Artist: Jason Isbell
Release: Sirens Of The Ditch
Discogs: 1905688
Released: 2007
Label: New West Records, Inc.
Catalog#: NW6119
Format: FLAC / Lossless / Log (100%) / Cue / CD
Country: US
Style: Rock, Rock & Roll, Southern Rock

Tracklisting:

01. Brand New Kind Of Actress (5:31)
02. Down In A Hole (4:18)
03. Try (4:48)
04. Chicago Promenade (3:19)
05. Dress Blues (4:07)
06. Grown (3:42)
07. Hurricanes And Hand Grenades (5:07)
08. In A Razor Town (3:15)
09. Shotgun Wedding (3:45)
10. The Magician (4:16)
11. The Devil Is My Running Mate (3:45)


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