Great albums always tell a common story throughout, and this is one of the greatest albums of this generation. Certainly, from Cover Me Up through Relatively Easy, this is some of the best songwriting of the last two decades.
I do want to slightly disagree with jfoxx about the album being centered about the downtrodden. More than anything, Southeastern has to deal with redemption and Isbell's path to happiness and love in his life.
This theme is hinted at in many of his songs; it's true, common themes are loneliness, alcoholism, drugs, death, etc. But in many of the songs, there's that "but..."
Even possibly the darkest song, Elephant, he ends the song repeating "we just try to ignore the elephant somehow," hinting that despite the cancer they still have a special moment of real human connection. In Songs That She Sang In the Shower, at the end he says "the frost on the ground probably envies the frost on the trees."
jfoxx is right in saying that this song is the punchline to the album. It strikes you as Isbell's philosophy on life, it was the whole purpose of Southeastern. Despite everything, he now has someone to look forward to in his wife, and his once lonely heart beats relatively easy.
What an incredible album. Raw emotion, sadness, beauty, love, hope, and he does it all without using any awful cliches throughout. Jason Isbell is emerging as one of the great artists of our generation, and his music will be timeless.
Also, this is my favorite song of the album, which says a lot.
Great albums always tell a common story throughout, and this is one of the greatest albums of this generation. Certainly, from Cover Me Up through Relatively Easy, this is some of the best songwriting of the last two decades.
I do want to slightly disagree with jfoxx about the album being centered about the downtrodden. More than anything, Southeastern has to deal with redemption and Isbell's path to happiness and love in his life.
This theme is hinted at in many of his songs; it's true, common themes are loneliness, alcoholism, drugs, death, etc. But in many of the songs, there's that "but..."
Even possibly the darkest song, Elephant, he ends the song repeating "we just try to ignore the elephant somehow," hinting that despite the cancer they still have a special moment of real human connection. In Songs That She Sang In the Shower, at the end he says "the frost on the ground probably envies the frost on the trees."
jfoxx is right in saying that this song is the punchline to the album. It strikes you as Isbell's philosophy on life, it was the whole purpose of Southeastern. Despite everything, he now has someone to look forward to in his wife, and his once lonely heart beats relatively easy.
What an incredible album. Raw emotion, sadness, beauty, love, hope, and he does it all without using any awful cliches throughout. Jason Isbell is emerging as one of the great artists of our generation, and his music will be timeless.
Also, this is my favorite song of the album, which says a lot.