Sturgill Simpson review – a trudge along the highways of Southern rock

O2 Forum Kentish Town, London
The expectation-defying, Grammy-winning country singer throws all his eclectic styles into the mix – with surprisingly boring results

It’s hard not to admire Sturgill Simpson’s refusal to give two hoots about expectations. This is a man who followed his breakthrough album of psychedelic-but-hard country with one of Southern soul, which duly won him a Grammy for best country album, and then followed that with one of 80s-style electro hard rock. All three were excellent, but how would he meld these disparate styles on stage?

As it turns out, by once again not giving two hoots, and turning everything into a long, hugely tedious trudge along the highways of lumpy, dumpy Southern rock. Solo follows solo and on unto eternity, and the booming sound of a not-quite-full Forum makes everything Simpson sings unintelligible: from upstairs, it sounds like he’s doing an impression of a trapped dog, all mournful yelps and barks.

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from Culture | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2vpdPRU