Written by James Killen
After a double platinum release on “Traveller”, as a music follower, I have to ask, is this next release just riding the wave or was Chris Stapleton still in a creative mode when he released his latest album, “From a Room: Volume 1” (is there a volume 2 on the horizon?). The first thing that I noticed as I perused the CD cover was the inclusion of Mickey Raphael on harmonica, so if there is a touch of Willie Nelson in the sound, this is not a coincidence.
The album starts out with “Broken Halos”, which is a country tribute to people that enter our lives and make a difference and then leave to where ever life calls them. The song includes several very creative changes and of course features Stapleton’s unique voice. It is followed by the only cover song on the production, Gary P. Nunn’s “Last Thing I Needed, First Thing This Morning”, which is a definite bow to Texas country from a Nashville artist in that it feature Raphael’s harmonica on Nunn’s brilliant country composition.
Chris turns up the volume on the country-rocking “Second One to Know”. He rocks that country guitar like the best on a traditional country style composition. Traditional country style carries on with a song that touches every sound that makes a song country on “Up to No Good Livin’” about a repentant sinner trying to make it in his relationship after turning over a new leaf, living with doubt and suspicion.
“Either Way” is about a relationship that has degenerated into a “passing in the hallway” mediocrity, and features Stapleton’s amazing vocal range and a folk style acoustic guitar line. Chris delves directly into the blues with “I Was Wrong”. The blues guitar licks are all Stapleton with a vocal that challenges any Stax artist.
The words fit like keystones on the bluesy country pleading, “Without Your Love” featuring an amazing blues guitar part stretched over Stapleton’s country lyrics. The country blues continues with “Them Stems”, a Southern Telecaster tribute to the down and out, featuring Raphael’s harmonica, about running out of marijuana during a relationship break up (shades of Bill Kirchen’s “Seeds and Stems”). Stapleton continues the blues theme with a pure blues statement on “Death Row”, about how a resident on death row might view his existence.
Chris Stapleton reached out to different genres when he did this record. He continued to write new and innovative lyrics. He felt no need to add a tenth song to this release (ten to twelve songs being the magic number for an LP), telling me that he was satisfied with what he had to say on this album. Stapleton is the real deal and I would look out for Volume 2, if I were you.