If You Can’t Be Happy for Sturgill Simpson Now, You’ll Never Be a Happy Music Fan
When I started Saving Country Music in 2008, one of the founding goals was to turn the tables on the order that decided what performers were allowed to benefit from the institutions of popular media such as radio, television, charts, mainstream websites, and awards shows. It seemed like such an injustice that the amazingly-talented artists in the country and roots underground were relegated to playing bars for only a handful of folks, while the hacks of the mainstream were given such unadulterated access to the masses.
It took the better part of a decade to upset that apple cart, and when we first started that long and difficult ascent, it was very present of mind that our ultimate goal might possibly never be realized. Who seriously thought that products of an underground music scene or independent labels would ever be considered for the top distinctions at the Grammy Awards, or get to play Saturday Night Live? Yet now we are living in a moment where such opportunities are being doled out on a regular basis, and not just to one artist, but to a host of independent-minded, radio-ignored country and roots stars like Sturgill Simpson, Margo Price, The Alabama Shakes, and Jason Isbell, all of whom feel like they’re on the verge of superstardom themselves, while Chris Stapleton is already there.
So here we are, having spent nearly a decade climbing up the face of a mountain we thought we may never reach the apex of, and what is one of the last obstacles we’re facing? The small, but very vocal minority of independent and underground fans that not only seem to resent this newfound success for the top level of independent acts, but who are speaking out in strong opposition to their success, and would undermine it if possible.
A long perspective gained by zooming out from the present tense is necessary here. If 10 years ago someone had told you that eventually country artists who have never seen significant radio play would be earning #1 records on the Billboard Country Albums chart, or receiving major Grammy nominations, you would have called them crazy. In fact many people did when these goals for independent artists were laid out those many years ago. We were told charts and awards were insignificant, and the industry would never let independent artists into their exclusive club. 10 years ago, we would have been tickled to death, and felt incredibly lucky and privileged if any of our favorite artists would even be considered for major industry distinctions. We wouldn’t be concerned if the candidate wasn’t country enough, or wasn’t 100% the perfect choice in our minds.
Yet this is what is dogging Sturgill Simpson as he finds a second wind behind the release of his latest album A Sailor’s Guide to Earth, and as it prepares to go to battle with names like Adele, Beyoncé, and Justin Bieber for the Grammy’s Album of the Year, and is also a front runner for Country Album of the Year.
I can remember when I was in middle and high school and how I hated on the popular music of the day for no other reason than it was popular. I understand, trust me. This wrongful mindset is the bane of the audiophile, and is so very common. For some reason, the more popular music gets, the worse it sounds to many of the people that make up the very grassroots that independent and underground artists need to grow towards success in lieu of aid of the radio or popular media. It’s a common theme throughout music—a band gets big and it turns off their core fans base. It’s because as an independent fan, you don’t want to fight through big crowds to see your favorite artists. You love the sense of exclusivity between you and your friends and your favorite bands when the fan base hovers around the hundreds. You’ve learned to distrust and disapprove of the industry. But this is also one of the reasons it’s difficult for independent music to sustain its prominence in the mainstream once it gets there.
I also understand the frustration of some country music fans that all of this stuff is happening for Sturgill Simpson only after he put out his most non-country record yet. As I have said before, you have every right to be disappointed that Sturgill Simpson didn’t release a full-blown country record. But as a fan of Sturgill Simpson, of independent-minded music, of the cause of every underground artist to find enough attention for their art to be able to make a sustainable living from it, you should be celebrating these moments of success, because so many have worked so hard to achieve them, and as history reminds us, they can be incredibly fleeting.
Sturgill Simpson’s success isn’t his own, it is all of ours: the independent country and roots artists, the fans, the venues, the festivals, the managers and booking agents, the indie labels that have clawed forward for years hoping that just one of their artists could break through the oligarchical stonewall that is supposed to keep artists like Sturgill Simpson out of the top echelons of music. Regardless if he’s your ideal champion, he is one of us, and one of you; an underdog, a malcontent, and somehow he made to the top.
Yet I’ve seen people say his recent album is no better than Sam Hunt since it isn’t pure country, or saying that if we’re happy with the success of Sturgill, we must re-evaluate our hatred for Luke Bryan and Florida Georgia Line because Sturgill’s ostensibly no different now. Others are questioning the charge of Saving Country Music for championing Sturgill after he so clearly let us all down, not understand that this is an artist we’ve been championing for nearly seven years now.
Are Beyoncé fans crying foul and going rogue because she released an album that purportedly includes a country song and a rock song? Are her fans tearing her down because she disrespected her native genre? Are they crying, “That’s not pop and hip-hop”? Are they saying the distinctions for her are meaningless because she’s not their ideal candidate to succeed and it should be someone else? No, the pop and hip-hop communities are rallying behind Beyoncé because she’s their champion, and that’s their job as hip-hop fans, just as it’s the job of country and independent fans to rally behind Sturgill Simpson.
If you liked Sturgill Simpson’s first two records, regardless of how you feel about A Sailor’s Guide to Earth, and you can’t be happy that is Saturday Night Live performance went viral, or that he’s contending for Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards, or even more so if all this stuff makes you angry, then you will never be happy in music. You will always feel like the industry is short changing you and your favorite artists. There is a lot of pride in anger and being the everlasting underdog, I know. But if you can’t feel a sense of achievement here, you never will.
Sturgill Simpson hasn’t only said he intends to make more country records, he’s said, “In 10 years I’ll be the biggest country star on this planet. … And there’s nothing they can do to stop that.” And if you doubt Sturgill Simpson at his word, then you have no idea about the kernel of passion inside of him that has put him this far ahead of the curve already. As someone who’s followed Sturgill Simpson’s career from the depths of obscurity to today, I still believe his biggest moments and best music lay in the future.
So the dude took a side junket on his country music career to make a record for his son and family. Nail him to the cross for crying out loud. A Sailor’s Guide to Earth did not make Saving Country Music’s Top 10 in 2016 (though it did make the Top 20). Sure, it would have been nice if all of this acclaim would have come for one of his first two records. But that isn’t going to stop me from rooting for him come Grammy night, even though it’s almost certain he will lose (unless the Dark Horse theory emerges).
Nonetheless, I will cheer, I will be happy. Because ten years ago we couldn’t fathom moments like these. And with the fickleness of the music industry and the fleeting nature of success, you may not ever get chances like this again.
Cooper
January 25, 2017 @ 8:50 am
Couldn’t have said it better myself. Bravo, Trig.
Nick
January 25, 2017 @ 9:12 am
Sturgill is a once in a generation artist who is going to push the boundaries of any genre in which he creates music (Metamodern Sounds in Country Music). His new record is a true masterpiece that spans like 4 different genres. In addition, his songs all have a deeper meaning than surface level shit. He’s a true genius. I hope he trends back towards traditional country and chooses to push the boundaries within the genre. I am hoping for a country opera in the vain Tommy. He was quoted in a Rolling Stone interview throwing out the idea of his next album being a love story from the old west. He’s probably just trying to honey dick us but I would love it. Any music he creates I am all in on.
The Ghost of Buckshot Jones
January 25, 2017 @ 9:14 am
But now that other people like the music I like, how can I passive-aggressively assert my superiority on facebook?
Also, it has horns! Horns!
PB
January 26, 2017 @ 8:22 pm
(Re-The Ghost Of Buckshot Jones) You could say “Sturgill ain’t shit compared to Hellbound Glory.”
Kross
January 25, 2017 @ 9:23 am
I’m happy for Stugil for sure, but he doesn’t need a grammy to validated. Remember these are the same people that once gave Milli Vanilli a Grammy.
Trigger
January 25, 2017 @ 9:59 am
I agree. But they’re going to give out those Grammy Awards to someone. It might as well be to folks who deserve them.
Nate
January 25, 2017 @ 3:50 pm
“I still think awards are stupid. But they’d be less stupid if they went to the right people.” – Ron Swanson
Keith R. Hoyt
January 25, 2017 @ 8:38 pm
Lol???
Aaron
January 25, 2017 @ 9:27 am
You nailed it when you said, “you will never be a MUSIC fan.”
You can be a Country Music fan and not give two shits about Sailor’s Guide to Earth. You can be a huge country music fan and not listen to anything more recent than Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys. But if you are a MUSIC fan, and you can appreciate music that’s not your favorite genre, and you don’t like Sailor’s Guide to Earth, then you have terrible taste in music, period. And yes we’re all judging you for your terrible taste; deal with it.
I liken it to people who say “I love craft beer, but not lagers, porters, or stouts. Or bitters or pales. Well really I only like double IPA’s. But I’m a craft beer fan!” and then go and tell people, “this stout is terrible.” You aren’t a BEER fan, you are an IPA fan.
So that’s my rant. If you are purely and only a country music fan, keep spinning Hightop Mountain (it’s a great fucking album… really… I listen it it once a week or so), and in the meantime cry in your beer and wait for Sturgill’s next country record. If you are a music fan, get ready because this trip is only gonna get better.
Acca Dacca
January 25, 2017 @ 10:43 am
People who tell others that they have terrible taste in music and should or shouldn’t like certain albums/artists aren’t music FANS, either. They’re music elitists. I’ve had people discount the whole genre of country music and its cultural contributions and then turn around and praise Sailor’s Guide. Forgive me if I don’t find their opinions to be terribly astute just because their precious little albums are designated as “good” and they think they have “good taste.”
I think the album is perfectly heartfelt and a true expression of Sturgill in and of himself for his son. But that doesn’t mean I “have” to like it.
jtrpdx
January 26, 2017 @ 1:09 pm
Acca – I agree somewhat….but I think the broader point is that if you are open minded and educated enough to truly evaluate music in general from an unbiased perspective, there is pretty much no way you can look at ASGTA and not recognize / respect the fact that there is some damn good songwriting and arranging on it. You can still say you prefer not to listen to it because you only listen to more straightforward formulaic country, but you should still be able to recognize what makes it unique and great. That is why most people are pretty quick to dismiss the folks who think they are being so edgy and hardcore “country” by putting their foot down and saying they love Sturgill’s first two records, but the third is complete crap. I think the original poster was just pointing out that people who fall into this camp can’t really be taken seriously when it comes to critiques of music because it is obvious that something makes them unable to objectively look at things that steer a little bit outside of the “true country” parameters they have in their own mind.
Jim
January 25, 2017 @ 9:29 am
He’s never going to be my favorite – but I just watched the two songs he did on SNL and they were fanfreakingtastic, and he shoots his mouth off about Nashville and Merle Haggard. The guy’s name is good in my book.
Who are these people badmouthing him? I don’t see much press about the guy, but when I do it’s all very positive. Comments on articles? Those don’t count. (I realize the irony that I am posting this in the comments to an article.)
Trigger
January 25, 2017 @ 10:03 am
The opposition to Sturgill’s success is definitely a small minority, but it is a minority that is for some reason hell bent on stopping him, and discrediting anyone who might advocate for his music. But Sturgill is just one case. We saw this same thing happen with Cris Stapleton. If Margo Price and Cody Jinks blow up next year, it will happen to them. It’s more this attitude that we can never be happy in music that I’m challenging here, because it will rear its ugly head again as these artists continue to receive more recognition.
Jim
January 25, 2017 @ 10:11 am
Okay, I was just wondering if this post had been directed at a specific news outlet. This makes sense though.
I’m glad he’s getting the recognition he gets. I like the guy. In contrast, Chris Stapleton does absolutely nothing for me, and with all the posting you were doing about him and his detractors I did start to wonder whether I actually didn’t like him or if I was just being contrarian.
CountryCharm
January 25, 2017 @ 9:31 am
Sturgill wants to be the biggest country star in the world but his late success might have shown him that his current take on the genre is what’s going to get him there instead of returning to a more traditionalist sound. Hopefully older fans will stick by him if that’s the road he chooses to take not that it matter since he keeps making new ones.
IMO people are too hung up on labels. Beyoncé’s fans rally around her because they enjoy her music. They’re not worried if she bends genres. Music and artists evolve. If you limit yourself to stuff that’s ‘traditional’ you are missing out.
Stork
January 25, 2017 @ 11:11 am
I disagree. Sturgill will make whatever album he feels like making, regardless of every people think, and it will be good. I realize that a lot of people were turned off by the stax sound, big production album he released last year, but I think that’s out of his system.
Music lovers recognize real music. I’m 22 and one of the few people I know with a deep understanding and appreciation for country music. I’ve shown Sturgill’s older stuff to many different people with a wide range of musical interests and they’ve all been blown away. I think he can take his new platform and use it to show people what country music can and should be. Even if he makes a rock and roll record first. Or whatever else he does… the more people that hear his stuff, the more people will dig into his back catalog.
The first time I heard metamodern sounds is something I’ll never forget because I thought “holy shit, this is evolution. This is obviously the next step in country music.” I think by borrowing elements from other influences he’s only expanding the pallette of what country can be. Rock and Roll was born from the fusion of Blues and country, etc… it’s the way music evolves. Some people hate it, but some people embrace it. I enjoy country music in (almost) any capacity, from the most staunchly traditional to the more experimental. I respect the man for trying to do things his own way and not being ashamed of his influences. That’s what got him here. I think if he makes another country album that is as innovative as MMS as far as bringing new textures into the mix while respecting the fundamental composition of what constitutes “country” music, he could very well become the biggest country singer in the world.
Country music is meant for everyone and I have no problem with any artist who can bring new fans into the fold. Not in the mindless, easily digestible radio way, but the kind that will appreciate the genre and support other artists that want to push the boundaries of what the music can be. If sturgill opens the door for other people that make heartfelt, poignant, and meaningful music to find success then I consider that a win…
Sorry for the tangent, coffee just kicked in haha
Christian H
January 25, 2017 @ 11:41 pm
Very well written and expressed for such a young person. You must have an “old soul.”
Stork
January 26, 2017 @ 8:27 am
Been told that my while life. My grandfather was a very, very intelligent and well-read man that played a huge part in raising me and rubbed off on me in many ways, including musically. Between John Wayne and Gene autry movies, hank williams, Bob wills, Tex ritter, lefty Frizzell, waylon, Willie and all the other great ones my heroes have always been cowboys. Although not exclusively. Sturgill, Jason Isbell, parker Millsap, whitey morgan, margo price, colter wall, old crow I could go on and on, these artists really resonate with me in an interesting way because I have musicians I can be passionate about and identify with them as an experience of my own generation. I thought country was no count after 1993 and listened to the classics until I burned myself out and then explored other musical interests for several years… this was my early teens. I discovered hank 3’s “straight to hell” and shooter’s “put the o back in country” around the time I was 14 and they changed my life. I’d been listening to and exploring punk rock, metal, and folk while always keeping my country in rotation and those guys showed me that someone was indeed making the music I was looking for. Been falling into the rabbit hole of country music obscurity ever since, and I’m not at all opposed to my favorite artists finding success and stepping out of obscurity. Ibelieve Sturgill simpson has the ability to be the greatest of my generation, and the more popular he gets, the more likely I am to hear “long white line” at a bar when I didn’t cue it up. That happened to me last night and it was a cool moment.
But anyway, yeah I’m pretty much always the youngest guy at every show I go to.
Christian H
January 27, 2017 @ 10:24 pm
Hey Stork, sounds like your grandfather did a fine job raising you, but you also had something innate that allowed you to appreciate the art to which you were exposed. Many folks rebel against the music of their elders (self included) and may or may not come back around. I listen to much of the same stuff you do and I was an elementary school kid listening to the outlaws (via Mom’s vinyl) in the 70’s when they were popular. Dad had the John Wayne movies on when cable re-runs became a thing…and of course we had Bonanza on the color TV! You’ll make a lot of friends who will appreciate your tastes and look to you for music recommendations for the rest of your life. Enjoy!
Stork
January 26, 2017 @ 8:33 am
Happened at a college bar too. Point is, I’ve never cared whether my interests were cool or popular, but it’s cool to see people catching on and getting turned into the great music that’s available today, even if it’s just because it’s in vogue.
Stork
January 25, 2017 @ 11:14 am
Also after reading your comment again I take back my disagreement as I misinterpreted your statement at first. I believe we’re on the same page.
CountryCharm
January 25, 2017 @ 12:28 pm
yes we are.
Mike
January 25, 2017 @ 9:45 am
If you’re a fan of the artist, “Sailor’s Guide” shouldn’t have come as a shock to you – I will argue that its his best record of an already illustrious career.
The best American musicians understand that country, soul, rock, bluegrass, R&B, jazz, hip hop all spring from the same well of the blues and take influence from each other in a continual and ongoing conversation. Sturgill’s new album is just the latest reminder of that and he’s fusing these influences together in ways that are uniquely his own and speak to a contemporary sensibility while not forsaking the real roots of his influences.
Some people may only be a fan of one of those styles above and that’s your personal prerogative – though I’ve always had a hard time understanding how people who proclaim to be true music fans can limit themselves so much – it makes me question whether they are connecting to the music or the lifestyle the forces outside the music is trying to sell them. But again, its not my place to judge other people’s aesthetic preferences. But if Sturgill makes an artistic choice that doesn’t fit your aesthetic that’s not a failure on his part.
seak05
January 25, 2017 @ 10:14 am
Tbf Beyonce’s album isn’t nominated in either pop or r&b (never hip hop…she’s not hip hop, never has been, except for some collabs with people who are hip hop), it’s nominated in urban, along with overall.
Anyways I am happy for Sturgill, I enjoy his music. When looking at music, I think you have to do it in two ways…first is it good music, if it is, I’m happy with it & will listen to it, I like a number of different genres, so I don’t need genre specific to be happy. So this year I’ve enjoyed this Sturgill album, and Maren, and Beyonce, and Chance, and Brandy and Cody, because they’re all good music.
The second is whether it fits a particular genre. This album isn’t country, neither is Maren’s, or Beyonce’s, Cody and Brandy are country. And that’s ok, good music can exist in many different genres: pop, rock, hip hop, country etc.
What bugs me is when we apply a double standard, and albums from say Sturgill are treated differently then albums from Maren. They’re both good, they’re both not country, they’re both entered in country categories. So go ahead and root for Sturgill, and even in the country grammy category…but then don’t complain when other non-country songs and albums want entry from people you don’t like as much.
Acca Dacca
January 25, 2017 @ 12:08 pm
Your last paragraph sums up my feelings perfectly. I love this website; I check it multiple times a day and have gone through certain periods of reading every single thing posted, sometimes even scouring the archives for good stuff I might have missed before I found the site. But the double standards rear their heads every now and then, despite Trigger’s best efforts. For someone that doesn’t believe in some all-encompassing idea of “objective quality”, hiding behind the charge of Sturgill’s music being “good” and the mainstream being “bad” doesn’t do it for me, it exacerbates the issue. Sure, I’ll call music good or bad, but that’s because those single words are much more concise than starting every sentence with “Well, in MY opinion…” or “This is how I feel…” Ultimately though, I dislike most mainstream country music because it isn’t country, not because I think it’s necessarily “bad” (the music largely succeeds at being a hip hop/rock/banjo hybrid with ear-worm hooks). I even enjoy these articles about why certain people feel certain ways and not others, but some of the ones concerning Sturgill and how fans “should” feel about him have caused my skin to crawl lately.
Acca Dacca
January 25, 2017 @ 12:10 pm
Addendum: but I support Trigger’s right to write these articles and run his site any way he sees fit, and respect his opinion immensely (even if I’m not always happy about it 😛 )
Trigger
January 25, 2017 @ 3:16 pm
“But the double standards rear their heads every now and then, despite Trigger’s best efforts. For someone that doesn’t believe in some all-encompassing idea of “objective quality”, hiding behind the charge of Sturgill’s music being “good” and the mainstream being “bad” doesn’t do it for me, it exacerbates the issue.”
First off, for all the people saying that I am somehow illustrating a double standard when it comes to Sturgill’s music, I would encourage you to go back and read my review for “A Sailor’s Guide,” and see how I stacked it up against 2016 competition. I had many critical things to say about it.
I have never said that all mainstream music is bad, or that mainstream music is bad as a default position. I go out of my way to seek out the good music in the mainstream and shine a spotlight on it, many times to the detriment of my standing with independent and underground fans. I have written reams of material praising mainstream music. ANYTHING that I think is good or promising in the mainstream, I make an effort to highlight, because I feel like this is the most critical realm to helping to ultimately save country music.
Acca Dacca
January 25, 2017 @ 3:52 pm
I know you are correct without going back and checking. I suppose it would just take a more gifted wordsmith than I to articulate my point without coming across as if I’m disregarding other articles or just plain ignorant of them. I think the sheer volume of Sturgill material is just rubbing me a bit raw on the subject.
CountryCharm
January 25, 2017 @ 12:39 pm
Agreed. If Sturgill is country then so is Maren, so is Sam Hunt and let’s throw pop country in there too. We can’t just jump back in forth to suit our argument and shitting on some people to build other people up diminishes this blog and leads to people calling Trigger sexist and racist.
Now I’m not saying you have to like everything and everybody but there needs to be some consistency at least.
Hank
January 25, 2017 @ 12:59 pm
I could not have said it any better. It’s not rooting against, it’s pointing out the double standard.
Trigger
January 25, 2017 @ 3:09 pm
Deciding how to consider Sturgill Simpson’s “A Sailors Guide to Earth” in regards to genre is not binary. And if it was binary, it would be considered country, as opposed to not country, in my opinion. But I also recognize that “A Sailor’s Guide” has other genre influences, and is less of a country album than Sturgill’s previous efforts, or the efforts of others. That doesn’t mean there is a double standard, it just means that when regarding the album when it comes to genre, it’s a complicated matter.
Maren Morris’ “Hero” didn’t receive a bad review here simply because it wasn’t country. The fact that it was called country and really didn’t include much that would be considered country was one of many factors.
Trigger
January 25, 2017 @ 3:05 pm
“What bugs me is when we apply a double standard, and albums from say Sturgill are treated differently then albums from Maren. They’re both good, they’re both not country, they’re both entered in country categories.”
If I had to put Sturgill’s “A Sailor’s Guide to Earth” into a genre category, I wouldn’t hesitate to put it into country, or Americana. It may be his least country album yet, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t more country than anything else. I consider Sturgill Simpson an established country album, and “A Sailors Guide” as having more country influences than anything else.
If I had to put Maren Morris’ “Hero” into a genre category, I wouldn’t hesitate putting it in pop. It is not a country record. It is only considered a country record because that is where it was released. It has one, maybe two songs that have country influences, but so do a lot of albums.
As for them being “both good,” that is a matter of taste and can’t be argued.
seak05
January 25, 2017 @ 5:05 pm
Not for nothing Trigger, but no pop fan would consider Maren’s album to really be pop. It doesn’t have nearly enough synth…and it includes a banjo. Pop has gone super EDM (which is why Beyonce’s isn’t entered into pop either). Neither really use traditional country instrumentation though, nor delve into rural/country life. Anyways I chose mainstream names bc I figured people would’ve heard of them. I actually don’t give a rats about mainstream vs independent, although I think it’s easier to produce music I tend to both like and hate as an independent artist.
But I do feel (and I’ve said this before) that you give americana/rock/country hybrids different reviews than pop/country hybrids. And yes I find that frustrating. Clearly not enough to stop visiting the site :p.
Big Cat
January 26, 2017 @ 8:32 am
“…..but then don’t complain when other non-country songs and albums want entry from people you don’t like as much.”
See that sums up my point; Sam Hunt sucks and Sturgill Simpson is really good.
Andrew
January 25, 2017 @ 10:17 am
Spot on article Trig. Yeah nail him to the cross….what a bunch of morons.
TheRealBobCephus
January 25, 2017 @ 10:44 am
I’m sorry but this notion that Sturgill owes the world country music is wrong. The only person Sturgill owes a song to is himself. He gets to decide what music he wants to make. At the end of a day I think an artist should make music that makes them happy and if the rest of us like it, then that’s a bonus for him.
AC_86
January 25, 2017 @ 11:04 am
Superb article Trigger. I absolutely love country music and I love Sturgills new album. The guy is a genius. He wants to make the music that he wants no one is gonna stop him! I think ASGTE is a masterpiece, was my fav album of 2016.
Scott S.
January 25, 2017 @ 11:06 am
I am happy for Sturgel and wish him all the success he deserves. I still don’t much care for his latest album though. I am hoping he returns to a more country sound with the next album but won’t be shocked if he doesn’t. I have been a music fan for many years, and being someone who likes to seek out undiscovered and new bands, I have too often seen bands shift directions after receiving success, or alternately continue to release the same album over and over becoming stale. It’s not easy to continue through a career and grow your sound while also remaining faithful to what got you success in the first place. There are few artists who are able to sustain long lasting success or become legends. Time will tell if Sturgel is one of them.
Jen C
January 25, 2017 @ 11:10 am
Bang on. And thank you for this article! I am completely and utterly appalled at the attitude of some towards Sturgill’s success! I listen to a lot of different genres (country being the primary) –good music is good music —but self declared “country” fans have got to be the toughest, most narrow minded crowd out there. I can imagine that for an artist, being pegged and expecting to stay within a “certain” sound range has got to be frustrating. A Sailors Guide to Earth was a beautiful and perfect album from start to finish, why would anyone want to limit this man and his talent?
Christian H
January 26, 2017 @ 12:16 am
Jen C, “but self declared “country” fans have got to be the toughest, most narrow minded crowd out there.”
Try hanging out with old school punk rock folks sometime…
Jen C
January 26, 2017 @ 5:41 am
Haha! Good point 😉
Big Cat
January 26, 2017 @ 8:20 am
Jen C you nailed it….”I can’t wait til all these flannel shirt beard motherfuckers figure out I ain’t like them”
What else do folks need to hear from the man? You could replace this whole article with that one line. Sturgill’s version of ‘country’ ain’t your daddy’s version.
Sorry to the haters but I don’t think he’s changing.
Jacob
January 25, 2017 @ 11:12 am
I am not going to comment on Sturgill, there isn’t any point.
But if you didn t see the trends that are here now coming 10 yrs ago, I question your status as a music blogger. Ever since napster things have been headed this way. With streaming services, YouTube, and the like this isn’t even a valid point. Obviously the normal musical formats were gonna change. When I bought straight to hell and found southern rock opera I knew this would be where music was going, at least southern music. Shooter Jennings knew it aswell, with his givememyxxx he introduced his fans to this world that fans like you and i inhabit today. When you said SS wasn’t country music’s savior you were wrong, he was the spark that ignited this renaissance in the mainstream. I said all three of them Jason, Chris, and S.S can do what they want now they already cemented their place in history. That doesn’t mean I forfeited my right to be critical of anything they do or release after that. I am a music can and I happen to know I have good taste, i am also honest too honest for my own good, I shared my perspective and put forth evidence to back it up. Nothing more.
Jacob
January 25, 2017 @ 11:14 am
Not question your status that’s dumb, I just don’t see how an avid supporter who helped it get where it is didn t see it coming.
albert
January 25, 2017 @ 11:32 am
“In 10 years I’ll be the biggest country star on this planet. … And there’s nothing they can do to stop that.”
I may or may not like an artist’s music. But a public statement like the above quote tells me the kind of attitude and mindset ( ego ) that informs that music . And for me , this is akin to a ” Trumptitude ” – a self righteous display of ‘ just watch me ‘ disrespect towards not only listeners’ opinions but towards every other serious aspiring ‘country star’ who is every bit as hard-working and passionate about what they are doing artistically …particularly country artists who ARE attempting to incorporate tradition in their expression . Whatever respect I may have for a person’s efforts on ANY front is undermined by a public ‘ holier -than-thou ‘ stance .
I can think of a dozen other artists who , based on their integrity , authenticity and talent would easily qualify for a ” biggest country star on the planet ” award and MY opinion means far more to me than any artist who is laying claim to this status. The quote above is no different than Blake ‘ Ol Farts ‘ Shelton’s thoughtless view that he knows more about what fans want to hear than the fans themselves. Or Garth Brooks turning the fleet around cause he couldn’t get his way with the Irish authorities when they decided he could not play 5 nights in Ireland . The quote above sounds like an angry , frustrated ” How do you like me now ‘ school kid who feels wrongfully ignored by his classmates and is out to show ’em all .
SS may or may not be considered God’s gift to country music …and may or may not become as big a ‘ country star’ as he thinks he will become , but if he continues making statements like the above , that approach won’t do much to help his crusade with the non-believers and may , in fact , work against him .
CountryCharm
January 25, 2017 @ 12:46 pm
Sturgill doesn’t need the non believers, Blake doesn’t the fans of old farts, Garth doesn’t need to play in Ireland. When will people like you get that people don’t have to cow tow to you to be successful? Blake was 100% correct in what he said fans want that’s why he had the best selling country album and he sells out shows. How he said it was dumb and disrespectful but he was still right.
It’s like some of you live in another dimension to what’s actually going on in the real music world.
albert
January 25, 2017 @ 2:49 pm
”It’s like some of you live in another dimension to what’s actually going on in the real music world.”
Thank God
CountryCharm
January 26, 2017 @ 9:51 am
If ignorance is your religion who am I to judge.
jtrpdx
January 26, 2017 @ 1:24 pm
Albert – I think that Sturgill quote was from a very long interview a few months back where they got him particularly worked up on the whole “you vs. nashville” thing. I would strongly guess that he regrets saying it, but that’s not to say that he doesn’t have some ego. You kind of have to if you are going to succeed in the business. Also, I have noticed on his latest tour (not talking trash from stage) and in interviews (and his gracious acceptance of his grammy nominations in a humble way) that he has toned down the ego thing, but I guess we shall see where we go from here. My guess is that his wife…who sounds like a real level-headed badass…had something to do with him now being more humble and letting his music do the talking!
Acca Dacca
January 25, 2017 @ 11:53 am
So if Luke Bryan and Florida Georgia Line were just INDEPENDENT music we’d be rooting for them? I thought the issue was that they weren’t country, and weren’t terribly great to begin with? I’m perfectly happy that Sturgill is seeing success; I don’t wish any artist, however good or bad, that wastes away in the trenches anything BUT success. I was ecstatic that Chris Stapleton got as big as he has, and will feel the same if someone like Cody Jinks gets just as big or bigger. You know why? Because they’re representing our genre as it should be at this moment, how it should be. I don’t care for LB or FGL — you know why? Because they’re MISREPRESENTING our genre in a way that it should never be. The reason Beyoncé’s fans froth at the mouth over her has more to do with the Stan culture you regularly tear down in articles than anything to do with her actual music. Don’t criticize that mindset and then turn around and tell us we all have to have it about Sturgill to be “happy.” Also, I would think this goes without saying, but few other genre has the same parameters and reverence for the past that country music does; rock and pop are SPECIFICALLY about destroying the norms of yesteryear, hence why the cliche is that parents hate both. This (and other reasons) is why we have idiots on the internet swearing up and down that any pop star that wants a piece of the country music pie is superior to anything else it’s ever put out.
I consider Sturgill to be right on the cusp of this, not to mention that I was never high on him to begin with — he’s just not for me, one of those guys that everyone praises that I just can’t get into for whatever reason. It has nothing to do with popularity; Back In Black, Hysteria and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band are all among my favorite rock albums and they’ve each sold a bajillion copies (far more than most country albums). I’m perfectly happy that someone aside from Jason Aldean is seeing success in our little genre and getting it on a national stage; I just wish it was for one of his better albums, or someone else altogether.
**********
I’ve been quite a vocal critic of Sturgill, but again allow me this opportunity to express that I wish him NO ILL WILL. People who wish harm upon others are reprehensible; I don’t want Sturgill to lose his job any more than I would some other person to lose theirs. If he’s seeing success it’s because he’s worked for it and he deserves it. I’m happy that at his age he’s been able to make a living at it and leave a serious mark. I’ll swear up and down until the day I die that “Life Ain’t Fair and the World Is Mean” is a great song no matter who you are. But at this venture I do not want him representing me as a country music fan because at this moment, his music isn’t country enough for me. Cutting indie rock records and selling them as country isn’t intrinsically better in my mind than a hip hop/rock/banjo hybrid on the radio just because it’s independently produced. It’s not about being “happy”, but shoot me anyway.
Trigger
January 25, 2017 @ 3:26 pm
Nobody is telling you or anyone else that you have to like Sturgill Simpson’s music, or that you have to be happy about his success. But if you are angry that his SNL performance went viral, which numerous people were, or pissed off that his album is being considered by the Grammys for top awards, and you considered yourself a fan of his before “A Sailors Guide,” then I think you’re being unfair to yourself. You can disagree with me about that, and that is fine. I had no rooting interest in Beck winning the Grammy for Album of the Year a few years ago, but I was happy that he did, especially over the other competition. This article was against the people who are literally rooting for Sturgill Simpson’s failure, even though they really like his first two record, or more like BECAUSE they like his first two records. I just think that’s misplaced anger.
Acca Dacca
January 25, 2017 @ 4:17 pm
For what it’s worth, I agree, hence the note at the end of my pseudo-rant concerning his success. I think that I’m just tired of hearing about him and he was never near the top of my heap to begin with, so the fatigue set in early. Add to that some concerns about his sonic direction and you have a genuine disconcertion on my part concerning him. It’s worth noting that I would rather him win than anybody but Adele, so there’s that. And if music on the radio followed his example we’d be in a better place. He’s just not in my wheelhouse, and I find his extreme appeal in these parts to be unrelatable. But that’s just me.
Stringbuzz
January 25, 2017 @ 12:02 pm
Sturgill has done to country today what Jimi Hendrix did to the blues 50 years ago.
Opened up new possibilities, direction, and really changed the landscape of the music.
Some hated it..
hoptowntiger94
January 25, 2017 @ 2:51 pm
Well, said!
I’m so happy I’m thinking of breaking if off with my therapist!
If there was never a Metamodernsounds, there wouldn’t have been ASGTE. So it’s all connected.
GregN
January 25, 2017 @ 3:01 pm
Trigger, thank you for your service!
norrie
January 25, 2017 @ 4:20 pm
Delighted for Sturgills success although I’m probably guilty of not wanting my favourite artists becoming too popular as I quite like paying £20 for a ticket rather than £75 and up.
£17.50 for Margo Price last night in Glasgow.Great value and I wish her great success
DJ
January 25, 2017 @ 4:57 pm
I’m tired of hearing (reading) about SS, BUT, I have wished him success even though I don’t think he’s Country. I like that he’s done it without corporate Nashville.
The title of this blog is “Saving Country Music”, and while I’m no expert I have been listening to Country music a long time. The first song I ever sang I remember was “Don’t Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes” by Skeets McDonald…..yes I was 4 or 5. I heard it in a Honky Tonk in Texas on a juke box and also by a band an uncle played in. And no I don’t think that’s the only sound in Country music and just for the record I didn’t like Willie’s “Stardust” album.
SS isn’t Country and I think his SNL performance was just that. A performance. I remember years ago being embarrassed for Waylon for the way he acted (performed) on some show not to mention JC’s performance where he was bombed and couldn’t hardly stand up for his performance….performance being the key. They at least did what they do best; sang Country music.
If SS takes the award, good for him, but, it won’t change my mind. He just hasn’t done it for me. That doesn’t mean I don’t wish him success. It means just what it says. Nothing more. Nothing less.
To call himself the best/greatest/most popular whatever is his opinion. MY opinion is what I listen to.
jtrpdx
January 26, 2017 @ 1:31 pm
Correct….we all have our opinions. Personally (and I have listened to classic country my whole life as well), I think A Sailor’s Guide is very country. Some songs more than others, obviously, but you can usually say the same thing about any release these days. You can’t deny the role of a country vocalist in country music, and Sturgill is that in spades. Also, much of the grooves and arrangements on the album have a very country feel. A Call to Arms is a superb country song with a backbone being a simple country shuffle riff (much like Merle’s Working Man Blues). But again, all of that is my opinion!
DJ
January 25, 2017 @ 4:59 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xi3GgoLtlWk
It won’t be Sturgill Simpson
Jim Bob
January 25, 2017 @ 5:39 pm
Hightop has always been my favorite Sturgill album, I think that makes me the minority for whatever strange reason. Made it to 1/2 way thru railroad of sin once and was already in love! Love ASGTE, too-just in a different way. I would’ve loved another hard-country Sturgill album as much as anyone, but I’ll take a less-country, but still great, ASGTE any day.
Either way, the man took a “pause” for his wife and kid…and still nailed it. If that’s the quality of what he does when he tries something different, then I can’t freaking wait for him to take a hard-country turn!
Also wonder how much all of us jackasses (myself included) wanting to bestow the “savior of country music” title might’ve influenced ASGTE, whether he meant for it to or not. Not trying to psychoanalyze a guy I’ve never met, but read plenty that he fucking hated that term and wanted nothing to do with it. Maybe just a not-too-subtle “fuck your titles” while he made a record for his family? I don’t know, don’t really care-enjoyed the shit out of it anyway!
Mark
January 25, 2017 @ 5:49 pm
(As I see written over and over at this site,) thank you thankyou thankyou, for all of the music, musicians, and people, that you’ve introduced me to.
Take a bow Trigger, you do a lot for all of us.
SkippyJiffy92
January 25, 2017 @ 10:23 pm
I’m a fan of Sturgill. I didn’t like his latest album, but we already talked about that. He’s not my favorite singer. He can work on his voice enunciations, but there’s a time and place for Sturgill Simpson: His latest album gained so much traction and achieved Grammy recognition, and as country as he is, he can hopefully crush the popularity of most pop country singers, let alone most bro country and metro singers. Sturgill can go far, and he most certainly can make a mark. I have nothing but support for him
Turner Burns
January 25, 2017 @ 11:52 pm
imho, if Sturgill had felt indebted to country music, then he would have very likely already pigeonholed himself had record #3 been just a mixture of records #1 and #3. Most likely it woukd have left hin with a strong fanbase, but otherwise small in scope. For that matter, I am quite certain that if he had then released Sailor as #4, it would have certainly shrunk that base as opposed to any real growth. He didnt though. More importantly he wouldnt have. Much like Trig, I have watched him every step of his career. Still though, even living in Lexington, KY by no means was his future predicted by anyone to be what it is today. On the other hand, I can personally attest to the things I have seen him do with a telecaster. For the most part he quite literally has kept that talent as some sort of ace up his sleeve. I can actually remember at first being slightly miffed with ‘Hightop’ at its very absence. However as he tends to do, the bigger picture began to come into focus, but by no means did or has it become remotely crystal clear. I dont comment much here, so please excuse the length. Trig, you speak the truth, and I generally agree with you (sailor made my personal top 10 for 2016, haha)
As for the Grammy nod, its cool. Never seen anyone worth a damn or otherwise not show up to get theirs. Furthermore, it certainly wasnt a case of the academy feeling obligated.
As for sailor, and it being for “his wife and kid” is still, imo, one of the best half truths, soundbite ready, marketing ploys attached to a records roll out in quite sometime. The record is literally 90% autobiographical (narrated to his son as opposed to just telling it to an audience) Even “Sara” is from his Sunday Valley days. Only cal to arms adresses the present. Is Sturgill the type of guy to write/record an autobio that early in his career and, cunning enough to wrap it a small fib? You are damn right he is. Is there a reason why his autobio isnt AS country? Doesnt sound like a mistake to me, and neither have the shows from a relentless year of touring.
Lastly, in conclusion, as Sailor stands up beside the other nominated records, its not just better, its by far the most eclectic, and easily the most orgikal. The only genre it really stays true to without wavering, from front to back, is simply the genre that is Sturgill Simpson.
Trigger
January 26, 2017 @ 12:21 am
“The only genre it really stays true to without wavering, from front to back, is simply the genre that is Sturgill Simpson.”
Good stuff Turner.
Big Cat
January 26, 2017 @ 8:04 am
The last line there is so freaking true. For the life of me I have never understood why folks complain about the genre of music……either you like it or you don’t. If you don’t, well that’s totally cool. BUT the last thing ANY music fan should want is for an artist to follow behind what someone else has already done or doing. I caught 5 Sturgill shows in 2016. I think I left each one convinced there is simply no one else out there right now doing what he is doing. And that my friend, sums up your last line. I just hope he keeps it up. I’m enjoying the ride.
albert
January 26, 2017 @ 1:21 pm
”BUT the last thing ANY music fan should want is for an artist to follow behind what someone else has already done or doing.”
Big Cat…I’ve never seen a SS live concert so I won’t comment on that aspect of his performance. Most folks who HAVE seen him live seem to have loved the shows and rave about him .But I must strongly disagree with your comment above with regards to SS style/sound/ vision …whatever word you would choose .
Perhaps its because I’ve been around longer than a lot of SS fans but to my ear almost everything I hear by him is generic . I’m not knocking him for using his influences to ‘create ‘ his sound whatsoever . Everyone does that …but I do hear so many other artists in his sound from ALL genres of popular music ..past and present ….but mostly past . For me , your comment above , while somewhat true , does not apply to SS . I’ll concede that he may SOUND ‘ fresh ‘ to listeners who are either quite young or have not listened to a lot of classic pop ‘ rock ‘blues , soul , country ,etc. And , of course , when it comes to selling music from a relatively new artist , sounding ‘ fresh ‘ compared to what’s on radio NOW is often THE factor for better or for worse. But in my opinion ,and again , based on my musical experience ,SS is most definitely “following behind what someone else has already done …” and , as I’ve suggested in other comments , often not nearly as well as the people he is drawing from . And not that SS fans will or even SHOULD care or agree with this , it is one of the things that , I believe, myself and many longtime music fans are bewildered by when it comes to the acclaim .
Big Cat
January 26, 2017 @ 2:51 pm
Think you misunderstood my point. You said you’ve never seen him live. I see a lot of live music and follow a lot of different types of music. I personally have not found someone doing what SS is currently out there doing. There are a lot of artist doing parts of what he’s doing but I haven’t found the blend like him (rock, blues, jam, ballad, country, etc) in one show. . Obviously all musicians have influences so to say someone doesn’t sound like someone before them would be foolish. I guess you just need to go see him live to understand my point.
Jack Williams
January 26, 2017 @ 3:50 pm
I’ll concede that he may SOUND ‘ fresh ‘ to listeners who are either quite young or have not listened to a lot of classic pop ‘ rock ‘blues , soul , country ,etc.
Nope. That doesn’t quite explain it.
I’m in my mid fifties and my album collection is somewhere around 2500. Whereas I don’t have many pure pop albums (I do love power pop rock music, though), all of the other genres are very well represented. Lots of bluegrass in my country collection, too. And .
The second time I saw Sturgill (August 2014), I was seated at a table with a woman that might have been in her mid sixties. She had seen Sturgill at the Opry once. She said that she was very picky and that she hadn’t been this excited about a new music discovery since Keith Whitley.
After Sturgill’s SNL performance, a Facebook “friend” of mine shared a link to the
performance saying he was the best thing happening in music right now. I’m guessing he’s about 60. He is a fine blues, rock and rockabilly guitarist and a good songwriter. He led a blues/rockabilly influenced rock and roll band that had a legitimate shot at mainstream rock success in the late ’80s. They were on the same label as the Smithereens. I liked the Smithereens a lot, but I thought his band had better chops.
Then of course, there’s all those nice things Merle Haggard said about him.
albert
January 26, 2017 @ 9:09 pm
Jack . I would much prefer listening to SS over almost everything commercial ‘country ‘ radio is pumping out . And I suspect you and your friends would also . And that shouldn’t surprise older listeners like ourselves…we grew up with all the influences SS taps into …so naturally when someone like SS comes along with an alternative to the rap/pop- influenced music passed off as country today , he resonates with an older listener almost by default . He is influenced , obviously , by better- written music deftly performed by REAL players …not machines . And of course Merle would have felt this same way …..what in God’s name would Merle have had in common with FGL or Keith Urban or Jason Aldean lyrically OR musically ?
I’d say again , SS is not breaking new pop ground ( and little to NO new country ground on ASGTE ) so much as recycling what worked in other musical eras for a new audience ….and for the frustrated amongst us who were lucky enough to have been exposed to it by so many great artists the first time around and , perhaps , long for someone to play music that way again .
To my point above re the quote :”BUT the last thing ANY music fan should want is for an artist to follow behind what someone else has already done or doing. ..’ I would argue again that SS is doing exactly that ….not only is he following what’s already been done but in my opinion , already been done better by so many .
Jack Williams
January 27, 2017 @ 7:21 am
You’re pretty quick to explain away Merle Haggard’s feelings about (and by extension, friendship with) Sturgill. And you seem to think that you have all Sturgill fans figured out. Man, that’s confidence.
not only is he following what’s already been done but in my opinion , already been done better by so many .
Yes, Albert. I know you feel that way, because you’ve written it many, many times.
Docreed2003
January 26, 2017 @ 12:29 am
I understand any of the critiques of “Sailors Guide” who say it’s not country, etc. My counter to that would be this: First, “Sailors Guide” is just what the title suggests. This album was meant to be an experience from start to finish. Sure there are songs that stand out as “singles”, but to appreciate the album you must see it in its whole. It was an album written for his son. I see this album as a letter from Sturgill expressing himself and his influences to his child. The album crosses a broad spectrum of music from country to blues to New Orleans jazz to Southern Rock, but it’s all Southern in its focus. That being said there are track which are unmistakably true country songs on the album. I’ll never understand the controversy that Sturgill received over this but I can tell you that when I saw him perform the entire album at the Ryman a few months ago, there was little doubt of its authenticity or the fact that, at its heart, this was a country album, even if non-traditional. I applaud this nomination, even if it does nothing more than to shed a light on Sturgill and open the ears of people who wouldn’t otherwise listen to country music. As an aside, my favorite “country song” from Sturgill this year is the “Waffle House Song”!
Turner Burns
January 26, 2017 @ 12:39 am
Thanks Trigger
Big Cat
January 26, 2017 @ 7:50 am
I think your over analyzing the comments of the minority. The majority of folks bitching about this album are not true Sturgill Simpson fans. The truth is, outside of his country sounding voice, Meta Modern is not really a ‘country’ album either. It’s not like Life of Sin, Living the Dream, Voices, The Promise, Light, Just let Go and Flowers are country songs. Panbowl, maybe but that is still pretty rootsy stuff to me. I’d say Long White Line is the only track left over from HighTop that is a true traditional country song. Like I have said around here for a long time when folks say “High Top was his best”…I’m sure he wishes more people felt that way so he could of made money off of it. Obviously his new direction is what a lot more people are getting into.
I personally hope Sturgill keeps doing what he is doing and doesn’t listen to anybody but the voice in his head moving forward.
Brent
January 26, 2017 @ 2:02 pm
This is such a poorly written article. I feel dumber for having read it which is not good because I’m not too smart to begin with. Thanks Google for linking to this colossal waste of time aka this article!
BJones
January 26, 2017 @ 6:04 pm
Ugh. This shit again. Who cares? Now we’ve got a bunch of douche pumps on here telling people what they like and don’t like is “wrong.” Blow me. Anything anyone enjoys – be it Sam Hunt or anyone else – is fine by me. You like this record. Great. Enjoy. I think it’s mediocre. So I don’t listen to it much. No skin off your back. To a lot of teenagers bro-country doesn’t suck. It’s the soundtrack of their adolescence. Obviously a lot of adults agree. And there’s nothing wrong with any of that. What the fuck do you care what someone else listens to? There’s always been music that people consider mindless trash and music people consider “true art.” And it always will be that way. Trends come and then they go. It’s a waste of time to bicker over what’s “good” and what’s “crap.” If you like it, it’s good. If you don’t, it’s crap. There’s plenty out there for everyone and every conceivable taste and that’s not going to change. Beyond that you’re either preaching to the choir or screaming down a well trying to convince someone that they shouldn’t enjoy what they enjoy. Total waste of time. I come here for the positive reviews so I can find new stuff to listen to. The rants about shitty songs and albums I don’t read. For what? I know I’m not going to like that stuff already. but if someone else does, God bless.
Rebecca Gavin
January 26, 2017 @ 8:28 pm
The fact is that some people “love” music, but don’t really care that much about musicians. Musicians are real people, with bills to pay, and families to support and begrudging them any kind of success is just hating. I think we all know the superior feeling of being hip to the really good music at any given time. Some of us are just genetically (or otherwise) driven to listen and love and search and go to shows. At almost 60, I am no longer one of the “cool kids” but I listen because something in me isn’t happy without great music. And you cannot separate music from the musicians that make it. I want all musicians to be able to make a living at it. That means more great songs and more musicians can afford to play and tour. Support musicians, don’t be a f’n dilettante. That’s my opinion.
Sam Cody
January 28, 2017 @ 8:00 am
There are many, MANY bands / artists whose music has gone from music I love, to music I just don’t care for – and even some vise-versa. But that’s because I’m a MUSIC fan, not someone with a stake in any particular artist’s career. I’m not their relative or someone who wants to blow them or carry their guitar case around for them… If they make music I love – I spin the shit out of it. If they make music I don’t love – I don’t. They’re entitled to put out what ever music they want, but their little media hand-jobbers aren’t entitled to entitle it to anyone but themselves!
I hope Sturgill gets all the success he works for. But no one owes him their ears. AND SURE AS HELL, no one owes his fans ANYTHING!
I haven’t gone a week without listening to High Top Mountain – at least once – since it came out. Damn I LOVE that album!!! One of my favorite albums in as long as I can remember. I REALLY love that album!!! Metamodern Sounds… …eh…I like it okay, half of it anyway. I still listen to it every couple of months or so. Sailor’s Guide… – I listened to it once. Didn’t hate it, but there was nothing there to make me ever want to listen to it again when there are hundreds of albums I love to listen to. In my little dumb-ass opinion (like there’s any other kind of opinions…) the first chord hit in “Sitting Here Without You” has more balls than the entire new album… Nothing against Sturgill, or his musical goals. It’s just that I don’t owe him my eternal listenership because he put out one album that I adore. (and did I mention how much I adore that album?)
I’ve seen Sturgill live 3 times – loved every second. But because of the last album, would not go see him again. Not because I’m mad that he put out music that isn’t to my exact taste, but because going to live shows today sucks. It’s all assholes and cellphones with a background show up on a stage. I have to REALLY…REALLY want to see a show, to go put up with that crap. What he’s putting out now, just isn’t the kind of thing I want to put up with assholes and cellphones to see. The idea that a third of the show could potentially be songs I don’t care for is just a deal breaker for me. So what?
If that’s what he wants to do, of course – good for him, and I wish him the best! But meh for me…and his finger wagging tentacle tuggers will just have to get the hell over it.
I was never a fan of Sturgill Simpson. I was a huge fan of the music he used to make. Now he makes music I’m not a fan of. Big deal… Does that make me an “unhappy music fan”? Really? Get over it.
As far as the Grammy’s go… 1. F**k the Grammys. 2. None of those albums deserve an award that people pretend is prestigious, but might as well give it to the one that’s country – and that ain’t Sturgill’s album…