Photo via Marty Stuart
Lauded artist and Country Music Hall of Famer, Marty Stuart, and his band The Fabulous Superlatives have announced the April 12, 2025 release of their first-ever full-length instrumental album, Space Junk (Snakefarm Records).
“Instrumentals have always been a part of the Fabulous Superlatives repertoire, but this is the first completely instrumental album we’ve done, largely inspired by two of my favorite bands from sixties, The Ventures and Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass,” Stuart imparted via press release, speaking to his influences that inspired the LP.
“They did some dangerously cool instrumental records. We’ve done bluegrass, gospel, and country records. Our hearts just led us to this one. Space Junk turned us back into kids with our first guitars,” the bandleader reflected. “We thought the world needed a fresh instrumental album by a pretty good band so we composed twenty instrumentals and took them to the microphones.”
The forthcoming album ignites the collective prowess of Stuart and his musical disciples, Kenny Vaughan, Harry Stinson, and Chris Scruggs. The ensemble combines their expansive histories and instrumental understanding of one another to create a 20-track collection that combines the best of their skills.
The set was inspired by Stuart’s history composing music for TV and movies, which earned him a Golden Globe for All The Pretty Horses, nomination for Best Original Score and Grammy for Best Country Instrumental Performance, “Foggy Mountain Breakdown” and “Hummingbyrd” Speaking to his audiovisual history, Stuart says “Scoring required a cinematic way of thinking.”
“I had to make music for what the scene called for, which turned me into more of a visual player in an understated way. That kind of thinking followed me into the studio during the making of Space Junk. I knew the music had to be pretty, but it also had to say something without losing its drive,” he continued.
For the album’s making, the band traveled to Hollywood to cut select songs for the set’s eventual 20 track output at the famed Capitol Recording Studios. “The creative atmosphere of California always gives me the feeling that the sky is the limit,” Stuart said. “Space Junk is California music. If you want a specific sound, you go to certain places in the world. For the California sound, it’s Capitol. You’ve got the blue skies, the legacy, the romance, and a lot of friendly ghosts. The atmosphere makes you do a little better.”
The band also recorded choice tracks in Nashville, “We recorded at the House of Blues studio,” Stuart recalls. “Right behind it, there’s a big graveyard where people like George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Marty Robbins and Porter Wagoner are buried. The title worked.”
Speaking to his desired album take away, Stuart says, “I hope Space Junk takes the listeners for a ride,” Stuart leaves off. “It makes me forget my problems and remember why I play guitar and get to dress up in cowboy clothes. It reminds me I’m okay, and I want it to do the same for you. Mainly, I want to inspire some kid to go to the store, buy an instrument, and make a difference. This concept was passed down to us from the old heroes. If we can serve the same role, mission accomplished.”
For more information visit martystuart.net.
Space Junk Track Listing
- Graveyard
- All The Pretty Horses
- Catalina
- Over The Moon
- Slipnote Serenade
- Space Junk
- El Zorro
- Coastline
- The Ballad of the Lonely Surfer
- Bat Patrol
- Till We Meet Again
- Waiting on Sundown
- La Tingo Tango
- Rhapsidio Sangre de Cristo in E Major
- Showcake
- Jody the Fly (Romance in Laguna)
- Malibu Dawn
- The Surfin’ Cowboy
- California Pt. 1 (Bobbie Gentry, Please Call Home)
- Waltz of the Waves
Content shared from relix.com.