S.G. Goodman is a storyteller. The Kentucky songwriter has taken listeners on a tour of the American south through her previous releases, “Kudzu,” “Old Time Feeling” and “Teeth Marks,” and her newest album, “Planting by the Signs,” is no exception.
Following a long stretch of touring, the unexpected death of a close friend and mentor, as well as the passing of her dog, Goodman captured her grieving process through song. Composed of 11 songs, Goodman reminisces on her past and reconciles with her present, all while exploring the different manifestations of grief accompanying each track.
While grief is often associated with the processing of death, Goodman rewrites the definition and applies it to new concepts across the album, such as the past, the current state of technology, the chasing of achievement and burnout.
It is near impossible to categorize “Planting by the Signs” into the confines of a singular genre. Including stylistic influence from folk, country, indie-rock and hymnals, adorned by her distinct Western Kentucky drawl, Goodman’s voice is uniquely her own.
The album, released on June 20th, was preceded by singles, “Satellite,” “Fire Sign” and “Snapping Turtle,” which gave listeners a taste of what the release would offer.
At her hometown album release event, hosted by Wit’s End Records in Murray, Kentucky, Goodman saidthat the phrase “Planting by the Signs” refered to “an ancient belief system that the moon affects water and everything comprised of water” and the idea that there is a correct time to do everything. She added that through touring, she has had to forge her own “seasons” and “create a season of winter” for herself. The ninth track on the album, “Heat Lightning,” includes voice recordings of elders from Kentucky discussing the practice of planting by the signs.
She accredits her storytelling capabilities to the region she was raised in, while also addressing the complicated relationship one has with the place one is born: The fourth track, “Snapping Turtle,” describes the feelings of the mind being “stuck” in small towns.
The features of this album highlight other Kentucky artists Matthew Rowan and Bonnie “Prince” Billy.
The title track, “Planting by the Signs,” is a hauntingly beautiful duet between Goodman and Rowan. Track eight,“Nature’s Child,” features Billy and highlights the connection between deep emotion and the natural environment in which one experiences it.
The artist has an extensive list of accomplishments under her belt, including the title of the 2023 Americana Music Association’s Emerging Artist Award and Tyler Childer’s including a cover of her song “Space and Time” on his most recent album “Rustin’ in the Rain.”
This is not a “listen once” album, as listeners can identify new layers and find new meanings to every lyric on each relisten. “Planting by the Signs” is a perfect example of how returning to your roots and embracing the place that made you can transcend identity and be expressed through song and storytelling.
