If you were following Sturgill Simpson back in 2016, you probably thought you had him figured out. He’d just dropped A Sailor’s Guide to Earth, won a Grammy for Best Country Album, and was being hailed as the savior of "real" country music. Then 2019 rolled around, and he decided to set that entire reputation on fire. He didn't just change his sound; he created a neon-drenched, synth-heavy, anime-inspired fever dream.
Honestly, the sturgill simpson sound and fury tracklist is less of a country record and more of a 41-minute middle finger to the music industry. It’s loud. It’s abrasive. It was recorded in a motel in Michigan, of all places.
Why the Tracklist Order Matters More Than You Think
When you look at the tracklist, it’s not just a collection of songs. It’s a sequenced narrative of a man losing his mind and finding his soul. Sturgill has talked about this era as a period of "therapeutic indignation." He was done with the "hatin'" and the "back-channel deals" of Nashville.
The album kicks off with Ronin, a nearly four-minute instrumental that sounds like Pink Floyd met a samurai in a back alley. It sets the stage: the "Old Sturgill" is dead. You aren't getting any steel guitar here.
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- Ronin – The atmospheric, instrumental awakening.
- Remember to Breathe – A slow-burn, psychedelic groove that feels like a panic attack in slow motion.
- Sing Along – This was the lead single. It’s basically a disco-stomp rock song about being screwed over by a record label.
- A Good Look – A track co-written with the legendary John Prine, though you’d never guess it from the dance-floor beat.
- Make Art Not Friends – This is the emotional core of the record. It’s a 5:51-minute manifesto on why he chose to disappear from the spotlight.
- Best Clockmaker on Mars – This is where things get heavy. It’s thick, sludge-rock territory.
- All Said and Done – A bit more melodic, echoing some of his earlier outlaw vibes but through a distorted lens.
- Last Man Standing – A two-minute rager that feels like a Chuck Berry song played through a jet engine.
- Mercury in Retrograde – A direct shot at the people who only liked him when he was "the country guy."
- Fastest Horse in Town – The seven-minute finale. It’s a grueling, hypnotic end to a grueling, hypnotic album.
The Motels and the Masterpieces
The backstory of how this tracklist came to be is just as wild as the music. Sturgill and his band—Bobby Emmett, Chuck Bartels, and Miles Miller—holed up at the McGuire Motor Inn in Waterford, Michigan.
They weren't looking for a polished studio sound. They wanted something "sleazy and steamy." Sturgill has mentioned listening to a lot of Eminem and Wu-Tang Clan during these sessions. He wanted the record to "hit like a hip-hop record" but with the weight of Black Sabbath.
Most people don't realize that Sound & Fury was actually the final album on his record contract at the time. He basically handed the label a record that was impossible to market to country radio as a parting gift. That’s a legendary move.
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The Anime Connection
You can't really talk about the tracklist without mentioning the Netflix film. Sturgill took the entire $1.2 million budget and went to Japan. He teamed up with Jumpei Mizusaki and Takashi Okazaki (the guy who created Afro Samurai) to animate the whole thing.
Each song on the sturgill simpson sound and fury tracklist corresponds to a segment of the film. It follows a silent protagonist named Nozomi in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. While the movie is a visual masterpiece, the music holds up entirely on its own.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Album
There’s a common misconception that Sturgill "hates" country music because of this record. That’s not it at all. If you strip away the fuzz pedals and the synthesizers on a track like Mercury in Retrograde, the bones of a country song are still there. He didn't abandon his roots; he just refused to let them become a cage.
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Critics were split at first. Some called it a "guilty pleasure," while others (like The Guardian) gave it five stars. It eventually earned a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Album, making Sturgill the first artist ever to be nominated for both Best Rock and Best Country.
Key Takeaways for the Listener
- Listen to it loud. This isn't background music for a dinner party. It’s designed to rupture speakers.
- Watch the Netflix special. Even if you aren't an anime fan, the synchronization between the animation and the drums on Fastest Horse in Town is incredible.
- Pay attention to the lyrics of "Make Art Not Friends." It explains everything you need to know about why Sturgill Simpson occasionally disappears from public life.
If you’re just discovering the sturgill simpson sound and fury tracklist, don't expect Metamodern Sounds in Country Music. Expect a rock 'n' roll record that sounds like it was fueled by coffee, edibles, and a deep-seated desire to break the rules.
Go back and listen to Make Art Not Friends again. Focus on the transition between the synth-heavy intro and the main groove. It’s perhaps the most honest five minutes in his entire discography. Once you finish the album, check out his Cuttin' Grass records to see how these exact same "rock" songs sounds when played as traditional bluegrass—it’ll change how you hear the melodies forever.
Next Steps for the Deep Dive
- Compare the versions: Listen to "All Said and Done" on Sound & Fury and then immediately play the version from Cuttin' Grass Vol. 1.
- Read the Prequel: Look for Sound & Fury: The Graphic Novel co-written by Jason Aaron. It fills in the gaps of the Netflix film's story.
- Check the Credits: Look up the work of John Hill, the co-producer. You’ll see his fingerprints on other genre-bending albums from artists like Portugal. The Man.