This is the most naked, the most honest thing I’ve heard in years. Perhaps ever. It ain’t pretty but curiously beautiful. Heartrending and somehow uplifting.
Jason Isbell – Elephant
An extraordinary song
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Agree re Elephant but any other fans out there really disappointed with his latest release??
Well you’ve got one up on me and many others round here who are fans of Jason because, unlike yourself, we have to wait until July 17th to hear the new album.
Ah, looks up at the sky. Is that a plane?
He really is something. Just stumbled across this clip of him performing with his missus, the very talented Amanda Shires.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1urvSKb_2Ws
If you can get to see the programme that Bob Harris introduced from his Nashville night broadcast on BBC4 last November, called Back To Beth’s you can see Jason and Amanda playing. They do a splendid version of The Drop And The Lift from Amanda’s Down Fell The Doves album.
The programme title refers to a song pull at Beth Nielsen Chapman’s house. Suzy Bogguss, Kim Ritchie and Gretchen Peters, among others also appeared.
And our own very wonderful Chris While, who sings a folk song in proper British about birds flying south over Liverpool, and you can see all the US uber singer songwriters with respect all over their faces realising she’s moved the goals.
She’s on tour at the moment with daughter Kelly and my pals Tinderbox in support – try to find them – top lineup.
I think the whole of Southeastern is a powerful and raw document of a man dealing with his demons. Not easy listening but honest and compelling. Probably a once in a lifetime statement.
“Southestern” is a very, very strong album, I think – both lyrically and melodically.
My favourite track is probably ‘Yvette’, which cuts very close to the bone.
Yvette wiped my out when I realised what the story’s about – I posted about it here, before the Crash….but Elephant is a fantastic song too. I think the whole album is so good if he can keep up that intensity it would be remarkable. I love “Relatively Easy” – over relaxed, folky, major key picking he sings….
I lost a good friend
At Christmastime when folks go off the deep end
His woman took the kids and he took Klonopin
Enough to kill a man of twice his size
Not for me to understand
Remember him when he was still a proud man
A vandal’s smile, a baseball in his right hand
Nothing but the blue sky in his eye
FFS.
I see that Jason Isbell is playing two shows in the States in October with John Prine.
Now that’s what I call a strong double bill.