Marty Stuart and his almost two decades-running band Fabulous Superlatives have continually impressed with their command of multiple genres and Stuart’s expert guitar skills. With their new album Altitude, the band is broadening its magical intersection of cosmic country and twang, the psychedelic and the traditional, the expected and the unexpected.
The songs here were primarily written on the road, inspired by Stuart’s support of Byrds co-founders Roger McGuinn and Chris Hillman for the 50th-anniversary tour of their Sweetheart of the Rodeo. Get your headphones on for the blistering, guitar-rich “Lost Byrd Space Train (Scene 1)” as Stuart plays Byrds guitarists Clarence White’s original B-Bender telecaster, weaving lines with Cousin Kenny Vaughan’s telecaster and Chris Scruggs’ pedal steel. The band keeps the energy full throttle in the tongue-in-cheek, twangy, full-throated harmonies infused “Country Star.” Vaughan’s custom 12-string forms the perfect backdrop for the three-part vocal harmonies in an uplifting tune that ironically speaks to the isolation of the pandemic in “Sitting Alone.” Vaughn’s propensity for surf guitar drives the exhilarating “Friend of Mine” where he and Stuart riff off one another. Stuart picks, of all things, a sitar on “Space,” a tune played as the final encore in the show this writer attended. It was a stunning move, playing a new song from an album three weeks from its release date to a revved-up audience. The song itself puts Stuart’s rich tenor vocal front and center, as he states the universal theme of uneasiness and longing for escape – “I just need some space…to be free.”
The title track brings in the tradition as Stuart invites guests Hargus “Pig” Robbins (piano), Gary Carter (steel guitar), Aubrey Haynie (fiddle) and Billy Contreras (fiddle) to join the swinging party. Sadly, this was one of the last performances for the renowned Robbins. “Vegas” captures that indelible cosmic country vibe long associated with the Byrds and seamlessly adapted by Stuart’s four-piece unit. “The Sun Is Quietly Sleeping” frames the group’s distinctive four-part vocal harmonies with Sam Bacco’s vibraphone and string quartet (Kris Wilkinson, Sari Reist, David Angell, David Davidson). Remarkably, the string quartet remains for the up-tempo “Lost Byrd Space Train (Scene 1),” along with pianist Jim “Moose” Brown. These same guests make it a trifecta for the easy swaying “Nightriding” – “Slipping and a Sliding, Peepin’ and a Hide and Ride.”
The chugging story song “Tomahawk” features Vaughn playing a stratosphere guitar (whatever that is, it’s surely rocking here) and Scruggs’ slapping bass. The over-the-top joyous “Time to Dance” has Stuart and vocalist/drummer Harry Stinson shouting over a dense guitar cacophony. And, in a jolting segue, Stuart sings calmly in the gentle acoustic, confessional “The Angels Came Down,” claiming it’s the most honest song on the record as he expresses gratefulness for being spared the darkness. There’s just nowhere to go after that one except to cast the distant sound of a train whistle in “Lost Byrd Space Train (Epilogue).”
Marty Stuart is one of a handful of artists who never makes a bad, or even a mediocre album. Each is a different statement and stands on its own merits. He’s quoted as saying “…the most outlaw thing you can possibly do in Nashville right now is play country music…there’s still a few of us left who know how to do it.” If that sounds like braggadocio, listen up and/or go to a show lest you need any further convincing.
