Sturgill Simpson – “Breakers Roar”

Country music wouldn’t get such a bad rap if there were more Sturgill Simpsons in the world.  Simpson is everything that’s right with country music, and “Breakers Roar” is easily one of the most gorgeous songs that I’ve ever heard.  The strings here swell and ache in gorgeous entanglement, and their tropical sway makes you feel lost at sea – an atmosphere that plays a large role in helping to define A Sailor’s Guide to Earth‘s overarching aesthetic.  It’s a simple song for sure – there’s no unexpected twists – but the song immediately absorbs your imagination and transports you.  It possesses such a sublime aura, and when I listen to it I find myself drifting off…my muscles relaxing and my mind gently winding down.  Simpson’s smooth serenade weaves in and out of the music like light beaming through the depths of the ocean; I’d say it’s enough to put you to sleep but it’s not boring at all, it’s just mesmerizingly beautiful.  The lyrics for the entire album are inspired, as the “Guide to Earth” is Simpson’s way of teaching his newborn son life lessons through music.  Here, they’re at their most poignant: “Shatter illusions that hold your spirit down / Open up your heart and you’ll find love all around.”

“Breakers Roar” is the song that helped me turn the corner from barely appreciating country-pop to fully realizing the beauty that real country has to offer.  A Sailor’s Guide to Earth is an incredible album that I’d recommend specifically to non-fans of the genre because it’s so good that it’s capable of persuading even the staunchest of detractors.

 

Read more from this decade at my homepage for Sowing’s Songs of the Decade.

 

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5JjmQsvmmmOBFnUjP7FLu4