Sturgill Simpson Sails A Sea of Country-Soul On ‘A Sailor’s Guide to Earth’ (ALBUM REVIEW)

Sturgill Simpson

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asailorsguidetoearthSturgill Simpson has emerged as a standout in a new breed of country music artists who harken back to a purer sound in the genre’s history. He’s got that old school vibe with Waylon’s masculine grit and George Jones’ cowboy romanticism. And on his much anticipated new record A Sailor’s Guide to Earth, he continues to carry the torch of his heroes while bringing more of a contemporary soulful twist that reminds us not to get too comfortable with the Sturgill we already know. Instead, we should embrace his adventurous creative spirit and restless mind, and stay curious about where he is now and where he’s headed in the future.

A Sailor’s Guide to Earth finds Simpson exploring fatherhood (he and his wife recently had their first son) – the humor, the wisdom, the mistakes and the successes. Perhaps the most full frontal track within this theme is the groove-heavy “Keep it Between the Lines”, a warm blast of pure Simpson-brand country with a bombastic horn section (thanks to The Dap-Kings) and swirling steel guitar. It’s soul-country at its best, as Simpson imparts a long list of crucial life lessons onto his boy. “Don’t sweat the small stuff,” the R&B-tinged backup harmonies repeat. This song is a damn good time, and reassures us we can still boogie to Simpson’s music. “Motor oil is motor oil/Just keep the engine clean/Keep your eyes on the prize/Everything will be fine/Stay in school/Stay off the hard stuff/and keep it between the lines,” he sings in his manly drawl. Only Simpson could make such practical advice sound so cool.

Simpson doesn’t shy away from full-on Memphis grooves this time around. He manages to keep his country sound classic, but shift our way of thinking about it in a neat little box and amp it up with undeniably catchy R&B tones. Opening track “Welcome to Earth (Pollywog)” may be one of the grooviest, beginning as a sweeping, epic ballad and, somewhere in the middle, breaking out into an almost otherworldly beat. Though this song finds him reflecting on both welcoming a son and his own experience in the Navy, you’ll find it hard to keep from ass-shaking to it.

Many of the sounds on A Sailor’s Guide to Earth have that otherworldly quality – fantastical and beautifully strange. In his arrangements, he employs strings and steel guitar in a sweet, fluid blend, especially on the heartbreaking cover of Nirvana’s “In Bloom”. And the bass on “Oh Sarah” plays off the symphonic melody to create intrigue and mystery in the background of Simpson’s lyrics about the challenges of marriage.

A Sailor’s Guide to Earth is a stellar record – an early contender for best of 2016 – and the moment at which you realize that may differ from other listeners. But for this one, it came with the last tune on the album, “Call to Arms”, an explosive protest song about the sorry state of the world. “Bullshit on the TV/Bullshit on the radio…Bullshit’s got to go!” he screams, so excitedly you’ll find yourself getting sucked right into this statement-making lyrics and joining him in his crusade against the phonies. Not to mention, this tune may be the album’s catchiest and most vibrant, with a groove that is sure to turn you into Jell-O on the dance floor.

Sturgill Simpson is not be sticking to anyone’s script, and this is why he’s one of the most compelling artists making music right now.

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