High Top Mountain

High Top Mountain is the debut studio album by American country music singer-songwriter Sturgill Simpson. The album was produced by Dave Cobb and was released on June 11, 2013. Simpson self-funded the album.[1] The record is named after a cemetery near Jackson, Kentucky where many of his family are buried.[2]

High Top Mountain
Studio album by
Sturgill Simpson
ReleasedJune 11, 2013 (2013-06-11)
Recorded2012–13
GenreCountry
Length37:33
Label
ProducerDave Cobb
Sturgill Simpson chronology
High Top Mountain
(2013)		 Metamodern Sounds in Country Music
(2014)
Singles from High Top Mountain
  1. "Life Ain't Fair and the World Is Mean"
    Released: October 22, 2012

Reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic rated High Top Mountain 3 1/2 stars out of 5, comparing its sound favorably to Waylon Jennings.[3] Erik Ernst of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel also compared it to Jennings, saying that it had "rich vintage sounds, heartbreaking ballads and juke-joint ramblers".[4]

The album did not receive much attention on its release and debuted at No. 47 on the Top Country Albums chart.[5] It re-entered the chart after the release of Simpson's second album Metamodern Sounds in Country Music, eventually reaching No. 31 on Top Country Albums for the chart dated November 8, 2014.[6] The album has sold 105,600 copies in the United States as of January 2017.[7]

Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Life Ain't Fair and the World Is Mean"Sturgill Simpson2:06
2."Railroad of Sin"Simpson2:04
3."Water in a Well"Simpson3:18
4."Sitting Here Without You"Simpson2:10
5."The Storm"Simpson4:02
6."You Can Have the Crown"Simpson2:50
7."Time After All"Simpson2:37
8."Hero"Simpson4:02
9."Some Days"Simpson3:30
10."Old King Coal"Simpson3:07
11."Poor Rambler"
3:45
12."I'd Have to Be Crazy"Steven Fromholz4:02
Total length:37:33

Chart performance

As of July 2014, the album has sold 14,000 copies in the US.[8]

Chart (2013) Peak
position
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[9] 31
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[10] 11[11]

Personnel

Musicians and contributors
  • Sturgill Simpson - vocals, acoustic guitar, Telecaster
  • Hargus "Pig" Robbins - piano
  • Chris Powell - drums
  • Robby Turner - steel guitar, bass (tracks 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10)
  • Brian "Freedom Eagle Bear" Allen - bass (tracks 4, 6, 9, 11, 12)
  • Bobby "Diamond Bob" Emmett - organ, Mellotron
  • Leroy Powell - steel guitar (tracks 6, 9), backing vocals (track 6)
  • Dave Cobb - 12 string electric guitar (track 7)

Technical personnel
  • Produced by Dave Cobb
  • Engineered by Vance Powell
  • Assistant Engineered by Jason Mott
  • Mixed by Vance Powell at Sputnik Sound - Nashville, TN
  • Mastering by Richard Dodd

References
  1. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Sturgill Simpson biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  2. Inman, Davis (26 April 2013). "Sturgill Simpson: Man Of The Hour". American Songwriter. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  3. Jurek, Thom. "High Top Mountain - Sturgill Simpson". Allmusic.com. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
  4. Ernst, Erik (11 June 2013). "CD reviews: Jason Isbell, Alison Moyet, Walter Trout, Sturgill Simpson". Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  5. "Top Country Albums". Billboard. June 29, 2013.
  6. "Top Country Albums". Billboard. November 8, 2014.
  7. Bjorke, Matt (January 22, 2017). "Top 10 Country Albums Chart: January 23, 2017". Roughstock.
  8. Bjorke, Matt (23 July 2014). "Country Album Sales Report: July 23, 2014". Roughstock. Archived from the original on 29 July 2014. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
  9. "Sturgill Simpson Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard.
  10. "Sturgill Simpson Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard.
  11. "High Top Mountain charts and awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
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