Chris Stapleton’s new album, “Starting Over” was released Friday. The title track brings some sunshine to this storming year. It offers hope for “starting over,” whatever that might mean in your life. When you listen to this album, you cannot pinpoint it to one specific genre. There is a mix of R&B, Blues, country, rock, an even a little bit of bluegrass flavor to it. He mixes it up with some folk and acoustic sounds in songs, “You Should Probably Leave” and “Joy of My Life.” He goes on to a more rock sound with “Arkansas” when he adds an electric guitar riff throughout the song. Stapleton’s grass roots come out with his gravelly voice, drop D sounds, and old-time feel on the track, “Hillbilly Blood.” You can picture a country boy with a big beard singing his heart out. Stapleton wrote or co-wrote eleven of the fourteen songs on this album, with the other three being covers by John Fogerty and Guy Clark. He wrote several of the songs on this album with former guitarist for Tom Petty, Mike Campbell. Stapleton’s wife, Morgane, sings harmony with him and compliments his deep baritone voice with her sweet and soulful touch. This is not your typical country album with songs about backroads, drinking, and breakups, but rather it has elements of story telling and personal experiences. The album was recorded at the ever-famous Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Alabama. This is a great feel-good album to drive down the road with or to put on while sitting around a campfire. To listen to his new album, click here.
