The first taste of Sturgill Simpson’s “Sound & Fury” has arrived.
The Grammy Award-winning songwriter released “Sing Along” Tuesday, the first installment of his album-meets-anime-film that channels “sleazy, steamy rock ‘n’ roll.”
A fuzzy slice of four-on-the-floor retrowave rock, Simpson sings: “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 bar stool, baby/ you know I’m gonna be here a while.”
The “Sound & Fury” film and album debut Sept. 27 via Netflix and Elektra Records, respectively.
The “Sound & Fury” film offers a different anime segment to each of the album’s 10 tracks. Acclaimed genre creative Jumpei Mizusaki directed the film, with “Afro Samauri” creator Takashi Okazaki serving as character designer.
Simpson produced “Sound & Fury” at the McGuire Motor Inn in Waterford, Michigan, alongside his longtime bandmates Bobby Emmett, Chuck Bartels and Miles Miller. John Hill, known for his work with Portugal. The Man and Cage the Elephant, co-produced the album.
Billed in a new release as American rock, “Sound & Fury” teases a departure from 2016’s banner country release, “A Sailor’s Guide to Earth.”
On the album, Simpson told Apple Music’s Zane Lowe: “I was listening to a lot of hip-hop, and Black Sabbath, and the Cars, and old funk records and things.
“We were in Detroit while we were making the record and I was sort of writing it in real time and listening to a lot of Eminem,” Simpson continued. “And I was just like, ‘Man, this guy gets to talk mad (expletive). How come we can’t do that?’ So, I just sat down and wrote a bunch of mad (expletive) talking songs about how (expletive) awesome we are. And then we recorded it.”
A music video for “Sing Along” offers the first look into the “Sound & Fury” story. Watch it below.
Sturgill Simpson ‘Sound & Fury’ tracklist
- Ronin
- Remember to Breathe
- Sing Along
- A Good Look
- Make Art Not Friends
- Best Clockmaker on Mars
- All Said and Done
- Last Man Standing
- Mercury in Retrograde
- Fastest Horse in Town
