Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit: Weathervanes

I was late to the Jason Isbell party, given his Americana pedigree, I should have been a fan years ago. I saw him live in the summer of 2019 in Minneapolis. It was a double bill of Isbell and Father John Misty – I was there to see Father John Misty. Isbell won me over that night: he had great songs, was a hot guitarist, had a tight band (the 400 Unit), and was an engaging performer. I then fell in love with the next studio album, 2020’s Reunions. Since then, I have become a Drive-By Trucker fan (Isbell was in that band for six years, from 2001 to 2007), explored some of the Isbell solo catalog, and saw him live again at the legendary Minneapolis rock club: First Avenue (celebrating his star on the wall). He is one of the giants of alt-country/Americana, and I am now all in as a fan (although I have more of his solo catalog to explore).

Weathervanes is his ninth studio album and the sixth, accompanied by his backing band, the 400 Unit. Isbell has been on a positive trajectory for a decade now, and this release continues the trend. This is another solid album in the catalog and specifically shines a light on the brilliance of the 400 Unit as a band – previous albums focused more on Isbell as a singer/songwriter.

Isbell reminds me of Springsteen: songs about real people with real problems, a tight band with its own personality that is not overshadowed by the star, and an engaging performance personality that, despite the star power, comes off as down to earth. He is Mr. Americana, but he is a rocker and this album rocks!

I am not familiar enough with Isbell’s catalog to call this his best, but it sure appeals to me – until I learn more, I will call this his best. A guy on Twitter said Isbell “Falls victim to his FM Rock tendencies. Leaves me cold.” I agree Isbell clearly has 70s classic rock influences front and center here (I hear: Neil Young, Skynyrd, Springsteen, the Allmans, the Stones, Petty, The Faces, The Who, etc.), but I am more than okay with that. He makes it his own and executes it flawlessly. Unlike Twitter Guy, it leaves me on fire!

Lyrically this is a heavy album: school shootings, the opioid crisis, working-class exhaustion, separation, letting down a friend, emotional abandonment of one’s family, etc., but it is not depressing. Here is another way he is like Springsteen: somehow, all these downer stories are uplifting.

This is an excellent album with no stinkers, but I want to focus on the last two songs: “This Ain’t It” and “Miles.” There are so many great ones here, but I will focus on these two. Closing an album is a skill, and Isbell and the band win with a walk-off.

“This Ain’t It” is a cross between early 70s Stones and the Allman Brothers. It has a sexy guitar mid-song interlude à la the Stones’ “Can’t You Hear Me Knockin’.” “This Ain’t It” kicks ass. This song could be a Black Crowes song – I say that as a total compliment. Lyrically, Isbell tells the story of a woman the song’s narrator abandoned and his disappointment in her choice to be with a wealthy man.

“Miles” starts out as vintage Neil Young with Crazy Horse. But it doesn’t stay there – it transitions into a Beatlesque jam – specifically George Harrison. Lyrically it deals with a very adult theme: being physically present yet emotionally distant from your family. There is no infidelity, but there is still damage: “There’s miles between us” and “In the name of forgiveness, we get bored.”

Again, like Springsteen, Isbell does not write dumb rock songs but deep adult morality tales. Amazingly, it is done in a completely entertaining way. It is quite the magic trick.

I have not listened to every Isbell track over his career, but I have a decent familiarity with his vocals. On Weathervanes, his vocals have a richness that has him at a new level. The 400 Unit’s drummer, Chad Gamble, says Isbell dug back into his roots as a singer on Weathervanes. “He’s got some growl in there that we haven’t heard in a while, you know? I think his voice is in as good shape as it’s ever been, and he’s gotten a little more playful with his vocals on this record.”

Again, I am not an expert on the catalog, but based on what I have listened to, Isbell albums have had a strong singer-songwriter vibe. This one has a rock vibe – more emphasis on arrangements and the sound of a rock band. That sonic decision elevates the lyrics. When rock works, it is transcendent, and on Weathervanes, it is totally working. I love rock n’ roll! The best summary of this album is on the LP’s hype sticker: “LIFE AND DEATH SONGS PLAYED FOR AND BY GROWN ASS PEOPLE.” Damn!