The celebrated singer-songwriter releases his fifth LP on Friday. Here’s our first impression of Chris Stapleton’s Higher.
The voice of Chris Stapleton hits home with an exceptionally wide range of listeners and transcends any one particular genre. He’s proven as much with four long-play collections, crossover success, and countless accolades. His fifth album, Higher, is out this week in the midst of a blockbuster concert tour in which Stapleton joins forces with the likes of George Strait, Little Big Town, Marty Stuart and more.
If the vinyl version of Higher is on the way to your doorstep, or if you’re rarin’ to hit play on the album via your favorite streaming service, you’ll want to read on. We had the privilege of listening to Higher early, and we’re sharing our first reactions to each of the tracks.
“What Am I Gonna Do” (written by Stapleton and Miranda Lambert)
With a melancholic sigh of an acoustic strum and an instantly familiar harmonized opening line, the voices of Stapleton and his wife, Morgane, wrap you up in a warm blanket immediately. It’s comfort music, but listen to the lyrics — brimming with the pain of losing someone — and you might feel your bottom lip begin to quiver. One might compare the Stapletons’ effect to that of Adele (who has duetted with Chris, incidentally). The combination of voice and melody can melt the hardest of hearts.
“South Dakota” (written by Stapleton, J.T. Cure, Derek Mixon, Dave Cobb)
If the first song was steeped in pain, the second one is reeling from it. A hell of a bluesy hangover jam, Chris’ solo vocal here, dripping with soul ’n’ vinegar, makes you do the kind of stink face you’d never want captured in a selfie. Lyrical sample, if you didn’t glean that it’s a blues tune: “I’m in South Dakota/I keep on staying behind/I’m in South Dakota/Trouble ain’t hard to find.” Damn, I wanna know what he’s up to in South Dakota! Props to Chris’ and Dave Cobb’s slinky guitar work here, by the way.
“Trust” (written by Stapleton and Steve McEwan)
Just in the nick of time, here comes a sweet, reassuring dose of country sunshine. If you have that kind of decades-spanning true love in your life, first of all, congrats. Secondly, this song will be a favorite for you. Not only does it swat away the “cynics with rusty knives trying to cut away the good in our lives,” but it encourages really working toward the kind of trust (duh) and honesty required for long-term love.
“It Takes A Woman” (written by Stapleton, Ronnie Bowman, and Jerry Salley)
The tempo slows down to a pensive waltz, and the lyrical love notes continue with a direct ode to a man’s rock, his foundation in life. Morgane harmonizes beautifully in the chorus of a song almost certainly written about her. Prepare to see couples dance to this at weddings for years to come.
“The Fire” (written by Stapleton, Morgane Stapleton, J.T. Cure, Derek Mixon, Dave Cobb)
Ooh, an unrequited love jam delivered by a voice like Stapleton’s is one to stop and savor. And he brings out quite the angsty vibe on this, ahem, slow-burner. The haunting acoustic guitar lines form a kind of secondary melody as his vocal communicates sensuality, frustration. I dig songs like this. No big melodic explosions, but plenty of moodiness to perfectly match a moment.
"Think I’m In Love With You" (written by Stapleton)
Stapleton finds an undeniable R&B groove hella quickly on this one, and his vocal is complemented perfectly with plucky rhythms, strings, cellos, and organ. The underlying tension in this tune is palpable. I love the lyric, “I thought about thinkin’ it through.”
“Loving You On My Mind” (written by Stapleton, Kendell Marvel, Tim James)
This set of lyrics is caught up in love’s perspective-altering afterglow. Stapleton originally gave this tune to Josh Turner, who lent his deep voice to a Barry-White-does-country version. Stapleton’s take applies a more soulful arrangement and gospel-tinged vocal runs. In other words, his love borders on spiritual.
“White Horse” (written by Stapleton and Dan Wilson)
When I first heard him launch into the hard-driving chorus of Higher’s first single, my first (admittedly crude) reaction was, “f--- yeah!” Man, I like everything about this song, from the almost misleading opening chords to the way the beat changes up after the second chorus. Everything in between is tantamount to a cathartic release after he’s so effectively built up the tension in previous tracks.
“Higher” (written by Stapleton)
After the barn-burner of “White Horse,” it’s time for reflection. The title track to the album provides just that, beginning with Stapleton’s brooding vocal against mournful chords. It seems to be about loving someone so much that time away from them feels painful. This feels like the time to praise the pedal steel genius of Paul Franklin, who appears throughout the album.
“The Bottom” (written by Stapleton and Lee Miller)
It's hard to imagine a fresh take on the women-and-whiskey themes of country music, but this one finds some new lyrical concepts around drinkin’ to avoid thinkin’. And the sound of this one falls somewhere between Haggard, Springsteen, and Petty. Good place to be, musically.
“The Day I Die” (written by Stapleton and Carolyn Dawn Johnson)
These lyrics are just about as straightforward as they can be: “When there’s a day I can live without you baby/It’ll be the day I die.” And the arrangement is somewhat unadorned, compared to some of the other tracks on the record. The good thing is that no matter how much the players hold back, Stapleton’s voice takes it the rest of the way. That seems intentional here, as he lets notes stretch to their gorgeous ends in the chorus.
“Crosswind” (written by Chris Stapleton, J.T. Cure, Derek Mixon, Dave Cobb)
OK, Chris, I see you, stretching out that voice on a truck-drivin’-man’s anthem! This is exactly the change of pace needed at this point in the album – a Highwaymen-worthy crooner with plenty of rich detail about life on 18 wheels. It ain’t all roses, ya know.
“Weight of Your World” (written by Stapleton, Tim Larsson, Tobias Lundgren, Johan Fransson)
“Give me the bars and chains that won’t set you free/Give me the weight of your world/And lay it on me.” Every great singer needs an occasional “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” a “Stand By Me,” a “Lean on Me.” This one does that job well, slowing down the tempo and letting Stapleton’s vocals assure the troubled, the tired, the poor. And again, the thrill of hearing Paul Franklin’s steel …
“Mountains of My Mind” (written by Stapleton)
For the final tune we take it down even more with an intimate acoustic guitar ballad … a Bob-Dylan-esque account of personal failings and hope against hope. The lyrical idea at the center is the struggle to “climb the mountains of my mind.” I’ll tell you one thing; singers like Stapleton and albums like this – tuneful, unfussy, rootsy, heartfelt Americana songs – can help us climb our own mountains in many ways. Happy listening!
Higher is available now. Find out how to order, stream, or get tickets to a live show at Chris Stapleton’s official site.
(Photography: main and album image by Becky Fluke, middle photo by Andy Barron)