Spiritual songs have been a staple of country music since the genre’s beginnings, although one would hardly know it listening to the radio over the past decade or so.
In Warren Zeiders latest song “Outskirts of Heaven,” which he co-wrote with Dave Turnbull and Craig Campbell, he dusts off the tried and true theme of life in the afterlife where heaven is a shining city and the streets are paved with gold.
In addition to the spiritual theme, Campbell and Turnbull have also managed to create a composed song that shows the values of rural life without overwhelming the listener with spiritual beliefs. This song is subtle and calm, although the electric guitar near the end is a little at odds with the otherwise traditional arrangement. It tells a story of what happens in the afterlife.
By declaring his preference for an afterlife on a farm instead of walking the streets of gold in God’s Eternal City, Campbell manages to pay homage to the country lifestyle in a substantive manner, unlike the countless superficial redneck anthems that have polluted the radio in recent years.
This song would have been a surefire hit in the 90s, and maybe now that the country movement is showing signs of decline, radio will be receptive to something a little more traditional.
Despite getting off to a promising start, Craig Campbell’s career has not taken off the way it should have, partly because the current climate is a tough one for traditional artists and partly because he lacked the promotional backing of a strong record label.
Rating: 5/5
“Outskirts of Heaven” is Campbell’s second release under a deal with Red Bow Records. Listeners can hear this song on Apple Music, Spotify, SoundCloud and Amazon Music.
