Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free 7/17

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JJAllin

Re: Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free 7/17

Post by JJAllin »

I tried to tweet Jason about it both Friday and Sunday but he never said a word back. Friday, I could TOTALLY understand, as I tweeted him right around the time he would have been gearing up to do Letterman (I didn't know he was doing Letterman that night). Plus - I almost NEVER EVER use twitter and some way, some how, my Twitter was set to "protect my tweets" (again, this on Friday night) - someone told me that if my twitter was set to "protect", that even If I followed someone and tweeted them, IF THEY did NOT follow ME? They STILL would NOT see my tweets (hence, the reason for me changing said settings - which I literally had to do a search to figure out how to do it - THAT is how little I have ever used twitter - and trying to tweet him again Sunday night). I mentioned straight up what the deal was, mentioned what my favorite tracks were and even asked a question about one of the tracks (I'm not sure, but I don't think the tracklisting has been revealed yet, so I'll refrain from naming them here). But those (about the track) were sent Friday, so if my friend that knows twitter much better than I do was correct? He saw NONE of those tweets. But, like I said, I tried again Sunday and made no bones about the issue - I DID tell him that it wouldn't get beyond me (in one capacity or another, I've been on/off in the "biz" or whatever the hell you wanna call it since 1993, so I do respect fellow musicians).

Not to mention, my family (beginning with my great uncle Leonard Rutherford of the Rutherford/Burnett duo - widely credited with being the composers of the tune "Man Of Constant Sorrow", Leonard considered in his day to be the greatest fiddler in America (I even sent scans of newspaper clippings to Jason's wife Amanda's FB page last year due to her being a fiddler as well - I honestly thought that she might enjoy reading some of that history and seeing some of that stuff, but my guess is, she never saw it or bothered :D ) - &, so far as "popularity" or "known-to-the-world" wise - there's also GG Allin, whom is a familial [non-blood] relation only. Others as well, but no need to start rattling off a bunch of names, as those 2, in their time, were the best known from the lot of 'em. So, I "get" musicians - it's all I've ever really "known" in my life. Engineering and musicians/something to do with music (and unfortunately, a rough stretch of years with a bad heroin addiction) = my life, thus far, on this ole Earth.

I guess I wanted to mentioned all that shit in the last paragraph sort of as a means of saying "I GET WHY Jason and/or his "camp" of people WOULD be upset and therefore, despite not being his biggest fan (usually enjoy half of his albums, sans "Here We Rest" which I enjoy 80% of - I like Jason's stuff ever so slightly more than Ryan Adam's at the moment - though that could flip-flop from time to time for me)...but, despite not being as big a fan as probably several of you folks? I understand and WILL RESPECT this issue just out of "fellow musician's respect" code, if you will....

Don't expect the album to end up on P2P sites or torrent sites folks. I'd personally recommend that no one even bother looking as I'd HIGHLY HIGHLY bet against finding it there anytime soon & I can GUARANTEE that it will NOT be from me. If that makes me sound like an asshole, I REALLY, HONESTLY AM truly sorry about that - I don't mean to be. I WISH that I COULD share this with (& certainly with certain select) folks here that I know from reading these forums for a long time are big time Isbell fans. But I just, even if I knew & HATED Jason on a personal level, I wouldn't be able to bring myself to do that to him as this is, for him, serious stuff. This is his living, his income and overall, his very career that could end up, to some level, compromised. And, with a (relatively speaking) "new" wife and now a first child on the way? That would make me one rotten son of a bitch so far as my personal moral compass swings. I've released and/or been on quite a few records myself in my time - but Jason has climbed to heights on the musical mountain that I never came close to achieving, so this stuff is VERY important to him & his family & associates. And therein is the problem with an album "slipping out" - it just takes ONE wrong "slip" and it's GAME OVER. I mean, within mere minutes, the thing is flying across multiple sites, being downloaded by hundreds of people and in hours that will multiply and multiply until? Come July 17th? Anyone & everyone that would even minimally desire a copy has already had a chance to grab & hear the thing. And unlike those of you HERE - whom I DO feel as though you folks WOULD buy it (hell, *I* BUY Jason's stuff and I'm only a 50/50 fan - but my main bag is vinyl, so I HAVE to buy music to enjoy it to it's fullest. I loathe CDs and Itunes and all that scene - just speaking for myself) - hell, several of you folks would likely purchase multiples of it (maybe to give to a friend(s) or maybe to have on multiple formats, etc.) - but many other "not-so-die-hard" folks (should it slip out there) WOULD NOT or, (especially) this early in the game, will have simply already grown tired of or bored with the album.

A good many of you, I have already communicated with via personal messages here and therefore, I'm saying nothing new to those particular ones of you in regards to this. But I did want to post this for those of you that might be searching the net day and night, hoping to find a copy of the leak. Seriously, take my advice and don't waste your time or - mainly speaking - just don't get your hopes up.

To be entirely honest, I'm thinking about simply deleting the damn thing (though, I'm NOT computer illiterate and there's about a 9.5 chance out of 10 that if I got the urge to, I could "retrieve it" quite easily even after a deletion and it be non-corrupted by any data write-over(s)). I don't know...but, irregardless, I'm really considering it. I feel like an asshole for having it (of ALL the people in the world that would have this damn thing and it ends up being ME - how the events transpired to lead to that happening, whew! - it makes my head spin to think about. It was literally a "had to be there at THAT EXACT TIME" sorta thing - any later, almost down to mere seconds, and it wouldn't have turned out that way. Thing is, I'm almost NEVER around a computer [and I don't even own a damn smartphone - Oh - and I'm NOT a member of ANY Jason Isbell fan groups or forums or anything of that nature - I simply follow the guy on twitter and that is IT] at that particular span of time on that particular day of the week). But, sometimes really crazy and unexpected things happen.

But yeah - I really think I might just go ahead and delete this damn thing and be done with the whole issue altogether.

ScottyG
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Re: Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free 7/17

Post by ScottyG »

So can I have a copy or no?

JJAllin

Re: Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free 7/17

Post by JJAllin »

ScottyG wrote:So can I have a copy or no?
Sure, why not. For some crazy reason "ScottyG", I feel compelled to (possibly) impact in a negative way an aspect of Jason's career and send you a copy.

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rlipps
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Re: Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free 7/17

Post by rlipps »

JJAllin wrote:
ScottyG wrote:So can I have a copy or no?
Sure, why not. For some crazy reason "ScottyG", I feel compelled to (possibly) impact in a negative way an aspect of Jason's career and send you a copy.
To play devil's advocate, if you were that worried about negatively impacting Jason's career, wouldn't you have just passed on downloading it in the first place? Not sure how you having it with impact his career any more or any less than anyone else having it.

jh13
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Re: Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free 7/17

Post by jh13 »

JJAllin wrote:I tried to tweet Jason about it both Friday and Sunday but he never said a word back.
I saw your tweets to Jason over the weekend (I've been reading his @ mentions since the leak to see if people are talking about it) and I'm shocked he didn't reply to you, especially after you led with "no offense, not your biggest fan on earth." :D
Last edited by jh13 on Wed Apr 29, 2015 3:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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roland
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Re: Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free 7/17

Post by roland »

requesting the hookup. I buy everything on vinyl so the man will get paid. Cool.

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maxjkugel
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Re: Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free 7/17

Post by maxjkugel »

I wouldn't mind checking this out if someone can hook it up. If the few folks that do have it are keeping it under wraps, I can respect that too. Gracias.

Iowan
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Re: Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free 7/17

Post by Iowan »

I don't think anyone other than JJAllin has it here.

dbtfan4life
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Re: Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free 7/17

Post by dbtfan4life »

I dont think he has it

Zip City
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Re: Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free 7/17

Post by Zip City »

Funny how all the lurkers show up when you chum the waters
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Smitty
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Re: Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free 7/17

Post by Smitty »

rlipps wrote:
JJAllin wrote:
ScottyG wrote:So can I have a copy or no?
Sure, why not. For some crazy reason "ScottyG", I feel compelled to (possibly) impact in a negative way an aspect of Jason's career and send you a copy.
To play devil's advocate, if you were that worried about negatively impacting Jason's career, wouldn't you have just passed on downloading it in the first place? Not sure how you having it with impact his career any more or any less than anyone else having it.
Exactly. ScottyG having it wouldn't be any different than you having it. I really don't understand the point of announcing you have it, aside from some kind of (not very)stealth bragging. I also think that your "advice" on not looking on any leak sites or P2P networks is inaccurate as I know of atleast site that had it linked but was forced to take it down pretty quickly, but not quick enough that no one had the chance to get it.
E quindi uscimmo a riveder le stelle.

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Re: Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free 7/17

Post by Gator McKlusky »

Zip City wrote:Funny how all the lurkers show up when you chum the waters
Yeah and all the people listing their credentials that prove why they deserve the leak; "I have bought so much merchandise, bought X number of copies of each album, been to this many shows" blah blah blah.
Looks like a bunch of little whiny fucksticks to me

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brett27295
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Re: Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free 7/17

Post by brett27295 »

My interest in Jason has waned to the point that I haven't even tried to seek this out. On the other hand when EO leaked I couldn't wait to get my hands (and ears) on it. I preferred Jason pre-Southeastern. Anyhow, carry on...
Turn you demons into walls of goddamned noise and sound.

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Tequila Cowboy
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Re: Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free 7/17

Post by Tequila Cowboy »

A few things to get off my chest here. I loved Southeastern when it came out and it stayed in pretty continual rotation for about 18 months. It's a really good album from a fantastic songwriter. Nothing will take that away. One of my issues though has been this deification of the record that's happened in the last several months, particularly since his big win at the AMAs. No, Southeastern is not the best record of the last 10 years, no it didn't revive a genre and no Jason Isbell is not the finest songwriter working. He's on a list with the finest and if someone wants to put him on top of that list with guys like James McMurtry, John Moreland, Patterson Hood, Mike Cooley, Ray Wylie Hubbard and others absolutely be my guest, but it's not a fait accompli IMHO.

So getting past all of that hyperbole is Southeastern Jason's best record? Probably. I've made that statement before but I don't know how cut and dried it is in my world. It doesn't vary tempos quite enough for my usual tastes (although it does mix a lot of time signatures) but damn there are a lot of great songs there. If the record isn't the best in the last decade Elephant might very well be the best song. To me it's the best song he's ever written and it's not close (Dress Blues, Decoration Day and Danko Manuel pulling up behind). Traveling Alone, Different Days, Songs She Sang in the Shower, Flying Over Water and of course Cover Me Up, which gets all the accolades but isn't in my top 4 on the record, are all fantastic and Super 8 is fun as hell and the one song that keeps the record from being too dour. The question though is this his best record? Again I'd give that a qualified yes but the songs on Sirens of the Ditch compare pretty favorably to those on Southeastern and the varying tempos and the inclusion of songs like Try and Shotgun Wedding make it much more of a Rock record. The problem with Sirens isn't the songs, it's the production and the fact that it was recorded over such a long period of time in the last couple of years of his DBT tenure. Record all those songs again with the 400 Unit and tell me that record wouldn't give Southeastern a run for it's money. For that matter Here We Rest is probably only a notch below those itself.

So what does all this have to do with Something More Than Free? Let me explain. I'm a fan of Jason's and have been since I started seeing DBT in 2004. I saw him numerous times starting in 2007 after he left the band in such far flung places as the Wisconsin Dells and the UP of Michigan. I saw him with 20 people in the crowd in DeKalb IL and was proud as hell to see him pack Duling Hall in Jackson, MS. We're going to see him in Meridian, MS on Saturday as the headliner for the Jimmy Rodgers Music Festival. I'm a fan and I'm proud to have been one for 11 years. That said I was hoping for a different produce this time out and a stylistic departure from Southeastern. I haven't heard the new album but I don't think we're getting that. Still I'm certain it will be a top 10 record for me albeit in what's turning out to be a bit of a weak year. I am excited, but I'm not over the moon. I don't care about the leak and am happy to wait until July 17. I have to admit to being a bit turned off by some of the recent hero worship, but then again I participate and help run a message board for a band that started as an obsession for most of us. I can't begrudge that at all or I'd be a hypocrite. If all this new music from Jason Isbell makes these people this happy, more power to them. I will sing along with them at shows and smile as I watch a great band take the stage. If I'm not quite as enthused and don't participate in the hype, it's really OK.
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Re: Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free 7/17

Post by dbtfan4life »

That was a great read TC! nailed it

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docturk
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Re: Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free 7/17

Post by docturk »

JJAllin wrote:I tried to tweet Jason about it both Friday and Sunday but he never said a word back.......

I've read this post several times, but still don't understand why'd you publicly tweet an artist (twice?) and tell him that you've listened to his leaked album (which is clearly a sore subject in his camp right now) and expect a reply other than something along the lines of "Fuck off".

On that note, sure it was often a shitshow (and cost him a lot of money) but sometimes i miss the pre-sobriety Jason twitter account.

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Re: Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free 7/17

Post by brett27295 »

Interesting read TC. I think Southeastern is a great record, but it just doesn't do it for me personally. But that doesn't take anything away from the quality of the album, it's just not my thing. I prefer Sirens and Here We Rest, and to be honest I prefer those 2 albums to a few DBT records. With all that being said I think Elephant is one of the best songs ever written by anyone. As for Something More Than Free...I'm hoping it's a departure from the style of Southeastern.
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Re: Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free 7/17

Post by Duke Silver »

My thoughts are pretty similar to TC's. I admire Southeastern more than I really enjoy it. I don't know if I've even listened to it yet this year. I'm hoping SMTF is a little more dynamic in tone and mood. Sounds like it will be.

I think Jason's reputation as a guy who used to rock but has softened up is a little overrated. Most of the uptempo rock songs that used to tentpole his sets were written close to 10 years ago. He's really been a ballad guy for most of the last decade. And honestly (YMMV!), his recent "rock" songs (Super 8, Never Could Believe) have been pretty lame and unimaginative.
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Re: Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free 7/17

Post by Iowan »

Duke Silver wrote:My thoughts are pretty similar to TC's. I admire Southeastern more than I really enjoy it. I don't know if I've even listened to it yet this year. I'm hoping SMTF is a little more dynamic in tone and mood. Sounds like it will be.

I think Jason's reputation as a guy who used to rock but has softened up is a little overrated. Most of the uptempo rock songs that used to tentpole his sets were written close to 10 years ago. He's really been a ballad guy for most of the last decade. And honestly (YMMV!), his recent "rock" songs (Super 8, Never Could Believe) have been pretty lame and unimaginative.
He added a lot of rock flair to the newer songs live. And he didn't play note for note versions of the studio solos and stuff like that.

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Re: Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free 7/17

Post by Cole Younger »

Tequila Cowboy wrote:A few things to get off my chest here. I loved Southeastern when it came out and it stayed in pretty continual rotation for about 18 months. It's a really good album from a fantastic songwriter. Nothing will take that away. One of my issues though has been this deification of the record that's happened in the last several months, particularly since his big win at the AMAs. No, Southeastern is not the best record of the last 10 years, no it didn't revive a genre and no Jason Isbell is not the finest songwriter working. He's on a list with the finest and if someone wants to put him on top of that list with guys like James McMurtry, John Moreland, Patterson Hood, Mike Cooley, Ray Wylie Hubbard and others absolutely be my guest, but it's not a fait accompli IMHO.

So getting past all of that hyperbole is Southeastern Jason's best record? Probably. I've made that statement before but I don't know how cut and dried it is in my world. It doesn't vary tempos quite enough for my usual tastes (although it does mix a lot of time signatures) but damn there are a lot of great songs there. If the record isn't the best in the last decade Elephant might very well be the best song. To me it's the best song he's ever written and it's not close (Dress Blues, Decoration Day and Danko Manuel pulling up behind). Traveling Alone, Different Days, Songs She Sang in the Shower, Flying Over Water and of course Cover Me Up, which gets all the accolades but isn't in my top 4 on the record, are all fantastic and Super 8 is fun as hell and the one song that keeps the record from being too dour. The question though is this his best record? Again I'd give that a qualified yes but the songs on Sirens of the Ditch compare pretty favorably to those on Southeastern and the varying tempos and the inclusion of songs like Try and Shotgun Wedding make it much more of a Rock record. The problem with Sirens isn't the songs, it's the production and the fact that it was recorded over such a long period of time in the last couple of years of his DBT tenure. Record all those songs again with the 400 Unit and tell me that record wouldn't give Southeastern a run for it's money. For that matter Here We Rest is probably only a notch below those itself.

So what does all this have to do with Something More Than Free? Let me explain. I'm a fan of Jason's and have been since I started seeing DBT in 2004. I saw him numerous times starting in 2007 after he left the band in such far flung places as the Wisconsin Dells and the UP of Michigan. I saw him with 20 people in the crowd in DeKalb IL and was proud as hell to see him pack Duling Hall in Jackson, MS. We're going to see him in Meridian, MS on Saturday as the headliner for the Jimmy Rodgers Music Festival. I'm a fan and I'm proud to have been one for 11 years. That said I was hoping for a different produce this time out and a stylistic departure from Southeastern. I haven't heard the new album but I don't think we're getting that. Still I'm certain it will be a top 10 record for me albeit in what's turning out to be a bit of a weak year. I am excited, but I'm not over the moon. I don't care about the leak and am happy to wait until July 17. I have to admit to being a bit turned off by some of the recent hero worship, but then again I participate and help run a message board for a band that started as an obsession for most of us. I can't begrudge that at all or I'd be a hypocrite. If all this new music from Jason Isbell makes these people this happy, more power to them. I will sing along with them at shows and smile as I watch a great band take the stage. If I'm not quite as enthused and don't participate in the hype, it's really OK.
Very well said. Pretty much word for word how I feel about it. I'm really happy for Jason and am excited for the new record. I like Southeastern. I think it's most likely his best record. But I probably appreciate it more than I enjoy it at this point. I don't find myself listening g to it all that often even if I do think it's probably his best record. I have a similar thing with Patterson's solo records. Heat Lightning is probably his best. But I personally like Murdering Oscar more.
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JJAllin

Re: Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free 7/17

Post by JJAllin »

rlipps wrote:
JJAllin wrote:
ScottyG wrote:So can I have a copy or no?
Sure, why not. For some crazy reason "ScottyG", I feel compelled to (possibly) impact in a negative way an aspect of Jason's career and send you a copy.
To play devil's advocate, if you were that worried about negatively impacting Jason's career, wouldn't you have just passed on downloading it in the first place? Not sure how you having it with impact his career any more or any less than anyone else having it.
Because, when I got on here and first mentioned it? I assumed I was already WAY BEHIND you hardcore guys. I assumed all of you folks would have gotten it a hell of a time before *I* did. I had NO IDEA wtf was going on, you see? I was sent a link, I clicked that link, I thought that it was BS...and hours later I came back to it and unbelievably? It turned out that it was NOT BS. I was coming here w/the intentions to read and see what you guys thought about it. I had NO IDEA that I was the only guy (here, at least) to have either heard or have grabbed the thing. So THAT is why. I didn't KNOW that I was going to be the only guy that grabbed it. And if I WAS? Jason may very well be lucky about the fact that I do at least have enough respect to not let it go beyond myself. Me having it impacts his career not ONE SINGLE IOTA. Me spreading it along ad then it hitting all of the torrent and P2P sites (once it hits certain sites? Takedown notices or not? It's NOT going to be ABLE to be taken down...think Soulseek, for example)...THAT could affect his career in some sort of a way - how much? I don't know and don't wish to guess, but a HELL of a lot more so than ONE person having the damn thing.

Look I know most of you guys probably would and will buy it, regardless...hell, I will too (only on vinyl though for me). But what happens if one person shares it w/their best friend or their brother or etc.? And then THAT person spreads it to "x" person. Next thing ya know? BOOM.

At any rate - I don't have it anymore. I deleted it myself. If you find it out there - it didn't come from me. I listened through once in full and 3 songs a second time. That was it. I did type out all of the lyrics while listening through that first full time, as I type really quickly and I'm big on lyrics. But anyways, it's 2 and a half months from now and that's not long and I'm currently NOT in an Isbell mood (or even DBT mood lately), so, there was no point in me keeping it. My moral compass might be one hell of an oddity, but I did feel like it was (somehow) "wrong" for ME to have it, being a middle of the pack fan at best and NOT being able to spread the joy to the die-hard fans.

My biggest mistake was making the first post in this thread that I made about it when I still had no idea what the f was going on and was expecting 10 to 20 others to chime in and start talking about the album as well. My post was edited, but (unfortunately) it was already too late. Too many had already seen the original before me and I suppose others figured out what exactly HAD happened.

JJAllin

Re: Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free 7/17

Post by JJAllin »

Smitty wrote:
Exactly. ScottyG having it wouldn't be any different than you having it. I really don't understand the point of announcing you have it, aside from some kind of (not very)stealth bragging. I also think that your "advice" on not looking on any leak sites or P2P networks is inaccurate as I know of atleast site that had it linked but was forced to take it down pretty quickly, but not quick enough that no one had the chance to get it.
In reply to your first sentence...how do you know that? I don't know Scotty G...I do know myself. I KNOW that I (once I figured out what the deal was with this thing) was NOT going to share it with ANYONE so that it had ZERO chance of getting "out there" any further (even my best friend who is a MUCH bigger Isbell fan than I? He didn't hear one NOTE of the album from me). Do I KNOW that "ScottyG" will keep it 100% to himself?

If you saw it on any other P2P sites, then I have to admit, I am (sort of but not entirely) surprised after learning as much as I have been able to in regards to exactly what did happen that night. But, if so (and I'm wrong), then have at it and keep on looking. If you find it, I'm honestly happy for YOU and the hardcore JI fans....seriously.

JJAllin

Re: Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free 7/17

Post by JJAllin »

dbtfan4life wrote:I dont think he has it
I don't now.

JJAllin

Re: Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free 7/17

Post by JJAllin »

docturk wrote:
JJAllin wrote:I tried to tweet Jason about it both Friday and Sunday but he never said a word back.......

I've read this post several times, but still don't understand why'd you publicly tweet an artist (twice?) and tell him that you've listened to his leaked album (which is clearly a sore subject in his camp right now) and expect a reply other than something along the lines of "Fuck off".

On that note, sure it was often a shitshow (and cost him a lot of money) but sometimes i miss the pre-sobriety Jason twitter account.
Because I'd just about bet ya that he (or those close to him) have read this thread and knew some guy going by "it's "JJ" down south" Allin" had the thing and were just WAITING to see if or when it leaked out. I was just being honest with the guy and letting him know not to worry about it. Of course, he might not have necessarily believed me about not letting it get out there, but if it calmed him down or reassured him to ANY degree whatsoever concerning the issue, then it did some degree of good. If not? I don't really think I "bothered" or said anything all that horrible or "offensive" to him to get all wound out of shape about. Yes, I'm not an idiot and I CAN see your point at least - but I think mine is valid in it's own right. He could have said "fuck off" and that would have been just FINE. He could have sent me a msg. to discuss the issue had he wanted and that would have been fine too. Or, he could have done exactly what he DID DO and that was say NOTHING. And guess what? That's okay too.

AGAIN - go back to the night this shit ALL happened. It was ON HIS LABELS streaming page. I thought that it was one of two things: A - a hoax/fake/whatever....or B - "Legit" - for what reason(s), *I* sure as HELL didn't know, seeing as it was so soon before the release date, but, AGAIN - it was on HIS LABELS soundcloud page! Had it been just some random site or something..sure. I would have thought that somehow it leaked, someone got it and now they're putting it out there. But it sure as shit looked legit so far as I could tell (and especially after it actually DID turn out to be the entire new album).

Edit: To add to what I was saying there at the end, you wanna know the TRUTH about it? I was (oddly enough) thinking about how U2 gave away their last album free (or at least I think that they did) and how so many bands have done that or did a "pay whatever you think it's worth or pay nothing" type thing. I thought..."hmmm...maybe that's it...maybe he's using this album to try and further pure exposure as much as he possibly can while assuming that the die-hards will still buy a hard copy, especially the vinyl enthusiasts and hopefully break even on the album front and expand into wider and larger territory tour/show wise"). That is EXACTLY what I thought when I discovered the entire thing was actually legit. Then, the next morning, I discovered that I was BADLY mistaken on all fronts. But, unfortunately? I had already made a post about it and too many people saw it pre-edit.

JJAllin

Re: Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free 7/17

Post by JJAllin »

Tequila Cowboy wrote:A few things to get off my chest here. I loved Southeastern when it came out and it stayed in pretty continual rotation for about 18 months. It's a really good album from a fantastic songwriter. Nothing will take that away. One of my issues though has been this deification of the record that's happened in the last several months, particularly since his big win at the AMAs. No, Southeastern is not the best record of the last 10 years, no it didn't revive a genre and no Jason Isbell is not the finest songwriter working. He's on a list with the finest and if someone wants to put him on top of that list with guys like James McMurtry, John Moreland, Patterson Hood, Mike Cooley, Ray Wylie Hubbard and others absolutely be my guest, but it's not a fait accompli IMHO.

So getting past all of that hyperbole is Southeastern Jason's best record? Probably. I've made that statement before but I don't know how cut and dried it is in my world. It doesn't vary tempos quite enough for my usual tastes (although it does mix a lot of time signatures) but damn there are a lot of great songs there. If the record isn't the best in the last decade Elephant might very well be the best song. To me it's the best song he's ever written and it's not close (Dress Blues, Decoration Day and Danko Manuel pulling up behind). Traveling Alone, Different Days, Songs She Sang in the Shower, Flying Over Water and of course Cover Me Up, which gets all the accolades but isn't in my top 4 on the record, are all fantastic and Super 8 is fun as hell and the one song that keeps the record from being too dour. The question though is this his best record? Again I'd give that a qualified yes but the songs on Sirens of the Ditch compare pretty favorably to those on Southeastern and the varying tempos and the inclusion of songs like Try and Shotgun Wedding make it much more of a Rock record. The problem with Sirens isn't the songs, it's the production and the fact that it was recorded over such a long period of time in the last couple of years of his DBT tenure. Record all those songs again with the 400 Unit and tell me that record wouldn't give Southeastern a run for it's money. For that matter Here We Rest is probably only a notch below those itself.

So what does all this have to do with Something More Than Free? Let me explain. I'm a fan of Jason's and have been since I started seeing DBT in 2004. I saw him numerous times starting in 2007 after he left the band in such far flung places as the Wisconsin Dells and the UP of Michigan. I saw him with 20 people in the crowd in DeKalb IL and was proud as hell to see him pack Duling Hall in Jackson, MS. We're going to see him in Meridian, MS on Saturday as the headliner for the Jimmy Rodgers Music Festival. I'm a fan and I'm proud to have been one for 11 years. That said I was hoping for a different produce this time out and a stylistic departure from Southeastern. I haven't heard the new album but I don't think we're getting that. Still I'm certain it will be a top 10 record for me albeit in what's turning out to be a bit of a weak year. I am excited, but I'm not over the moon. I don't care about the leak and am happy to wait until July 17. I have to admit to being a bit turned off by some of the recent hero worship, but then again I participate and help run a message board for a band that started as an obsession for most of us. I can't begrudge that at all or I'd be a hypocrite. If all this new music from Jason Isbell makes these people this happy, more power to them. I will sing along with them at shows and smile as I watch a great band take the stage. If I'm not quite as enthused and don't participate in the hype, it's really OK.
Yeah, it HAS been weird seeing that record almost hailed as this masterpiece of epic proportions. Even more so than Ryan Adam's "Heartbreaker" years ago. Solid album? Sure. Some GREAT songs? Absolutely. But, there are a number of tracks on it that I DONT like either. And certain parts of it that I actually LOVE (The section in "Travelling Alone', the line about how the "street girls wouldn't take my pay"? I went through a phase where I listened to almost NOTHING but Simon & Garfunkel, Jackson C. Frank and some Jim Croce....and that line ALWAYS makes my mind wander to the song "The Boxer" and the line "Just a come on from the whores on 7th Ave., and I do declare that there were times when I was so lonesome I took some comfort there"). I'm also a MASSIVE David Allan Coe fan (I'm honestly not a big country music fan at all...but there's a couple handfuls, maybe slightly more, of artists that I LOVE)...and DAC was always so brilliant at writing these very folk-ish inspired, beautiful tracks ("Canteen Of Water" comes to mind immediately). So, maybe for ME? "Southeastern" had a lot of a "heard that before" sorta vibe to it.

Me? I LOVE "Here We Rest". Probably more so than most Isbell fans even. I even like songs on it that I have read many say that they hate. I just think that that record is SO SOLID, front to back and it didn't sound to me so "familiar" as "Southeastern" did. That was also around the time that he played my back yard (pretty much literally speaking), on the heels of that record, so that was the perfect time for me to see him live before he really blew up in the past year and a half to 2 years.

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rlipps
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Re: Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free 7/17

Post by rlipps »

I've always been 50/50 on Isbell's solo stuff. About half the album I absolutely love, and the other half or so I never listen to. Was bored to death at the last 400 Unit show I saw back when Southeastern was first released and haven't had any desire to see another show. Had chances to get tickets to the upcoming Ryman shows, but didn't pull the trigger. Still on my bucket list to see a show there, but I'll probably wait and hope Sturgill headlines a show there before long.

JJAllin

Re: Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free 7/17

Post by JJAllin »

rlipps wrote:I've always been 50/50 on Isbell's solo stuff. About half the album I absolutely love, and the other half or so I never listen to. Was bored to death at the last 400 Unit show I saw back when Southeastern was first released and haven't had any desire to see another show. Had chances to get tickets to the upcoming Ryman shows, but didn't pull the trigger. Still on my bucket list to see a show there, but I'll probably wait and hope Sturgill headlines a show there before long.
I enjoyed my one (and thus far only) time watching Jason live...though again, it was almost literally in my back yard and touring for "Here We Rest". All I had to do was walk through a small field adjacent to the field behind the house and there he was. Having said that, I MUCH prefer the DBT's live, personally speaking. I have no idea where they will play now that is closest to me (since Busters In Lexington shut down last year....too damn bad on that, I LOVED seeing the Truckers play there and their show there last June was GREAT). But, hopefully between Louisville, Nashville, Knoxville, etc...I'll still get to see 'em at least once a year or close to. I just don't think there's any place in Lexington where they could play now. Busters was perfect size. Cosmic Charlies and Green Lantern are both too damn small for 'em.

When I lived in Birmingham and before they got fairly big, I saw 'em often at various places between there and Atlanta. Those were some fun fun times, despite so much of it being one big blur now...

Sub
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Re: Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free 7/17

Post by Sub »

Sub wrote:Anyone feel free to pm me. ;)

I'm not dead yet.
Sorry guys I was just fishing and turned up nothing yet. :?

I love these pre release morality debates we always get into... classic.

JJAllin

Re: Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free 7/17

Post by JJAllin »

Sub wrote:
Sub wrote:Anyone feel free to pm me. ;)

I'm not dead yet.
Sorry guys I was just fishing and turned up nothing yet. :?

I love these pre release morality debates we always get into... classic.
As for the "morality debate" comment....I admit, I do NOT want to be the guy that leaks an album. I just don't. I will download (precious few anymore albeit, as there's getting to be fewer and fewer artists/bands beyond the classic "go-to's" that I'd even care to bother checking out these days - and most of them? I rarely think to even look for a "leak" anymore as I'm simply always bending my ear to when the vinyl edition is gonna be released as sometimes, it differs from the CD release, etc.)....but I, mainly back in the day, and maybe 2 times a year at MOST, I will still download a leak if someone sends me a link or I just happen across one. But again, I ALWAYS buy a vinyl copy as that's the ONLY way I can fully enjoy music anymore. Used to, it was in the car. These days, it's in my music/computer room, on the turntable.

What bothers me is that from my closest circle of friends? I'd say that less than 50% of them will buy a physical once they get a leak if the leak is of sufficient enough sound quality. All of these friends own (I was gonna say MP3 Players...but NOW, even that would be wrong)....SMART PHONES (which I do NOT own) and that is where they listen to 99.9% of their music, whether in their homes, cars, wherever. So they don't give a crap about having some big slab of vinyl and taking the time to flip sides and all that extraneous BS. They simply download onto phone and listen.

And I KNOW that that is how it is anytime a leak does get out there. You bet your ass it cuts into a bands album sales. For everyone of us that downloaded the leaked "English Oceans" and then bought a copy? How many others that downloaded the leak did NOT? I don't know but a rough estimate/guess would be around 50% or so, give or take. Do the artists/bands make up for this loss on the touring/merch side? I don't really know. Where it can hurt the most is when you have bands releasing their own shit on their own labels and paying a distributor to get the thing out there (Hank 3, for example....he's STILL trying to break even on his latest batch of releases so he can be sure and be square with his distributors). He would have likely already broken even had there been no leaks or downloads.

On the other side of this "debate" - where it HELPS is for new artists or mostly "unheard" bands/artists that simply want people to hear their shit. These people aren't making their living from their music, it's a labor of love, so they could care less and it's free (and easy) distribution in it's own right. Some artists do not care and freely admit to doing it themselves (Blaine from Nashville Pussy used to sit around on his computer all damn day and just download shit - and likewise, he didn't care who or how many downloaded HIS shit). Some artists get pretty damned upset about it (sounds like Isbell might be one of those guys). I "get" both sides of the fence. It's not a black and white issue, really.

I'm sorry I couldn't share this with you guys that wanted it, I really am. It's just that, when I figured out what the real deal about it was and how they were reacting (even to the point of threatening litigation is something I heard), it just wasn't worth it from a moral OR a personal standpoint. Not over a fucking 11 track album. I don't think litigation would be in his or his camps best interests so far as his public image is concerned, but that would be THEIR choice to make. And this shithead from KY doesn't need the headache or the bad karma either which way.

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maxjkugel
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Re: Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free 7/17

Post by maxjkugel »

JJAllin wrote:For everyone of us that downloaded the leaked "English Oceans" and then bought a copy? How many others that downloaded the leak did NOT? I don't know but a rough estimate/guess would be around 50% or so, give or take.
For 3DD folks I would imagine that number has to be pretty damn close to 100%, and a lot of us bought multiple copies. As far as accounting for everyone that downloaded any version of the leak, I would still imagine with DBT and other bands that have such a strong, albeit relatively small following, that number would have to be higher than 50%.......but maybe I am just out of touch.

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