★★★★
After the success of his last critically acclaimed album, Southeastern, expectations for Jason Isbell’s latest release Something More Than Free were very high, and he doesn’t disappoint. It’s a classic country album, with elements of folk and rock scattered throughout.
Something More Than Free is for the most part an optimistic record, and opening track ‘If It Takes a Lifetime’ highlights this, setting the tone for what’s to come. Isbell’s descriptive storytelling only enhances the appeal.
‘How To Forget’ is an acoustic gem with great harmonies. Although ‘Children Of Children’ is the longest song on the album at nearly six minutes, it’s also the most powerful. ‘Palmetto Rose’ is an extremely catchy blues rock tune. The final track, ‘To A Band That I Loved’ is a tribute to Centro-Matic – the mid-’90s Texas alt-country group founded by singer-songwriter Will Johnson.
Joining Isbell on this album are his band, The 400 Unit, and his wife, violinist Amanda Shires.
He remains the star, however, and Something More Than Free further cements Isbell’s standing as one of America’s finest singer-songwriters.
