A month back, I promised a deep dive of singer-songwriter Jason Isbell’s catalog, and starting today I’m making good on that pledge. Over the next two weeks I’ll feature tracks from all ten of his solo albums.
Isbell got his start with the Southern rock band Drive-By Truckers. He was just 21, 15 years younger than the band’s founders, when he came under their wing as a protege and signed on as their third guitarist. He spent six years with the band, contributing on three albums as a guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter, before going solo in 2007.
He remained on good terms with the band, and Drive-By Truckers Patterson Hood and Shonna Tucker played on Isbell’s first solo release.
That release was 2007’s Sirens of the Ditch, a rock album not substantially different in sound from his work with the Truckers, but with a bit more of a pop and folk influence.
Lyrically, Alabama native Isbell documents the lives of rural Americans, writing with empathy and nuance about the working class.
‘Dress Blues’ is about a high school friend who died while serving overseas with the Marines. ‘In a Razor Town’ finds the narrator wanting to leave a dying small town but tied to the place by his relationship.
First single (and today’s SOTD) ‘Brand New Kind of Actress’ tackles a different sort of relationship. It was inspired by Phil Spector’s murder of actress Lana Clarkson.
I like this song a lot, but on the whole I find the album a little too Southern rock for my taste. It’s well-crafted and lyrically sharp (Isbell is incapable of anything else) but it sounds like he’s still finding his way to his own sound.
Some minor changes made, you missed the big parade
Another filthy day, another Hollywood sign
You missed the caution line and you just walked right in
You walked right in
There’s a body there, somebody you once knew
He took a liking to your conversation cues
The way you cut your hair, the time you did it yourself
Your lack of hired help, the way you fit right in
The way you fit right in
‘Cause you’re a brand new kind of actress
You’re a brand new kind of actress
You’re the same old stubborn waitress, baby
You’re a brand new kind of actress
You swim the other way, you put your seed upstream
So many hopes and dreams, so many in-betweens
Your new reality, just make yourself at home
He’s always watching me, he’s never been alone
So you just walked right in
‘Cause you’re a brand new kind of actress
You’re a brand new kind of actress
You’re the same old stubborn waitress, baby
You’re a brand new kind of actress
You little greasy guy, I don’t care what you did
In 1965, before the wife and kid
I’ll leave my jacket on, so sorry I can’t stay
Just put the piece away
Just put the piece away, let me call a cab
We’ll go our separate ways, we’ll go our separate ways
Just put the piece away, I don’t care what you did
Back in younger days, just put the piece away
Put it away
‘Cause I’m a brand new kind of actress
I’m a brand new kind of actress
I’m the same old stubborn waitress, baby
I’m a brand new kind of actress
Meet Me In Montauk 
I’ve heard such good things about Isbell but haven’t really heard much of his music. I am looking forward to this deep dive!
I don’t know much about Phil Spector but I remember a movie about him starring Al Pacino. I didn’t realize or forgot that he killed an actress. I read that he died in jail at 81. Interesting song.
Very excited for this deep dive. Not sure I’ve heard anything off this album, as I’ve listened to a few of the more recent ones quite a bit and dipped my ear into the “essentials” to get some additional insight.
That said, I did read about his start with this band that became a sort of second family to him while he toured with them at such a young age.