Ladies and Gentlemen, please allow us to introduce Johnny Blue Skies, the new incarnation of iconic Nashville renegade Sturgill Simpson, and his new album “Passage Du Desir”. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London and Clement House Recording Studio in Nashville, the album signifies the start of a new chapter for the artist, who had previously committed to releasing just five studio albums under the moniker Sturgill Simpson. 

From the very first listen, this new album, the first by Simpson in three years, is once again an intriguing exploration of metamodern melancholy, reminiscent of an early Roy Orbison.

Johnny Blue Skies takes us through grief, previous setbacks, and unreachable ambitions from the moment the pen meets paper on this album. Listeners are left feeling raw, perhaps even vulnerable by the artists intense honesty. As sorrow flows like the Canal Saint-Martin, he presses for admission on “Right Kind of Dream,” using his sublime vocal talents like never before, making this among his most captivating recordings to date thanks to his understanding and abilities of how to use his vocals to convey modern sensitivities.

“You can turn the page or you can light the book on fire and dance around the flames. You can try to live above hell or you can just go raise some. Here’s to clean livin’ and dirty thinking.”

Using a layered effect, Johnny Blue Skies evokes a cosmic remoteness with his softer, exposed voice. As if trying to escape the immense pain, he sounds to be physically detaching himself from it. “One for the Road” transitions from symphonic country-rock to guitars sobbing during the course of its nearly nine-minute breakup song. Think Jim Steinman, but instead of his symphonic power ballads with an operatic rock singer from Texas, his muse would be Johnny Blue Skies, complete with strings and a retro country feel, straight out of Studio B at RCA circa 1978.

His more powerful moments, like the chorus of “Jupiter’s Faerie,” bring out his voice’s imperfections and add depth to the album in the same movement, before “If the Sun Never Rises Again” is chilled rock meets blue-eyed soul allowing us time to rest and reflect before moving on deeper into “Passage Du Desir”.

The album is peppered with rich and lively background music that complements Johnny Blue Skies singing, with his cosmic metamodern theme continuing to feature through songs like   “Mint Tea”, which is inviting and euphoric country music for listeners old and new, while the albums opening track, “Swamp of Sadness,” sets the tone, with haunting accordion melodies and Simpson’s vulnerable vocals. 

Even though it’s not officially an album by Sturgill Simpson, “Passage Du Desir” showcases Simpson’s talent while performing as Johnny Blue Skies. Seemingly heralding a new beginning and a return to metamodern country sounds, his music has taken an alternate trajectory recently, and we as listeners are richer and rewarded by it.

“Passage Du Desir” takes its cue from Johnny Blue Skies and invites listeners to explore the depths of despair, to the point where the album is so good, the sorrow and despair can’t help but be replaced by the unique joy and elation that music can bring. This record will take you on an emotional journey through the complex web of desire and need, regardless of whether you are a complete novice or a lifelong fan. 

Ladies and Gentlemen, Johnny Blue Skies has arrived and the world of country music may never be the same again.

An album of moonlit tapestry spun from strands of love, loss, and meditation, “The Light, The Beautiful Liar,” is Riley Catherall’s sophomore offering. Catherall takes listeners on a journey through the dark recesses of his soul with every song, where the echoes of love lost echo through the night.

Catherall’s songwriting is a delicate interplay between openness and lyrical expression. Under a starry sky, his songs sound like secret confessions. In the song “Bark At The Moon,” he sings, “The night dies with the dawn here, a new day breaks on the pavement, and I haven’t changed enough. I’m a broke down believer.” All the pain of yearning is captured in these lines—the frantic hope that the night will somehow provide answers.

Light and sorrow are themes that Catherall returns to throughout the record. A love that flourishes under the moonlight but withers away in the light of day is shown vividly in “Coming Down, Coming Over”, whilst the songs reference to the albums title in its lyrics encapsulates the ambivalent charm of deceit, illustrating how love may assume the form of truth until the break of morning exposes its flimsy facade. The vulnerability of love, how it often crumbles in the light of day, is captured in his singing, with a voice that stays, leaving a trail of yearning.

Catherall creates an evocative sonic environment in tandem with producer Damian Cafarella, reflecting the ideas explored throughout the record. An intimate yet vast audio canvas is created by the production’s combination of acoustic warmth and electronic edges. Imagine two friends being on a moonlit hill, surveying a wide emotional landscape whilst sharing a cigarette, a bottle of red wine and a blanket around your shoulders. That’s how it feels.

An example of this equilibrium between producer and artist is “South Of Somewhere”. The sweeping melody on the electric guitar makes one think of interstate highways and hidden partnerships. Every note rings true because of Cafarella’s touch and fused with Catherall’s sublime vocals. The song’s tempo, which ranges from calm to fast, leads us through the maze of the night.

You should listen to “The Light, The Beautiful Liar” while you’re alone. It’s the perfect background music for moonlit strolls, hidden whispers, driving in the rain and times when you are trying to understand the inexplicable pain of love. As Catherall’s whispered vocals lull us into slumber, we are transported to a world where stars and memories dance together and the soul battles its own demons.

As the last chords die out, a paradox remains: the allure of deceit, the light that shows and conceals. Maybe that’s when we connect with the night’s secrets, our own beautiful liars, and the lovers we’ve lost, and if you let “The Light, The Beautiful Liar” be your guide, you won’t be alone.

With its contagious energy and captivating choruses, “Good Night,” the next single by Australian country music sensation Cassidy Rae, is already blazing over the airways and celebrates those carefree nights spent outdoors with friends, when music plays, stories are shared, and memories are created.

You can’t help but be captivated by “Good Night” the moment you hear its pop-country fusion, and its infectious rhythm will have you tapping your foot in no time. The distinctive voice of Cassidy Rae are heard throughout, accompanied by her astute lyrics co-written with powerhouse songwriters Michael Delorenzis and Michael Paynter from MSquared, as Rae paints a picture of a fantastic nighttime celebration.

Listening to “Good Night” feels like being a part of a larger event. It captures the spirit of freedom and youth and serves as the soundtrack to every wonderful night on the town. Cassidy Rae has created perhaps her most upbeat song ever with its combination of country twang and pop polish and it’s sure to be a hit on any playlist.

As Cassidy Rae’s “Good Night” starts to rise in the charts, it’s becoming more apparent that this is one artist whose music speaks to people of all generations, as she makes the kind of songs that makes you want to throw your cares to the wind and live in the now. With its upbeat melody and infectious party spirit, “Good Night” is sure to become a crowd favourite and to be celebrated every time you catch Cassidy Rae on the road.

Let “Good Night” transport you to all the most memorable evenings of your life by cranking up the volume.