Listened to the download over the weekend; gonna put on the vinyl asap. I love it. Sturgill has to be one of the ballsiest artists going right now - he's the only one where I'm looking forward to his next release on the basis that I have absolutely no idea what it will sound like or even what genre it will fall into.
I was texting with my friend Rev who knows Sturgill, and he said: I've only heard two songs, but it's definitely different. He's like that though, as soon as someone likes what he's doing too much, he's gonna want to change. He's been that way as long as I've known him. If you want Sturgill to do something, tell him he can't or shouldn't. If you want to have a real weird day, listen to the record Zac Brown released yesterday. Day after Sturgill's release. Listen to the song "Swayze" And remember this is the guy that brought the world Chicken Fried.
Great album. Fun listen right out of the box. Starts with a 70s AM radio friendly "Lunatic Fringe" sound, morphs into ELO's heavy metal cousin playing "Don't Bring Me Down," and proceeds to throw in some disco blended with hints of Black Sabbath and Primal Scream. He's obviously having fun with the effects pedals and I'm assuming his sound is Telecaster + Hiwatt, resulting in a Buck Owens meets The Who tone.
I hadn't read a thing about the album before listening to it on Tidal yesterday. To say it threw me for a loop is an understatement. I was so discombobulated I couldn't listen to the whole thing. Pulsing synthesizers? Screaming guitars? Who held a gun to Sturgill's head and forced him to play with Dinosaur Jr. and Keith Emerson? But I'm listening to it again now and it's like I didn't hear it at all the first time. It's clicking into place and I'm liking it. Gotta give him full marks for not being afraid to torch his old sound and blaze off in a new direction.
Spinning it again... getting addicted... it demands your full attention and you don't use it as background music... sit down with the album jacket and let it wash over you...
Crazy that this was recorded in Waterford, MI just down the road from me. Some nice lakes and good boating but otherwise it is suburban Detroit strip-mall hell.
Not surprising, given that it is the soundtrack for a 45-minute animated film. That is a couple of years worth of work.
the New York Times story said this album ended his two album contract and he had no plans for other music yet.
I think it's obvious he doesn't really need a record label anymore. Why do I get the feeling that there is a story that isn't being told about a record company refusing to accept an album for two years?
I watched the Netflix thing in hopes of a discrete 5.1 mix but no such luck. The visuals and the sound of the album worked well together I thought. I certainly appreciate Simpson's willingness to follow his muse wherever it takes him, that's a rare trait these days among major artists. The "less loud" bits I found the most interesting on this album, I just don't have much appetite for the heavy blues based riffing/soloing these days. Still, I hope his next step is as big as this one whichever direction it might be.
He may be saying that now, but he HAS to have more material. No way he was sitting around for 2 years and not writing/recording new material. Heck, I saw him live a little more than a year ago, and he was playing stuff not on any album. Also, the new album, while great, is kinda short, IMO.
Asides? You mean the instrumental that opens it and the effects that lead one track into another? It's part of the album. Better this length that 75 minutes.
Enjoying this album - he made a successful pivot from his c&w sound. Really liking it -- and I really enjoyed his first 3 albums as well.
My drive to work is 40 minutes so that is the perfect length (41 is close enough). If an album is going to be longer than that, it should be 80 minutes....otherwise it gets too complicated.
Watched Sound & Fury on Netflix and really liked it. The only thing that keeps me from picking up the LP and / or CD is the "feeling" this is gonna be an item that pretty soon will get released with bonus content. Not sure how those Netflix deals work but isn't likely than within a few months there will be a re-release with a combi format: DVD or BR together with CD / LP soundtrack + some "marbles" like postcards, posters, special packaging, additional bonus content? I love many 20, 25, 40 year anniversary editions but hate re-releases within a few months or a year or so.
