Jason Isbell. Foxes In The Snow.
This sublime stripped-back country album opens acapella with the reflective Bury Me. ‘Bury me where the wind don’t blow, where the dust won’t cover me, where the tall grass grows,’ implores Isbell before his acoustic guitar kicks in. It’s bare-bones country blues yet it’s immediately effective, with a chorus that hooks straight in, ‘Well, I ain’t no cowboy but I can ride/And I ain’t no outlaw, but I’ve been inside…’
Grammy-winner Isbell, 46, found fame in southern rockers Drive-By Truckers but his first solo album in a decade feels closer to old-school country than modern crossover acts. He’s been through addiction and a 2021 divorce, and comes over as open, honest, and raw.
These heart-felt, straight-talking songs capture the strains and sadness of lost love while celebrating the hope of new beginnings. Eileen is a break-up ballad, played over gentle finger-picking. ‘Eileen, you should’ve seen this coming sooner,’ he sings on the chorus, revealing ‘someone broke my heart once and I was useless for a week’. Her parting message was a letter saying simply, ‘Forever is a dead man’s joke’.
The songs are simple, just one man and his guitar with no overdubs or effects, and there’s a rare beauty in that. The jaunty Don’t Be Tough, advises ‘Don’t be tough until you have to/Take your heartbreak on the chin’, adding, ‘Don’t say love unless you mean it, but don’t say sorry ’less you’re wrong.’
He bites hardest on True Believer, ‘Just when you think I’m beaten, I get up every time.’ Other highs include the infectious title track and the contrite Gravelweed. On the last verse of the opener, Isbell sings ‘Bury me in the last few lines, of an obituary for these trying times.’ The smart money says he’ll merit far more than that.
Lady Gaga. Mayhem.
Her ladyship returns to her club roots on 14 tracks awash with dance beats and huge power-pop choruses. The funky Killah sounds like a hit Prince forgot to release. Perfect Celebrity skewers fame – ‘I’m made of plastic like a human doll/You push and pull me, I don’t hurt at all.’ Abracadabra samples Siouxsie & The Banshees, and it’s a banger.
Envy Of None. Stygian Waves.
Ex-Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson’s new band swerves prog rock and Neil Peart’s Ayn Rand bent to opt for a haunting, ambient vibe. They open with the driving Not Dead Yet and peak with the spell-binding cinematic groove of That Was Then. It’s a dreamy immersive album with singer Maiah Wynne on mesmerising form. Smart, sophisticated, and bewitching.
The Creation. Our Music Is Red with Purple Flashes.
Alan McGee took the name of Creation Records from this 60s Mod band, best known for their 1967 hit Painter Man and Making Time – now The Great Pottery Throw Down theme tune. This set packs in 65 tracks over four discs, including the How Does It Feel To Feel? compilation in both mono and stereo and the two albums released after their 90s reunion.