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 below.

A Sailor’s Guide To Earth is out 4/15. Pre-order it here and get “In Bloom” now at iTunes. Limited edition bundles are also available here.

"Here we are now, entertain us." ~Kurt Cobain https://t.co/jUKY5R3fSP

— Sturgill Simpson (@SturgillSimpson) March 24, 2016