Cuttun' Grass Vol 1 The Butcher Shoppe Sessions (High Top Mountain/Thirty Tigers, 2020)
Sturgill Simpson
Reviewed by Dan MacIntosh
Simpson's point of view is complicated. He sounds just as natural singing about God, as he does on "All Around You," as he does while traveling down that highway to hell with "Railroad of Sin." These recordings offer a bluegrass reimagining of his original country tracks, and everything he's written works just as well with this project's old school instrumentation. There's a lot to digest with this effort, but one song stands out above the rest. "Old King Coal," a gut level honest assessment of America's coal country and culture, is especially sad when put to this new arrangement.
The playing is excellent throughout, and Simpson sings all these songs with plenty of emotion. There's just something special about Simpson's newfound combination of relevant lyrics and old timey instrumentation that makes this collection so great. If you didn't already know Simpson's work, you might easily assume these arrangements are the original ones. Heck, maybe that is true for some of 'em.
Simpson may have a love/hate relationship with the country music business, but he expresses nothing, but uninhibited love for performing bluegrass music on these inspired recordings.
CDs by Sturgill Simpson




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