For his 2014 album, Metamodern Sounds in Country Music, alt country songwriter Sturgill Simpson put his own unique spin on When In Rome’s ’80s hit “The Promise”. Now, for his forthcoming full-length A Sailor’s Guide to Earth, he is tackling another renowned track in Nirvana’s “In Bloom”.
“I remember in seventh or eighth grade, when that album [Nevermind] dropped, it was like a bomb went off in my bedroom,” Sturgill said in a statement. “For me, that song has always summed up what it means to be a teenager, and I think it tells a young boy that he can be sensitive and compassionate—he doesn’t have to be tough or cold to be a man. So I wanted to make a very beautiful and pure homage to Kurt.”
Sturgill’s take on the Nevermind highlight is a gripping reimagining, and can be heard in full below via a surreal video directed by Matt Mahurin.
Here’s the original for comparison:
A Sailor’s Guide to Earth hits stores on April 15th through Atlantic Records.
A Sailor’s Guide to Earth Tracklist:
01. Welcome to Earth (Pollywog)
02. Breakers Roar
03. Keep It Between The Lines
04. Sea Stories
05. In Bloom
06. Brace For Impact (Live A Little)
07. All Around You
08. Oh Sarah
09. Call To Arms
