REVIEWS New releases from Chris Stapleton, Keith Urban

Chris Stapleton

Starting Over Mercury Nashville

Chris Stapleton’s new record is aptly titled, both for the times we are going through and his desire to push himself artistically. Recorded just before the pandemic hit in March, every song on this record is chock full of passionate performances and unexpected sounds. The album was recorded with his longtime bandmates, bassist J.T. Cure and drummer Derek Mixon, and producer Dave Cobb on acoustic guitar, with an array of special guests including Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers fame.

The record opens with the title track, and the lyric sets a mood of restlessness and anticipation. Driven by acoustic guitars, shakers, and Stapleton’s distinctive voice with its shadow — his wife Morgane, right there beside him — sets the stage for the journey to come. Over the course of 14 songs, Stapleton demonstrates an ever-increasing stylistic range, and sounds totally comfortable in every setting. “Cold” is a riveting R&B ballad complete with a wonderful string arrangement by Kris Wilkinson, Cobb and Stapleton, that brings to mind Marvin Gaye or Curtis Mayfield. Somehow, it effortlessly segues into “When I’m With You” which is straight up Waylon Jennings-style country, immediately followed by the big dirty guitars of Stapleton and Campbell on “Arkansas” that up the ante with slide and bluesy riffs and show off the great rhythm section of Cure and Mixon, who navigate the wide range of styles effortlessly.

The sweet ballad “Joy of My Life,” written by John Fogerty, is followed by “Hillbilly Blood,” with a dark, swampy groove and a no-holds-barred lyric that pulls no punches. Stapleton sings and plays every instrument on this powerful track except the rhythm section and Cobb’s acoustic guitar. “Maggie’s Song” is a well-deserved tribute to a dearly loved one, and the bittersweet lyric will resonate with anyone who has been through that journey. “Whisky Sunrise” rises and falls dynamically and leads perfectly into the first of two Guy Clark cover songs in a row, “Worry B Gone,” which features a wild guitar solo by Stapleton — who plays a lot of excellent electric guitar throughout the record. This boogie groove is followed by “Old Friends.” This classic Clark tune‘s spoken verses show a

gentler side of Stapleton’s considerable vocal prowess. Cure’s melodic bass, producer Cobb and Stapleton’s acoustic guitars, and Mixon’s tastefully understated drums underpin the deeply personal lyric. Not many artists would dare to cover such an iconic tune, but Stapleton pulls it off.

“Watch You Burn,” written with Mike Campbell, addresses the Las Vegas shooting of several years ago head on, with the kind of gritty sincerity that few could pull off, but he does so magnificently. The All Voices Choir lend an otherworldly quality to the huge crescendo that closes the track. “You Should Probably Leave” is a ‘damned if you do, damned if you don’t’ story with a sweetly sincere vocal. The album closes with “Nashville,” a heartbreakingly perfect bookend to the opening track, with Paul Franklin playing beautiful pedal steel. This is a great record that bears repeated listening and will definitely stand the test of time. – Roy Montana

Jeannie Seely

An American Classic Curb Records

Jeannie Seely has been a member of the Grand Ole Opry for more than 50 years, and still remains a vibrant artist and songwriter who has a lot left to say. She has also raised a lot of money for the AFM 257 Emergency Relief Fund with her Dottie West tribute concerts over the past few years. Her new album, An American Classic, produced by Don Cusic, captures her unique energy in a big way and shows that real country music is alive and well. The musicians on the record include Glen Duncan on acoustic guitar and fiddle, Jerry Roe and Mark Beckett on drums, Gary Prim and Mike Rojas on keyboards, Chris Scruggs on electric guitar and pedal steel, and Dave Pomeroy on bass. The classic western swing feel of “So Far So Good,” cowritten by 257 member Penn Pennington, kicks things off. Fellow Opry members The Whites are featured on background vocals, and Duncan’s twin fiddles and Rojas’ piano drive this arrangement. The impossibly sad “If You Could Call It That” features Steve Wariner, who cowrote the song with West and Bobby Tomberlin, and his guest vocal blends in perfectly. “To Make A Dream Come True,” coproduced by Ray Stevens, tells the story of a mythical country singer who makes her way to Nashville and hits it big. Seely breathes new life into the jazz classic “Teach Me Tonight,” accompanied by tasteful playing by the band. “Can I Sleep with You Tonight Mister” again touches on subject matter that could be interpreted as being too suggestive, but Seely delivers the lyric with a sincerity that defuses any further debate. Rhonda Vincent is featured with Seely on vocals on “I’m All Through Crying Over You,” and Duncan’s fiddles are the perfect foil for their excellent vocal chemistry. “When Two Worlds Collide” features Bill Anderson, who cowrote this hit for Kenny Rogers and West, and is followed by “There’s Not A Dry Eye in the House,” a gorgeous duet with Willie Nelson with some beautiful steel playing by Scruggs. The duets continue with Waylon Payne joining in on the classic “Old Flames,” and “That’s How I Roll,” cowritten by 257 member Tim Atwood, featuring Lorrie Morgan on vocals and Vince Gill on red-hot electric guitar. She revisits one of her classic hits “Don’t Touch Me,” and shows she still has the magic, and her vocal is beautifully heartbreaking. The Paul McCartney song “Dance Tonight” is an unexpected pleasure and brings a Celtic flavor, with Ray Stevens featured on guest vocals. “Peaceful Waters” continues the Irish vibe and closes the record with an uplifting lyric written by producer Cusic, who does a great job of bringing out the best of Seely, for whom we should all be grateful. She was, and is, a groundbreaking female artist and songwriter who still has a lot to say. This is an aptly titled album, as she is definitely an American classic. — Roy Montana

Keith Urban

The Speed of Now — Part 1 Capitol Records

Keith Urban’s latest record incorporates a wide range of styles and sounds, and presents an artist who is comfortable in his own skin and not afraid to take chances. He collaborates with a variety of cowriters, producers, instrumentalists, and singers, including Nile Rodgers of Chic fame, pop star Pink, and country icon Eric Church. Audio trickery abounds throughout the record, but always in service of the song, which gives the album a depth and variety missing in many contemporary projects. Urban’s voice and guitar remain front and center as the sonic universe spins around his performances. The album kicks off with a bang with “Out the Cage,” a bone rattling rave-up about being trapped in more ways than one. “One Too Many” features Pink and combines an old school R&B vibe with a creeping eight note groove and dynamic group vocals. “Live With” is an uplifting tome to reconciling reality with aspirations. There’s a killer groove from the rhythm section of Jimmie Lee Sloas on bass and Evan Hutchings on drums. “Superman” blends high tech programming with a big groove by Jerry Roe and Nathan Chapman on drums and bass respectively. The pleading “Change Your Mind” is another example of Urban’s ability to write concise hooks that describe complex emotions. “Forever” is an anthem to the power of letting go that features coproducer Dann Huff and Urban on dueling electric guitars, Roe, Sloas, and Dave Cohen on keyboards. “Ain’t It Like A Woman” has a soulful feel and a great vocal by Urban, and “Tumbleweed” features a distorted banjo riff and a pulsing programmed groove. The lyric reinvents Western imagery in ways John Wayne could never have imagined. One of the few outside songs is the hit single “God Whispered Your Name,” which effortlessly combines pop sensibility with the sincerity that makes Urban’s music appeal to a wide audience. “Polaroid” is a clever lyric with a catchy acoustic guitar-driven feel. “Better Than I Am” is a yearning ode to trying to live a good life and features some very soulful guitar playing by Urban. The hit single “We Were” is presented in two versions, one featuring cowriter Church. Keith Urban has come a long way from Jack’s Guitar Bar, the dive bar on Nolensville Road in Nashville where he honed his craft long before he became a worldwide celebrity. “The Speed of Now Part 1” demonstrates that he still has a lot to say — and play – and he certainly knows how to present his music in a way that will appeal to a large audience without selling out or repeating himself. That is the sign of a true artist, and Urban has certainly proved he is exactly that. — Olson Johnson

TNM