Don’t ask me why I obsessively look to rock ’n’ roll bands for some kind of model for a better society. I guess it’s just that I glimpsed something beautiful in a flashbulb moment once, and perhaps mistaking it for prophecy have been seeking its fulfillment ever since.
- Lester Bangs
My self imposed show hiatus took another hit last night. Boredom and beautiful weather teamed up to coax me out of hiding for the Jason Isbell show last night. And I am so glad I went. There is just something so good for the soul about packing too many people into a really tiny club and listening to somebody play their heart out for 90 minutes. Good old fashioned, visceral rock n roll bliss.
I am not very adept at writing reviews, so I will spare you the details...but it was an awesome night.Deer Tick, a band that I had heard of but never heard, opened the show and the blew me away. I bought a cheap point and shoot digital camera that I am taking to Coachella and I took it out for a test run last night, but alas...without a battery it didn't do me much good! So in lieu of photos, I will post a couple of songs...one is my favorite Isbell penned Drive By Truckers song, and the other is a Deer Tick tune off of their 2007 album 'War Elephant.'
Jason Isbell keeps on keeping on. Since leaving the Drive By Truckers, Mr. Isbell has been on the road for what seems like forever. Really. But for that I am thankful, I can't wait to see him March 6th here @ a place called the Basement. Should be the perfect fit for his bar room ballads and blues infused rockers.
And even with all of the touring, he and is band The 400 Unit have still managed to write and record a new album. The self titled disc will be out this spring. Here is a beautiful song form that record:
Here is something off of the brand new 19 song disc "Brighter Than Creation's Dark" which is forthcoming from the dirty South's Drive-by Truckers. An epic album to say the least...some of the most heartfelt stuff they have ever recorded.
And as much as I love Jason Isbell, the band seems to have soldiered on just fine without his songwriting on this album.
On his first solo disc, Jason Isbell sounds like an artist reveling in the fact that he is free from the shackles of collaboration. You can actually hear the freedom and the energy shine through on this record. After spending years as a contributor to perenial bar favorite, The Drive By Truckers, Isbell has written a great collection of songs for his first record. 'Chicago Promenade' is by far my favorite of these songs. Lyrics like this make it hard not to love: I took my turn at fixing hearts But that goes bad before it starts I'm desperate now, I must say I'll do the Chicago promenade
If I die now before I'm old My story will be less than told There's so much more to suffer through Before I meet again with you
Heartbreaking stuff...but would you expect anything less from the author of 'God Damn Lonely Love'?
If you don't already have former Drive-By Trucker Jason Isbell's solo debut 'Sirens Of The Ditch' you are really missing out...a wonderful set of songs.
...or my email is anyway! Hey, it's me Blair...the Certain Songs staff of one. I just do this for the love of the music and am in no way trying to rip anybody off, so if you are an artist or a record label and you are not happy that I am promoting your music, or you want me to take a song down, just shoot me an email and I will most definitely oblige.
And please support the artists I post here in whatever way you can if you do download a song...go to a show, buy some merch, buy an album...these songs are the soundtrack to my life and I just love to share them. But I can only do that if the insanely talented artist responsible for said songs are able to eat.
I also love hearing new stuff...so any submissions can also be sent to my email, I will try my bestest to listen to everything and get back to you all...peace,love,rock n' roll.
csmusicblog@gmail.com
Monthly Mix Tape
Mission Statement
I guess you're old enough to know. Kids out on the east coast. Roughly twenty years old. Got coaxed out by a certain perfect ratio. Of warm beer to the summer smoke. And the meat loaf to the billy joel. Certain songs they get so scratched into our souls.
She goes low on the seats when she gets high in her car. She looks shallow but shes neck deep in the steamy dreams of the guys along the harbor bars. She's pulling out her shirttails and jacking up her socks. Stern and stoned and confident, coming up towards the jukebox. Born into the only songs that everybody finally sings along. B-1 is for the good girls. It's only the good die young. C-9 is for the making eyes. It's paradise by the dashboard light. D4 is for the lovers. B12 is for the speeders. And the hard drugs are for the bartenders and the kitchen workers and the bartender's friends. And they're playing it again. Ellen Foley gives us hope. Certain songs they get scratched into our souls.
I guess you're old enough to know. Kids out on the west coast are taking off their clothes. Screwing in the surf and going out to shows. They get high and ride around in gtos. I guess you're old enough to know. CERTAIN SONGS THEY GET SCRATCHED INTO OUR SOULS. - The Hold Steady
