Album Review: SOUND & FURY

Music is an intensely personal thing. Nobody has exactly the same music taste (unless you only listen to Taylor Swift). Tastes grow and change over time. I don't listen to Imagine Dragons or Avicii anymore, but middle-school Emory was convinced that they represented the best form of music in existence.

My music taste encompasses a lot of different genres and artists, but every album I listen to fits within a category, which usually contains other albums and songs like said album. Sturgill Simpson's SOUND & FURY is the notable, primary exception. Before he released SOUND & FURY, Sturgill was a successful country artist; after he released it, Sturgill returned to being a successful country artist. But no artist has ever departed so completely from their original genre and ventured into such entirely different territory with such great success, at least in my opinion.

Before I can properly review this album, it's important that I give some context. SOUND & FURY is an intentionally ordered album; if you press play on the album on Spotify without shuffling, the songs will transition into one another with glitch/radio static-type effects. I highly recommend giving the album a listen straight through, even if you don't like some of the songs.

The other important piece of context: this album is linked to a film ("animated album", technically) on Netflix of the same name. The film features different animations and live-action short films to accompany each song; some are linked, and others are not. I'm not sure the film really has much to do with the album, but it's worth giving a look if you're into anime and considering giving the album a listen anyway.

Yes, Simpson released SOUND & FURY in 2019. Yes, it's 2023. Yes, it took me 4 years to appreciate this album to the fullest possible extent. Let's get into it.

Ronin (3:48)

Ronin is basically an extended guitar solo. It does an exceptional job of its job, which is to set up the rest of the album. It starts with radio chatter, which makes sense with the animation. The words, which are the only ones spoken in the song, are as follows:

Ladies and gentlemen, there is an overwhelming body of evidence that supports a conspiracy where the globa-

[static]

The problem with this country is, is consumption, we consume too much

[static]

After that, it's guitar solo all the way, baby! Simpson might be making some sort of point there. I'm not sure. The irony between the line about consumption and the sounds of a sports car (a Dodge Challenger-type car, which you can see on the album cover) is obvious; not sure if Simpson is making a broader point about the attitude of the country as a whole with that line.

The rest of the song is great, if you like guitar solos and synth, which is also a persistent theme for the rest of the album. The guitar tone is very unique, with heavy distortion without eliminating the slicing feel of a clean guitar tone. The percussion is quite heavy. The synth does a nice job of rising slowly behind the solo, which progressively gets higher and more technical as the song progresses. I love Ronin, but it took me awhile to get to that point.

Rating: 8/10

Remember To Breathe (2:56)

The transition between Ronin and Remember To Breathe is probably the smoothest of any on the album; the final guitar note flows seamlessly into the beginning, creating a really nice effect that quickly changes into the first notes of the melody (synth at that point, if I'm correct). The chorus sounds like it must be sexual innuendo, suggestive of a rather unsavory interaction between a woman and a depressed, not-entirely-there narrator. As the first non-instrumental song on the album, Remember To Breathe aims to bring Sturgill Simpson's voice back into the mix, and it certainly accomplishes that goal. This is the first time you hear his voice outside of a country music setting; it's definitely jarring, but he makes it seem quite natural. The lyrics of the verses reinforce the idea that the narrator is going through a rough time mentally, perhaps dissociating from himself in the process.

I go out late at night just to see what I can find

Stayin' in the shadows where the light don't ever shine

Having one-way conversations with the darkness in my mind

He does all the talking cause I'm the quiet kind

Maybe the narrator is hearing voices in his head that drive him to seek cheap pleasures and escape his concerns; maybe he's simply overthinking. Whatever the case, the narrator has been driven out of his comfort zone, into the shadows where the light never shines.

The song itself is ominous, suggestive of a mission to be accomplished. The percussion remains heavy, but less overbearing; the guitar fades entirely out, with bass and drums as the only background for Sturgill's lyrics. He makes heavy use of echo throughout the song; various instruments fade in and out as the verses and chorus pass. The guitar-synth solo towards the middle of the song hits like a truck, bearing down on the listener with remarkable strength. Simpson reenters with a refrain, and finishes the song with the chorus (just lay back, let it happen, and remember to breathe). Remember To Breathe is my least favorite song out of the those on the album that I consistently enjoy, which is to say that I like it quite a bit, but not as much as the others. The innuendo is strong with this one.

Rating: 7/10

Sing Along (2:54)

This was the first song on this album that I found and enjoyed. It's loud, aggressive, and frustrated. Simpson finds another level of lyricism in Sing Along, tapping into vivid metaphors to convey the pain that his former lover's words have caused him. The song is almost peppy despite the heaviness of the lyrics, featuring the same guitar tone, synthesizer, and percussion as the previous two tracks. The best parts of this song are the drops, and there's no debate.

You done me wrong, so here's your song

Now sing along, baby

[SICK SYNTH RISE INTO SICKER SYNTH SOLO]

The percussion cuts out at just the right times, leaving the final notes echoing as the synth begins its rise into a solo. Then the synth cuts out and Simpson sings a short verse:

Well, I know you know that you're killin me

But it's worth it just to see you smile

Tell 'em to carve my name in the barstool, baby

You know I'm gonna be here a while

The way the entire instrumental group reenters following that verse is so clean and satisfying that it's hard to appreciate the lyricism that Simpson displays, but not impossible. Listen to the song and read the lyrics. Even if you can't understand some of them, it's impossible to deny just how vivid the imagery is that he employs. Sing Along is a solid track.

Rating: 8/10

A Good Look (4:01)

This one was probably the last one I picked up on, and pretty recently. I'm still not a huge fan of the beginning, which is a middling guitar solo with sleazy-sounding synth in the background. I think it gets better once the beat drops and the octave-jump synth starts, oscillating between low and high A-flat twice. The percussion is a bit less heavy and a bit more playful, relying on more unique sounds to keep the beat alive. I'm not particularly entranced by this song, but I do appreciate the lyricism, which remains pretty strong.

Well, everybody's worried 'bout a good look

But they need to be worried 'bout a good hook

Instead of skipping straight to the last page

In that ol' rationalization book

I think Simpson is referring to the music industry here, specifically his frustration with artists who focus more on their appearance to their fans than the quality of their actual music. He continues to express his frustration with the music industry in his third and final verse, with lines like "Well, you know they don't like it when you take a stand." Sturgill refers here to his insistence on expressing his political views, ones that may not be popular within the country music industry. I could go on for a long time about the rest of the verses, but I'll leave you with one more fun tidbit: at the end of the first verse, Simpson says, "But a star is still a star by any other name." Sound familiar? Turns out, it's a Shakespeare reference; Romeo and Juliet, to be specific. Fun, I guess. The song is pretty good, but it feels a tad bit overdone, particularly the synth.

Rating: 7/10

Make Art Not Friends (5:50)

Ahhhh yes, the song of introverts everywhere. This might be Simpson's best song, in terms of production value, on the album. It starts with light synth, slowly escalating into a fast-paced, quiet synth melody, accompanied by lowkey percussion. As the melody moves, it gradually slows, escalating in volume accordingly. The synth drop and subsequent octave rise are amazing, setting the stage for the rest of the track beautifully. The lyrics portray a dystopian wasteland, perhaps a figurative representation of a world filled with too many "yes-men" and vices; Simpson depicts a narrator who is sick and tired of such a world, seeking gratification through himself instead. The chorus supports this idea, conveying the face of a narrator who can't deal with such a world anymore.

Face in the mirror, all skin and bone

Bloodshot eyes and a heart of stone

Never again, I'd rather be alone,

Think I'm gonna just stay home

And make art, not friends

Perhaps my favorite chorus on the album, right there. The rest of the song revolves on slow, heavy percussion and driving synth tones that rise and fall as the narrator grows progressively more frustrated with the way the world treats him.

Oh, it's gettin' hard to find a good friend

So close the door behind you

Before any more comes in

Nobody writes and nobody calls

Nobody bother, 'cause I'm over it all

The sense of complete disillusionment throughout this song is so visceral that it's hard not to empathize with Simpson, whether or not you hold the same mindset. I love Make Art Not Friends, especially when I'm tired of dealing with people. That's basically what the blog is for, after all.

Rating: 9.5/10

Best Clockmaker on Mars (3:54)

Although this album has no title track, Best Clockmaker on Mars is probably the closest thing. The trailer featured this track prominently, especially the ticking clock sound at the beginning. The song is, like Sing Along, loud and aggressive, but with slightly less forward drive and a bit more musical nuance; that does not make it better, especially lyrically, but it does give Simpson a chance to show off a bit more. His singing isn't my favorite, as he gets a bit higher-pitched and tries a little too hard, in my opinion, to convey the emotion he puts behind the lyrics; this track is a love song, in a way.

Some days I hate everything I am

But your love holds a mirror to me

Show me a love I can understand

Make sense of the world I see

The narrator sees the person that he addresses as his window into a greater understanding of a world that he can't comprehend, matching well with the narrator's view of the world from Make Art Not Friends as cold, unforgiving, and brutal. Best Clockmaker was never my favorite, especially the ending, when the key changes and the synth elevates while the rest of the instrumental fades out behind it. This song, like A Good Look, feels a tad bit overdone, but less so. Definitely worth a listen.

Rating: 8/10

All Said and Done (3:57)

It's so hard to fend off my recency bias here, but I'll try my very best. If Make Art Not Friends was the song of my final freshman months, All Said and Done is the soundtrack for my senior year. Similar pace to Clockmaker, but with less aggression; Simpson switches to a bell-tone synth to play the melody in between the verses. This song relies heavily on lyricism, and I really think Simpson delivers one of the best lyrical performances on the album here.

Sitting in the tower without a clue or care

Anchored by opportunists hangin' off my hair

Handin' silver ladders out to anyone who dares

To climb all the way up to the top just to get kicked down the stairs

All Said and Done is a commentary on the cutthroat nature of the music industry from the perspective of someone who found success within it. Simpson wants to help struggling artists, but he finds it difficult enough to manage himself in such a difficult industry.

Bein' pulled a million ways all at the same time

It's enough to make anyone go insane

When you find yourself forgettin' all your own rhymes

Givin' up on the dreams floatin' 'round inside your brain

He tries to help the artists, just to watch them fail in the end, causing the narrator to face the cruel reality of an unforgiving industry pulling him "a million ways all at the same time". Before the final chorus and refrain, Simpson embarks on my favorite solo section on the album. The solo begins as a synth solo, employing a spacey, blunt effect that works well with the bell tone in the background. The switch into the guitar half of the solo is bold, but it works brilliantly, bringing the emotions of the narrator into clear view. After the solo concludes, the synth goes minor and dies for a few seconds until it returns with Simpson's chorus in full swing, bringing the song to a strong conclusion. This was one of the last songs I found, and I'll die on the hill that says this song is one of the best on the album.

Rating: 8.5/10

Last Man Standing (2:10)

Undeniably the most disappointing song on the album. I'm sure Last Man Standing has plenty of lyrical nuance that could add to the appeal, but I don't see it. The song is short, just over two minutes long; that's not inherently an indictment of the song's quality, but it is representative. The song never changes dynamically or instrumentally, with the same unnecessarily aggressive percussion pounding through the entirety of the track. Everything stays the same volume. I'm sure this song serves its purpose in the grander scheme of the album, but as an individual track I can't find any redeeming qualities.

Rating: 5/10

Mercury in Retrograde (4:31)

This is not one of the disappointing tracks; rather, it stands in contention for the best song on the album. Ironically, Mercury feels like the most down-to-earth track on SOUND & FURY, centered around Simpson's frustration with all the people who think they're his friends. The chorus is objectively the best on the album.

Mercury must be in retrograde again

But at least it's not just hangin' around

Pretendin' to be my friend

Oh, the road to hell is paved with cruel intention

If it's not nuclear war,

It's gonna be a divine intervention

There's a lot to break down here. If someone says Mercury is in retrograde, they're referring to an illusion that occurs where Mercury appears to move east to west in the night sky, as opposed to west to east. Astrologists associate this with a negative outcome; thus, Simpson uses it as a representation of the negative impact that success and fame can have. He's thankful, at least, that Mercury is moving along, unlike those who cling desperately to his coattails, pretending to be his friends and have his best interests in mind. The next line is a play on the idea that the road to hell is paved with good intentions, or that those that do harm usually do so with the best of intentions. Simpson disagrees, claiming that the world is full of evil people who do evil with the cruelest of intentions. And if we don't all blow each other to oblivion, God will do it for us.

It would be difficult and uninteresting if I broke down every verse, just like many of the tracks, so I'll pick one, which happens to be the final verse before the last chorus.

And there's nothin' for me outside of this hotel room

But another letdown, lonely day

Tour is almost over and I'll be home soon

And it's all been done two or three times anyway

The final line of that verse is a repetition of the final line of All Said and Done (It's all been said and done by now, two or three times). Simpson intends to reinforce his struggle with being unique and creative in an industry that only rewards certain types of music. He writes and writes, just for much of it to come out the same way. That sentiment supports his very purpose for creating this album, which is so dramatically different from anything else that he had written up to this point.

The instrumental aspects of Mercury are just as brilliant as the lyricism. The synth is soft and spacey, and the percussion keeps the song driving forward. The guitar comes in at just the right times to add another layer; the synth comes in with a new overtone every chorus, giving extra emphasis to what Simpson is saying. In that final verse, the instrumental track changes a bit, adding a new flavor to the frustrated, resigned state that Simpson finds himself in by the end of the track. Mercury has a very strong argument to be made as the best song on the album; if not for my personal attachment to Make Art Not Friends, it would almost certainly be there. As it is, it's a top-tier track.

Rating: 9/10

Fastest Horse in Town (7:05)

Certainly not an ideal ending for the album, but it did grow on me after a full listen or two. It suffers from the same problems as Last Man Standing: a complete lack of dynamic contrast and ridiculously overbearing instrumentation. The two redeeming qualities that make Fastest Horse in Town better than the worst song on the album are the tempo and Simpson's singing. There is some slight percussive tempo variation, and the slow, driving beat suits the song relatively well. Simpson doesn't try so hard to sing quickly and intensely, giving the song a bit more of a laid-back yet driven feel, moving slowly but surely forward. I would analyze the lyrics, but the saw-synth effect makes it essentially impossible to hear what Simpson is saying; I see the potential there, but it's just so overused on this track, and it could be utilized much more sparingly to elicit the desired effect without dominating the song as a whole. For example: the last minute or so of the track is dedicated to a steady increase in tempo as the song begins to barrel out of control. That would be so much cooler if the song didn't already feel so crazy to begin with. It's worth a listen, but Fastest Horse in Town pales in comparison to the rest of the album; definitely hard to get through as a 7-minute song.

Rating: 6/10

Album Tier List

Forgettable

10) Last Man Standing 5

Bordering on playlist-worthy

9) Fastest Horse in Town 6

8) A Good Look 7

Solid

7) Remember To Breathe 7

6) Ronin 8 (lower due to the instrumental nature of the track)

5) Best Clockmaker on Mars 8

Superior

4) Sing Along 8

3) All Said and Done 8.5

2) Mercury in Retrograde 9

1) Make Art Not Friends 9.5

If, for some reason, you made it to the end of this ridiculously long album review, you must either really enjoy this album, really enjoy my writing, or have absolutely nothing to do. In any case, thanks for reading! Give the album a listen if you haven't already and see if you agree with my assessment.

Hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. See y'all soon!

Emory