Sturgill Simpson’s “Metamodern Sounds in Country Music”
Announced on paste.com this morning, up-and-coming authentic country performer Sturgill Simpson will release his second solo studio album called Metamodern Sounds In Country Music on May 13th. Born in Kentucky, the former from man of Sunday Valley released his debut album High Top Mountain in 2013 to critical acclaim and was nominated for Saving Country Music’s Album of The Year. Sturgill went on to be named Saving Country Music’s Artist of the Year.
“Myriad worldly offerings religion, drugs, and more all claim to be the omnipotent universal truth, but in my experience, love is the only certainty. That is what this record is about,” Simpson tells Paste.
The cover art is contributed by longtime Sturgill Simpson friend Jason Seiler, known for his illustration of Pope Francis for Time Magazine.
As part of the announcement, Sturgill has also released the first single from the album “Living The Dream” (listen below).
Track List for Metamodern Sounds In Country Music:
1.Turtles All the Way Down
2. Life of Sin
3. Living the Dream
4. Voices
5. Long White Line
6. The Promise
7. A Little Light
8. Just Let Go
9. It Ain’t All Flowers
10. Pan Bowl (bonus track)
February 20, 2014 @ 10:42 am
Saw this on FB this morning – couldn’t believe I didn’t see it here first. I can’t wait.
February 20, 2014 @ 11:07 am
Why have Saving Country Music craft a thoughtful and informed announcement about an album when you can have someone who has never heard of Sturgill Simpson regurgitate the contents of an email in a soul-less blurb without even taking the time to embed the cover art or even link to the poor guy’s website?
Then again, what choice do I have but mimic this style as I try to post something on-the-fly to try to capture whatever traffic from the event I can and stop the barrage of emails about it?
Big fish eat the small fish. That’s the way it goes. At some point maybe people will stop paying attention to how many Facebook likes I have, and start paying attention to how much traffic this site gets, and the fact that I have the best readers in music and can deliver more eyeballs to their content than the bigger sites. But until then, it’s hand to mouth.
BTW, I don’t blame Sturgill or his management. People don’t know any better, and I’m a shitty salesman.
February 20, 2014 @ 12:22 pm
Well Trigger if it is any consolation I was first aware of new Sturgill Simpson news from Farce The Music’s twitter feed, immediately checked here and your post was up, and fired up audiocloud on the ol’ phone to stream the song straight from soundloud.
February 20, 2014 @ 12:47 pm
Trigger, on that note would you mind fixing the spelling of – Myriad – ? Sturgill Simpson is not a dumbass, which is more than I can say for the author who rushed through that Paste blurb with all the thoughtfulness and precision of rubbing one out.
February 20, 2014 @ 2:56 pm
Hey Sarah,
They also misspelled “worldly” and as MJBods pointed out below, Pope Francis does not come with a Roman numeral notation (though in fairness, I did not know that off the top of my head, and I’ll make my fair share of grammatical mistakes too). But I took a sort of immature approach here of trying to prove a point by not fixing them. I’m regretting that now. But I’ve fixed them. Thanks!
February 20, 2014 @ 2:59 pm
Thank you.
February 20, 2014 @ 12:45 pm
Well, the big sites may get the stuff, but SCM is always the site I most look forward to the coverage. I can always be assured that you will add something unique and original to the coverage and it won’t just be the exact same press release that other sites use. And I definitely appreciate that.
February 20, 2014 @ 10:42 am
can’t say nothing but can’t wait!
February 20, 2014 @ 10:46 am
Aaaaaaaaaaaand I’m hard.
February 20, 2014 @ 10:59 am
YESSSSSSSS Thanks you had no idea stoked about this (and the Jimbo Mathus / Tri State one as well). 2014 is gonna be a good year!
February 20, 2014 @ 11:30 am
must has
February 20, 2014 @ 11:47 am
Exciting!
Nit Pick: I think you got Pope Francis and Pope Benedict XVI mixed up. No roman numerals follow after Pope Francis.
February 20, 2014 @ 11:48 am
I see now that the linked article also made that mistake haha.
February 20, 2014 @ 11:52 am
Yes! So excited about this album.
“All claim to be the omnipotent universal truth, but in my experience, love is the only certainty.” Sturgill would definitely not get along with Detective Rust Cohle.
February 20, 2014 @ 12:31 pm
YES! And here I was thinking we would have to at least wait an entire year before getting another album from Sturgill. Exceeding my expectations yet again! Would not have found Sturgill without SCM. Appreciate it, Trigger.
February 20, 2014 @ 12:34 pm
Kyle,
I’m very sorry if you in any way felt left out or slighted.
Perhaps you could hold a seminar on the journalistic conventions of spellcheck/fproof reading/etc for Paste…appears they’re having some troubles.
While you’re there, ask them for a freelance contribution gig…perhaps you could do a piece about how I’m having a baby in June and if there is any hopes of me feeding it AND still playing music after the release of this album I have no choice but to go even further into debt to pay a publicist and use major, distributed, accredited, journalism outlets for an announcement like this, and many others to follow, as I can assure you, judging by my last bank statement, 2013 was most certainly not the year of Sturgill Simpson brother. Besides, I’m holding a special bone aside just for you.
As always, thank you for your continued support.
And Brett, after spending years in an empty apartment smoking/drinking/unmentionable”ing” myself stupid and pontificating on the exhaustive, pointlessness of the human tragedy, I assure you me and Rust would get on just fine…and I’d tell him to quit being an asshole and go find himself another good woman…some damn fine watching though! Ol Wooderson has fucked around and turned into my favorite actor. Who knew…Cheers brother!
February 20, 2014 @ 3:12 pm
Sturgill,
I don’t feel slighted in any way, only stupid for posting that comment earlier and letting the steam get the best of me. It wasn’t necessarily that I felt passed over, but that Paste could have done a better job. I have no problem with Paste premiering your stuff or anyone’s stuff, and I am very glad for the rising action that your career has seen that includes you finally getting some recognition from bigger outlets. I just wish that some of these outlets would take greater care and respect with the content and the artists they’re covering instead of gobbling up the web hits an album announcement and song premier affords while not really putting any love into the written content that precedes it. Most of Paste’s readers probably don’t know who you are, and so it is up to them to convey to their readers why this content should be important to them. But that’s just me supplanting the lofty expectations I have for myself on others, and ultimately is probably not fair.
Congratulations on the baby! That is exciting news, and I have a sense that the continued rising action started from “High Top Mountain” will go even further with “Metamodern Sounds In Country Music” and hopefully afford you at least a semblance of financial stability that all worthy artists deserve, and is ultimate goal of Saving Country Music and sites like it trying to give support for worthy music.
Sorry for the unpleasantness or any misunderstanding.
February 21, 2014 @ 8:06 am
I step away from SCM for 24 hrs and all this happens! Reading this announcement and the ensuing comments makes up for all the time I’ve wasted reading mind-numbing articles about Eric Church.
I can’t wait for the album and I’ll be make sure to help out the cause and bring Pampers to the next Simpson show I attend (that’s assuming he ever leaves Europe).
Trig – you’ve introduced more country music fans to Simpson’s music than Paste, Spin, Rolling Stones combined. So, don’t apologize for anything.
I’d close with some quote from True Detective, but I can’t understand McConaughey’s stoner twang and Harrelson’s lock-jaw makes me uncomfortable. I just watch for the music.
February 20, 2014 @ 4:03 pm
Hey Sturgill,
Next time your in the area come down to charleston,SC for a show. The area has a a few saving country music followers around and the town loves live music.
Keep up the good work.
February 20, 2014 @ 4:39 pm
Well as long as you keep making music and playing shows you are going to get my money. Guaranteed!!
February 20, 2014 @ 5:28 pm
Hey Sturgill, congratulations on the baby! Congratulations on the album! I cannot wait to have it. It is unfortunate that our underground artist work so hard, and does not have the bank account to prove it. As a die heart underground fan, this has become a constant remuneration. We have to give Trigger some love! He bust his ass to change that. I am now coming to realize that this is even at a financial sacrifice. Without him, I would have never known about most of the underground artist, including yourself.
February 20, 2014 @ 5:52 pm
I’m in for a pre-order of an LP, Sturgill. Great new song, “Living the Dream” – hope the rest of the album is just as good. We wish you success and lots of money and whatever else your wishing for. We appreciate your hard work! Keep doing what your doing!
February 20, 2014 @ 7:16 pm
Man, not only do I get a Sturgill Simpson album announcement, but I get to talk a little True Detective with the man himself. I guess I stand corrected on my earlier statement! Here’s to big things in 2014. Cheers!
February 21, 2014 @ 7:58 am
Sturgill,
Congratulations on the new addition to your family! You are about to learn just how true your statement about love being the only certainty in life really is when that kid gets here. Like so many others, I heard about you right here on SCM, and have been a supporter of real artists and real music since the first time “country” radio made me nauseous(somewhere around the late 90’s). I for one, would way rather be able to buy your albums than know you are setting out the bad orders I find!(I talked railroading with you at the show in FL) hope to see you back down this way soon.
February 20, 2014 @ 12:35 pm
Hang in there Trigger we know you are a “Bonafide suitor” no doubt.
Holy hell the sonic quality of this song is way above High Top Mtn. damn I can’t wait!
February 20, 2014 @ 12:46 pm
Very excited about this, that song was great!
February 20, 2014 @ 12:49 pm
Awesome news, can’t wait!
February 20, 2014 @ 1:05 pm
YES!! Take my damn money! “Living the Dream” sounds fantastic! Sturgill Simpson has become one of my favorites, thanks to this blog for bringing him to my attention.
February 20, 2014 @ 2:20 pm
Did Dave Cobb produce this album as well?
February 20, 2014 @ 2:59 pm
I was curious about that, too. Sounds like Bobby Emmett playing organ in the track posted (just like on “High Top Mountain”)..so I bet it’s the same cast of brilliant characters. Hoping we hear Leroy Powell on the next album again, too.
February 20, 2014 @ 2:34 pm
Awesome….I tell everyone I meet about Sturgill.
Lived in Jamestown, Ky on Lake Cumberland and will always push great music from my state.
Thanks,
Rakor1932
February 20, 2014 @ 2:43 pm
Great news.
Hell yes I’m exicted.
Waylon lives.
February 20, 2014 @ 2:57 pm
Wow! I was not expecting this but damn, I am excited. Talented and prolific? Check.
February 20, 2014 @ 3:14 pm
Yes, it’s worth noting that this album is coming out officially less than a year after “High Top Mountain” (though he released it digitally somewhat earlier than that.) With most artists these days, you’re waiting 18 months to 2 1/2 years on average.
February 20, 2014 @ 7:40 pm
I was thinking that, too…
Wonder if this is an anomaly or a sign of things to come with him.
I’m not too well versed with the facts, but Sunday Valleys album was two-ish years prior to Hightop Mountain, and that was with what seems like a lot of band issues and other things going on.
Pretty impressive, really.
February 21, 2014 @ 11:22 am
Good thing Sturgill ain’t signed to Curb, kid would be in college by the time the 3rd album was released. Seriously, great news on some real country!!
February 20, 2014 @ 3:15 pm
Loving the lead single. Really looking forward to hearing the whole thing.
Just a classic voice this guy has.
February 20, 2014 @ 4:13 pm
From the teaser song, it sounds real gritty and raw, and I absolutely love it.
Reminds me of early- to mid- 70s Waylon and Lynyrd Skynyrd.
February 20, 2014 @ 4:21 pm
Damn fine song. I love finding those rare “real artists” these days.
I have high hopes he’ll be banging out classics for years to come.
Reading the post Sturgill left, kinda makes me wonder how you make it nowadays. No Big Machine/Curb/etc is gonna touch him because he won’t play what the mindless Tweens and soccer moms listen to. He’ll continue to sell seats and albums to guys like me, but I know that can’t be enough…
I guess, with all that in mind, and knowing that you can spray tan and auto tune your way to billionaire status, it’s extremely respectable to see Mr. Simpson and others putting their heart and soul into their craft. Thanks for all you do, and thanks Trigger for all you do.
February 20, 2014 @ 5:45 pm
First impression of “Living The Dream”:
This is as good of an example as I can find of country music “evolving” as everyone (both supporters of redeemable country music and folks using that as an excuse to make the most terrible, consumable product) suggests it has to. It’s deep, it demands your attention, it’s not like anything that’s easily heard today, and he didn’t have to apply drum loops or Bon Jovi back-tracks to push it outside of the traditional wheelhouse.
By the way, Dave Cobb is the fucking boss.
February 20, 2014 @ 7:47 pm
X2…
The first impression to Simpson is “Wow, this is Waylon/70’s/Traditional blah blah..
But really, this is probably the best glimpse of what country would be in 2014 if the big media pop influence hadn’t shown up. His themes, attitude, songwriting, all of it… Sure, he’s got the Waylon guitar thing going on but this is 100% up to date and relevant. I’m growing a little tired of the “way it used to be” underground country stuff. It’s been done over and over. This is something different entirely, without losing sight of the genre in any way.
February 20, 2014 @ 8:07 pm
Man what a good night… a new Sturgill Simpsonalbum to look forward to buying and I just accidentally noticed on the TV guide that PBS is about to show the Austin City Limits show from last year with Jason Isbell.
I came so close to missing it (only caught it just now an hour before it’s on). I usually only half way pay attention to Austin City Limits because a lot of the time people are on I don’t care about seeing. They’ve got a TV schedule guide where you can put in your local zip code and TV provider to see what’s coming: http://acltv.com/watch/tv-schedule/
Congrats on the baby Mr. Simpson. Can’t wait to get my hands on the album!
February 21, 2014 @ 12:25 am
Great news. I saw Sturgill play in London last week, where he mentioned a new album coming out and played “Turtles All The Way Down”. Great to see it all confirmed!
February 21, 2014 @ 7:06 am
That’s awesome I have yet to see him live but cannot wait (COME TO NC!!!!)
I’m curious as to how the turnout for his shows across the pond were?
February 21, 2014 @ 7:36 am
Well, he was playing support to Laura Cantrell so the show was a sell out and I got the feeling I might have been the only person there who knew him!! The response was sluggish at first – at one point he remarked, “And the crowd goes MILD” – but by the end of his (too short) set he had the audience eating out of his hand!
Excellent little set – it was great to see just SS and an acoustic guitar. Talking to him afterwards I suggested that he release an acoustic version of “Mountain” as the songs worked so well in that format. Seems I wasn’t the first to come up with that idea!
February 22, 2014 @ 10:55 am
This is fantastic. God bless country music and Sturgill Simpson. I will gladly be putting a couple bucks in Mr. Simpson’s wallet come May 13th.
February 24, 2014 @ 7:51 am
I have to say, I never quite got all the way into “High Top Mountain”, but damn this song has made me a convert! The guitar tone alone is worth the price of admission, no one is sounding this good right now.
Between this, Hurray for the Riff Raff, St. Paul & The Broken Bones and the new DBT album, 2014 is really turning into a mind blowing year for good music.
February 24, 2014 @ 8:26 am
authentic country performer? What’s authentic about intentionally impersonating someone else?
February 24, 2014 @ 10:28 am
If you are suggesting that he’s impersonating Waylon Jennings, you must not be very familiar with his music or his performances. Waylon play any bluegrass standouts? Any Appalachian standards like Medicine Springs. Sturgill Simpson sounds like he’s from Kentucky. I’m not saying that you can’t hear Waylon influences in some songs, it’s just that if you are suggesting he’s simply a Waylon impersonator you don’t seem to know his music at all. IMO the comparisons will stop when he gets a haircut, and from the Paste article, it looks like he did.
February 25, 2014 @ 3:00 am
Didn’t Merle Haggard start out imitating Lefty Frizell?
Sturgill is obviously influenced by Waylon, but he’s his own man. And he’s only one album into his solo career. I predict that as his career progresses, his style will diverge even more from his influences to the degree that he’ll develop a unique sound all his own.
February 24, 2014 @ 11:16 pm
so excited. Randomly heard sturgill on sxm outlaw and the glorious interwebs brought me here from that. Now already a second album. Sturgill holds a special place in my heart from bringing me here can not wait.
February 25, 2014 @ 5:49 pm
what a fantastic tune.
buying this album.
March 16, 2014 @ 4:44 pm
I was lucky enough to catch Sturgill and his band on Saturday 3/15/14 at Broken Spoke for Twangfest in Austin. I cannot say enough about good this show was. His new CD, Metamodern Sounds in Country Music, is going to be awesome. He and the band did “Turtles All The Way Down.” I couldn’t believe it. Thanks for posting the “Living The Dream.”
JB
April 15, 2014 @ 5:24 am
Perfect. Sturgill is the real deal and it was an easy choice to include his first lp “High Top Mountain” in my ten best vinyl pickups of 2013 video on my YouTube channel. I’ve played the grooves off that one and counting the days until the follow-up. Pre-order complete, ‘x’ing the days on the calendar until it shows up at the door. Well done Sturgill, keep workin’ them fingers to the nubs and all the recognition you deserve will be in your lap soon enough man. – Lj