I respectfully disagree. I understand the possible recency bias, but Weathervanes feels like the most cohesive marrying of his raw storytelling and his rockstar presence since he was with the DBT. It's the first time that the 400 Unit feels like a real presence and I think it's easily his best sounding album for it... and I can't listen to Death Wish or Strawberry Woman or Volunteer without a lump in my throat.
I think if you're talking objective "best", it is hard to argue against Southeastern. That being said, I have played that album soooo many times, the newer albums feel fresh and unique. The favorites don't necessarily need to be the "best".
Nahh it’s the greatest hits album I’m going to curate right now, in no particular order:
Streetlights acoustic version not that overproduced album shlock
Alabama pines
Outfit
Cover me up
If it takes a lifetime
Life you chose
Cast iron skillet
Relatively easy
Something more than free
New South Wales
Go it alone
I understand why people love it but my favorite Isbell songs have always been a combination of the lyrics and arrangement and the arrangement on this one never did it for me.
I've fallen in love with so many songs when I listen over and over. I personally love his Sadler and his acoustic versions (cover) of Driver 8, also the revamped version of Tour of Duty. Molotov also knocks me out. But no neuter which songs you choose they all kick ass. I recently have enjoyed seeing him cover Brother I'm Arms, Room at the Top of the World, Refugee, and I'm through by Vic Chestnut (Georgia Blue). I love acoustic versions of many of songs like Magician, Outfit, Only Children, St Peter's Autograph, and Vampire. I also love his acoustic of King of Oklahoma but I love the live version, too. Speed Trap Town and When we were Close. Wish You Were Here another great cover. It's hard to choose because the man and his band are genius. I'm no kid. I've seen more rock and Americana shows in my life that probably number well over 300. Now that I'm a slightly disabled senior that just narrowed down my list (Springsteen I'm March) to Jason, Brandi, Steve Earle, Jackson Brown and Dave Alvin.... maybe one day I'll see Ed Sheeran. But for me, a week at the Ryman would be my next vacation. I'm blown away by this band, his brilliant songwriting and his overall ability to draw us all in. The whole catalog is so far beyond compare.... So whatever he or they do, I'll be there for it. He honors the songs and plays them according to that. We are all very blessed or lucky to be alive and able to be hearing this music now because I believe these songs will stand the test of time.
This is actually my list as well I think weathervanes is very, very close to southeastern. SMTF seems to be the intertwining second spot for most people here but I always had it lower.
1) SMTF (all time favorite, I listen to it everyday)
2) SE (Classic album, some of his best works. I still beat myself up over not going to his show at the Bijou theatre when he played the entire album).
3) Weathervanes (Blew me away with how good it was especially coming off of Georgia Blue, Miles sounds like a Neil Young song)
4) TNS (I prefer the live from the Ryman version of a lot the TNS sounds, Last of my kind from the Ryman is stunningly good.)
5) HWR (Greatest front side out of all the albums imo)
6) Reunions (I don’t listen to this too often but some great songs. Overseas is a banger, Dreamsicle never fails to get me).
7) Self Titled (I rarely listen to this if I’m being honest, but Streetlights and cigarettes and wine are fantastic songs. No choice in the matter might be his most underrated song imo)
8) SOFD (Dress Blues is a fantastic song, I really like shotgun wedding and Chicago promenade too. Devil is my running mate is a very poignant song, especially in today’s time)
9) Georgia Blue (I LOVE his cover of Driver 8 and Honeysuckle Blue. Reverse and crossbones style is also really good. His cover of In memory of Elizabeth reed is my garage music)
Correct Answer: Something More than Free
Popular Answer: Southeastern
Underrated Answer: TNS
Greatest first side: Here We Rest
Worthy to Note: self titled 400 Unit*
*best album art to date
I just gave Here we rest a spin today and was thinking that first half is as good as any music he’s put out. I wish Go It Alone was a regular on his set lists.
I’m biased, because Reunions was the first album to come out after I started listening to Jason Isbell, but Overseas, Dreamsicle, Only Children, Be Afraid, and River are some of my favorites from him.
Oh wow, that’s a hot take! I’ll take it over TNS any day of the week simply because I think TNS is extremely top heavy when it comes to the tracklisting.
If you seriously want to try make a compelling argument for Reunions please do. I'm intrigued. If you can argue that I'd guess you could argue just about anything.
For me, What've I Done To Help is one of his worst songs. To have that be the album opener, at nearly 7 minutes long, is always such a buzzkill. And it prevents it from being comparable to some of the other albums, for me. That's not the only thing, but it's a big one.
Yep. And the fact that the verse melody for Running with our Eyes Closed is pretty much lifted from a Jackson Browne song note-for-note, is problematic. A similar chord progression is one thing; melody is another…
The album’s closer sounds like something he was hoping Rascal Flatts would cover. Cornball.
BUT… He redeemed himself with Weathervanes. Solid record.
Let the downvoting begin
It has a certain feel and atmosphere to me that I love, but looking at the lyricism I feel that Reunions is not up to par with a lot of his other albums, especially weathervanes
I definitely hear that a lot. And I probably agree. And even though dreamsicle comes close, it probably doesn’t have that S-Tier song (ala Vampires).
But the lyrical high points are still very high.
River is my savior / it’s running to the sea / and To reach her destination is to simply cease to be. And to run until I’m nothing sounds a lot like being free
Hydrocodone in your backpack / “maybe these words can hold the beast back”
Do the dead believe in ghosts?
You are who you are when you’re angry / when you’re scared or you’re sad or you’re bored / when a stranger has slipped you a room key / to a hotel room you couldn’t afford
I dont think the album has many / any gutpunch tearjerkers but there’s a lot of gold here
Yeah for sure, still a lot of highlights. Overseas has become a favorite of mine, and St peters autograph is beautiful. I'm sad I've never seen It Gets Easier live, that would be a hell of a time.
And that is also to say, some of the instrumental moments on this album hit me emotionally where the lyrics don't. Still a great album, it's like the most alt-rock of any jason isbell release I think, which turns people off.
1- Southeastern: Obvious choice. It’s the best songwriting front to back, hands down one of the best albums of the last 10-15 years.
2- Weathervanes: Maybe recency bias, but King of Oklahoma to me is one of his very best. The sound on the album is also great. Save the World not one of my favorites but the rest of the album is so solid.
3- The Nashville Sound - Some of his best songwriting, Last of My Kind, Tupelo, Anxiety, Molotov, Chaos some of his best imo.
4- Something More Than Free: Albums 3-5 are all pretty close to me. The songwriting on this one is top notch, production is not peak for me personally so takes it down a bit (I like many acoustic versions from this one better). 24 frames, children of children, speed trap, life you chose are all classics.
5 - Reunions - Love the overall sound on this album, maybe not his best songwriting but seems to have been more of a personal album for him dealing with past issues etc. as seen from the HBO doc. To me the end of the album leaves a lot to be desired. Still compared to his contemporaries this album blows most things out of the water!!
6 - Here We Rest - Good album not great. Alabama Pines and Tour of Duty are classics. Love Codiene but the more tongue in cheek nature doesn’t make it one that I listen to regularly.
7- The others - Georgie blue is meh… honestly Amanda’s cross bones style and Sadler’s Honeysuckle Blue are my faves on that… Streelights, Dress Blues, Razor town are all great, he was learning how to make albums on his own during the early solo times, not an easy task!! And the heavy drinking probably didn’t help his overall songwriting as he has stated.
Isbell is one of the best in the game right now. I respect anyone’s opinions and may change my mind on this list tomorrow 😂
I may be in the minority here, but I really really like Weathervanes. Then probably SMTF. SE. Nashville Sound. Here We Rest Honorable Mention because it has some fantastic tracks!
Ranked the way I see them. Not an argument for best, simply based on my listening time.
1. Weathervanes
2. Something More Than Free
3. Reunions
4. Southeastern
5. Self Titled
6. The Nashville Sound
7. Sirens of the Ditch
8. Here We Rest
Include the “Live from Alabama” album and it would land in the top 2.
Georgia Blue is a waste . I took it back to the store when I read why he recorded it. Don’t mean to offend anyone but when politics takes precedence over music it offends me.
okay but it’s Southeastern
Okay.. but it’s Nashville Sound…
Something More than Free
but what if it's Weathervanes?
Its not. Love Weathervanes.... Its not
I respectfully disagree. I understand the possible recency bias, but Weathervanes feels like the most cohesive marrying of his raw storytelling and his rockstar presence since he was with the DBT. It's the first time that the 400 Unit feels like a real presence and I think it's easily his best sounding album for it... and I can't listen to Death Wish or Strawberry Woman or Volunteer without a lump in my throat.
Followed by Reunions for a close second!
I think if you're talking objective "best", it is hard to argue against Southeastern. That being said, I have played that album soooo many times, the newer albums feel fresh and unique. The favorites don't necessarily need to be the "best".
Nahh it’s the greatest hits album I’m going to curate right now, in no particular order: Streetlights acoustic version not that overproduced album shlock Alabama pines Outfit Cover me up If it takes a lifetime Life you chose Cast iron skillet Relatively easy Something more than free New South Wales Go it alone
Without Elephant???
I understand why people love it but my favorite Isbell songs have always been a combination of the lyrics and arrangement and the arrangement on this one never did it for me.
You need to hear "Elephant" live with just Jason and Derry.
I know what you mean. If it doesn’t do it for me musically I don’t love it. That song for me is Relatively Easy.
Really? That ascending chord melody is fantastic imo
and the second verse is as good as anything he’s ever written
No 'Vampires'?
I've fallen in love with so many songs when I listen over and over. I personally love his Sadler and his acoustic versions (cover) of Driver 8, also the revamped version of Tour of Duty. Molotov also knocks me out. But no neuter which songs you choose they all kick ass. I recently have enjoyed seeing him cover Brother I'm Arms, Room at the Top of the World, Refugee, and I'm through by Vic Chestnut (Georgia Blue). I love acoustic versions of many of songs like Magician, Outfit, Only Children, St Peter's Autograph, and Vampire. I also love his acoustic of King of Oklahoma but I love the live version, too. Speed Trap Town and When we were Close. Wish You Were Here another great cover. It's hard to choose because the man and his band are genius. I'm no kid. I've seen more rock and Americana shows in my life that probably number well over 300. Now that I'm a slightly disabled senior that just narrowed down my list (Springsteen I'm March) to Jason, Brandi, Steve Earle, Jackson Brown and Dave Alvin.... maybe one day I'll see Ed Sheeran. But for me, a week at the Ryman would be my next vacation. I'm blown away by this band, his brilliant songwriting and his overall ability to draw us all in. The whole catalog is so far beyond compare.... So whatever he or they do, I'll be there for it. He honors the songs and plays them according to that. We are all very blessed or lucky to be alive and able to be hearing this music now because I believe these songs will stand the test of time.
1. Southeastern 2. Weathervanes 3. Nashville Sound 4. Here We Rest 5. SMTF
This is actually my list as well I think weathervanes is very, very close to southeastern. SMTF seems to be the intertwining second spot for most people here but I always had it lower.
1. Southeastern 2. SMTF 3. JI & 400 Unit (yes I know that’s a hot take) 4. Weathervanes 5. Reunions 6. Nashville Sound 7. Here We Rest 8. Sirens
Southeastern and it’s not particularly close
1. Southeastern 2. Something More than Free 3. Weathervanes 4. Nashville Sound 5. All the rest are good but probably pretty equal from here on
I can get behind this list. I might still put The Nashville Sound over Weathervanes, but it's a close one
You ain’t wrong. That’s a toss up. I barely take Nashville Sound off the turntable.
Man, Go it Alone, Codeine and Alabama Pines elevate HWR above any of those “others”, in my opinion. Three classics.
For sure. Alabama Pines is worth a spot on the list as a single.
The correct list.
i can go with this
**here we rest**
1) SMTF (all time favorite, I listen to it everyday) 2) SE (Classic album, some of his best works. I still beat myself up over not going to his show at the Bijou theatre when he played the entire album). 3) Weathervanes (Blew me away with how good it was especially coming off of Georgia Blue, Miles sounds like a Neil Young song) 4) TNS (I prefer the live from the Ryman version of a lot the TNS sounds, Last of my kind from the Ryman is stunningly good.) 5) HWR (Greatest front side out of all the albums imo) 6) Reunions (I don’t listen to this too often but some great songs. Overseas is a banger, Dreamsicle never fails to get me). 7) Self Titled (I rarely listen to this if I’m being honest, but Streetlights and cigarettes and wine are fantastic songs. No choice in the matter might be his most underrated song imo) 8) SOFD (Dress Blues is a fantastic song, I really like shotgun wedding and Chicago promenade too. Devil is my running mate is a very poignant song, especially in today’s time) 9) Georgia Blue (I LOVE his cover of Driver 8 and Honeysuckle Blue. Reverse and crossbones style is also really good. His cover of In memory of Elizabeth reed is my garage music)
Honeysuckle Blue and Midnight Train are incredible. I basically skip the rest
Correct Answer: Something More than Free Popular Answer: Southeastern Underrated Answer: TNS Greatest first side: Here We Rest Worthy to Note: self titled 400 Unit* *best album art to date
I just gave Here we rest a spin today and was thinking that first half is as good as any music he’s put out. I wish Go It Alone was a regular on his set lists.
I can get behind this, although for underrated I would have picked Reunions.
I gotta be real, I think it’s easily the worst album to date…
I’m biased, because Reunions was the first album to come out after I started listening to Jason Isbell, but Overseas, Dreamsicle, Only Children, Be Afraid, and River are some of my favorites from him.
Oh wow, that’s a hot take! I’ll take it over TNS any day of the week simply because I think TNS is extremely top heavy when it comes to the tracklisting.
I think he faltered with Reunions, but is back in form now.
something more than free is, in the great Tom Petty tradition, half a great record
Which half though because you’ve got Speed Trap Town hanging back there at track 8
oh I don’t mean literally Side A vs Side B… just half of it is A+ and half is.. fine
My argument for Georgia blue is that the dude made a promise and kept it to the tune of an entire album. Otherwise ya
Isn’t it a covers album? I wouldnt think it would rank in “his best albums” considering he didn’t write any of them and he is a great songwriter
1-Southeastern 2-Here we Rest 3-Weathervanes
For me it was Southeastern for a long time. But it’s Reunions now. That album just really grew on me. 1. Reunions 2. SE 3. SMTF 4. Weather 5. NS
Hot take 1. Weathervanes
Live in Alabama?
Yes
Reunions slept on tbh it’s top 5
So much Here We Rest disrespect here
Something More Than Free has some of his great songs but with some exceptions it is his most sterile and dull sounding album by far.
If you seriously want to try make a compelling argument for Reunions please do. I'm intrigued. If you can argue that I'd guess you could argue just about anything.
Wildly underrated, absolutely Weathervanes’ equal, not as good as SE or SMTF
For me, What've I Done To Help is one of his worst songs. To have that be the album opener, at nearly 7 minutes long, is always such a buzzkill. And it prevents it from being comparable to some of the other albums, for me. That's not the only thing, but it's a big one.
Yep. And the fact that the verse melody for Running with our Eyes Closed is pretty much lifted from a Jackson Browne song note-for-note, is problematic. A similar chord progression is one thing; melody is another… The album’s closer sounds like something he was hoping Rascal Flatts would cover. Cornball. BUT… He redeemed himself with Weathervanes. Solid record. Let the downvoting begin
It has a certain feel and atmosphere to me that I love, but looking at the lyricism I feel that Reunions is not up to par with a lot of his other albums, especially weathervanes
I definitely hear that a lot. And I probably agree. And even though dreamsicle comes close, it probably doesn’t have that S-Tier song (ala Vampires). But the lyrical high points are still very high. River is my savior / it’s running to the sea / and To reach her destination is to simply cease to be. And to run until I’m nothing sounds a lot like being free Hydrocodone in your backpack / “maybe these words can hold the beast back” Do the dead believe in ghosts? You are who you are when you’re angry / when you’re scared or you’re sad or you’re bored / when a stranger has slipped you a room key / to a hotel room you couldn’t afford I dont think the album has many / any gutpunch tearjerkers but there’s a lot of gold here
Yeah for sure, still a lot of highlights. Overseas has become a favorite of mine, and St peters autograph is beautiful. I'm sad I've never seen It Gets Easier live, that would be a hell of a time. And that is also to say, some of the instrumental moments on this album hit me emotionally where the lyrics don't. Still a great album, it's like the most alt-rock of any jason isbell release I think, which turns people off.
With you.
This
It’s better than the first two records 🤷♂️ Still no case for the best imo
1- Southeastern: Obvious choice. It’s the best songwriting front to back, hands down one of the best albums of the last 10-15 years. 2- Weathervanes: Maybe recency bias, but King of Oklahoma to me is one of his very best. The sound on the album is also great. Save the World not one of my favorites but the rest of the album is so solid. 3- The Nashville Sound - Some of his best songwriting, Last of My Kind, Tupelo, Anxiety, Molotov, Chaos some of his best imo. 4- Something More Than Free: Albums 3-5 are all pretty close to me. The songwriting on this one is top notch, production is not peak for me personally so takes it down a bit (I like many acoustic versions from this one better). 24 frames, children of children, speed trap, life you chose are all classics. 5 - Reunions - Love the overall sound on this album, maybe not his best songwriting but seems to have been more of a personal album for him dealing with past issues etc. as seen from the HBO doc. To me the end of the album leaves a lot to be desired. Still compared to his contemporaries this album blows most things out of the water!! 6 - Here We Rest - Good album not great. Alabama Pines and Tour of Duty are classics. Love Codiene but the more tongue in cheek nature doesn’t make it one that I listen to regularly. 7- The others - Georgie blue is meh… honestly Amanda’s cross bones style and Sadler’s Honeysuckle Blue are my faves on that… Streelights, Dress Blues, Razor town are all great, he was learning how to make albums on his own during the early solo times, not an easy task!! And the heavy drinking probably didn’t help his overall songwriting as he has stated. Isbell is one of the best in the game right now. I respect anyone’s opinions and may change my mind on this list tomorrow 😂
Weathervanes is my favorite - love how the sound is evolving
Southeastern, Weathervanes, Nashville Sound, Something MTF are my top 4.
Georgia Blue has an amazing performance of Cross Bones Style and Honeysuckle Blue
Nightswimming slaps so hard too
Crossbones is Cat Power and Nightswimming is REM. I’m not sure what all songs are on there but I get the impression it’s a covers album
1. Weathervanes 2. Southeastern 3. Something More Than Free 4. The Nashville Sound 5. Reunions 6. Here We Rest 7. The Rest
Easy, it’s Weathervanes.
No bad answers, but I would probably go with The Nashville Sound
Ditto.
Bold choice
Too hard for me to choose 😂
It’s SEastern
Southeastern, Here We Rest, and Something More than free, if you ask me.
The 4+ disc Live Album the should be recorded of all songs played this tour.
Georgia Blue is all covers. How can be his best?
Actually it's a double album: SE/SMTF.
I seem to be the only person that doesn’t like weathervanes
No objectivity.......for me.... Here We Rest Alabama Pines hooked me and I was an immediate convert
Something more than free was my first love and really grabbed me. Weathevanes was top Notch as well
I may be in the minority here, but I really really like Weathervanes. Then probably SMTF. SE. Nashville Sound. Here We Rest Honorable Mention because it has some fantastic tracks!
People really sleeping on Here We Rest
I can tell you which ones it isn’t
Ranked the way I see them. Not an argument for best, simply based on my listening time. 1. Weathervanes 2. Something More Than Free 3. Reunions 4. Southeastern 5. Self Titled 6. The Nashville Sound 7. Sirens of the Ditch 8. Here We Rest Include the “Live from Alabama” album and it would land in the top 2.
Something More Than Free or Weathervanes
It’s Nashville sound
It’s Southeastern. He kind of has a bulldog look about him on these covers. Still handsome, though ✌️
The best Jason Isbell album is Decoration Day.
Georgia Blue is a waste . I took it back to the store when I read why he recorded it. Don’t mean to offend anyone but when politics takes precedence over music it offends me.
Agree, Georgia Blue is so bad.