Sturgill Simpson - “In Bloom” (Nirvana Cover) Video

In a realist sense, covering Nirvana at this late date should be gimmicky as hell. But in an idealist sense, completely transforming one of Kurt Cobain’s best-known songs has the potential to be transcendent. When I heard country philosopher Sturgill Simpson was taking on the Nevermind classic “In Bloom” on his new album A Sailor’s Guide To Earth, I feared gimmickry but was blessed with transcendence. Simpson turned “In Bloom” into first a weepy, twangy ballad and then a celebratory blast of brass, his drawl doing justice to Cobain’s lyrics all the while. It’s really good, so hear it in conjunction with director Matt Mahurin’s video.