Sirens of the Ditch

Sirens of the Ditch
Studio album by
Jason Isbell
ReleasedJuly 10, 2007 (2007-07-10)
Recorded2003–2007
StudioFAME Studios (Florence, Alabama)
Genrerock, alternative country
Length50:16
LabelNew West Records (2007)
ProducerJason Isbell, Patterson Hood
Jason Isbell chronology
Sirens of the Ditch
(2007) 		Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
(2009)
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic78/100[1]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
The A.V. ClubA−[3]
Entertainment WeeklyA−[4]
Pitchfork7.4/10[5]
PopMatters[6]

Sirens of the Ditch is the debut solo album released by singer-songwriter and former Drive-By Truckers lead guitarist, Jason Isbell. The album was released on July 10, 2007.

After leaving Drive-By Truckers amicably in 2007, Isbell released Sirens of the Ditch on New West Records. Sirens of the Ditch was recorded at FAME Studios, where among the musicians helping to record the album was Patterson Hood of Drive by Truckers and Spooner Oldham, famous for his work with Aretha Franklin and Neil Young.[7] According to Washington Post writer Catherine Lewis, Sirens of the Ditch has "a more bluesy pop sound" than Isbell's work with Drive-By Truckers.[8] The first single from the album, "Brand New Kind of Actress," deals with the death of Lana Clarkson in Phil Spector's mansion.[9] Another single, "Dress Blues," concerns the death of Corporal Matthew Conley, a US Marine from Isbell's hometown who was killed in the Iraq War.[7] "Dress Blues" was also recorded by the Zac Brown Band (featuring Jewel), on their April 2015 release, Jekyll + Hyde.

The album was re-released on July 13, 2018. Titled Sirens of the Ditch: Deluxe Edition, the album features four previously unreleased songs.[10]

Track listing

[edit]
No.TitleLength
1."Brand New Kind of Actress"5:35
2."Down in a Hole"4:22
3."Try"4:52
4."Chicago Promenade"3:23
5."Dress Blues"4:11
6."Grown"3:46
7."Hurricanes and Hand Grenades"5:11
8."In a Razor Town"3:19
9."Shotgun Wedding"3:49
10."The Magician"4:20
11."The Devil Is My Running Mate"3:45
Deluxe Edition
No.TitleLength
12."Whisper"4:41
13."Crystal Clear"5:02
14."The Assassin"3:40
15."Racetrack Romeo"5:00

Personnel

[edit]
  • David Barbe – keyboards
  • Mike Dillon – drums
  • David Hood – bass guitar
  • Patterson Hood – acoustic guitar, electric guitar
  • Jason Isbell – banjo, bass guitar, dobro, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, Hammond organ, piano, lead vocals, background vocals, Wurlitzer
  • Clay Leverett – background vocals
  • Brad Morgan – drums
  • John Neff – pedal steel guitar
  • Spooner Oldham – Hammond organ
  • Shonna Tucker – bass guitar, background vocals

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Sirens of the Ditch by Jason Isbell". Metacritic. Retrieved May 17, 2018.
  2. ^ Horowitz, Hal. "Sirens of the Ditch – Jason Isbell". AllMusic. Retrieved May 17, 2018.
  3. ^ Heller, Jason (July 1, 2007). "Jason Isbell: Sirens of the Ditch (New West)". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on January 22, 2008. Retrieved May 17, 2018.
  4. ^ Collis, Clark (July 1, 2007). "Sirens of the Ditch". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 17, 2018.
  5. ^ Deusner, Stephen M. (July 1, 2007). "Jason Isbell: Sirens of the Ditch Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 17, 2018.
  6. ^ Lundy, Zeth (July 8, 2007). "Jason Isbell: Sirens of the Ditch". PopMatters. Retrieved May 17, 2018.
  7. ^ a b Mitter, Siddhartha. "He'll keep on trucking, but solo." Boston Globe July 15, 2007.
  8. ^ Lewis, Catherine P. "JASON ISBELL 'Sirens of the Ditch' New West." Washington Post July 13, 2007. Page WE06.
  9. ^ Tatangelo, Wade. "Lone Trucker." Creative Loafing Tampa. August 15, 2007.
  10. ^ Thompson, Stephen (June 6, 2018). "Hear Two Unreleased Jason Isbell Songs for the First Time". NPR.
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