Nominated by: The Legend
Music club: Wander to Wozza's
This is an easy album to like. Jason veers away from his southern gothic rock style with Drive-by Truckers and instead heads down a more laid back, acoustically fused, furrow.
Being a Kiwi, my one abiding slight problem with Americana artists is that we don't have much in common. Their accents aren't like mine, their interests and their cultural markers aren't mine.
Now, that's slightly disingenuous on my part, I acknowledge, because I've always loved American culture. Especially in my teenage years. I was deeply engrossed in American politics, myths, and especially its music.
In the last ten years or so, and influenced by Kevy's devotion, I've embraced and appreciated my Kiwi background much more. My NZ record collection has grown a lot for one thing.
So, while in the past I've embraced Americana, these days I've chosen to move away from it a bit. Before you splutter your coffee out GK - I don't regard Arlo Guthrie as Americana. He's folk rock if he's anything.
Speaking of GK (The Legend), he, on the other hand, has embraced and appreciated the meshing of genres into Americana a lot more than me. And, I can see why.
There are certainly plenty of quality bands and solo artists working in the genre. Like Jason Isbell.
Something More Than Free has a nice acoustic bed and a gentle lope, even if the lyrics reveal Jason is one troubled cookie ("God..is a pipe bomb ready to blow"). Jason's vocals are easy on the ear. There's not a lot to grind the gears, although some de rigueur mythic cowboy references (Children Of Children) might give Kevy a nervy twitch.
As to the songs, with the exception of Hudson Commodore, the back end of the album is not as strong as the first 5 songs - which are excellent - four stars for them!
Why is it artists often programme slower, less engaging songs towards the end of albums? Palmetto Rose never quite gets going, although the riff is promising, and To A Band That I Loved doesn't do it for me either. especially as an album closer.
All up, listening to the album multiple times this week didn't really modify my initial thoughts from a few years ago regarding both Drive-By Truckers or Jason Isbell's solo albums.
Lord knows I love crunchy southern guitar bands but give me The Marshall Tucker Band or Blackberry Smoke over Drive-by Truckers any day and while Jason's solo albums are much easier to absorb, I'd rather spend time with Ryan Adams, Giant Sand, or Jay Farrar. As I've said previously, it's a really over-crowded genre that reaches out in many directions.
But, who cares about my preferences? Jason Isbell has reached a new status. I mean - a feature in Mojo Magazine is up there baby! Good luck to him. Maybe he'll cheer up a bit now.
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