Music,
And I haven't posted in a while. But I caught Jason Isbell, formerly of the Drive-By Truckers at the Borderline tonight. And I have to say, though I wasn't the biggest fan when Jason's solo album came out, I understand where he is going and, as a fan of the music, am enriched by it. The 400 Watt was solid grounding a good vibe feel. And Isbell came across to me totally different tonight, someone I could relate to, someone you went to high school with who was putting out their ideas and emotions that just so happened to be rock n' roll. And that was the difference. The DBT are awesome, nothing disputing that. But when I heard Isbell do his numbers at the Koko in '06, 'Dress Blues' floored me then still to say the least, they were a part of the badass DBT. For better or for worse, the depth of the songs he wrote also felt tied in a myth - a myth most any DBT song could create (hey, and I love them). But tonight it was raw. And it was great because I don't think the studio effort, as incredibly acclaimed as it is, gets it across - especially when juxtaposed with DBT. A North Carolinian and someone who loves North Carolina I've been living in London since '05 and it really made me miss home tonight. Jason's lyrics are earnest and his demeanor is such that he could be your thoughtful buddy from high school.
So I enjoyed it. And I enjoyed seeing the audience react. Folks loved it, though no one seemed to get a rise when 'don't sing with a fake British accent' belted through the Marshall stack. Nor did they get the 'I'm from Alabama where we are all related - I guess we might have to have a queen' tongue in cheek joke. But I have to go back to how much I personally appreciate the earnestness of the lyrics - again not the 'Southern' myth but something anyone could construct a Southern myth out of. Two Brits standing in front of me were cynically harping on the focus on small towns rife within Jason's lyrics. I stepped in and said you can't escape your home just as you can't escape your crazy relative, everyone has them. Home is 18 years of your life (to which, of course, these guys said 16 with their A levels and all) but the picture is still the same. I'd like to believe home is home to everyone, encompassing those who made it home. Of course, as evidenced by tonights conversation, that isn't the case but I have to thank Isbell's lyrics for bringing home to me tonight.
SS
