MARCH/APRIL 2011 ISSUE MMUSICMAG.COM SPOTLIGHT

browan lollar, Chad gamble, Jason

Joshua black wilkins Joshua black Isbell, Jimbo Hart, Derry deborja The feeling, the fever, the folks, the fiddles, a farewell and the 400 Unit

Jason Isbell Is not feelIng well. easy to imagine Isbell and his bandmates— “I’m always kind of glad to get sick at home,” keyboardist Derry deborja, bassist Jimbo he says optimistically, “because I don’t want Hart, guitarist browan lollar and drummer to mess with it when I’m on the road.” He’ll Chad gamble—hanging out on a back porch have to get out of his sickbed soon, like it or on a sunday. “the arrangements were in not—he and his backup group the 400 Unit service to the songs themselves,” Isbell have just completed their new album, and a explains. “It wasn’t a concerted effort by series of high-profile gigs awaits. the album’s to make a more rootsy record, but title, , is more than a little ironic once the songs were there that’s what they MARCH/APRIL 2011 given Isbell’s current condition, but the title asked for. we just tried to have a good time M MUSIC & MUSICIANS has nothing to do with R&R—it’s the original recording a bunch of sad songs.” motto of his home state of , where In fact, Isbell owes his career to the MAGAZINE he was raised and still resides. It’s there fact he’s a son of the south. an early he found the inspiration for his latest set of association with some of the region’s most songs, among some of the people hardest prominent players led to an introduction to hit by america’s economic meltdown. “You fellow singer-songwriter and have to pay attention to the folks around an invitation to join his band, the Drive-by you,” Isbell says. “the best stories come truckers. a six-year stint with the truckers from people who are miserable. there’s a found him contributing to three albums prior lot of worth in what people say—in bars, at to his amicable departure in 2007. “It was ballgames—just regular people who aren’t like stepping off the edge,” Isbell recalls. by definition creative.” “It’s almost like having a kid—you may not be the weathered Here We Rest is prepared, but it doesn’t really matter. what relatively low-key compared to the fire and has to happen just happens.” He doesn’t fury of Isbell’s previous albums. fiddles, regret his decision. “when something works accordion and acoustic guitars dominate and I know how much I put into it,” he says, the proceedings, and on songs like “alabama “it feels really good.” Pines,” “Codeine” and “tour of Duty,” it’s –Lee Zimmerman

2020

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