Maurice Hope – June 21, 2016 at 03:25PM
Tags:_AMERICANA
Americana singer-songwriter Sturgill Simpson’s follow up to acclaimed award-winning records High Top Mountain (2013) and Metamodern Sounds In Country Music (2014) he has released a concept album, a rarity in itself these days in A Sailor’s Guide To Earth. Written from the perspective of a sailor who goes off to sea, leaving behind him a wife and child he may never sea again.
Surprise package A Sailor’s Guide To Earth has an impressive set of players assist Simpson; one that includes Dave Roe (bass guitar), Laur Joamets (electric guitar), Dan Dugmore (steel guitar), Robert Emmett (organ, wurlitzer), Miles Miller (drums) and Jefferson Crow (piano) plus strings, horns and believe it or not, on the final track “Call To Arms” you have bagpipes from Dougie Wilkinson.
Musically, I can safely say it isn’t what most people would expect after the music of his first two albums. For the man who has been likened to Waylon Jennings and Hank Williams Jr has forgone a great deal of those traits for one possessing a greater diversity. But like he says, ‘I’m never going to make anything other than a country record. As soon as I open my mouth, it’s going to be a country record’, his vocals and easy as an old shoe embrace of a lyric will see to that’. And there is a great deal of truth in what he says.
Simpson was inspired to write and record the material of A Sailor’s Guide To Earth in part through the birth of his son a couple of years ago and how after always living out of a bag, working a number of jobs (for the Utah railroad etc…) before turning to music he was torn. Between watching his son grow and earning a living out on the road playing music. Listening a great deal to Bill Withers and Marvin Gaye also played a huge part, not only in the style of music but respective artistic style. In making this album Simpson has shown he is not only able to perform before the sound of pedal steel guitar but the more lush sounds of Motown, a little Stax and more. He is the complete professional, and is still very much country to the bone!
Among the choice cuts you have the funky “Keep It Between The Lines” and better still “Sea Stories” and soothing soulful gem “All Around You” plus there is even a cover of Kurt Cobain’s “In Bloom”. Steeped in horns it enjoys a remarkable turnaround as he implants a mellow serenity to the proceedings. Next time around I fully expect Simpson to be back in the groove he pricked the ears of more than a few otherwise tired and weary followers of country music was during the 1970s (Outlaw country).
Maurice Hope
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