Jason Isbell toured for a couple of years following his sophomore album release, then took a break to work on his third album. The result, 2011’s Here We Rest, is the record that made me a fan for life.

Here We Rest isn’t the first Isbell album I heard, but it’s the one that cemented him for me as a truly special talent. It’s the moment he fully comes into his own as a solo artist, creating a song cycle that’s achingly sad but reassuringly resilient.

The album starts with ‘Alabama Pines,’ a stunner I rank up there with Isbell’s best songs. The track won ‘Song of the Year’ at the 2012 Americana Music Awards (I didn’t know that was a thing).

Even better is the epic ‘Codeine,’ a blurry heartbreak tale that finds Isbell talk-singing through his emotions about a messy break-up. That one might just be my favorite song of his.

Here We Rest contains multitudes: ‘Daisy Mae’ is a stripped-down and heart-tugging beauty about an assault victim, while ‘Heart on a String’ sounds like the biggest hit Bonnie Raitt never recorded. Every song on this album is great.

Today’s SOTD, ‘Stopping By,’ finds Isbell confronting his absent father. It’s a great showcase for how he manages to deliver confessional lyrics in a smooth and inviting package. On Here We Rest, he does it again and again.