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Topic: Sturgill Simpson on SNL |
Mark Hershey
From:
New York, USA
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Garry Vanderlinde
From:
CA
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Posted 16 Jan 2017 12:17 pm |
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...no Steel
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Posted 16 Jan 2017 12:18 pm Thumbs up.
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I thought they really kicked ass! Not sure why they call Sturgill Simpson a country singer, though. I didn't hear a hint of country in either song.
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-𝕓𝕆𝕓- (admin) - Robert P. Lee - Recordings - Breathe - D6th - Video |
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Mark Hershey
From:
New York, USA
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Posted 16 Jan 2017 1:05 pm Re: Thumbs up.
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| b0b wrote: |
| I thought they really kicked ass! Not sure why they call Sturgill Simpson a country singer, though. I didn't hear a hint of country in either song. |
Yeah, his last album is a real departure. I'm inclined to agree with you that it isn't very country unless this is what the art form has evolved to.
His last album was definitely more country sounding but still had some nice modern touches.
Regarding the performance, I thought it kicked some as well. They definitely had something to prove.
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Bill Terry
From:
Bastrop, TX
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Posted 16 Jan 2017 1:09 pm
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The drummer had just the right number of toms... 
Killer performances.. not exactly 'phoning it in' were they? |
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Earnest Bovine
From:
Los Angeles CA USA
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Posted 16 Jan 2017 2:05 pm Re: Thumbs up.
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| b0b wrote: |
| .. Not sure why they call Sturgill Simpson a country singer, though. I didn't hear a hint of country in either song. |
I think it was the trombone solo.
If music doesn't work out for Sturgill, he could always find work teaching elocution. |
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Dave Hopping
From:
Aurora, Colorado
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Posted 16 Jan 2017 5:29 pm
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Strike One: Smashed Guitar.
Strike Two: Smashed Guitar.
Strike Three: Smashed Guitar.
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Brett Lanier
From:
Madison, TN
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Posted 16 Jan 2017 7:08 pm
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| They did a good job bringing the heat in the 4 or 5 mins they get for the show. I saw their Montreal show a few months back and it was awesome. The band and Sturgill played off each other all night, and they got real spontaneous at times. Also the country sound was present that night. He even sang "I never go around mirrors". |
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Steve Pawlak
From:
Arizona, USA
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Posted 17 Jan 2017 6:01 am
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| Home run: Smashed guitar! |
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Mark Hershey
From:
New York, USA
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Posted 17 Jan 2017 6:48 am
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| The most country thing about the SNL performances is his singing. Definitely channeling Waylon. |
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Don R Brown
From:
Rochester, New York, USA
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Posted 17 Jan 2017 6:55 am Re: Thumbs up.
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| b0b wrote: |
| I thought they really kicked ass! Not sure why they call Sturgill Simpson a country singer, though. I didn't hear a hint of country in either song. |
Good music, not country.
I could never, even at a younger age, understand why it's considered cool to smash guitars or kick over amps. I guess we should be glad it wasn't a country song to close things out - might have used the 6-string to "ax chop" a nice Emmons or something.  |
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Mark Hershey
From:
New York, USA
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Posted 17 Jan 2017 8:44 am
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Anyone see 'Lala Land'? Amazing film.
Kind of makes me think of the is it country or not country discussion. The movie is about a jazz purist and he laments that it is a dying art form. I won't give out many spoilers but there's a modern jazz vs traditional jazz discussion in the film.
Is Sturgill making 21st century modern country music or is it rock n roll? |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 17 Jan 2017 9:24 am
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| Mark Hershey wrote: |
Is Sturgill making 21st century modern country music or is it rock n roll? |
I only heard him for the first time the day after SNL, and I only heard the second tune, but it sounded to me like Creedence Clearwater revival meets Ike and Tina Turner.
It didn't excite me very much, but they brought the energy hard. Strength in numbers!
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Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Bill Terry
From:
Bastrop, TX
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Posted 17 Jan 2017 9:40 am
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| Quote: |
| If music doesn't work out for Sturgill, he could always find work teaching elocution. |
To quote Sturgill himself:
Iq thota] oiuy lopy.. |
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Brint Hannay
From:
Maryland, USA
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Posted 17 Jan 2017 1:27 pm Re: Thumbs up.
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| b0b wrote: |
| Not sure why they call Sturgill Simpson a country singer, though. |
Heavy nasal Southern accent. That seems to be what it boils down to any more. |
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Mark Eaton
From:
Sonoma County in The Great State Of Northern California
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Posted 17 Jan 2017 1:54 pm
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For the clueless about Sturgill, and the snarky commenters, he has done some serious straight country on his three albums, and he has gone off on some rants in interviews against the modern state of Bro Country that would fit right in with many of us here on the forum. But he himself in the interviews I have read has never claimed that his music is all about is traditional country. A few of his tunes, between the vocals and the song writing style remind me of sort of a cross between Waylon and Kris Kristofferson, Sturgill has made three albums. I own the 2nd and 3rd.
The first tune on SNL wasn't exactly my cup of tea, but I would put last year's album, A Sailor's Guide to the Earth right up there as the best album of the year. And it is in fact Grammy nominated for Album of the Year/All Categories as well as Country Album of the Year.
And there is some definite genre bending happening on the album, but it is anything but the lame crap that the Nashville "suits" are pushing on the mainstream radio waves from the "Bros." This guy is serious.
As far as the horns, Johnny Cash used them on Ring of Fire in 1963 and he did alright with that record.
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Mark |
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Brint Hannay
From:
Maryland, USA
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Posted 17 Jan 2017 2:26 pm
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I'm not familiar with his other output, though I did see a previous TV appearance (with steel, by the way) that had country flavor to it. My comment was more general, on the "What does the term 'country' mean nowadays?"
But although a) I try to avoid narrow definitions, and b) my musical tastes are the furthest thing from confined to "country", however defined, the two songs in the SNL clips in the OP (which do indeed kick some) surely can't be considered "country" in any way unless my facetious criterion is applied! |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Posted 17 Jan 2017 2:48 pm
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I don't follow "modern" country music, so I'm not at all familiar with his repertoire. I just knew that his name was associated with country, so I was surprised to hear a white rock/R&B singer with a horn section. If his latest album is like that, I might be inclined to pick it up. More research is needed. I'd hate to accidentally buy a "bro-country" album. 
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Mark Eaton
From:
Sonoma County in The Great State Of Northern California
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Posted 17 Jan 2017 3:17 pm
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I don't follow "modern" country music either b0b, but it manages to occasionally "insinuate" itself into my life when I'm out and about in different situations.
I have mentally amassed a set of publications I look to, both on paper and online to keep me on the lookout for the good stuff. One example: No Depression. I'm on their email list and receive a series of articles about once a week.
A radio station local to b0b and I (though it might be sketchy reception at times in Cloverdale) here in Sonoma County does a pretty good job of occasionally turning me on to new folks that might appeal to me: KRSH ("The Krush - wine country radio"). They aren't slaves to the corporate radio empire.
We've been down this path many times on the forum - there is still a lot of great "real" music being made out there, you just need some curiosity to develop the wherewithal to to seek it out.
I like this tune "Breakers Roar" off the album that's up for the Grammys:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sg209CadVQM&list=PL41PZuZMej3fjf6TQv5UH5MYWy4u-RwT6
Some subtle steel in there by Dan Dugmore.
And last year for the memory lapsed, and for those who never saw the thread, we had a discussion started by Bob Hoffnar regarding Sturgill's take on Nirvana's 'In Bloom" which is my favorite song on the album, it was performed on The Daily Show:
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=299965&highlight=sturgill
We also welcomed in that thread a new forum member - Sturgill's lead guitarist who had recently taken up steel, Estonian Laur Joamets.
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Mark
Last edited by Mark Eaton on 17 Jan 2017 3:42 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Mark Eaton
From:
Sonoma County in The Great State Of Northern California
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Posted 17 Jan 2017 3:41 pm
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Apparently the live version of "In Bloom" from The Daily Show is no longer available - that was the one where Laur was playing steel. Too bad!
Here is the studio version and the rather surrealistic video that was made for it. Dan Dugmore on steel. I love the way the song builds, I think it's just brilliant. And I believe Kurt Cobain would give it two thumbs up:
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/see-sturgill-simpson-reinvent-nirvanas-in-bloom-in-stunning-video-20160324
Go Sturgill. It would be a miracle for him to beat out Adele for Album of the Year, but maybe he'll nail it for Country Album of the Year, though an album of Ray Price shuffles it isn't.
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Mark |
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Mark Hershey
From:
New York, USA
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Posted 18 Jan 2017 7:27 am
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Good stuff, Mark Eaton.
Seeing a lot of bias in this thread. Question for the critics how many times have you actually listened to the albums? Seeing one performance on a tv show is not a large sampling of an artists work.
I recommend Metamodern Sounds in Country Music, it is the best starting point. Also it often takes more than one listen of an album for the work to really resonate.
I'm convinced if a lot of the naysayers actually took the time to listen to the album and listened without prejudice I genuinely think they would have a new appreciation for his work. |
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Garry Vanderlinde
From:
CA
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Posted 18 Jan 2017 8:00 am
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I like Sturgill a lot, specially when he uses the steel. Dan Dougmore knocked me out on the last album.
I don't care if it's Country or R&B or whatever,
I just rather listen to steel guitar than horns.
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Posted 18 Jan 2017 9:13 am
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I hope you're not counting me among the "naysayers", Mark Hershey. I really like what I've heard of him so far. I rarely buy vocal albums, but in his case I might make an exception.
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Mark Hershey
From:
New York, USA
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Posted 18 Jan 2017 9:38 am
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| b0b wrote: |
| I hope you're not counting me among the "naysayers", Mark Hershey. I really like what I've heard of him so far. I rarely buy vocal albums, but in his case I might make an exception. |
Not at all sir, I think you'd like The Metamodern Sounds album.
I saw him perform just outside of Philly when his band was just a four piece in support of that album. They absolutely blew the roof off of the place. He's probably not for everyone but I do think at the very least his music is worth exploring. |
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