Aaack, I've been from Nashville for almost two weeks and owe you all a Ryman run-down, and I've totally dropped the SOTW ball as well.

Damnit. Things have suddenly gotten quite busy. Anyone want to take over SOTW for a little while? I'll be back in January. Grumble.

Nah. We're trying out an AirBNB for the first time ever. In East Nash, within walking distance from the Five Spot and the Family Wash, and walkable from downtown, too. Lord knows we'll appreciate the walkability after leaving the 3DD after party at 2am... Which reminds me. Where, exactly, is the 3D...

Stopping By Driving to a baseball game on a Friday afternoon Hotter than hell in Atlanta, Georgia. I guess it's been fifteen years since I came through here Probably should have called to warn you. But I'm stopping by. I'm stopping by, Daddy. How did your life turn out? Do you ever think about a te...

Well done, Phungi. There's no denying this is a masterful song. The details are so incredibly fresh and well-chosen, I feel like I know both these people intimately. At our little neighborhood watering hole, most of the happy hour crowd is older folks. They were our first friends when we moved to to...

Well done, Phungi. There's no denying this is a masterful song. The details are so incredibly fresh and well-chosen, I feel like I know both these people intimately. At our little neighborhood watering hole, most of the happy hour crowd is older folks. They were our first friends when we moved to to...

Which reminds me. Where, exactly, is the 3DD after party? It'd be great to meet some of y'all assholes. Not sure about after party but we will be hanging out at Robert's Western World pre game. It's the only spot on Broadway that has decent music. Look for the guy in the Government Cheese shirt. Am...

Nah. We're trying out an AirBNB for the first time ever. In East Nash, within walking distance from the Five Spot and the Family Wash, and walkable from downtown, too. Lord knows we'll appreciate the walkability after leaving the 3DD after party at 2am... Which reminds me. Where, exactly, is the 3DD...

Nothing really to add, but I doI remember reading that this was written about touring Australia with Justin Townes Earle. Yep. He goes into that on Fresh Air. http://www.npr.org/2013/07/17/202369759/jason-isbell-locates-his-musical-compass-on-southeastern Here's his quote: ISBELL: This one, I'd gon...

I gotcha. It's hard for me to be objective on this one. As I said Will is a friend, my wife and I were at the three final shows and by the last song of the last night the whole room was literally sobbing including Patterson Hood, Brent Best, Bonnie Whitmore and other musicians. What Jason is saying...

Funny you mention To a Band That I Loved as a potential clunker because after Children of Children that's my next favorite on the record. I think that one is all heart. Maybe because I saw the end of Centro-Matic, maybe it's because those guys in Centro particularly Will Johnson, are mutual friends...

So on Saturday night in Memphis I saw Jason and his boys open for John Prine. It was the third time this year that we had seen them. They were beyond great. Jason's voice, along with some added harmonies from Sadler Vaden, was magnificent. Best I've ever heard him sing. Dress Blues drew the first s...

New South Wales Here we sit Across the table from each other A thousand miles from both our mothers Barely old enough to rust Here we sit Pretending both our hearts are anchors Taking candy from these strangers Amidst the diesel and the dust And here we sit Singing words nobody taught us Drinking f...

Ok so I gave SMTF a listen this morning and played this one twice. The words are terrific, the story plays out much like so many of you have said. I can't add to that because you've all laid that out beautifully. The problem for me with Flagship is the same problem that, to me, plagues so much of t...

I like the really spare beauty of this song. The "ooh"s are really key. They're not quite as good as the ones at the beginning of "Streetlights," but they're still pretty damn good. They are quite satisfying to over-sing, by myself, in the car. I think the focus is kind of interesting. Unlike a lot...

Flagship There's a few too many years on this hotel She used to be a beauty you can tell The lights down in the lobby they don't shine They just flicker while the elevator whines And the couple in the corner of the bar Have traveled light and clearly traveled far She's got nothing left to learn abo...

Really tough to see a JI & 400 Unit show in a theater setting. Agreed. I'm not even disappointed that I'll have to miss the Beacon show (Black Sabbath is at MSG that night). I may go to Boston for the House of Blues show or Philly if they add a Union Transfer show. Let's hope they do just that. Phi...

Clams wrote:Less details more color.

That's perfect. That's exactly how is songwriting is lately-- all the right details, but a little short on color. Used to be a much more colorful writer.

Beautiful work. This song is one of those that's solidly second-tier for me, and I'm puzzling over why. I agree that this is a fine melody, I agree that the arrangement is perfectly spare, I agree that that version from 3rd & Lindsley 2010 is HOLY SHIT a good version. I guess I just don't find mysel...

Mom rock. Awesome. Whoever's job it is to babysit Baby ShoRo and Baby ShiBell while the mommas and daddies are on stage... I want to be her.

But I also say: YO, where the Philly show? I hope they add one. If not, it'll have to be the Beacon.

Nice selection. Love the imagery and the way the 400 Unit treats the song, almost gently. Another track that needs to find its way back into the rotation. This is one of those where I actually prefer the solo acoustic version. This song is so out of place on S/T, because it is gentle, it can get lo...

http://www.nashvillescene.com/nashville/jason-isbell-talks-success-songwriting-the-punk-rock-ethos-of-americana-and-disrupting-music-row/Content?oid=5920472 "And I don’t need folks to agree with me, I just don’t want to be selling records to people I don’t have anything in common with, because that...

The last verse is a gut-punch... Love this live version from 2011: UmELguBZrxw Yes, yes! He kicked that performance off with Streetlights, Alabama Pines, and Go it Alone. Man. I gotta say. I mean, we know this was the era where the drinking was really, really bad, but some of my favorite "old Jason...

Streetlights Where's that angel with dirty knees who wasn't hard to please when we first met? She don't act like she needs me now and she don't even seem to be upset. Maybe I cover too much ground, I've been from town to town since I grew up. Could my dreams take up too much space? I'll never find ...

I never really gave this song much thought, so this definitely served its purpose. A few thoughts/questions: 1. With a more up-beat tempo and melody, it would be a completely different song. Like those YouTube videos that take a movie trailer from a horror film and make it a romantic comedy ( link ...

This is why I enjoyed your choice. This is forgotten song from a record that I didn't really listen to that much that I went back and listened to and really enjoyed. I'm not sure that made sense. Makes total sense. What's a proper SOTW if we only talk about the pearls? Most of the pearls have alrea...

I haven't listened to it enough times to even have a dislike for it. I mostly don't know anything about it. I can't even hear it in my head other than,"...save it for Sunday..." Well then fucking go and listen! Jeez, guys, I'm already taking on all the heavy lifting being analytical about a total d...

lotusamerica wrote:Interesting approach to feature a song no one things much of. Doubt it will generate much discussion though!

No song left behind!

This is probably one of my least favorite Isbell songs. It's in the running for mine too, along with Flagship and a few more Oh, I was right there with ya, until I decided to make myself analyze it for SOTW. It's a complete train wreck, thanks to the chorus, but those first two verses might've beco...

Me too, honestly. But isn't that the point?

Save it for Sunday She loves me, she loves me not. I don't bring it up 'cause she's all I've got. I don't ever ask why she's around. I just reach for the stars with my feet on the ground. My feet on the ground. A dog-eared page, a book I've read So many times it's all there in my head. I watch ever...