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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Uneven but what first album isn't?, August 23, 2007
Saw him open for Sunvolt and give a much better performance, frankly. "Dress Blues" had me choked up in public and I bought the album on the strength of that song. I only find a couple other songs as good, but there are no real stinkers, either. Like a lot of bands I used to listen to back in the day, they've had a hard time getting their great live band energy to come through in a studio recording. That said, the band's musicianship and Isbell's singing are well represented. I'm looking forward to the next album and Isbell's next crack at songwriting, which I think shows flashes of brilliance here.
Heck, I've just talked myself into revising it to 4 stars instead of 3. Definitely see them live, but until then, even with a couple forgettable songs on it, "Dress Blues" and "Try" are worth the price of this album.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good album, excellent songs but it's only the beginning..., November 26, 2007
Being a huge Drive By Truckers fan I bought this album the day it came out. I liked it immediately but didn't really love it until I had listened to it many times. When I first listened to the album "dress Blues" stood out a the best track here. Haunting, melodic and with a great message this one hits you in the gut and stays there. I think it's one of the finest songs of the year. Beyond that song, however, nothing really jumped, until after seeing Jason and his excellent band (different players than on this album) I realized just how many great songs are on this album. "Try", "Brand New Kind of Actress" and "Shotgun Wedding" have the kind of raw oomph that great rock songs all have while "Chicago Promenade" and "Hurricanes and Hand Grenades" have a personal feel to them that stay with you long after you're finished listening. The real gems here, however (other that the previously mentioned "Dress Blues") are "In A Razor Town" and "The Magician". The latter song has a bouncing country beat that won't let go along with some pretty haunting lyrics while the former would hardly be out of place on Springsteen's Nebraska. So, yeah, I love this album but still think the songs sound better live, so get out and see a show. After that sit back and wait for the next album from Jason and his new band, I'm certain it will be worth the wait.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Unexpectedly Good, October 23, 2007
I had to listen a bit before I could review this. It had to sink in for a little while. Like the majority of folks who bought this album I was a Drive-By Truckers fan first and was interested in Isbell based on his output from that band, and fine bit of output it was. I bought the album with DBT comparisons in mind and I don't think I gave this album a fair shot to stand on its own. It is different from DBT, and those difference were a little off-putting at first (because of my expectations) but I found going back a re-listening to be very rewarding.
Oddly, the stuff that is the furthest from his DBT work is, in my opinion the best material here. "Chicago Promenade" struck me as the most sincere song and I wasn't surprised to learn that Isbell had a family member in mind when writing it. It's the kind of song that is personal yet universal, like a relationship with a loved one. Each personal relationship is different, but there is an aspect of familiarity that everyone can relate to since we've all felt it. It's not necessarily what he says in the song, but the feeling behind that gives me goosebumps when I hear it.
That aspect of feeling is also what sets apart "Hurricanes and Hand Grenades." The first line "I've got a glass of wine/I've got a cigarette/I should be feelin' fine/I ain't feelin' nothin' yet" perfectly encapsulates the mood of this lazy, bluesy gem. It creeps along like sneaking wine buzz that slowly warms the entire body until you realize that your just sitting and smiling for no particular reason. The lyrics of the song indicate pain and loss, but vibe is pure mellow.
There are some places where the album feels like it's missing something. Some of the songs are very good and feel like they could be great, but something is keeping them from it. The hard-rockers ("Down in a Hole") don't quite stick in your gut, the pop songs ("Shotgun Wedding" and "Grown") don't quite stick in your head, but they all feel like they are right on the edge. Isbell's got it in him, without a doubt, but he doesn't quite put it all together here.
Definitely not what I was expecting, but definitely money well spent.
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