Jason Isbell, Sturgill Simpson, Chris Stapleton, and Other Good Stuff

[bluto 4942]

Agree completely on Cumberland gap comparison and muddiness, big ole bag of meh

[Buzzrock 14940]

Looks like he's playing Red Rocks again this year.  Am researching the show at Wrigley Field with the Highwomen and Chris Stapleton.  I wonder what kind of a concert venue Wrigley makes?

Depends on the setup I guess. It’s an outdoor field, it has to be better than the megadome shows.

[Seasick Sailor 3747]

The lack of a Houston date is disappointing. 

[Kennythetiger 9459]

14 hours ago, Buzzrock said:

 

Depends on the setup I guess. It’s an outdoor field, it has to be better than the megadome shows.

 

[dingleberryswitzer 2724]

16 hours ago, bluto said:

Agree completely on Cumberland gap comparison and muddiness, big ole bag of meh

Knowing nothing about audio production or mixing, it sounds like a bad mix.  It doesn get better as is goes on though .  

[Kermit 3158]

I really haven't liked the last couple of records that Dave Cobb has mixed. The Highwomen sounded muddy as shit too. You win some, you lose some I guess. 

[jimmyjazz 46128]

1 hour ago, Kermit said:

I really haven't liked the last couple of records that Dave Cobb has mixed. The Highwomen sounded muddy as shit too. You win some, you lose some I guess. 

Hmmm . . . I have that record, and I quite enjoy it.  Hadn't noticed anything too off about the mix.  I'll have to go back and listen again.

[Al_4_ISU 12484]

15 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

Hmmm . . . I have that record, and I quite enjoy it.  Hadn't noticed anything too off about the mix.  I'll have to go back and listen again.

Same.  I actually thought it did a good job handling the 4 voices the way it did.

[Kermit 3158]

As I recall, they ran all the voices together in mono. Didn’t like it. But, it’s still an album that gets play in the Kermit household. Dave Cobb puts his pants on the same way as me, but then he goes out and makes gold records.

[4th&Five 41589]

Presale tomorrow for Austin shows. PW is REUNIONS

[jimmyjazz 46128]

6 hours ago, Kermit said:

As I recall, they ran all the voices together in mono. Didn’t like it. But, it’s still an album that gets play in the Kermit household. Dave Cobb puts his pants on the same way as me, but then he goes out and makes gold records.

Hmmm  . . . I definitely heard some vocal panning as well as varying levels of reverb (less on the lead singer to make her more "up front").  I'll check and see if I'm completely out to lunch.

[Kermit 3158]

2 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

Hmmm  . . . I definitely heard some vocal panning as well as varying levels of reverb (less on the lead singer to make her more "up front").  I'll check and see if I'm completely out to lunch.

Well if I’m wrong, blame the Saving Country Music guy. I believe I read it in his review. 

[Jack Straw 2954]

16 hours ago, 4th&Five said:

Presale tomorrow for Austin shows. PW is REUNIONS

got 2 for Friday and 2 for Saturday, after many aborted attempts - "its not you, its us, please start over and try again."  that website straight up sucks.  

[HenryJames 66170]

Yeah, Ticketmaster is the worst.

Edited February 13, 2020 by HenryJames

[4th&Five 41589]

from what i've figured out it won't process if you choose mail.  i've had to go back and choose digital multiple times since the switch to TM.

[Jack Straw 2954]

9 minutes ago, 4th&Five said:

from what i've figured out it won't process if you choose mail.  i've had to go back and choose digital multiple times since the switch to TM.

I think that’s right.  I tried multiple cards and then the orders finally starting going through once I was on card #4 but also switched to digital tickets for the 1st time. I know it wasn’t the other cards that were the problem.  

[stc 1465]

my ticket stub collection has been seriously impacted by digital tickets. i used to enjoy looking back at the end of the year at all the concerts i attended. oh well. 

[4th&Five 41589]

Same. I have multiple books going back to when I started going to shows in ‘95. Fewer and fewer pages the last several years. 

[irishtexan 11522]

if any of you assholes live south in Austin and aren't doing shit tonight on this most romantic of days, I'll be playing classic country on vinyl at Indian Roller all night. Come by and say "hello, from the internet" and we can have a beer and I'll play you whatever country song you want me to play.

also, scored tix to jason isbell friday night show at ACL. stoked.

[4th&Five 41589]

 

[oSuJeff97 3435]

Great Steven Hyden interview with Sturgill here.  Dude doesn't hold anything back, lol.

Sturgill on rock bio writers, in the first paragraph:

“It’s all horseshit,” says Sturgill Simpson, his laidback Kentucky baritone gathering steam. “You sit down with a bio writer and they write out what this conversation’s going to be for the next year and a half. And then your publicist sends that to fucking everybody, and then (the media) rewrite their version of the same thing, and they publish it to sell advertising. And then the fans read the same seven answers to the same seven questions 7,000 fucking times, and then they regurgitate it like it was their idea on Twitter. And now you have a narrative.”

 

https://uproxx.com/indie/sturgill-simpson-interview-sound-and-fury-tour/

[Al_4_ISU 12484]

I can never decide if I love Sturgill's blazing candidness, or am annoyed by his negativity and how he's always claiming to be on the verge of retirement and doing shit out of spite. 

I guess that's the duality of the Sturgill thing.  Stoked to see him in April.

Edited February 20, 2020 by Al_4_ISU

[4th&Five 41589]

he sounds pretty serious about the retirement thing and it hasn't really changed over time.  in the podcast i posted above he said there might be one more tour after this one.  he sounded a lot more excited about racing cars than making music.

edit:  just finished the interview...a lot of the same ground as the podcast.  the label stuff is funny because everyone could see it coming.

 

Edited February 20, 2020 by 4th&Five

[bluto 4942]

Damn sturgill tix are $90 including fees for nosebleeds at the AAC... f that noise.

[Clintonaldo 2576]

I see Sturgill and Tyler Childers Wednesday night and I think I am more excited to see Childers. It’s going to be a rowdy deal. 

[jimmyjazz 46128]

I'll probably catch all kinds of crap for this, but I don't care:  I much prefer Isbell to Simpson, and it's not because of the genres so much as it is that Isbell always seems honest to me.  With Simpson, I hear more of a crank who struggles to be bothered to produce material.  

That said, it's not a contest, and I'm not trying to make it that.  I just think Isbell is a near-once-in-a-generation songwriter, with McMurtry/Prine level of intelligence and way with words.  I don't think Simpson is in that league.

[bschoolprof 6272]

1 hour ago, jimmyjazz said:

I'll probably catch all kinds of crap for this, but I don't care:  I much prefer Isbell to Simpson, and it's not because of the genres so much as it is that Isbell always seems honest to me.  With Simpson, I hear more of a crank who struggles to be bothered to produce material.  

That said, it's not a contest, and I'm not trying to make it that.  I just think Isbell is a near-once-in-a-generation songwriter, with McMurtry/Prine level of intelligence and way with words.  I don't think Simpson is in that league.

I don’t even think this is controversial. Isbell is the much better songwriter and lyricist. One of the best in a long long time. 

[tbone_ 14158]

Thirded

[Al_4_ISU 12484]

Isbell is definitely a better overall songwriter.

Sturgill is a more entertaining and interesting performer.  Despite being a guy who generally prefers songs to playing/mood, I'm more interested/enthusiastic about what Strugill's doing lately than what Isbell's doing.

I guess I think Sturgill is still developing creatively, and I think Isbell has hit his peak and is settled more into a groove of giving the people what they want.  I appreciate that Isbell is a more straightforward guy, like Jimmy pointed out.  Sturgill seems to constantly be trying to staying ahead of some narrative/fuck with people and seems obsessed with it.  Isbell is just Isbell.  He's always been that way.

Edited February 24, 2020 by Al_4_ISU

[bluto 4942]

Lulz at the generic country fan getting their boots and bedazzled jeans on for Childers to open... then sturgill doing whatever in gods name you want to call it. The twitter reaction to his tour so far is funny stuff.

[irishtexan 11522]

I like them both about equally. That being said, I think Isbell plays it a lot safer. He doesn't deviate much from the playbook. He'll vascillate from stripped down acoustic to full band electric. But it's pretty firmly rooted in Americana and he doesn't stray too far from what works for him. Sturgill, otoh, never seems to want to do the same thing twice. He takes A LOT more chances than Isbell. Isbell's never written two songs as different as 'Hero' and 'Make Art Not Friends'. When you take chances and diverge from the genre that initially attracted your core fanbase, you're going to alienate people.  Sturgill's more of a rock and roll diva in that he pretends he doesn't give a shit what anyone thinks when he gets great reviews, and then gets super defensive and petty when he's criticized. I love them both, but I don't think it's an apples-to-apples comparison. 

[Nightfly 61]

On 2/14/2020 at 5:58 PM, irishtexan said:

if any of you assholes live south in Austin and aren't doing shit tonight on this most romantic of days, I'll be playing classic country on vinyl at Indian Roller all night. Come by and say "hello, from the internet" and we can have a beer and I'll play you whatever country song you want me to play.

also, scored tix to jason isbell friday night show at ACL. stoked.

Damn, too bad I missed this. Do they do this regularly at all? 

Wait, do you DJ it?

[irishtexan 11522]

8 minutes ago, Nightfly said:

Damn, too bad I missed this. Do they do this regularly at all? 

Wait, do you DJ it?

I did "DJ" in the sense that I selected the records that I wanted to play, and then I played those records. It is not regular. I've only DJ'd there like three or four times. I don't really DJ anywhere else. They only call when they have a theme night that's kinda country related. 

[Zwylde 812]

6 hours ago, irishtexan said:

I like them both about equally. That being said, I think Isbell plays it a lot safer. He doesn't deviate much from the playbook. He'll vascillate from stripped down acoustic to full band electric. But it's pretty firmly rooted in Americana and he doesn't stray too far from what works for him. Sturgill, otoh, never seems to want to do the same thing twice. He takes A LOT more chances than Isbell. Isbell's never written two songs as different as 'Hero' and 'Make Art Not Friends'. When you take chances and diverge from the genre that initially attracted your core fanbase, you're going to alienate people.  Sturgill's more of a rock and roll diva in that he pretends he doesn't give a shit what anyone thinks when he gets great reviews, and then gets super defensive and petty when he's criticized. I love them both, but I don't think it's an apples-to-apples comparison. 

Totally agree.  I'll go farther to say Isbell won't ever be as good as Southeastern again (his last two aren't even close) and I can see Sturgill just getting better and better based on what you said above.

 

 

[4th&Five 41589]

Do you think Sturgill is getting better? The Sunday Valley record and his first 2 under his name are my favorites by far. 

[irishtexan 11522]

1 hour ago, 4th&Five said:

Do you think Sturgill is getting better? The Sunday Valley record and his first 2 under his name are my favorites by far. 

"Better" is entirely subjective. You prefer the more traditional country sound on the first two records. From a casual listening experience I do, too, actually. I'm pretty sure I'll always listen to his first two records more often than I listen to any of his other records. But he's evolving as a songwriter. And that evolution is going to leave some of his old fans behind, and potentially bring in new fans. I liked a lot of what he did on Sailor's Guide to Earth. I REALLY like the new record. Like I said in my previous post, "Make Art Not Friends" is a straight up goth electro track. Is it good? That's for each individual listener to decide. Personally, I think it might be the best song he's ever written. But I can completely understand why fans of his first two records wouldn't care for it. But even if you don't like it, I think most fans would agree that it's fucking INTERESTING. He challenges his listeners in ways most contemporary pop artists don't, regardless of genre, because deviating from the formula that's been previously successful is fucking risky. That being said, his next record could be an electronic country record, or a punk rock record with Hot Water Music or Avail or Laura Jane Grace, or a wall of sound pop record with a full string section and none of that would surprise me. 

[4th&Five 41589]

I don’t disagree with any of that and continue to enjoy all his records. Jason too even though I agree he has probably peaked as far as a full album goes. 

[Al_4_ISU 12484]

I think the best tracks on Sailor's are my favorite Sturgill sound.  There are some points where that albums drags, but at it's best it's something else.  Motwon horns, steel guitar, and rock riffage all piling on top of each other.

I would love to see Sturgill work up the stuff from High Top Mountain into the current band's sound, and then turn around and do country versions of Sound & Fury.  Like Irish said, "Make Art, Not Friends" might be the best song he's ever written and I think it would sound amazing in a sparse country arrangement.  Just like you could do a smoldering "You Can Have the Crown" or "Life Ain't Fair & the World is Mean" with the current band.

[Nightfly 61]

16 hours ago, irishtexan said:

I did "DJ" in the sense that I selected the records that I wanted to play, and then I played those records. It is not regular. I've only DJ'd there like three or four times. I don't really DJ anywhere else. They only call when they have a theme night that's kinda country related. 

Very cool. Would love to check it out next time. 

[Clintonaldo 2576]

Sturgill was pretty dang good last night. I like his traditional stuff better but it took balls to take a chance on new shit like he did. I really do like Mercury in Retrograde. 

[jimmyjazz 46128]

It's probably been posted, but I don't care.  What a way with words (whether you like the sentiment or not):

 

[Al_4_ISU 12484]

On 2/28/2020 at 11:35 AM, jimmyjazz said:

It's probably been posted, but I don't care.  What a way with words (whether you like the sentiment or not):

 

It's also a really good example of making a point while maintaining a sense of humor, and not being that judgmental.  He literally never makes a judgment about conservative Christian right wing Republican straight white American males, other than that they're going to be the ones to put him in jail.  Which is statistically true.

 

Also, his ability to pull that off while tripping his balls off is something in and of itself.

Edited March 2, 2020 by Al_4_ISU

[jimmyjazz 46128]

I always get the feeling that most of that persona is a put-on.  Dude's crazy like a fox.

[4th&Five 41589]

I went to one of the Snider and Jack Ingram shows at Devil’s Backbone a couple weeks ago. So great. Mostly just telling stories and occasionally they’d throw a song in. 

[Al_4_ISU 12484]

34 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

I always get the feeling that most of that persona is a put-on.  Dude's crazy like a fox.

I get a little of that vibe out of his "aww shucks" side, but I think the heavy drug use is pretty real.

[Al_4_ISU 12484]

29 minutes ago, 4th&Five said:

I went to one of the Snider and Jack Ingram shows at Devil’s Backbone a couple weeks ago. So great. Mostly just telling stories and occasionally they’d throw a song in. 

That looked like so much fun.

[jimmyjazz 46128]

Just now, Al_4_ISU said:

I get a little of that vibe out of his "aww shucks" side, but I think the heavy drug use is pretty real.

Oh, I don't doubt that.  I just think the feigned "I'm just a simple good ole' boy writin' simple songs" thing is that -- feigned.

[Al_4_ISU 12484]

Just now, jimmyjazz said:

Oh, I don't doubt that.  I just think the feigned "I'm just a simple good ole' boy writin' simple songs" thing is that -- feigned.

Agree completely. 

The guy is a fucking genius.  He's operating on a different level than most people.  Shit, none of the guys in this thread title are his songwriting peers, IMO.  Isbell is the closest, but until he's writing shit like "Watering Flowers in the Rain" in his 50's, I'm leaning Todd.

He's not a simple good ol' boy.  He never was.  But he sure understands those guys.

[tbone_ 14158]

Isbell at Innings Festival in Tempe Saturday. Great show, not full headline set though.

On a related note, also caught Whiskey Meyers. Knew nothing about them but they were great. Southern rock, 2 drummers, and 3 guitar players. What’s not to love.

[Al_4_ISU 12484]

16 minutes ago, tbone_ said:

Isbell at Innings Festival in Tempe Saturday. Great show, not full headline set though.

On a related note, also caught Whiskey Meyers. Knew nothing about them but they were great. Southern rock, 2 drummers, and 3 guitar players. What’s not to love.

Whiskey Myers is great.  Their last album was a big step forward.  They were always a fun band, but they took the song writing up a notch.