A Sailor's Guide To Earth marks the third full length release from modern country artist, Sturgill Simpson, a man who I have a lot of respect for after giving this new album of his an honest listen. He not only made a strong album, but also made a modern country album that doesn't spit in the face of decency or country music's past. That kind of sacrilege is all over country radio, but Sturgill on this album and his last album, decides to opt for a more refined and mature sound that does the genre justice.
This album has it's jams, like "Keep It Between The Lines", but it also has some achingly beautiful moments like "Breakers Roar" that really show how great a songwriter Sturgill is, and how a down tempo country song doesn't have to be about a cheating girlfriend, or an overly patriotic military tune. Instead of indulging in stereotypes and cliches, Sturgill opts to write a batch of tunes that are very personal, but are still relate-able; which leads to some really memorable moments. Especially the opener with the lines about his newborn son, or a personal favorite moment of mine where he mentions getting high while playing Goldeneye. It is a funny little line, but it makes Sturgill seem that much more relate-able and likable to me.
On top of being a very endearing LP, it also sounds fantastic. The production here is very clean, but there's still a lot of soul here, both literally a figuratively, such as on cuts like "All Around You". The instrumentals here are just so classy and well played, and they are kissed with horns and strings, but these elements are not overplayed and never overtake any of the tracks here. This is a very calculated record to be sure, but it never feels robotic or forced.
The only moment I wasn't loving was the track "Brace For Impact (Live A Little)" which just didn't grab me, but is still a well crafted tune regardless. However, with tunes like "Oh Sarah" and "Call To Arms" closing the album off, it is easy to forget any lesser moments that the album may possess. The album even has a bonafide country cover of Nirvana's "In Bloom", and Strugill manages to harness the bitterness of the song, but bring the volume and energy down to a near whisper and still pack punch.
This album is great from top to bottom, and that isn't something I get to say about most modern country releases.
8.8/10
No comments:
Post a Comment