Chris Stapleton - From A Room: Volume 1 (Album Review)
Tuesday, 09 May 2017
Written by Simon Ramsay
If you’re one of the two million souls who fell in love with 2015’s ‘Traveller’, the debut solo album from hirsute singer-songwriter Chris Stapleton, then prepare your heart for a blizzard of butterflies with the arrival of ‘From A Room: Volume 1’. Wisely adhering to the ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ principle, this record covers similar ground to its predecessor, albeit with subtle textural tweaks to incite further palpitations.
The story of country music’s man-of-the-moment initially seems like the classic tale of a veteran who became an overnight success. As a highly regarded Nashville songsmith the 39-year-old former SteelDrivers frontman saw his songs performed by everyone from Adele and Tim McGraw to Brad Paisley and Vince Gill before ‘Traveller’ became a juggernaut.
The most surprising thing about Stapleton’s breakthrough, aside from the fact it didn’t happen sooner, is that it came courtesy of a traditional country album at a time when cookie-cutter bro-country acts rule the roost.
‘Traveller’ proved people were still hungry for country music with substance and gifted us meaningful tales of a road-hardened, whiskey drinking nomad negotiating complex romantic entanglements alongside issues of responsibility, faith, family and bereavement.
‘From A Room…’ sticks to the same roots-revivalist aesthetic while skilfully integrating new stylistic flavours. Accordingly, Broken Halos’ philosophical account of redemption and salvation boasts a relaxed gospel vibe, I Was Wrong purrs with bluesy and soulful textures, Second One To Know delivers stomping, roadhouse rock ‘n’ roll and Them Stems pumps out a 12-bar honky tonk stoner anthem.
If there was a fault with ‘Traveller’ it was that, over the course of 14 tracks and one hour, the predominance of slower numbers made it feel a tad drawn out. By keeping this offering to nine cuts that last just over 30 minutes, the songs feel more unique and impactful. That’s also something that’s helped by returning producer Dave Cobb, who makes the band sound live and unvarnished while imbuing a vibrant and spacious feel to enhance its beautiful melodies, laid back instrumentation and the lovely harmonies of Stapleton’s wife, Morgane.
Lyrically, these songs are tightly focused on the intricate nuances of love’s bittersweet symphony. There’s true loss within the painfully slow strains of Last Thing I Needed First Thing This Morning, a cover of a song made famous by Willie Nelson. Soulful weepie Without Your Love, meanwhile, depicts a heartbroken man pining for his lost love, while the pedal steel waltz of Up To No Good Living finds a reformed bad boy ruing the fact that those around him don’t believe he’s changed his ways. “I used to drink like a fish, run like a dog, done a whole lot of shit not permitted by law,” Stapleton sings. “People called me the Picasso of painting the town.”
The album’s undoubted highlight, though, is Either Way’s haunting portrait of a loveless couple who live together like strangers because they’re too scared to separate. Over achingly sparse acoustic picking, Stapleton’s voice is so expressive, primal and powerful you’ll swear he has an amplifier built into his chest. Any other male country artist nominated for best vocalist at this year’s CMAs should probably just stay home and polish their rhinestones.
When ‘Traveller’ exploded, record executives doubtless rushed out to sign as many similar artists as possible, desperate to capitalise on Stapleton’s success. But any additions to their roster will struggle to follow in his footsteps, mainly because the dust he’s left in his wake will have developed into a whirlwind by the time ‘From A Room: Volume 2’ arrives later this year.
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