Jason Isbell: Classic Or Dud?

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he just posted on his 11th sober anniversary.

Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 8 February 2024 18:34 (two months ago) link

Nice, that’s good news, I figured that having almost centered his career around his sobriety that he’d be pretty solid in it at this point (plus, it’s been over a decade), but it always seemed like his wife was the final glob of glue holding it all together and that if that ever came undone anything could happen.

Slim is an Alien, Thursday, 8 February 2024 19:03 (two months ago) link

That sucks. No 40 years together

H.P, Thursday, 8 February 2024 21:22 (two months ago) link

I sobered up
I swore off that stuff
Forever this time

Virginia Wolfman (Ye Mad Puffin), Thursday, 8 February 2024 21:30 (two months ago) link

(It's kind of interesting that if you listen to live recordings, that's an instant applause line - when one presumes that 73% of the audience is holding a Bud Lite at that precise moment. I cannot pretend to understand the world.)

Virginia Wolfman (Ye Mad Puffin), Thursday, 8 February 2024 21:34 (two months ago) link

I'm kind of surprised people are surprised by this. For several years it's seemed like it could boil over at any second (and probably did multiple times).

ⓓⓡ (Johnny Fever), Friday, 9 February 2024 05:25 (two months ago) link

yeah i’m bummed but not exactly surprised. the vibes have been strange for a while imo.

werewolves of laudanum (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 9 February 2024 05:29 (two months ago) link

He gives good interviews and it's fun to see him light up fools on twitter, but I've never gotten the impression he'd be a pleasant person to hang around with or—even worse—be married to.

ⓓⓡ (Johnny Fever), Friday, 9 February 2024 05:37 (two months ago) link

i dunno that Shires is a walk in the park either tbh

werewolves of laudanum (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 9 February 2024 05:45 (two months ago) link

He had abruptly stopped Tweeting in mid-December, but I thought he had maybe moved to another platform. . .

What struck me watching the documentary was that 'this is a songwriter who has a spouse/sometimes bandmate/MFA in Poetry involved at a very granular level in the songwriting process. Much respect for even trying to make that work, but that's going be very difficult to sustain'.

Jeff Wright, Friday, 9 February 2024 06:13 (two months ago) link

Well, somebody on here pointed out his own lit(eature) studies, at Memphis U., I think--dunno how far he got toward a degree, but he said years ago that his tastes were way ahead of his abilities, or skills, so that kind of self-conscious striving seems to have affected his lyrics sometimes, like in a recent interview he quoted Shires,"I know how you feel about that, because I know you, but it doesn't come across," and he said he was indignant at first, but then he tried again, and wrote something more (intelligible or something)(think it was a song about or involving their daughter, growing up in this fucked world).

Sobriety as a major theme, yeah, reminds me of what I said upthread:

Oh yeah----my comments from last year's Nashville Scene ballot:
Jason Isbell, Reunions:

Under pressure of atmosphere, memories, incl. of present and future, spooky and urgent----music more varied after "Running With Our Eyes Closed," calmer but still insidious, words finding their way in---"St. Peter's Autograph,", hmmm--but I get some of 'em right away, esp the one about sober life incl. dreams about drinking, a couple nights a week now, like, "I had one glass of wine, woke up feelin' fine,and that's how I knew it was a dream," but some are rougher, like the even realer-seeming dream of calling in sick to treat yourself down town--you deserve it, self, you been real good for so long---"It gets easier, but never easy, " why have I never heard a song about this must-be-fairly-common experience before? So far, Reunions seems like one of his most sustained achievements in quite a while:

https://jasonisbell.bandcamp.com/album/reunions

― dow, Saturday, October 23, 2021


later:

re what I said a few days ago about "It gets easier, but never easy," and slipperiness of sober living, just now recalled that this has been a theme emerging in various ways ever since he cleaned up, as I commented on in a paste way upthread:
From Rolling Country, my initial impressions:

Jason Isbell, Something More Than Free: doesn't travel with the more sustained undertone of excitement found in Southeastern---recorded sober, apparently!---but "Are you takin' the grown-up dose?" is still the question, or one of 'em, and it's often remarkable what can sprout from dry, quiet starting over, especially when the past gets out of bed and comes cruising through one's present-day/night of carefully worked out details, brushing them just a hair or three from conventional alignment. Or not, in which case it's conspicuous by etc., but always the singer's cue.
"Children of Children" and "24 Frames" will be the relatively big (npr) radio cuts, if any are, but most tunes as well as words tend to take fetching turns.
http://www.npr.org/2015/07/08/420588068/first-listen-jason-isbell-something-more-than-free

― dow, Friday, July 10, 2015 4:38 PM (3 days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Not to say this 'un doesn't *also* sound like it was written and recorded sober---it does, and it also sounds like that's what it's about: dealing with the unfiltered, or differently filtered---but Southeastern seemed like more of an adventure.

― dow, Friday, July 10, 2015 4:42 PM (3 days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Maybe it's just subtle for me---diggin it tho!

― dow, Monday, July 13, 2015 5:51 PM (six years ago)

dow, Saturday, 10 February 2024 00:53 (two months ago) link

I wish we'd focus on Amanda Shires too.

poppers fueled buttsex crescendo (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 10 February 2024 00:54 (two months ago) link

Art about drugs (including alcohol) is just boring.

calstars, Saturday, 10 February 2024 00:57 (two months ago) link

With him, it's the aftermath, although life can be seen and heard as aftermath anyway (relatable).
xpost Increasingly, she's got the music and the words, but bum sung notes can suddenly drive me up the wall, and the weakness of even correctly sung solo passages have me listening around the voice sometimes---she can be awesome double-tracked though, fitting right in to the rest of her production---if only she were as tough on herself as she reportedly was on him, artistically (meaning her own albums; I haven't heard the one w Bobbie Nelson yet)(Shires did a great repartee duet w Prine, btw).

dow, Saturday, 10 February 2024 01:08 (two months ago) link

Oh, I didn't refer to their output: I referred to this unceasing social media emphasis on Isbell as if the impact of the divorce affected him more because of alcoholism, etc. It's a couple.

If we're talking about talent and compelling musical figures I considers Shires and her last album more compelling than many of Isbell's often good, rarely excellent efforts.

poppers fueled buttsex crescendo (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 10 February 2024 01:14 (two months ago) link

Oh, I didn't refer to their output: I referred to this unceasing social media emphasis on Isbell as if the impact of the divorce affected him more because of alcoholism, etc. It's a couple.

Good point. Maybe in part because he seems much more of a presence on social media---when I was on Twitter, he was *always* on Twitter.

dow, Saturday, 10 February 2024 01:21 (two months ago) link

yep

poppers fueled buttsex crescendo (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 10 February 2024 01:23 (two months ago) link

Also more albums etc. and today something on Google Entertainment News playing "Wanted Dead Or Alive" with ten-gallon hat and double-neck geetar---always something else showing up like that.

dow, Saturday, 10 February 2024 01:24 (two months ago) link

Art about drugs (including alcohol) is just boring.

― calstars, Friday, February 9, 2024 7:57 PM (one hour ago) bookmarkflaglink

second only to art about the aftermath of those things, namely rehab and divorce albums. I guess we can look forward to the latter now

Paul Ponzi, Saturday, 10 February 2024 02:06 (two months ago) link

two weeks pass...

Seeing him this weekend, but getting worried for the dude's health. The last several months: got new teeth, lost his longtime bassist, divorcing, apparently an old knee injury is getting drained before each show, and even the most hardcore of his fans are as delicately as possible noting his voice has been in rough shape lately, he's singing in lower keys, he's visibly frustrated at not being able to hit notes. I'm sure he'll get better, but it's a lot to deal with at once. It's got to be tough to be a real road warrior and then hit some roadblocks.

Josh in Chicago, Monday, 26 February 2024 17:47 (two months ago) link

jeebus is this guy great tonight

Josh in Chicago, Friday, 1 March 2024 04:19 (one month ago) link

.@JasonIsbell sings real Fox News Biden "scandal" headlines pic.twitter.com/FY5eHIBql2

— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) March 1, 2024

Josh in Chicago, Friday, 1 March 2024 22:20 (one month ago) link

Seeing him again last week reminded me that I've honestly never listened to too much of his recorded music, but he's had a heck of a recent run, and of course from the Truckers on he's proved himself capable of writing all-timers. I went back to read some Christgau reviews out of curiosity, and he really seems to get him, and also able to put his finger on what sets Isbell apart. He's political, but not necessarily angry. He's an intellectual, but not particularly pretentious. He's got a lot of country in him, but he's not really a country singer, and while he is a singer-songwriter for sure there are enough elements of other stuff that said him apart from that crew as well. Basically he is a musical omnivore and consummate craftsman with incredibly high standards. Don't know where he would have fit in in the '60s, '70s or '80s. John Prine? Steve Earle? Kris Kristofferson?

Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 6 March 2024 15:06 (one month ago) link

So his voice sounded ok health-wise at the show you saw ?

curmudgeon, Wednesday, 6 March 2024 17:47 (one month ago) link

he's had a heck of a recent run

― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Has he? I mean obv he gets bigger and bigger and I'm glad to see him thriving but Southeastern gets further and further in the rearview. he's delivered some indisputable bangers since but albumwise...

More Than Free is, in the Tom Petty tradition, half a great record.
The Nashville Sound has That One Song.

I guess people are nuts for 'em but I can't find a thing on Reunions or Weathervanes I'd put on a "why do people even care about this guy" playlist.

poster of sparks (rogermexico.), Thursday, 7 March 2024 02:46 (one month ago) link

I actually like the last two a lot, though I admit I was thinking of Petty when I recently played ... Free.

Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 7 March 2024 02:49 (one month ago) link

oh, and yeah, his voice sounded good, though eagle eyes noted he may have lowered the keys of a couple of songs.

but to back up again, unlike Petty, there's very little on his records that sounds like filler, imo, and even the lesser songs sound really well realized, and perhaps only sound lesser because there are always two or three absolutely great songs that make most songs sound lesser. but those lesser songs, I still appreciate the craft, the lyrics, the playing, how they are recorded.

Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 7 March 2024 02:53 (one month ago) link

I think I was the sole vote for Weathervanes on the EOY poll.

I thought it was the best one for years - loved King of Oklahoma and White Beretta.

aphoristical, Thursday, 7 March 2024 03:55 (one month ago) link

my top three last year were basically a tie between Weathervanes and the Wednesday and 10,000 gecs records. to me it was his best since Southeastern or More Than Free. not a single dud and I even liked the jams at the end.

I got my dad way into him really early and my mom fairly recently so it's a family affair now, the three of us have seen him together twice (just my dad and I have seen him probably 4-5 additional times). though I think my parents are pretty busted up about his divorce, and my mom was even tsk-tsking him for wearing a $2,400 Louis shirt on The Daily Show the other night lol

Evans on Hammond (evol j), Thursday, 7 March 2024 13:08 (one month ago) link

lol Isbell has always admitted a taste for the finer things.

funny, I know a couple of families who are all fans, too

Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 7 March 2024 14:17 (one month ago) link

Southeastern A
More Than Free C+
Nashville Sound A-
Reunions C
Weathervanes B

I don't love 'em all but I think it's hard to deny he's had a heck of a run.

alpine static, Thursday, 7 March 2024 18:06 (one month ago) link

Southeastern would be A+ if he'd left "Super 8" off!

alpine static, Thursday, 7 March 2024 18:08 (one month ago) link

Ha, I like that song, very Truckers.

If Petty is the standard, that's sort of the general spread pattern I'd give to his albums as well. A couple of clear winners, mostly at least average, some undeniable all-timers raising most of them, to degrees.

Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 7 March 2024 18:18 (one month ago) link

I dug the Georgia Bluecovers album.

paisley got boring (Eazy), Thursday, 7 March 2024 18:22 (one month ago) link

xpost i like the song just fine, but it doesn't fit on the album. totally messes with the flow/vibe.

alpine static, Thursday, 7 March 2024 19:01 (one month ago) link

pretty wide discrepancies even within such a fairly uniform catalogue. i'd say:

Southeastern B+
More Than Free A-
Nashville Sound C+
Reunions B
Weathervanes A-

Evans on Hammond (evol j), Thursday, 7 March 2024 20:18 (one month ago) link

one month passes...

Hate giving SCM air (and the guy's editorializing in this piece is fucking awful), but there's something interesting in here about Justin Townes Earle's widow and daughter's objections to "When We Were Close".

https://www.savingcountrymusic.com/jason-isbell-criticized-by-justin-townes-earles-widow-for-song/

Here's Jenn Marie Earle's statement, if you don't want to give SCM or Insta clicks:

He could have chosen any other song.

Also, on top of this, he is profiting off of it which I don’t think I need to go into why I have such strong negative feelings about that.

Since that time, I, as well as others have reached out to him personally, in an emotional plea to try to make him understand the trauma it has forced on our daughter (she has asked to hear it and it has lead to moments that I can’t bear to share), something she will deal with for the rest of her life. He has not responded, and then made the aforementioned statement, making it clear that he understands there are living, breathing victims. One of which is our innocent daughter.

Also, I want to take this opportunity to thank the many people all around the world that have shared their tribute songs to Justin with us. There have been such beautiful, heart-felt songs created in his honor, so we know the difference between what Jason wrote and what a real tribute looks like, because none of the others have kept us up at night or sent our daughter into tears. He did not have to write this song, it did not have to exist, but if he really felt that it was necessary, a heads up beforehand would have been greatly appreciated. Also, even though he has finally acknowledged that there are “victims,” he has still not so much as texted me an apology and I just can’t wrap my head around why someone wouldn’t extend that simple and small act of kindness. We deserve that at the very least. We’ve been through the unimaginable and certainly didn’t need this on top of it, but an apology would have been some sort of consolation at least.

– Jenn Marie Earle

Wait, bad c'np. Here's the whole thing:

Thoughts on a “tribute song” and suggestions as to what should be considered.

We understand that Jason Isbell’s song “When We Were Close” may have not been intended to be a tribute song, per se, but I (Jenn Marie Earle, Justin’s widow) want to offer my thoughts on what I feel, personally – since both myself, and mine and Justin’s daughter, Etta, were both mentioned/referenced in the song – it is our right to share our insight and feelings about it. I also feel that, as the keeper and protector of Justin’s legacy, that it is my responsibility.

During an interview this week, Jason shared why he wrote the song (this is, to our knowledge the first time he has addressed it publicly). Here is what he said: “When We Were Close, that song was one of those where I had to say, how many victims [will there be] if I tell the truth, how many victims if I don’t. And then you make that choice. You know, because the song has to exist, you know I don’t know why but I decided on that a long time ago because that’s what I do, that’s who I am. So you know, usually if you tell the truth, you make less victims than if you don’t.”

Being the said “victims” he is speaking of, I felt that in response, it is time to share my feelings on this song, the impact it has had on us, and why we had such a strong, visceral, and extremely painful reaction to it that has continued now, almost a year later since it’s release last June.

If you are not familiar, here are the specific lyrics to the song that were the most painful (for obvious reasons):

“I saw a picture of you laughing with your child, and I hope she will remember how you smiled. But she probably wasn’t old enough, the night somebody sold you stuff that left you on the bathroom tiles. Got a picture of you dying in my mind with some ghosts you couldn’t bear to leave behind…It’s not up to me to forgive you for the nights that your love had to live through, now you’ll never need to look me in the eye.”

It is important to me for everyone to understand, that Justin and Jason were estranged (after a difficult falling out) for years before he died. Jason stating that the song “had to exist” seems very inappropriate and hard to comprehend from my viewpoint when you take that into account. Especially mentioning our daughter (a complete gut punch, something Justin would have no doubt been extremely upset about)…and then immediately following Etta’s mention with grotesque graphic details of his death that 1. were absolutely unnecessary 2. were not released to the public (and the details were incorrect) 3. that it is not “his truth” to share, being completely removed from the situation for years up to Justin’s death. It was really no one’s right except for mine, which I did share immediately following the dreadful news, at a time when I could barely think, much less handle the public, but I knew it had to be done. For his fans, and as a warning to others so that he did not pass in vain.

I did not receive a compassionate warning ahead of the song’s release (we found out about the song, when this page was tagged in posts about it the day it came out). While it’s not mandatory that he give me a heads up, considering it’s about my husband and mentions myself, and especially my daughter, it would have been a respectful thing to do, so that we weren’t completely blown apart when we heard it as it was celebrated as a new release.

Soon after, he was made aware that the song was extremely painful (an absolute trauma trigger) and we hoped the message was taken to heart (although he did not acknowledge it) and we hoped to move on and try to forget about it. However, we learned (due to being tagged in posts, etc) that he was opening most shows with it, and then to our complete shock he chose it as the song to play on Jimmy Kimmel on the first show back after the writer’s strike, undoubtedly to a massive audience – putting the song front and center. ‹That was one of the most painful moments following, because it was clear then that he did not care that this song was traumatizing to Justin’s loved ones and was actually pushing the song above all of the others on the album. He could have chosen any other song.

Also, on top of this, he is profiting off of it which I don’t think I need to go into why I have such strong negative feelings about that.

Since that time, I, as well as others have reached out to him personally, in an emotional plea to try to make him understand the trauma it has forced on our daughter (she has asked to hear it and it has lead to moments that I can’t bear to share), something she will deal with for the rest of her life. He has not responded, and then made the aforementioned statement, making it clear that he understands there are living, breathing victims. One of which is our innocent daughter.

Also, I want to take this opportunity to thank the many people all around the world that have shared their tribute songs to Justin with us. There have been such beautiful, heart-felt songs created in his honor, so we know the difference between what Jason wrote and what a real tribute looks like, because none of the others have kept us up at night or sent our daughter into tears. He did not have to write this song, it did not have to exist, but if he really felt that it was necessary, a heads up beforehand would have been greatly appreciated. Also, even though he has finally acknowledged that there are “victims,” he has still not so much as texted me an apology and I just can’t wrap my head around why someone wouldn’t extend that simple and small act of kindness. We deserve that at the very least. We’ve been through the unimaginable and certainly didn’t need this on top of it, but an apology would have been some sort of consolation at least.

– Jenn Marie Earle

Saw that. The Saving Country guy is constantly ripping on Isbell, especially for his politics, so I don't trust his motives. But if you look at the comments, the father of Earle's widow keeps chiming in like a right wing crank, too. It's weird, the song isn't that objectionable, imo, and she only seems to have a problem with ... him not giving her a head's up? Which is weird if true; he reportedly contacted the subject of "White Beretta" to make sure it was OK. I wonder why? For all we know there's a reason Isbell didn't run it by her, and I don't necessarily trust her motives, either. At the least it's pretty manipulative to bring up her daughter's feelings, since reading through that her daughter is *six*. There's no way that kid would have heard this song, or even known it existed, had mom not played it (and/or played it up) for her.

Josh in Chicago, Monday, 15 April 2024 16:00 (two weeks ago) link

At the least it's pretty manipulative to bring up her daughter's feelings, since reading through that her daughter is *six*.

More manipulative than Isbell mentioning the daughter in the song?

President Keyes, Monday, 15 April 2024 16:08 (two weeks ago) link

Well, it's a song, and most songs are in a sense manipulative. But it doesn't mention anyone by name, and it's not mean or unsympathetic, imo. Setting aside the Streisand Effect of her statement, I'm a little unclear what her problem is. That the song was written at all? That he performs the song? That she wasn't warned that the song was coming? That he is "profiting" off of it? That it makes her daughter upset? That he hasn't apologized to her? (For what?) All of the above? Her story is heartbreaking, but I don't think the subject is at all off limits or in poor taste.

Josh in Chicago, Monday, 15 April 2024 16:33 (two weeks ago) link

ok

President Keyes, Monday, 15 April 2024 16:35 (two weeks ago) link

I saw a picture of you laughing with your child
And I hope she will remember how you smiled
But she probably wasn't old enough, the night somebody sold your stuff
That left you on the bathroom tiles

idk seems a little tone-deaf, and presumptive of a kid's thoughts and memories. probably should have just written about the man himself and left the daughter out of it. her motives seem strictly parental.

omar little, Monday, 15 April 2024 16:59 (two weeks ago) link

Before I read many other people's take on this - which have largely aligned with Josh's - my gut reaction was that this was shittily handled by Jason. Yes, he is entitled to his own grief and processing, but I guess I feel like he comes after JTE's wife and daughter on the priority list (which I admit is not a fair way of looking at it). At the very least, he should've reached out to her and let her know about the song.

His quote "the song has to exist" doesn't sit well with me. Maybe it has to exist, but it doesn't necessarily have to exist on a Jason Isbell album.

But I see the other sides of this, too.

alpine static, Monday, 15 April 2024 17:02 (two weeks ago) link

Def don't see it as manipulative of the widow to bring up her kid's feelings, though, no matter the kid's age.

alpine static, Monday, 15 April 2024 17:03 (two weeks ago) link

i try to imagine if i was in her position, him writing about how she probably won't remember her dad's smile...i mean, that would certainly hurt and not in the "what a moving song" way.

omar little, Monday, 15 April 2024 17:06 (two weeks ago) link

I absolutely understand where she is coming from, both as a person and as a parent. I can only imagine the pain they have gone and will continue to go through. But I'm not sure anyone should be in a position to tell anyone else what or who they can or can't write about, and none of it can change the tragic end of JTE's life.

Josh in Chicago, Monday, 15 April 2024 17:13 (two weeks ago) link

All true!

alpine static, Monday, 15 April 2024 17:15 (two weeks ago) link

I don't think the widow said that Isbell was not allowed to write about JTE. But keep having arguments with straw people.

President Keyes, Monday, 15 April 2024 17:19 (two weeks ago) link


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