Chris Stapleton : "Higher"

 Stapleton was once the last great hope for country music. Others have emerged to help take some of the weight off his shoulders, but he is still a titan in the genre, so expectations are high for the new album. It opens with a thoughtful, soulful tune, that has an easy feel while leaning into the melancholic feel country music is known for. He brings the blues with him once more, and some great guitar playing. "South Dakota" is powered by an even greater blues influence in the slinky groove. His voice sounds great over this and delivers everything you might want from him. 

"Trust" is a more ambling introspective jam, whereas " It Takes a Woman" is a warm intimate ballad. It grew on me about halfway into the song and shows him flexing his pipes in places, rather than oversinging. "the Fire" is another really strong song, with a guitar part that reminds me a little of Radiohead more than anything country. Lyrically it is also one of the strongest moments so far. "Think I'm In Love With You" sounds like it is a lost radio jewel from the early 80s. like something Stevie Ray Vaughn or Greg Allman might have done. The blues is smoothed out by a funky bass line with an R&B-like saunter. I like it also goes to show Chris is on equal footing with the greats of any era. 

"Loving You on My Mind" is more easygoing. There is a more 70s-like feel to it. His silky whiskey-drenched voice continued to weave around the songs, sliding up into his head register with ease. I can hear all these songs working well live. More great guitar playing abounds here. "White Horse" is an impressive song with an almost rock dynamic to how it punches out when the chorus demands it to. His voice sounds perhaps better than almost anything we have heard from him in the past, he carries both grit and passion.  He uses his head register more on this album as displayed on the title track, which is a reflective ballad. 

There are some songs like" The Bottom" that just fall into what is expected for country music, and then other songs like "The Day I Die" that do this but exceed those expectations. In an album of 14 songs, the law of averages are going to say not every song will be as inspired. "Crosswind" has more of a 70s Country Boogie feel. The bass player is really killing it on this album. Weight of  Your World" is an easy-going strummed ballad of sorts that works for what it is, but the bar is pretty high on this album so it comes across like filler. "Mountains of My Mind" is very stripped down to just Chris and his guitar. I will give this a 9.5, a great country album that reminds you what the genre is capable of.