Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit - The Nashville Sound (June 16, 2017) Album • Page 18

I wonder how that ended. I was wondering about that a few weeks ago when JTE's new album dropped and again when JTE was on the Walking the Floor podcast. He talked about session players coming and going but didn't mention having isbell in his band, which seems like a pretty big detail to skip.

For two heavy hitters in the songwriter world they don't interact all that often, if ever.

 

Can't wait to hear this tomorrow

 

I'm 6 songs deep, this is great. Tupelo is instantly one of his best-ever songs for me, Anxiety is going to be a ripper live, and Last of My Kind is great too.

I get the love for Vampires lyrically, but the song is a little sparse melodically for me to call it a favorite (so far). Subject to change.

 

I enjoy both Lorde and Fleet Foxes, so not a put-down, but it's funny to me that Pitchfork gave out two BNMs in one week but didn't even review the actual best new album.

 

True, but not surprising. They have maybe two or three writers who care for country/American, and they weren't particularly complimentary of Jason's last record. I bet they review it next week and give it a 7-point-something.

 

In one of the many recent interviews, Jason mentions that "Molotov" originally had more of a rock arrangement. I can't help but think it should have stayed that way.

 

My wife picked me up the Indie Store special with the songbook for Fathers Day. So pumped to spin it!

 

Wait what is that and where do you get it?

 

Tupelo is everything I love about Jason Isbell, all wrapped in a tidy little 4 minute bow.

Here's my way-too-soon top 10 after 1 listen.

Tupelo
Something To Love
Last Of My Kind
Hope The High Road
White Man's
Anxiety
Molotov
Cumberland Gap
Vampires
Chaos and Clothes

Great album. As I write that list, it seems criminal to put Cumberland and Vampires that low.

Feel like I dig Hope The High Road more than most......

 

If We Were Vampires
Hope the High Road
Tupelo
Something to Love
Cumberland Gap
Molotov
Anxiety
White Man’s World
Chaos and Clothes
Last Of My Kind

???

 

I know that that Saving Country Music site is mostly garbage, but I ended up there because Jason retweeted the review and man, I really just hate the "artists shouldn't get political stance." There's so many problems with that argument, mainly that artists are human, too, and have every right to express their opinion. Also, all of life is "political" in some way or another, as politics are about life. In addition, all of his music has always been expressing his world view, it's just now that a few lines are more explicitly about a part of that worldview that gets discussed by elected officials it's suddenly a political worldview.

 

Yeah I was reading through the comments section of that review earlier and had stopped pretty quickly. Some real ignorant stuff on there.

 

Yeah, loving this.
One of my favorites is probably "hope the high road." Between law school and actually working in politics, it just kind of really presents everything I'm feeling. It's a nasty industry and we saw earlier this week the outcome of rage rhetoric. It's like, how do we get people engaged and do it responsibly?
As a side note, I have nover gotten into to a band that I loved. Might go as far as submitting that it ss more of a bonus track. I think the album fits better as a ten song thing.
How is the 40 unit s/t? I don't think I've ever listened to it.

 

I feel like a lot of the people in the SCM comments section never actually listened to "White Man's World" and are just judging it based on what the title is.

 

I know everybody knows Chaos and Clothes has got to be about Ryan Adams but I noticed another RA reference:

The line about dreaming of a burning Ferris Wheel is a reference to "I See Monsters" (as is, presumably, the monsters line in the chorus):

"Colors inside your head go spinning around
Like a ferris wheel
Exploding and falling to the ground"

Would love to know RA's reaction to hearing that song, if Isbell played it for him before or what.

 

On a different note, in Songs That She Sang, who are the original artists of the songs "Bring Out Your Dead" and "Breakfast in Bed"? I know the other two referenced haha.

 

I guess it an indie store exclusive? Comes with a whole book of song lyrics and pictures.

 

Got this same one, love it!

 

Self-titled is a bit spotty, compared to his other albums, but has its moments. "The Last Song I Will Write" contends for my favorite Isbell closer some days.

 

It wasn't even an "album you should listen to today" so I wouldn't expect a particularly favorable review from them.

But then again, if you're going to Pitchfork for country or singer/songwriter recs, you're probably going to be very disappointed.

 

While I love "Molotov" the way it is, I would definitely be interested in hearing a faster / heavier arrangement of it. "Cumberland Gap" and "Hope The High Road" kick so much ass I could definitely listen to a whole album of them rocking out.

I wonder if that song was still in its 'rock' arrangement / version when all that talk about this being a big rock album got started..... One more 'banger' would kinda tip the scales a little bit.

 

Yeah, if you're reading Pitchfork for their takes on country music, you're going to have a bad day.

 

Pitchfork probably won't review this

 

Pitchfork did review and it is pretty awful.

The Nashville Sound Album Review | Pitchfork

 

Sodomsky is one of their weakest reviewers. All shallow, surface level observations, no interesting insights. Not surprised.

I haven't taken a rec from Pitchfork in three or four years and I've been happier for it.