Johnny Blue Skies, the current nom de plume of the singer formerly known as Sturgill Simpson, is eyeing a March 13 release for his second studio album and first with his band the Dark Clouds, Mutiny After Midnight. The project will be released only on vinyl, CD and cassette by High Top Mountain Records/Atlantic Outpost.
Simpson previously released his 2016 breakthrough, A Sailor’s Guide to Earth, on Atlantic and says his return to the label is due to “new leadership and a new vision. This is a new and very different Atlantic Records than my last go-around. Mostly, I’m very excited and honored to be working with my dear friend [Atlantic Outpost co-head] Ian Cripps, and to finally bring to fruition a vision we initially shared together over ten years ago. I wrote words to what is happening in the world and my life in real time, and played with a group of musicians I deeply love and respect. Together, we made an album that is very fun and will hopefully offer some relief from darkness in the world.”
The new album was recorded at Black Keys member Dan Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound studio in Nashville and sports material that was written on the spot. “There’s a simple goal we as a band set out to achieve: to make a dance record,” Simpson says.
Mutiny After Midnight is the follow-up to Johnny Blue Skies’ 2024 debut, Passage du Desir. The artist toured extensively under the new moniker in 2025 and expressed frustration that concert promoters insisted on his real name being used to advertise the shows. So far, no new tour dates have been announced.
Here is the track list for Mutiny After Midnight:
Make America Fuk Again
Excited Delirium
Don’t Let Go
Stay on That
Viridescent
Situation
Venus
Everyone Is Welcome
Ain’t That a Bitch
