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analysis w/e 14.5.11 |
DVDs out 9.5.11 |
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@ DVDfever Youtube |
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May 11 2011 
DVDfever co uk
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Strange title - excellent album. Twenty eight year old ex-Drive-By Truckers’ Jason Isbell goes trucking alone and gets great results. It’s certainly brought dividends for the Alabama singer-songwriter. War, his home and former outfit provide the influences for strangely titled Sirens Of The Ditch. It took almost four years to surface, so it’s not exactly rushed, and you can tell. Recorded at FAME studios in Muscle Shoals, best known for legendary singers like Aretha Frankin and Otis Redding, Isbell has tried to capture the spirit of its previous occupants with an excellent eclectic blend incorporating Blues, Country, Soul (he’s managed to recruit Soul legends David Hood and Spooner Oldham) with certain DBT elements, though this is very much an artist branching out and stamping his arrival. Making a dazzling impact, he’s gone for a crunching rocker for the opener – Brand New Kind Of Actress, a la Bryan Adams with obligatory catchy chorus and wailing guitar solos. It’s a strong start. Switching code for Down In A Hole, he opts to delve into swampy R&B, a cool sojourn with twanging guitars, ghosting keys and lightweight acoustic guitar texturing the entire song.
On Chicago Promenade, a simple piano leads to an eventual steady rocker. A delightful pedal steel dressing by John Neff, provides the country template for swaying rambler Dress Blues which turns out to be one of the album’s highlights. There’s a distinct country-rock edge to Grown with Isbell’s rounded vocals impressing as it moves. His soulful Hurricanes has an impressive bluesy twist, highlighted by his deft touches on electric guitar solos which Clapton would be proud of. His acoustic handy work is equally impressive on stripped back In A Razor Town, a gentle ballad that shines at very level. Further on, chugging The Magician, bounces along nicely whilst plucking banjo picks give it that ho down touch, as he well and truly leaves the DBT script behind him. As if to say a final farewell to DBT, the hauntingly simple acoustic and piano of The Devil Is rounds off a very competent and stylish debut.
Weblinks: jasonisbell.com / newwestrecords.com
The full list of tracks included are :
As of April 2009, Blu-rays and DVDs reviewed by the editor are watched on a Panasonic TH-37PX80B 37" Plasma TV with a Sony BDP-1500 Blu-ray player and played through a Yamaha DSP-AX820 amplifier. PC games reviewed by the editor are on:
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Review & concert pics copyright © Elly Roberts, 2004-2010.
