Sturgill Simpson is set to release a new bluegrass album called Cuttin’ Grass Vol. 1 – The Butcher Shoppe Sessions, out on October 16. This project will feature reworkings from his catalogue, including 2014’s Metamodern Sounds in Country Music and 2016’s A Sailor’s Guide to Earth. The album will hold 20 recordings, featuring guest musicians such as Mark Howard, Scott Vestal, Mike Bub, Sierra Hull, Tim O’Brien, Miles Miller and Stuart Duncan.
Simpson’s last studio album Sound & Fury was stark departure from his previous work, as he eschewed a majority of his country roots for a more grandy blues infused, cyberpunk project, accompanied by an anime film directed by Jumpei Mizusaki. Following this release, he announced he was “done” with Elektra records, and hinted at his reasons for pursing such an expensive project.
“Maybe if you don’t want to be on a record label anymore, you make a record they can’t market, then you get them to spend a million bucks on an animation film and refuse to promote it, and leave them holding this giant un-recouped debt,” Simpson explained in an interview with Uproxx. “Maybe the bean counters will make a decision for me. I can go back to just doing it myself better than they do. That’s what I’ve learned. Because they don’t know what the fuck to do with me.”
The performer has been busy this year, hosting a live stream at the Ryman Auditorium, appearing at live stream tribute to the late John Prine and the music video release of “Make Art Not Friends.”
Cuttin’ Grass Vol. 1 – The Butcher Shoppe Sessions track list
1. All Around You
2. All the Pretty Colors
3. Breakers Roar
4. I Don’t Mind
5. I Wonder
6. Just Let Go
7. Life Ain’t Fair
8. A Little Light
9. Life of Sin
10. Long White Line
11. Living the Dream
12. Old King Coal
13. Railroad of Sin
14. Sitting Here Without You
15. Sometimes Wine
16. The Storm
17. Time After All
18. Turtles All the Way Down
19. Voices
20. Water in a Well
Photo Credit: Sharon Alagna
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