Jason Isbell defines Americana in a two-hour masterclass
Words/Photos: Images by Ellis
★★★★★
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Americana is one of those genres that can be hard to explain without falling into a long list: a bit of folk, some blues, some rock’n’roll, a splash of country and maybe even a pinch of bluegrass. At Bristol Beacon, Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit provided a better definition: play all of those things with conviction, intelligence and heart, and let the songs do the explaining.
Photo: Images by Ellis | Jason Isbell at Bristol Beacon
Will Johnson opened the evening with an intimate set that suited the seated surroundings, before returning later as part of Isbell’s band. His presence would prove crucial, especially when pairing with Chad Gamble to create a double-drummer force – gong included – that gave some of the night’s biggest moments extra drama.
Isbell began with ‘Crimson And Clay’, before ‘Hope The High Road’ pushed things into widescreen rock’n’roll. ‘Gravelweed’ and ‘Traveling Alone’ showed the country side of his writing, while ‘Maybe It’s Time’ and ‘24 Frames’ reminded us how easily he makes reflective songs feel conversational rather than confessional.
Isbell clearly has a soft spot for Bristol, reminiscing about playing on the Thekla many years back and revelling in the rich acoustics of the Beacon. He even told us how he’d enjoyed spending time watching a movie at Watershed and visiting the museum on his day off.
The current 400 Unit lineup is a formidable one. Sadler Vaden remains Isbell’s sparring partner on guitar, while Derry deBorja coloured the songs with keys and accordion, and Anna Butterss, on electric and upright bass, anchored everything with supple authority. Isbell’s own guitar playing was brilliant throughout: one moment hitting hard with power chords, the next picking out delicate, Richard Thompson-like lines that seemed to hang in the air.
That interplay between Isbell and Vaden became one of the evening’s great pleasures. During ‘Overseas’, ‘King Of Oklahoma’ and ‘Miles’, their guitars locked together in a way that made time feel oddly elastic. You could get lost in it completely, the songs stretching out without ever feeling indulgent, and yet the whole night seemed to be over in a flash.
The set took us on a journey from Isbell’s early days in the much-loved Drive-By Truckers right through to the latest album, ‘Foxes In The Snow’, many of whose raw acoustic tracks became confident statements when re-imagined in full band format.
There was blues in ‘Goddamn Lonely Love’, Southern rock in ‘Decoration Day’, and bar-room release in ‘Super 8’. ‘Alabama Pines’ brought the deep country ache, while ‘If We Were Vampires’ drew a hush from the room.
Best of all was ‘Cover Me Up’. It began with the bare bones of Isbell and Vaden, intimate and exposed, with its celebration of enduring sobriety applauded (as is custom at his gigs), before the full band rose behind them. Johnson and Gamble’s double drums swelled the song into something huge, without losing the tenderness at its core.
By the end, Americana no longer needed explaining. Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit had defined it in real time, in an incredible two-hour masterclass.