I always knew of Drive By Truckers, but, for no particular reason, never really got into them (other than the occasional foot stomp when they came on Pandora). But when I heard the former Trucker, from Florence, AL, Jason Isbelle singing “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out” on the Album to Benefit Preservation Hall, I was instantly a fan. His voice is perfect. Incredibly soulful, yet smooth.
Today, after a solo album, Isbelle is fronting Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit. The band released a self-titled album in June. It’s a fantastic mix of acoustic and electric Americana with a side of Southern soul. There’s a Deluxe version on Amazon for the same price as the regular (so…be sure you get THIS one). Tracks like “Streetlights,” “Coda” and “The Blue” remind me of the singer songwriters I used to listen to in the 90s. “No Choice in the Matter” has a New Orleans soul sound. “Cigarettes and Wine” 100% Alabama Southern Rock.
The band recently kicked off The Paste Tour with Langhorne Slim, Jesse Sykes and Phil Wandscher and Mimicking Birds. They hit NYC on October 20th. Ohh, if you’re a Truckers fan, I think he still plays “Goddamn Lonely Love.”
Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit on Amazon
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