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Sirens Of The Ditch
 
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Sirens Of The Ditch

Jason Isbell
4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews) | More about this product
Price: $16.98 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
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Songs from this album are available to purchase as MP3s. Click on "Buy MP3" or view the MP3 Album.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Samples
Song Title Time Price
listen  1. Brand New Kind Of Actress 5:35$0.99 Buy Track
listen  2. Down In A Hole 4:22$0.99 Buy Track
listen  3. Try 4:52$0.99 Buy Track
listen  4. Chicago Promenade 3:23$0.99 Buy Track
listen  5. Dress Blues 4:11$0.99 Buy Track
listen  6. Grown 3:46$0.99 Buy Track
listen  7. Hurricanes and Hand Grenades 5:11$0.99 Buy Track
listen  8. In A Razor Town 3:19$0.99 Buy Track
listen  9. Shotgun Wedding 3:49$0.99 Buy Track
listen10. The Magician 4:20$0.99 Buy Track
listen11. The Devil Is My Running Mate 3:45$0.99 Buy Track

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Product Details

  • Audio CD (July 10, 2007)
  • Original Release Date: July 9, 2007
  • Number of Discs: 1
  • Label: New West Records
  • ASIN: B000QUU2UW
  • In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #62,012 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter Isbell was a driving force in the rousing postmodern Southern rock band Drive-By Truckers. Sirens of the Ditch is his solo debut. A resident of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, Isbell clearly has Catholic taste in his roots rock. His backing band throws together a pleasant mélange of pedal steel, organ, strummed acoustic guitar, and heartfelt Americana vocals. At first, it sounds like something you've heard before a thousand times, by Ryan Adams or was that Bryan Adams. However, on closer inspection, there's a lot more going on. After rhyming "bitch" with "ditch" in the song "Ditch," Isbell throws in a line about "dancing to 'Purple Rain'" and you're drawn in, to a clearly delineated but poetic storyline and gorgeous melodies. Isbell's best songs will remind you of Richard Buckner, Raymond Carver, and Neil Young. "Dress Blues" might be the most sympathetic and awesome song about the Iraq war yet written. Huzzah. --Mike McGonigal


Product Description

Accomplished guitarist and songwriter Jason Isbell, formerly of Drive By Truckers (DBT), releases his debut solo album Sirens Of The Ditch.

The album rocks with 11 tracks all written by Isbell kicking off with "Brand New Kind Of Actress", followed by the rocker "Down In A Hole", a swampy number featuring Muscle Shoals natives Spooner Oldham and David Hood. Isbell s songwriting skills shine especially on "Dress Blues" a pensive ballad about a high-school classmate who lost his life fighting in Iraq and "Chicago Promenade" a tribute to his late Grandfather.

Listeners caught glimpses of Isbell s skills on Drive-By Truckers records with tracks like "Danko/Manuel" and "Outfit".

Sirens Of The Ditch's mystical quality can be partially attributed to the FAME recording studio (Aretha Franklin, Duane Allman, Otis Redding) in Isbell s hometown of Muscle Shoals, AL where the album was recorded. A lot of old soul musicians came through here in the late 60s and 70s and helped define the Muscle Shoals sound, the lifelong Alabamian explains, so that influence was always in my environment, but on this record I really tried to capture that.

Co-produced by Isbell and Patterson Hood (DBT), Sirens Of The Ditch features Isbell singing lead vocals and playing guitar throughout, joined by Shonna Tucker (DBT) on Bass and Brad Morgan (DBT) on drums. Several musicians pop in for cameos including Spooner Oldham and David Hood (Patterson s father) on "Down In A Hole", John Neff (DBT) on "Dress Blues" and Patterson himself guests on "Shotgun Wedding".
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Customer Reviews

34 Reviews
5 star:
 (17)
4 star:
 (10)
3 star:
 (5)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:
 (1)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.2 out of 5 stars (34 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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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
By J. Donald Wood "as seen on tv" (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
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
By The Gavs (Illinois) - See all my reviews
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
By paul (louisville, ky) - See all my reviews
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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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars This Isn't Anything Like Drive-By Truckers
I for one am glad Siren of the Ditch doesn't compare to DBT. Because frankly I'm not a fan of DBT at all. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Karl Frentz

4.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant, but it's all over the place........
A great CD, of course with the DBT heritage, you knew it would be good....but it borders on brilliant. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Nick Becker

5.0 out of 5 stars Jason is a god!
Jason Isbell is a god. Sirens of the ditch is timeless and soulfull and in the pocket.

The DBT 19 song release is noisy dirty and repetitive. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Donna Mathis

5.0 out of 5 stars Bought This Instantly!
Isbell was a driving force with the Drive By Truckers - He's absolutely awesome on this solo album. Jason demos his writing and musical talent all in one album. Read more
Published 22 months ago by iameclectic

3.0 out of 5 stars Idenity Crisis?
I'll start out saying i really was expecting alot more from this record. Being a Drive By Truckers fan i was thinking it would be a rocker, especially after hearing Jason sing and... Read more
Published 22 months ago by music man

4.0 out of 5 stars A Brilliant Debut!
Jason Isbell is wise beyond his years and one hell of a guitar player. He writes intelligent songs that contain absolutely NO BS! Read more
Published 23 months ago by Seatown 7

5.0 out of 5 stars Brand New Kind of Artist
Jason Isbell's "Sirens of the Ditch" is brilliant, edgy, intuitive, deep-running country rock of the New School. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Dean W. West

4.0 out of 5 stars Solid Entry
Overall a solid mix of rock country and pop. Very listen-able. I have already recommended this to several friends who also bought and enjoy this CD
Published on October 18, 2007 by Nicholas J. Stugard

5.0 out of 5 stars Gift for One dear to me
This item was a gift. It arrived perfectly packaged and in excellent shape. The music is good and nice listening.
Published on September 5, 2007 by M. Mills

4.0 out of 5 stars Jason is a guy with a lot of music in him
Like several other reviewers here, I love some DBT and Jason's songs have been some of my favorites on their albums where he was part of the band. Read more
Published on August 24, 2007 by guy from the South

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