A Sailor's Guide to Earth
by Sturgill Simpson
- Type: Album
- Released: 15 April 2016
- Label: Atlantic
- Country: United States
- Length: 38:50
- Community rating: 4.03/5 from 12 ratings
Album Notes & Community Reviews
Conceived as a seafaring letter to his newborn son, 'A Sailor's Guide to Earth' largely abandons country traditionalism for a rich fusion of Stax-era soul, psychedelic rock, and funk, driven by lush string arrangements and the prominent use of the Dap-Kings horn section. Simpson's self-produced songwriting navigates paternal advice and worldly reflections, highlighted by a transformative, soulful cover of Nirvana鈥檚 'In Bloom'. The album鈥檚 ambitious, genre-defying sound earned widespread acclaim, securing a Grammy for Best Country Album and a rare all-genre nomination for Album of the Year.
Genres
Tracklist
- Welcome to Earth (Pollywog) (04:53)
- Breakers Roar (03:32)
- Keep It Between the Lines (04:01)
- Sea Stories (03:16)
- In Bloom (04:00)
- Brace for Impact (Live a Little) (05:49)
- All Around You (03:35)
- Oh Sarah (04:15)
- Call to Arms (05:29)
Credits
- Sturgill Simpson - vocals, acoustic guitar, 12-string guitar, moog synthesizer, horn arrangement, background vocals, production
- Miles Miller - drums, background vocals
- Robert Emmett - organ, moog synthesizer, wurlitzer, background vocals, keyboards
- Dan Dugmore - steel guitar
- Jefferson Steinberg - string arrangement, horn arrangement
- Dave Roe - bass guitar
- Laur Joamets - electric guitar, slide guitar
- Jefferson Crow - piano, wurlitzer
- Garo Yellin - first cello
- Arthur Cook - second cello
- Jonathan Dinklage - violin
- Whitney LaGrange - violin
- Neal Sugarman - tenor saxophone
- Dave Guy - trumpet, flugelhorn
- Ian Hendrickson-Smith - alto saxophone, baritone saxophone
- Clark Gayton - trombone
- Dougie Wilkinson - bagpipes
- Kevin Black - bass guitar
- David Ferguson - mixing, engineering, recording
- Gavin Lurssen - mastering
- Sean Sullivan - recording
- Geoff Allan - bagpipe engineering
- Ebonie Smith - engineering assistance
- Greg "Gigen's Dad" Burke - art direction, design
- Kilian Eng - cover art, back cover art, ships wheel illustration
- Mark Stutzman - map illustration
- Matthew Meiners - skeletons