WTF happened to Sturgill Simpson

One thing to note about the latest Sturgill album (which I actually love) was that it was written to be performed live. He and his band are as tight as it gets live—can’t wait to see them again in May.
 
Never cared for him as many others did, but he went way off.

FWIW I think some problem just screw themselves when they make an album. Childers for example. I was really looking forward to his newest album based on his past songs and videos of new songs at concerts on YouTube. The songs recorded on his album are terrible compared to how they were first written and performed in concert. No heart or feeling, and sounds like too much smoke.
To me nothing ever is as good as just a man and his guitar. The best stuff Eric Church does is when he just brings out an acoustic and plays songs. I wish he would just do an album with just him and a guitar. It’d be better than anything on the radio. Or take this one for example. I don’t think anything on a Sturgill album is this good but I have not heard all his songs.
 
To me nothing ever is as good as just a man and his guitar. The best stuff Eric Church does is when he just brings out an acoustic and plays songs. I wish he would just do an album with just him and a guitar. It’d be better than anything on the radio. Or take this one for example. I don’t think anything on a Sturgill album is this good but I have not heard all his songs.
100% agree. The simpler the better. I really like many of the Tiny Desk Concerts for their simplicity.
 
I'm going to make it a point to listen to the new record three times all the way through at work today. See if I can catch the groove.
I listened to it a couple times on a long drive today and found half the songs to be decent. Ronin, Remember to Breathe, Make Art not Friends, and All Said and Done were good (not great, and far from his old stuff). The others I can do without.

Try to find a single good one on the album this gem is on: <hand plant>
 
At the risk of sounding like a pretentious prick, all great artists evolve. The stylistic jump from Meta-Modern to Sailor’s Guide was huge, and now so to Sound and Fury. Reminds me of Radiohead’s sonic progression from The Bends to OK Computer to Kid A. People were pissed when Kid A came out. And I’m not a strictly country guy by any means, so I don’t care if this album is a serious departure. I just think it’s good. I’m excited to see where Sturgill goes next—unless it’s Brian Wilson route.
 
At the risk of sounding like a pretentious prick, all great artists evolve. The stylistic jump from Meta-Modern to Sailor’s Guide was huge, and now so to Sound and Fury. Reminds me of Radiohead’s sonic progression from The Bends to OK Computer to Kid A. People were pissed when Kid A came out. And I’m not a strictly country guy by any means, so I don’t care if this album is a serious departure. I just think it’s good. I’m excited to see where Sturgill goes next—unless it’s Brian Wilson route.
Simpson said early on that he had a plan for 5 albums sketched out and that they would stretch genres:
Yes. I’m only making five albums. And they all do serve a cohesive narrative of a life journey of a human soul from a traditional Western perspective. So High Top Mountain was a seminal album or a past life, you can’t go home. Metamodern (Sounds in Country Music) was ethereal, literally like the soul’s journey through space. A Sailor’s Guide (To Earth) represents birth, and life lessons learning them. The next one is going to be about life and sin. We’re literally going to go to hell. And the fifth one will be returning to the light. Absolution.
He's also said that he's interested in doing other albums with other musicians, too ... so yeah, he's interested in making art, which makes his music interesting and not just the same formulaic pop-country that comes out of the Nashville machine. Different strokes for different folks and all.
 
@neffa3 Watch the Netflix anime that goes with the album. It was the first anime I’d ever watched but it made me appreciate the album much more.
We're leaving my TV time season quickly. I managed to get a hike in with the kids before dinner in the light last night... Turkey's should start talking in our canyon in the next couple of weeks. Any with the lack of snow this year, I should probably jump into some house/land projects. We'll see if it makes the cut this year or if it'll get tabled until next Dec.
 
I saw the Kid A tour in a meadow in St Mnt Ga in 2000 🤩. That's what my eyes looked like. Hands down the best live band of all time. And KISS of course.


At the risk of sounding like a pretentious prick, all great artists evolve. The stylistic jump from Meta-Modern to Sailor’s Guide was huge, and now so to Sound and Fury. Reminds me of Radiohead’s sonic progression from The Bends to OK Computer to Kid A. People were pissed when Kid A came out. And I’m not a strictly country guy by any means, so I don’t care if this album is a serious departure. I just think it’s good. I’m excited to see where Sturgill goes next—unless it’s Brian Wilson route.
 
Ok, I think most are missing the point. Sound and Fury is part of his animated movie project. I've been meaning to watch it.

I did hear the first couple of songs. I thought it was pretty good. Reminded me of Pink Floyd.

Also, I like that he isn't part the bubble gum outlaw country singer of the month club.
 
I took a listen the other night. Hot trash IMO but if he wants to get hopped up on shrooms and DMT then make his music go right ahead. It'll appeal to someone out there. Maybe he's just exploring new sounds that make him happy while blasting a couple fingers in his deuce hole? Either way I'm out on this album and won't be buying it.
 
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