Sirens of the Ditch

iTunes Review

It was only a matter of time before former Drive-By Truckers guitarist Jason Isbell issued a solo album; in a band with two other prolific writers, Isbell had trouble elbowing his way to the front. The overspill lands here on this four-years-in-the-making solo album, co-produced by the Truckers’ main man Patterson Hood and featuring appearances from bassist Shonna Tucker and drummer Brad Morgan. It’s pretty much what you’d expect from an alt.country boy versed in punk, pop and soul. Like his compositions with DBT, Isbell’s solo work reflects a genuine love for roots music, country singer inflections, crunchy hard rock guitar tones, gorgeous acoustic guitar shimmers and bluesy licks. “Brand New Kind of Actress” churns with a gritty Mellencamp classic rock guitar pump. “Down in a Hole” sways with Hammond Organ and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Ronnie Van Zant’s yearning blues vibe, while “Dress Blues” and “Hurricanes and Hand Grenades” move slowly like, well, melancholic Drive-By Truckers tunes. (There was a reason he spent six years with them.) Best is “In a Razor Town,” a gorgeous acoustic tune with a rustic backing that plays it simple and makes every note count.