chris stapleton broke out on the country scene in 2015 with his ‘traveller’ album, eventually selling two million copies. this is his newest contribution, released two years to the day later. although not really a departure from his earlier work, it is really hard to categorize this – at least to my ears – as a ‘country’ album. i hear a gritty blues album with outlaw country leanings. chris has one of the more distinctive and genuine voices in pop culture today, and it is on ample display here. he is one of the few people who can turn ‘i’ into a nine syllable word, as he does frequently on ‘i was wrong’, a song he has been playing on the road for years. ‘either way’ is a bitterly honest and defiant song about divorce, and a surprising choice to be released as a single, given the stripped down nature of the arrangement and the dire message within. ‘last thing i needed, first thing this morning’ is the only cover on the album – a rework of an on old willie nelson hit from 1982. indeed, echoes of the old red headed stranger permeate much of the work here, even employing willie’s harmonica player throughout – mickey raphael.

volume 1 has only 9 songs and clocks in at a quick 33 minutes, but luckily volume 2 is slated for a fall release. the packaging is very modest – no liner notes or lyrics or photos – just a cardboard sleeve with some graphics. but the content is rich and sincere, and it is a solid sophomore followup. as i mentioned in my review of his first one, i think he is a better singer than songwriter. don’t get me wrong – most of his material is much deeper and profound than the usual country topics of beer and pickups on the radio today – but his strength lies in his interpretation and arrangements of the songs.  he is also a damn good guitarist. i have been surprised by how much he has been embraced by the pop country world, but he is certainly a welcome alternative to the current slate of ‘bro-country’ acts dominating the field. here’s to hoping that more talents like this get the exposure they deserve.