Having lived in Texas for nearly ten years and working in the record business during that time, I saw a genre struck with an identity crisis. It was the early 2000s, and the “Nashville sound” started fusing into the newly revived Americana movement. A fresh wave of traditional county singer-songwriters blossomed across Texas.
Although its roots were inspired by Nashville, its heartbeat was strongest in Austin. The best singer-songwriters all seemed to be popping up quite quickly. Charlie Robinson, Bruce Robinson, Bob Schnieder, Pat Green, and several others were bringing a much-needed makeover to the bloated pop-style country being churned out and mass marketed. It was time for a reset, and all eyes were on Texas.
Meanwhile, just a few states away, an Athens-based “rock” band started making waves. The Drive-By Truckers were laying the foundation for a breakthrough in the scene, and the stage was set for the band’s defining moment when they signed with Austin-based New West records. It was also the first time that newish member Jason Isbell would significantly contribute to the songwriting. It was an exciting time when country music was being embraced by the hipsters of Austin.
With complete control of South by SouthWest and arguably the most prominent tastemakers at the time, they were waiting for the band that would bridge the two cities together. The Drive-By Truckers were on a tear and would answer that call. More importantly, in this story, you could see Isbell’s influence and songwriting chops come into play. He would continue to blossom, and it was inevitable that he would need to branch out and ultimately go solo.
So, where the hell was the UK during this movement? Who the fuck knows, but nearly two decades later, Jason Isbell is playing his biggest show in London with his band, the 400 Unit, surpassing his fellow Trucker bandmates who played a smaller venue earlier this year. With only two shows booked across the country, I was eager to see how this would go. It seems to me that they are much more receptive and supportive than the other way around, or maybe it’s much harder to break a band and tour across the vast chaotic landscape of the continental US. Nonetheless, London never ceases to surprise me with their support of bands from the States, but was there an “Americana” scene here?
It was, of course, two years postponed for the pandemic. Still, while most musicians suffered with ticket sales being refunded from the three or four rescheduled dates, Isbell sold the place out. Maybe the anticipation fueled the success? Perhaps it was the surprising embrace of the impromptu covers album Georgia Blue, or maybe it was just that this guy’s songs are so good. Either way, Isbell was playing the legendary Hammersmith Apollo this time, his biggest show yet in London.
Speaking of that brilliant covers album, Jason Isbell Tweeted about the idea of Georgia Blue just after Election Day 2020. As the country was on edge awaiting election results, Isbell shared, “If Biden wins Georgia, I’m gonna make a charity covers album of my favorite Georgia songs.”
We all know what happened next. But more importantly, we got an extraordinary album of covers with songs by artists with ties to Georgia, including R.E.M., the Black Crowes, Driving and Crying, Cat Power and more. While we only got one song from the album in the set—it was a cracker with “Honeysuckle Blue”—Isbell also threw in another stellar cover with Fleetwood Mac’s classic “Oh Well,” which turned into a rollicking jam session showcasing the raw talent of his incredibly capable band.
But the moment that I think everyone was waiting for came during the set’s final song, “Cover Me Up” from his 2013 album Southeastern. Written for his wife after completing alcohol rehab, it’s very often cited as not only his best song but one of the best of all time from the genre, and for a good reason. It stopped me in my tracks; the entire ballroom was dead silent. You could have turned off the microphone, and it would have been crystal clear what was being sung and the emotion conveyed. I would guess anyone in the crowd paying attention got choked up.
Isbell came out to finish the night with “If We Were Vampires” and “Decoration Day.” What a hell of a show and one hell of a night. Jason Isbell proves that he’s one of the last troubadours and in many ways, I still feel like he’s just getting started. Next time he comes to London I’m thinking it’s time for Brixton Academy, or maybe even Royal Albert Hall.
