Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit - Hope The High Road (New Release)
Posted Mar 23, 2017, 2:11 PM UTC
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Sonically, it's a lot different than his last two albums. And that's not a bad thing. It's good to hear him and the 400 Unit rocking out again.
Lyrically, not his best work. But still not bad. I feel like he tried to keep it vague and not an over the top assessment of the current state of politics and society, but there's no escaping thats what it really is.
If the whole album has this sound though, I'll be happy about it.
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Jason used to say Cooley used too many words, this song feels like that.
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That's funny. Cooley's songs are my fave DBT songs. I made a playlist of DBT songs and let my bro in law listen to it and within like 20 minutes he was like "so basically you just like Cooley's songs, right?" Pretty much...
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Oh cool, I didn't see that. That was a good read.
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Did you hear the song? Thoughts?
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Oh my god I'm an idiot... I tried to post the YouTube link to the song originally and am just now realizing it's just the album art.
The song is catchy but I'm a little concerned about how much of the album is going to be topical. I think music has just as much place in dissent as anything else but I'm used to Isbell writing insightful, subtle songs about love, death, sorrow, etc. universal things that everyone is going to experience and will find different meaning in. This just might be too polarizing for a lot of people.
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I hear your concern, but if he's able to pull off anything half as poignant and moving as the DBT record from last year I'm all for it.
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There's nothing truly polarizing in this message though, and it's completely non-partisan. He's just saying "Take the high road," a message anyone on the American political spectrum could use a reminder of.
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I hear what you're saying about Isbell's strengths, but I guess we might be moving into a world where we don't have the luxury of separating the personal from the political.
I mean, I've lived a peaceful life in pretty peaceful times. But that's less true for my parents, for example, and the music they had reflected that.
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and if you just want the link to the tune on youtube: here it is
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I like the upbeat, more electric, more rocking sound, it captures more of what the band is like in live shows - they can really jam.
But the lyrics are a bit blunt. Definitely not his most subtle song-writing effort. And you get the sense he thinks it's more clever than it is. The lines about he's done writing about himself and being the wrong place for a sad song just kind of fell flat for me. I enjoyed the song, but it didn't make me enthusiastic about buying an entire album of political/social commentary.
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Sounds very Noah Gundersen! I'm liking it.
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Great song, all of it.
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Great song! excited for the new album!
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-14
If you don't stand for something, you stand for nothing. Isbell has always been able to take a stand for something in the past -i.e. "Dress Blues" and this one wasn't really that harsh.
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Most people I know (on both sides of the aisle) can't even handle the responsibility of wielding a facebook page without voicing their opinions over EVERYTHING in their world. Especially their politics.
Now, imagine your whole life (financially, creatively, personally, etc) revolved around you writing for a living. I'm going to go right ahead and assume you'd probably write about your opinions. I just can't understand people who seem shocked when an artist like Isbell (who has made a career about honest, deep and personal lyrics) writes a political song they don't agree with.
Furthermore, take some of your own advice and...
quit acting like everyone who voted differently than you is a bad person
... or doesn't, at least, deserve an outlet for their thoughts and fears.
If your politics rob you of the ability to enjoy even music... then maybe it's time to take a step back, harden up a bit, and realize the world doesn't revolve around your, apparently, fragile sensibilities.
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-10
I would buy a Ted Nugent album tomorrow. Stranglehold kicks ass. I could care less if he's a raving Trump supporter. And if he writes a pro-Trump song I won't pout about how my precious political beliefs are being attacked by conservatives who just don't understand me. Mean Ted Nugent "talking down to me."
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Don't him give him money then? He doesn't owe you anything.
I might disagree with literally everything Ted stands for, but Stranglehold is dope AF so I'll keep listening to it.
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I'm... really kind of unimpressed with this.
I like the sound and production, and I'm excited he's moving in a more rock direction with this record, but the lyrics are really lacking for me. It's somehow simultaneously too political and doesn't say enough. Just a very vague political anthem.
I dunno. I've come to expect better from him, and this being the lead track worries me. I hope the rest of the album is stronger, I've really been looking forward to it.
I agree for the most part. After seeing the video hinting at the albums release I was hoping it would be a lot heavier instrumentally.