Sturgill Simpson – High Top Mountain

Album Info

Artist: Sturgill Simpson

Title: High Top Mountain

Year: 2013

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Tracklist

1. Life Ain't Fair and the World Is Mean (2:06)
2. Railroad of Sin (2:04)
3. Water in a Well (3:18)
4. Sitting Here Without You (2:10)
5. The Storm (4:02)
6. You Can Have the Crown (2:50)
7. Time After All (2:37)
8. Hero (4:02)
9. Some Days (3:30)
10. Old King Coal (3:07)
11. Poor Rambler (3:45)
12. I'd Have to Be Crazy (4:02)

Review

With High Top Mountain, Sturgill Simpson introduced himself as a country traditionalist with a rebel’s heart. Released in 2013, the album feels like a love letter to outlaw country’s golden age — the ghosts of Waylon, Willie, and Merle echoing through its twangy guitars and rugged sincerity. Produced by Dave Cobb, it’s a record steeped in analog warmth and barroom grit, recorded live to tape with a band that plays like they’ve been living these songs for years.

From the driving opener “Life Ain’t Fair and the World Is Mean” to the tender ache of “The Storm”, Simpson’s songwriting carries a timeless mix of humor, heartache, and philosophy. His baritone drawl has a gravity that pulls you in — weathered but not jaded, sharp but never slick. Tracks like “Railroad of Sin” and “You Can Have the Crown” showcase his honky-tonk swagger, while “Hero” and “Old King Coal” dig deep into working-class pride and existential searching.

High Top Mountain didn’t just revive the outlaw spirit — it gave it a new face. Simpson’s debut proved that traditional country could still feel urgent and alive, setting the stage for the adventurous, genre-defying work that would follow. - Travis