Jason Isbell: Tiny Desk Concert
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- čas přidán 5. 09. 2017
- Aug 28, 2017 | Stephen Thompson - Like many singer-songwriters, Jason Isbell writes music that mirrors developments in his own life. In recent years, that's thankfully included the hard-won contentment he's experienced on his path to 40: sobriety, marriage and on from there. On this summer's The Nashville Sound, the decorated Alabama-born star understandably casts his gaze toward parenthood - a job he's recently come to share with singer, fiddler and Tiny Desk veteran Amanda Shires - but expands his scope further to encompass politics, fear of obsolescence, and his place in the world. It's a gorgeous record: noble and scruffy, graceful and human.
For his Tiny Desk debut, Isbell and his band The 400 Unit performed three songs from The Nashville Sound, but their set fanned out to include lengthy bits of funny banter, a false start and an impromptu bit in which he shone a spotlight on a member of the audience. "This is like an audition and a rock show at once," he deadpanned to Ashwin Wadekar, a guest in the building who - not to spoil anything - got more than he'd likely expected from his visit to NPR headquarters.
The Nashville Sound is available now.
iTunes - itunes.apple.com/us/album/the...
Amazon - www.amazon.com/Nashville-Soun...
SET LIST
"Chaos and Clothes"
"Molotov"
"Last of My Kind"
MUSICIANS
Jason Isbell (vocals, guitar); Sadler Vaden (guitar); Amanda Shires (fiddle, backing vocals); Jimbo Hart (bass); Derry deBorja (keyboards); Chad Gamble (drums); Ashwin Wadekar (guitar on "Last of My Kind").
CREDITS
Producers: Bob Boilen, Niki Walker, Bronson Arcuri; Audio Engineers: Josh Rogosin, Jason Willetts; Videographers: Niki Walker, Tsering Bista; Production Assistant: Nick Michael; Photo: Claire Harbage/NPR.
For more Tiny Desk concerts, subscribe to our podcast. - Hudba
We all live two lives. The life before we found Jason Isbell and the life after we found Jason Isbell.
Matthew A. Riley Well said 👏
You're right tho
Gotta admit. He is something all right. Found through my love of listening to Sturgill Simpson here. By accident
Are you living the life you chose? Are you living the life that chose you?
Love this band
"Do you miss the girl you once had time to be?" is such a quietly devastating line. It gets me every time
Looks like you've still got plenty of time. Although your comment was a year old by the time I saw it. You were lovely last year at least
Hannah McKie SAME❤️❤️❤️
Oh for Christ's sake you're twelve...
Just taps on an insecurity we all feel about slipping away. Childhood joy is hard to find again. It's okay to let music take you on an emotional ride, get spirited away nothing wrong with that.
That’s a very “David Gray-ish” song... I like it.
Jason Isbell and Sturgil Simpson are trying their darndest to save Country music from itself. Thank you.
Isbell maybe but Sturgil's last album wasn't country and wasn't very good.
Scomelbasses Are you referring to "A Sailor's Guide to Earth"? I'll admit that perhaps it wasn't as "country" in its sound, but if you watch his interview with Charlie Rose regarding that album, he talks about its back story regarding his time in the Navy, his addiction and other life elements that in many ways are the story of country music. Love, loss, battles fought in one's life. I don't know. I guess what I mean is that Country music was never about getting drunk on a plane or white girls with big butts. That's all record selling to a public that no longer values song writing. But to your point, yes, it's a little different.
The subject matter of his songs is no more country than many other styles of folk music or the typical singer/songwriter types. In other words, many songwriters write about similar experiences and they don't identify themselves as country artists and wouldn't be considered as such. I don't like modern country at all but can't say I was the biggest fan of classic country though there are plenty of artist I liked from that era. I do enjoy Isbell's music, Stapelton, Colter Wall, and several others. For me, I don't care whether country music needs to be saved, I just like well written songs delivered by a skilled singer.
You don't like sturgill but like Stapleton huh? Cool
Stapleton is an incredible singer I didn't say I don't like Sturgil. I just don't find that, considering his recent recording, that he is the savior for the classic country lovers.
"I spent so much time on that word and then I said the wrong one"
Man, I appreciate the heck out of that.
I love how Ashwin Wadekar is officially credited as a musician for Last of My Kind.
Just noticed that too,. Pure class.
Wouldn't that mean he would get royalties too...?
I never noticed this! That made my morning.
@@ianbeach505 No - he's not the writer of the song, he just played here in this performance...
Shires is a true pro. She watches him on every harmony to make sure her timing is right, and watches the lead player to make sure she doesn't step in his toes during soloing. Fun to watch.
They sound amazing together
She's a looker.
I don't think anyone got her "thank you joke" @12:20 😆
You are so right. She is amazing, and the 400 Unit are like Tom Petty's Heartbreakers.
Good eye. Very cool to watch.
As John Mayer put it " Jason Isbell is the greatest lyricist of our generation"
"He lives at a level even great writers can only visit."
Big praise coming from an seriously good lyrcist.
can you?@@TechGuy-sv3pt
@@TechGuy-sv3pt what did your parents do to you? So frustrated it seeps through your words.
Ashwin Is about that action. Someone asked for a good guitar player and he stepped up. Respect
Amanda’s smiling as they sang Molotov while looking straight at Jason absolutely melts my heart.
Jason Isbell, Sturgill Simpson, Chris Stapleton, and Tyler Childers: best of modern country music. God bless y'all!
Yes!! I live in Nashville and get tired of the pop country!! I hope you have also listened to Whiskey Myers!!! They have some amazing stuff as well!!
Cheers Tyler, giving me some musicians to check out. Any female singer songwriters you'd recommend?
@@JohnPedder Sierra Ferrell, Gillian Welch
@@JohnPedder Not any in particular. If you like bluegrass there is a band called Mandolin Orange. The guy sings most of the songs but there are a few where the female singer gets her time to shine. Highly recommend
I've never really listened to country music until recently but I love isbell,Simpson,and Childress.
Every time I listen to Jason Isbell my jaw is just on the floor at his lyric ability. "You've got the past on your breath my friend" -- that's amazing.
6:50 am. One of the best songwriters ever, right alongside Amanda. Thank you both for finding my heart. ❤
"Nobody ever wants to hear about my dream". That line breaks my heart every time; it actually kind of haunts me.
🙏🏻
This version of Molotov is absolute perfection. I don't think i'll ever remember it sounding any other way.
Hearing it here for the first time and loving it!
Jason Isbell people are my people. Nice to meet you all.
Yeah, my kind of folks!
Get someone who looks at you like Ashwin looks at Jasons finger placements
I'm rolling!
Yes!!
love it ..... Ashwin your my hero x
I would be happy to have someone look at me the way Amanda does at Jason.
Holy shit, this kills.
Jason and Amanda’s faces they make really show how much they mean it; how much this music means to them.
"The family farm's a parking lot, for Walton's Five and Dime" might be one of the best, cut-like-a-knife lines ever.
One of the best songwriters around today.
I feel like I'm not doing it enough justice by only giving one thumb. It deserves 10+.
Jeff Self make ten accounts.
It's such a testimony of Isbell's character that he brought up a guest guitar player. Here he is on a massive stage singing one of the lead singles on this superb album and is happy to share the stage. That's what humility in action looks like.
This stage isn't massive. It's tiny. Hence the name.
They may have meant it figuratively.
such a gentle touch Rowe! bravo for avoiding a youtube cliché
Nuggets just won the internet haha. Isbell so good
EarToTheGroundMusic good ole Alabama boy
This is the greatest Tiny Desk Concert I've ever seen. If you don't love Jason Isbell, I just don't know what to tell you.
Another stellar TDC is Jesse Ware's set.
Check put Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks Tiny Desk Set. This too was amazing.
watch the Mandolin Orange TDC...
I don’t listen to country, but if it was all like this I’d listen to nothing else! Never heard of Jason Isbell, but this came up when I watched Chris Stapleton. Apparently I like more country than I thought!
There are some truly amazing artists out here that get branded country, but are rarely if ever played on the radio. Check out Sturgill Simpson, Tyler Childers, and Zach Bryan just to name a few.
"I thought I didn't like country, turns out I wasn't listening to the right kind."
I was in love w/ a man from Tennessee, I'm from Ohio, I'll never forget when he showed me Jason Isbell. his song "Cover me up" was our song. we ended up not talking anymore because of our distance but listening to his music makes me happy, reminds me of a young innocence I had when I met this man. I wonder if he'll ever see this. so just in case, I'm sorry I let my immaturity got the best of me, I will always love you, my first love. Thank you for coaching me into adulthood. know you're enough to use me for good. I'm sorry we didn't last.
Take it as just another life experience/story. I hope u find what u need in life.
The guy’s a National treasure and a wake up call to real music and poetic lyrics with an anchor in the human experience.
Sure is nice, when you don’t have regret about the last 20 minutes and six seconds you spent on CZcams
that is a very cool way of putting it
That last song made my hour, lyrically and musically and spiritually . Country isn't dead! Lucky dude at the end lol
And it helps make up for the two hours prior.
Only problem is you listen to the lyrics and question what you have done or missed out on over the last 20 years.
100 percent agree. These tiny desk concerts are my favorite thing on CZcams.
In November 2017, Isbell was asked on Twitter "Why do we have to inject politics in every aspect of our life can't we just enjoy the music and the football games?" Isbell responded, "Until you are the one being treated unfairly, that's easy to say."
Damn, this makes me love him even more
So brave
He's one of the good ones. This is a tough area to come up with that attitude in life and I applaud him.
Love it❤️ And now on the project he is working on with his wife’s band even better!!!
The problem with that logic is that the people who inject politics into everything do not have the perspective of those who are actually being treated unfairly. It's only their political perspective and their anger. I'm sick of political messages myself. However I have written a few of them myself, would you like to hear one? I didn't think so, I keep them to myself. There is a huge difference in being treated unfairly and what you do to yourself.
"Did she leave a trail of crumbs, so you could find her when what you could become... or did she know you well enough to realize that garden just won't grow... oh no" - Some of the most truthfully devastating lyrics I've ever heard and I absolutely love them. This song lyrically is so deep on so many levels, and to hear his wife subtley come in on the backround vocally and with the violin, plus the accordian... just enhances how great this song is.
Written about Ryan Adams. Ryan should get royalties on the song ;)
It punctured my heart. Incredible line.
Does anyone else come back and re-watch this video like once per week because this live performance is just perfect, or is that just me?
Often!
I love his lyrics and the way they discern between heartbreak and reflection but without too much pain and toxicity. He's not lingering on the past with spite he's just talking about what he went through. But some of the revelations are like knifes that slip deep into your heart.
"Did she leave a trail of crumbs, so you could find her when you're what you could become?
Or did she know you well enough to realize that garden just won't grow?"
Poignant lyrics that nobody truly understands until you've experienced it and suffered through that pain.
This reply is about 8 months late. But I just discovered Jason Isbell a few months ago. You nailed it here with your description of his music and lyrics. I lost my wife of 38 years, in 2020. I can't listen to his music without tears coming out. The pain is real. The music is cathartic.
Not to be the “live is better than the album” dude..... but this chaos and clothes punches way harder.
Such a great observations, and so does molotov to be honest
That accordion does a ton for it. Terribly poignant.
“Live at the Ryman,” is the only way to listen to “The Nashville Sound.”
@@seanhandlin9577 i have to agree i kinda don’t like the echo in molotov i always think my headphones broke
It’s, IMO, cause “The Nashville Sound” had that weird affect. I did not care for it but every song live or just acoustic is good. If it good than nothing bad at all.
Last of My Kind could be one of the best country songs ever
Yvette gets me every time.
Except "If we were vampires" is better 😜
Squilly Timmons if we were vampires isn’t really a country song
I agree. Always makes me think of my Dad and miss him.
Only children, speed trap town, last of my kind my top three
A shout out to George Saunders, Abraham Lincoln, a tiny bass, a hat that says "Make Cornbread, Not War", and music from the best country songwriter of his generation. Easily one of the best Tiny Desk concerts ever
Rafael Go Chris Stapleton might have a little something to say about one of your last statements but I agree with you, almost, completely!
I need one of those hats
Has Chris Stapleton ever written a song, let alone a huge catalog of objectively great ones?
That’s all Chris Stapleton does lol
Blair obviously doesn't know Chris Stapleton.
He sounds even better live. I DID NOT EXPECT THAT. WOW
Hes few and far between. This is why hes my favorite singer songwriter! He alwats sounds better in person
Just when I think I've heard the best this guy has to offer I stumble across something like this and I'm blown away again.
Here once again in 2022. this is pure gold. from the talent all the way to the vibes between everyone. Youre something special. Thank you for getting me through tough times, with stories of yours.
B
Whoa! I got introduced to Jason Isbell via if we were vampires. I decided to listen to Tiny Desk to hear more of him. I was not disappointed. Best new music (to me anyway) I've heard in quite awhile
I'll start out confessing that i haven't seen this more than 20 or so times.....and i am still overwhelmed.
Coming back to this performance after my dad passed last year. Makes Last of my Kind even more poignant. Just an amazing performance from the greatest songwriter in America today.
This made that bass player's day. You know he just thought, this is a perfect place to play the Ashbory.
I've been writing all my life, it is my passion... this man is an absolute icon. Plain and simple, Jason Isbell sets the standard for what I would consider a guiding light to great songs... Thank you for the inspiration you provide me to write a decent song.
I'm not even the biggest fan of country music but Jason just continues to blow me away!! One of the best Tiny Desk sets ever!
I know 2 yrs later! Lol but I don’t either but I dig Americana where he sits at better❤️
I love Jason, but is he really country.
Is no one gonna talk about how incredible Sadler is on slide? It’s just effortless for him.
Wow ! I’m for sure an ol country western music fan , grew up on Jones, haggard , Jennings, hank and cash to name a few, but man this Jason Isbell guy is a breath a fresh air, love the music, talent the lyrics are above and beyond anything being produced today. Cheers Jason, I’ll be listening son. Awesome
I'm an old guy too and I agree. Country music...which is our collective roots music...is in good hands.
Back for the ~200th time. SO fresh, every time. I have a dedicated resonance in my body for this production. Physiology of joy !
Dang. I've listened to and read about and watched a LOT of Jason over the past few years...but THAT was special. Something about the evident comfort - and JOY - that came through in this special venue. And what artist just invites someone up to play? Someone real comfortable in their skin me thinks. So good!
How does anyone listen to 'country' on the radio when we have Jason Isbell, Colter Wall, Sturgill Simpson, Charley Crockett, Brent Cobb, Chris Stapleton and countless others. Arguably the best country music has ever been.
Listen to Charles Wesley Godwin. His new album is gold
@@breesana tyvm this guy is great!! My mom is from Morgantown.
@@dwerk3 ikr!!! I also have family from Morgantown!
I know absolutely zero about playing music, so am completely astounded by Ashwin's ability to just join in. (don't spoil it for me by explaining - let it be magical, ok?)
Dont read the comment section if you don't want spoilers.
Megan Johnson you and I both Megan. A star with a new great album out, and invites stranger to play....the world needs more humanity!!
I'm even more impressed by the fact that he didn't use a capo when both of the other guitarists were using one. Means he couldn't cheat by just copying their fingerings, since his guitar was temporarily "tuned" a full step below theirs. Not the hardest song to play cold, but definitely not the easiest one either. Trust me, this is just as magical whether you know about music or not!
@@JonahLoeb was gonna say this! When he said no to the capo I was like 👀 dang okay! Loved this rendition and how Jason had him join. So heart warming
I'm a musician and play in a progressive rock/metal band; I'm impressed by how seamlessly and easily he picks up this tune! Especially since Isbell has it capoed and Ashwin doesn't!
He is really a fine singer/songwriter! This Tiny Desk Concert was a real pleasure.
starting to worry most of the views on this are from me listing almost weekly. Musically this is one of the best Tiny Desk Concerts
Hard to disagree... I see lots of comments saying that he is an outstanding lyricist and that maybe true, but English is not my first language, with the music and the speed I get about 60% of what he is singing, plus I can't say that country is my coup of tea... But the whole thing is undeniable: beautiful, beautiful music, great performers, pure talent. One of my favorite tiny desks
Knocking over the pencils may have made this the most punk rock Tiny Desk Concert ever. Congratulations, Jason.
It's so cute how Jason and Amanda look at each other during the set.
The way she looks at him when they sing, is beautiful.
This is my first time hearing this musician. I love them and everything they just did together. This is my America. ❤️🙏🏾🥰
I love how they complement each others’ voice. Solid Cash/Carter counterpoint harmony going on here.
The harmony in Molotov is... WOW! Wheels come off!
I was very fortunate to meet Amanda Shires a free concert/interview with Lloyd Maines and Jimmie Dale Gilmore in Lubbock, and it was definitely a moment I will remember forever. She asked me and my buddy if we write songs, and my friend told her he does. She proceeded to give us tips and strongly encouraged him to keep it up. Jason and Amanda are both lovely people who work hard to keep music unique and alive with younger generations. The second I heard both Jason and Amanda sing and play together, I was hooked and I haven't been able to turn their music off. It's just brilliant!
Amanda is now truly a Woman of Letters--a few years ago--she graduated from the low residency MFA program in writing at Sewanee: University of the South in Sewanee, TN--I am going to attend that program beginning in 2020 myself---I can really see how her song writing has advanced since then and the way that she is going--she might well come to rival Jason in her own right with her own great coming musical successes....
This dude just brought up anime and acid in about 30 seconds. I’m in.
I've seen this video a couple dozen times, but I just caught myself laughing and smiling through the whole thing. Y'all making the world a better place.
Man the sweetest thing I’ve seen is when Amanda shires says I didn’t do it that good either.... that was so gracious and nice. What a lovely family
5 minute normal youtube video: that seems a little long
Back to back 20 minute npr videos: these are kinda short
Always way too short, no matter how long.
Quite possibly the finest songwriter of this generation, and one of the very best to come along in a long long time. He is excellent live.
Fiddle and slide guitar were sounding sooo nice on Last Of My Kind… the solo could’ve gone on forever for me.
Have since learned Jason is a multi-Grammy winning artist and very familiar name to much of the world, but he was somehow new to me when CZcams pitched this vid to my home page a few days ago. I've always loved the Tiny Desk series so I hit the play button to check it out and barely a minute in I found myself thinking about the liner notes Kris Kristofferson wrote on John Prine's first album 50 years ago. Not always easy to define what makes certain singer-songwriters special, but the good news is you don't have to... you just know.
Man you are lucky! Enjoy the entire catalogue. And see him live ASAP! JI and 400U are the best!
How can you not listen to this on repeat after you hear it??
Just discovering this treasure of a man in 2021.
Don't worry, back in high school I was also behind the trends by a decade.
You were probably behind the desk blowing the gym teacher.
I could literally watch this one over and over and not get tired of it. It's really that good.
Check out 16:59 and the pure joy on Ashwin's face. He'll remember this for the rest of his life! So good
Loved, Loved, LOVED IT!!!!! Especially the way his wife looks at him with a combination of adoration and admiration.
"I think I've got boogers" -he checks- you're good lol
That fiddle player is fantastic. What a performance by the whole band. 🤍
That's his wife 💜
That’s Amanda Shires, his wife, who is an equally talented and versatile musician. She also is part of The Highwomen. Check her out.
Jason & Amanda work extremely well together. Their harmonies are spot on!
If you haven't seen him live, do whatever it takes to get to one of his shows,. By far the best I've seen and I've seen a bunch in my 54 years.
Cherokee Lake Tennessee so so so great!! My father and I (64&42) have been in St. Louis two years in a row❤️
Kenken? Yo, YO, WAZZUP!! TANK. BOY . KILLIN FRIENDS RELATIONSHIPS ONE AT A TIME!!
Its cool man the WITCH is all yours. Actually Kenny you did me a huge favor.
Thank you brother
Godspeed.
Just saw my first a couple weeks ago ... fantastic show. Decoration Day in particular enters my mind more than I care to admit
@@davidbenditt9560 I remember when our son went off to basic training in San Antonio, my wife couldn't get through "Dress Blues" without crying.
"Last Of MY Kind" is so beautiful, everyone has so much passion in what they do especially the solo's. Amazing
Such a talent, don't understand why is he is not more known.
beautiful and heart-felt...thank you. "everyone's clappin' on the one and the three...am I, the last of my kind?"
For anyone interested, that tiny bass is an Ashbory, made initially by Guild guitars, then produced under the DeArmond name.
zadtheinhaler very interested, thanks!
I didn't know them and I don't know why but when I saw the thumbnail I knew I was going to like them.
I clicked and I liked. Thank you NPR.
Weird. I felt exactly the same!
Hands down one of the best TDC I've seen! And I had never heard of Jason and his music before. But when I heard the line "Did she leave a trail of crumbs, so you could find her when you're what you could become. Or did she know you well enough to realise that garden just won't grow" I was blown away. Man... sittin here cryin' at work. Making my boss think someone died in the family! hah!
Yeah...he does that. I've had a few moments when I just teared up listening to him. Sometimes I don't get a song, then a few years later I listen to it again after some life has happened, and it hits me so hard.
Listen to his stuff with the drive by truckers!
I hear you. I've bawled to this video many many times lol
@@chrisamburgey9253 I was a huge Drive By Truckers fan growing up... Then my ex introduced me to Isbell, and I'm like "Hey I recognize that voice!" Somehow I never caught onto his solo stuff.
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit performed the best Tiny Desk concert I've seen so far. An extremely talented songwriter and musician, his music and lyrics resonate with so many of us. A beautiful representation of true country music. His new album is fantastic. I find myself listening to him almost daily since it came out. Thanks NPR!
I keep coming back to this one. It is the best of them all.
Every now and again I pause and think...'I wonder what Ashwin's doin right now'
I'm a child of the 60's and 70's who loved (and still do) Rock n'; Roll from that era. When I married my wife she opened my eyes to country music and I love great storytellers like Johnny Cash, Waylon, Willie, Merle, Neil Young (I could go on and on but you get the idea). Since my wife passed I've become a big fan of modern country music like Chris Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson and Jason Isbell whose song Cover Me Up brings back memories. Keep on playing and I will continue to listen.
I am sorry for your loss 🙏I hope Jason and others' works are some comfort to you
This particular performance is so . . . Unspeakably exquisite! I love the acoustic rendition of all of these songs, with just a touch of Sadler's electric support. It's so warm, so great 🙏🏼❤️👏🏼
We are so, so lucky to have him and that she keeps him
That little smile on Ashwins face at 16:58 made my day.
love the musical dialogue between Sadler and Amanda on Last of My Kind. What a group.
The lyrics to "Chaos and Clothes" are impeccable
I had tickets to see him with Billy Strings in 2020 but it was cancelled because everyone stayed home. I didn't know Jason but was crazy about Billy. That show would have been incredible.
"In my sleep I build machines...but nobody ever wants to hear about my dreams. "
Just one very smart lyric of many in here. I am a fan.
Being a fellow muscle shoals area native we are very proud of jason here! I went to school with jimbo (bassist). He has always been a precious person and musicteer. He played in the marching band with electric bass. He had an amp rig on a cart that a guy would wheel around behind him on the field.
The incredible Jason & Amanda. So happy to see this!
Thank you... Just thank you 🙏🏻
5:42 I love it when my heroes become human.. makes me feel better about getting hung up on lyrics from time to time myself.. He handles it with grace of course..
My all time favorite is when Willie Nelson says something like 'We could play it again but it probably wouldn't be any better'. :-)
The norm would be to just go on and just ignore that, but it's really sweet that he cares about that word. He spent time choosing it and he doesn't want that to be for nothing.
what word did he mess up? totally lost
@@jarofjewels6640 He messed up the first line, he said "Another world but I still remember" instead of "Another life but I still remember"
The best part about this is his wife immediately jumping in to say "that's ok, it's fine" giving support. Then when he explains that there was definitely a mistake, she immediately shares the blame and supports starting over because she apparently didn't do great too (though I can't hear any evidence of this). wow. Couple goals.
Pretty cool he invited that guy up there to play along
Very nice sound, they've got another fan
Jason Isbell saved my life. I'm not at all being facetious when I say that.
Facetime saved my life too.
In a Razor Town did the same for me.
Got me through the hardest time of my life. Great music has a way of doing that
He should be prescribed during recovery
I agree so much!!!
A compliment I would never provide lightly: one of the best American song writers of recorded history.
Love the lack of ego. I messed up. Going to do it again. Love that.
I’m a new fan and you’d better believe that I am converting others. It’s obvious that he puts a lot into his songs and that whenever he sings them, he’s feeling it again. Keep it up, Sir!
Have no words. Just plain awesome. Jason is simply amazing, there is no better songwriter alive.
I love Jason but I haven't seen an obituary for Dylan yet
Modern music today, hardly gets much better than Jason Isbell and his backing band--the 400 Unit. I was so pleased that after a run of a few albums that just say "Jason Isbell," he once again has come to include the name for the backing band. For those who don't know Isbell's history, he started out getting a public stage doing a stint with The Drive By Truckers, but both he and the band at that time were really playing the role of hard core rock and rollers, with the attendant heavy drinking and drug abuse and man, Jason really was messed up then. It got so bad, the Truckers booted him and that probably turned out to be the best thing for him, for that firing lead to him forming this band. His first marriage to a female member of The Truckers had ended badly, but with the addition of Amanda Shires to this band, new love came for them both and as much as anything, it was that love that turned Jason around. He dried out, they married, now have a baby and they have a run of now three high selling and award winning albums beginning with Southeastern, then Something More Than Free. Southeastern was really incredible, Free maybe not so much but it had some good points, but with Nashville Sound, it is clear, Jason Isbell has reached a new height of creative output. I hope that his sobriety continues, it should, and that he goes on to be one of the top musicians in history, to take his place with those like Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, John Prine and others. He truly is one of the top singer songwriters working today. The times surely need someone of his great talent. It was great that he asked for and invited someone in the audience to come up and play backup guitar. Jason really does seem to be someone "comfortable in his skin" now. We can all wish to be so fortunate. It is also a great thing that NPR created this series of concerts, they have had some top talent do this and it is great to see favorite musicians play in such an intimate setting as this. Same for the Back Porch sessions done by Garden & Gun Magazine down at their offices in downtown Charleston, SC.
hell yeah
Amen
Since first making this post above-----I have reconsidered any knock that might have been inferred I made regarding "Something More Than Free." It is some damn good stuff on there too----to me---my favorite song on that one--which did "get me" when the album came out is "Children of Children." That song, in the way that they now play it in live shows----is almost anthemic in nature and the musicianship on the song along with its bittersweet pathos of the lyrics. I now place it among Jason's best work. Overall there was so much on Southeastern that just swept me away----like Traveling Alone and Elephant----to name just two of the top songs on that release as far as I am concerned---anything that came directly after that album---was at first not going to hold a candle to the songs I liked on Southeastern.
The time he spent with the Drive-By Truckers was more than just a drunken stupor. That period was one of the most creative in DBT's history and the songs written by Isbell and the band collectively are easily some of their best. And the live performances during that period were full throttle rock shows with Isbell providing incredible electric guitar solos. I agree that the music he has created since the Truckers has been prolific and complex, but don't count out the classics he created while playing with them.
Yeah, have to give it to NPR for these Tiny Desk Vid’s...I’ve discovered a few new bands through this forum. G&G has a good one also but I don’t see them pop up on the UTube feed as much...
I love this. Jason is so genuine, that was so cool he invited him up to play, I've had the same thought that Jason had too - of inviting someone up to play. Great Tiny Desk, thank you Bob for this amazing series!