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Post by tim on Apr 7, 2016 10:26:05 GMT -5
Full album available to stream via NPR. 1. "Welcome To Earth (Pollywog)" 2. "Breakers Roar" 3. "Keep It Between The Lines" 4. "Sea Stories" 5. "In Bloom" 6. "Brace For Impact (Live A Little)" 7. "All Around You" 8. "Oh Sarah" 9. "Call To Arms" |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 7, 2016 10:31:33 GMT -5
I'm going to wait to hear this but I am definitely excited for this album. I do suggest a lot of you guys who tend to not give independent artists a chance to at least give Sturgill Simpson as his previous album was immaculate to say the least and was one of the most critically acclaimed albums ever.
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Post by tim on Apr 7, 2016 10:34:45 GMT -5
I'm going to wait to hear this but I am definitely excited for this album. I was going to wait...but I just couldn't! I'm three songs in and all I can say is amazing. edit: just finished and I'd say this is easily the best album of the year and anyone who thought Sturgill wasn't making a country record, well they couldn't have been more wrong. I'm on mobile so will add more later, but this is definitely a concept album as each song blends into the next. I give this two thumbs up and five stars! |
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dm2081
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Post by dm2081 on Apr 7, 2016 13:35:19 GMT -5
Kind of odd there's a Nirvana cover on here when there's only 9 songs to begin with.
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zjames
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Post by zjames on Apr 7, 2016 13:55:23 GMT -5
Kind of odd there's a Nirvana cover on here when there's only 9 songs to begin with. The Nirvana cover might actually be my favorite song on the album. |
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Post by tim on Apr 7, 2016 23:42:22 GMT -5
I'm sure I've steamed this album twenty times already lol; I've been waiting for this for quite some time. Next to George Strait, Sturgill has become my favorite country artist of all time. Can't quite explain any specific reason why, just that I like his authenticy as an artist, songwriter, and now producer. Sturgill kicks off the album with the words "Hello, my son...welcome to Earth." That was all I needed to hear to know this was going to be a great album.
I'm looking forward to hearing Sturgil's debut of his new music here in Austin next month! I'm catching the first show solo, and then going with some friends the next night. It'll be interesting to see how he incorporates the horns and strings live.
Here's my list of favorites so far:
1. Breakers Roar
2. In Bloom
3. Welcome To Earth (Pollywog)
4. Oh Sarah
5. Brace For Impact (Live A Little)
6. Call to Arms
7. Sea Stories
8. All Around You
9. Keep It Between The Lines
I don't think Sturgill is going for radio here, but if there was to be one song that stands out as one that would get played and be a hit it would be "Sea Stories."
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phil1996
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Post by phil1996 on Apr 8, 2016 17:57:39 GMT -5
This is amazing music right here. I'd go on some rant about his lack of radio success compared to Chris Lane/Granger Boring/Michael Ray but this music is too good, so I'll keep happily listening. Great great album. Can't stop listening to Brace For Impact and Sea Stories.
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Post by Daryl the Beryl on Apr 15, 2016 0:40:47 GMT -5
Album is now #1 on iTunes, has a Metacritic rating of 87/100, and Brace for Impact is now #34 at Triple A and climbing. Country radio, take note!
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dm2081
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Post by dm2081 on Apr 15, 2016 1:00:54 GMT -5
Pretty disappointing on first listen, but I guess it could grown on me. Just doesn't sound very country at all except for a few songs, it seemed like a pretty big change up from his last album. That being said, "Oh Sarah" is a great song, easily the best on the album. "Sea Stories" was pretty solid as well. The rest will probably need some time to digest with me I guess. Also pretty annoyed there's only 9 songs. I feel like 10 is pretty standard unless your Metallica or somebody who only has 8 minute epics.
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godjanny
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Post by godjanny on Apr 15, 2016 1:33:05 GMT -5
This album proves even sailors can say "Yeehaw"!
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zjames
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Post by zjames on Apr 15, 2016 9:50:53 GMT -5
I've listened to the NPR stream a lot in the past week and I plan on picking up a copy of this later today. I don't want to jump to any undeserved conclusions but I think this is Sturgill's best album and probably my favorite album of 2016.
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Ten Pound Hammer
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Post by Ten Pound Hammer on Apr 15, 2016 17:32:18 GMT -5
So far he's not grabbing me. All of his stuff is way too convoluted and spacey, and just goes right over my head. I can't even understand a word of that pollywog song, and I was looking at the lyrics as I listened to it.
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phil1996
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Post by phil1996 on Apr 15, 2016 19:39:37 GMT -5
^ Yeah, I will say the one thing that I don't like about Sturgill is that I can't understand his words well sometimes.
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Ten Pound Hammer
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I watched it all on my radio
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Post by Ten Pound Hammer on Apr 15, 2016 20:42:49 GMT -5
^ Yeah, I will say the one thing that I don't like about Sturgill is that I can't understand his words well sometimes. I don't mean in a "can't make out what he's singing" means. I can understand his diction and articulation okay. It's just that his vocabulary, phrasing, and subject matter are often so opaque to me that I can't comprehend the song's subject matter in any way. As I've said before, I've had "Turtles All the Way Down" explained to me, and I still don't know what the song is about topically. |
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Andy
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Post by Andy on Apr 15, 2016 20:56:27 GMT -5
^ Yeah, I will say the one thing that I don't like about Sturgill is that I can't understand his words well sometimes. I don't mean in a "can't make out what he's singing" means. I can understand his diction and articulation okay. It's just that his vocabulary, phrasing, and subject matter are often so opaque to me that I can't comprehend the song's subject matter in any way. As I've said before, I've had "Turtles All the Way Down" explained to me, and I still don't know what the song is about topically. Sturgill can be a bit eccentric. He might not appeal to you, and that's okay. No artist is for everyone. If you still want to try to get into him, I recommend his first album ( High Top Mountain). It's a lot more conventional in just about every way. No Nirvana covers or LSD references. "Hero" (a dedication to his father) is probably my fave track. |
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Post by tim on Apr 17, 2016 23:22:56 GMT -5
After many, many listens I think I've finally settled on my favorites:
1. Breakers Row
2. Oh Sarah
3. All Around You
4. Welcome To Earth (Pollywog)
5. In Bloom
6. Sea Stories
7. Call To Arms
8. Brace For Impact (Live A Little)
9. Keep It Between the Lines
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2016 19:17:11 GMT -5
Loving "Brace For Impact" right now. The rest of the album is good too.
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phil1996
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Post by phil1996 on Apr 19, 2016 9:22:35 GMT -5
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sgtoddball
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Post by sgtoddball on Apr 19, 2016 9:51:18 GMT -5
This was not bad but not nearly as good as any Eric Church Album I've listened to. I guess I just don't get all the hype.
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zjames
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Post by zjames on Apr 21, 2016 13:18:08 GMT -5
Ranking Time!
1 "Call To Arms"
2 "In Bloom"
3 "Sea Stories"
4 "Welcome To Earth (Pollywog)"
5 "Breakers Roar"
6 "Oh Sarah"
7 "All Around You"
8 "Keep It Between The Lines"
9 "Brace For Impact (Live A Little)"
I love every song though and this album deserves all the praise it has been getting.
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Post by countrymusicjunkie on Apr 24, 2016 16:51:49 GMT -5
I have to be honest, I don't care for this album. I tried really hard to like it but after multiple listens it's not growing on me at all. This is actually the first Sturgill Simpson album I've ever listened to, I think I'll listen to his other albums and see if I like them better.
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dm2081
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Posts: 7,076
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Post by dm2081 on Apr 25, 2016 0:53:37 GMT -5
So this debuts at #3 on the Billboard 200 album chart, behind only 2 different albums from Prince (A greatest hits package and Purple Rain). Unfortunate timing for Sturgill, this might have been his best chance to nab a #1 album with the lack of competition. However, this album still sold 52,000 units in pure album sales, without a single song getting played on radio. That's amazing, he clearly has a great grassroot fan base. He easily outsold nearly every country newcomer in the past few years (Frankie Ballard, Kelsea Ballerini, A Thousand Horses, Frankie Ballard, Randy Houser, Maddie & Tae, Tyler Farr, Old Dominion, etc. the list goes on and on). Heck, Brett Eldredge was riding off 4 consecutive #1's heading into his Illinois album release, and he still got outsold by nearly 10,000 albums in each artists' respective debut weeks. The only artists selling better are the A-listers, and they should be expected to sell better. Artists like Kacey Musgraves, Jason Isbell, Don Henley, Sturgill Simpson, and Christ Stapleton are proving you don't need to conform to mainstream country radio in order to sell records or make money, and as we continue to move into a day and age that focuses more on instant streaming than FM radio stations, that doesn't spell well for current radio programmers. I'm sure they'll continue to ignore these artists, but I can't understand for the life of me why they won't play a variety of the best selling artists. That would mean playing songs like "Brace For Impact (Live A Little)" and "Breakup In A Small Town" back to back (talk about diversity!).
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Post by George Strait Junkie on Apr 26, 2016 4:01:33 GMT -5
i love this record i cant rank any songs in any order but my favorite track right now is "Oh Sarah" i kinda like this album more than the last i dont know why but i still love his debut cd more than both it has my favorite Sturgill Simpson song "You Can Have The Crown"
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Post by Daryl the Beryl on Apr 26, 2016 4:10:34 GMT -5
Debuts at #1 on the Rock, Folk and Country albums charts at #1 with 52k, and #3 on the Billboard 200 with 55k.
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Andy
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Post by Andy on May 15, 2016 21:05:19 GMT -5
I just listened to this for the first time, and I'm blown away. I think this may be his best work yet, and it is potentially an all-time favorite for me. I might be engaging in new album hyperbole as I'm wont to do, but I don't think so. "Brace for Impact," "Sea Stories", and "Call to Arms" all gave me huge dopamine rushes, and Sturgill's perspective and way of seeing things really strike a chord with me. If this doesn't end up my favorite album of the year, I'll be shocked.
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Post by tim on May 15, 2016 22:53:59 GMT -5
I think this may be his best work yet, and it is potentially an all-time favorite for me. Not only do I agree this is his best effort to date, I think that this has potentially become my favorite album of all time from any genre of music. No album has ever struck such a chord with me from beginning to end. |
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sabre14
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Post by sabre14 on May 15, 2016 23:56:22 GMT -5
'On The Horizon' (The Highway) has added "In Bloom" to its playlist.
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phil1996
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Post by phil1996 on Dec 13, 2016 12:36:00 GMT -5
In Bloom still leaves me speechless. Art.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 13, 2016 12:57:08 GMT -5
This is all over Best Of 2016 lists. Well deserved.
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Ten Pound Hammer
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Posts: 9,595
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Post by Ten Pound Hammer on Dec 13, 2016 18:44:32 GMT -5
If you still want to try to get into him, I recommend his first album ( High Top Mountain). It's a lot more conventional in just about every way. No Nirvana covers or LSD references. "Hero" (a dedication to his father) is probably my fave track. Finally tried a couple tracks off High Top. "Life Ain't Fair..." just sounds like he's parroting outlaw country cliches we've heard a billion times. "Hero" sounds like he's just parroting "my dad was an amazing man" cliches we've heard a billion times. "Railroad of Sin" is just a ripoff of "Long Black Train", only about four times faster. Seriously, how did he go from a cheap dollar-store knockoff of Jamey Johnson to being such a frickin' head trip?! What is even the appeal?!? |
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