Jason Isbell
Sirens of the Ditch
***
Jason Isbell was responsible for some mighty important moments in his three-album stint with the Drive-By Truckers. Songs like “Outfit,” “The Day John Henry Died” and “Easy on Yourself” were centerpieces that became cornerstones of the Truckers’ live shows.
Isbell left the band this spring, reportedly an amicable split, supported by the appearance of most of his ex-bandmates on his first solo outing. The result is kind of a DBT-lite effort more focused on power pop and airy ballads than Southern-fried sagas about characters ripped from Faulkner and Foxworthy alike.
Standout tracks include “Brand New Kind of Actress,” a mid-tempo rocker that best captures the dark, dramatic tones of his DBT songs; “Down in a Hole,” which features Isbell’s greasy vocals riding a swampy groove provided by Muscle Shoals legends David Hood and Spooner Oldham; and “Dress Blues,” a chilling ode to a fallen Marine from Isbell’s Alabama hometown.
A few straggling songs reveal the weakness in Isbell’s voice, which in DBT provided a nice balance to Patterson Hood’s stony drawl and Mike Cooley’s raspy snarl. Flying solo, Isbell’s wispy vocals can get lost amid the blend of guitars, keyboards and pedal steel that carry much of the melody. But for a solo debut, this one’s worth a trip into the ditch to give it a listen.