with his voice like a bow on top of a present.

Staying smooth while bringing out some more energy, “If The Sun Never Rises Again” has a John Mayer sound as Skies’ voice bops with the rhythm of the instrumentation. The lyrics are entirely vulnerable yet confused, as Skies sings, “I still don’t know why you let me in / you know I hate to talk to the world / why can’t the dream go on forever?”

Standing out on “Scooter Blues” are the unserious lyrics to this lighthearted track. “Spending my mornings making chocolate milk and Eggos / my nights stepping on Legos / kick off my flip-flops and go for a run.” Skies is demonstrating light and fun lyricism on an otherwise complex album.

“Who I Am” is a very raw song about identity and the unknowing and unpredictability of the world. Going into identity, Skies softly sings at the song’s beginning, “I lost everything I am, even my name.” He is teased at the idea of his alter ego and reasoning for completely diving into this new person he has created for himself that he can control. “They don’t tell you when you’re born it’s gonna be this way / there’s days I ain’t okay / there’s nights I just wanna die / it’s too late now for therapy to save me.” This song is punching glass through what Simpson did not want to talk about, and now that it’s shattered open, Skies is expressing how low and helpless he feels.

The final track on the record, “One for the Road,” starts with an electric guitar that truly sounds like it is saying goodbye with every strum. The production of this song is a mixture of enthusiasm and sorrow wrapped together to close out this album.

Passage Du Desir is a great album. Sturgill Simpson’s alter ego, Johnny Blue Skies, takes over and encompasses his own meaningful story. Each song has its own identity and reasoning.