Jason Isbell - Weathervanes

[Clams]

Had a chance to catch Jason's show in Asheville on Friday night with my wife and daughter. The show was outdoors on a beautiful night in front of a sold out crowd of around 4,000. I know Isbell catches a lot of slack from longtime DBT fans but IMO his live shows have always been consistently outstanding, and this was one of the best I've seen. Jason's singing and guitar playing are so good, the band is tight and the songs pack a punch in terms of both music and lyrics. The crowd was pretty awesome too with sing alongs on Last of My Kind, Alabama Pines and even the cover of Honeysuckle Blue. Was real nice to see Will Johnson up there too. The only negative was Jason's very ugly shirt but thankfully he took it off after the first few songs, lol.

And someone managed to get a pretty good recording of the whole show.

[brettac1]

I'm looking forward to seeing him at Hardly Strictly. It's been ages since I've seen him live. Since pre-Southeastern.

[Clams]

I'm looking forward to seeing him at Hardly Strictly. It's been ages since I've seen him live. Since pre-Southeastern.

You'll love it. Just don't expect to hear his DBT songs or a 2010-era set list. He's moved on from his older solo stuff.

[Zip City]

Had a chance to catch Jason's show in Asheville on Friday night with my wife and daughter. The show was outdoors on a beautiful night in front of a sold out crowd of around 4,000. I know Isbell catches a lot of slack from longtime DBT fans but IMO his live shows have always been consistently outstanding, and this was one of the best I've seen. Jason's singing and guitar playing are so good, the band is tight and the songs pack a punch in terms of both music and lyrics. The crowd was pretty awesome too with sing alongs on Last of My Kind, Alabama Pines and even the cover of Honeysuckle Blue. Was real nice to see Will Johnson up there too. The only negative was Jason's very ugly shirt but thankfully he took it off after the first few songs, lol.

And someone managed to get a pretty good recording of the whole show.

Who's that playing bass for him?

[pearlbeer]

Who's that playing bass for him?

Jimbo Hart is on a temp break, I read somewhere. Oh - here -

https://www.al.com/life/2023/06/band-me ... break.html


Dominic Davis is the sub I think.

[Clams]

Who's that playing bass for him?

Jimbo Hart is on a temp break, I read somewhere. Oh - here -

https://www.al.com/life/2023/06/band-me ... break.html


Dominic Davis is the sub I think.

Jimbo is on a mental health break. His replacement is a woman named Anna Butterss. She's Australian.

[Zip City]

Great, thanks. Figured it was temporary.

[whatwouldcooleydo?]

[Clams]

From Jimbo Hart, posted this morning on FB

I’m no longer a member of the 400 Unit.
I’m grateful for all the years, all the faces I’ve played for in the course of the band’s history and proud of all we accomplished. I’m happy to be moving forward into a new chapter of life and open to all possibilities, as they may arise.

[Zip City]

Bummer, but I wish him well

[beantownbubba]

Stephen Hyden's Best Albums of the Year list is out and Weathervanes is #6. Hyden says:

"The venerable dean of modern-day country-leaning singer-songwriters has been so consistent for so long that the arrival of another excellent album is easy to take for granted. But I would make the case for Weathervanes ranking with his very best work. Taking over production duties from long-time collaborator Dave Cobb, Isbell has made the best-sounding record of his career by leaning into the live-in-the-studio chemistry he has with The 400 Unit. After a series of quieter and folk-oriented albums, he actually cranks the guitars this time to levels that recall his tenure in Drive-By Truckers. (The DBT allusion is deliberate on one of the album’s best tunes, “When We Were Close.”) But as always his core strength is writing with great care and sensitivity about the inner lives of ordinary people caught in extraordinary circumstances — a school shooting, a failing marriage, the haunting memory of a terrible father, a young couple facing a potential life-changing decision. As you come to know the songs, you feel as if they know you, too."

Other than the non-controversial nature of ranking Weathervanes among Isbell's best albums, Hyden is, as usual, dead on.

[pearlbeer]

Good article:

https://www.gq.com/story/jason-isbell-j ... -night-job

[Zip City]

Jason won a couple Grammys for this bad boy