This is Jason’s music stripped bare. Words and melody, Voice and guitar is all that is required.  Those fortunate enough to have heard the demos on the deluxe edition of his wondrous, career changing ‘Southeastern’ album will have an idea what to expect.

The sheer quality of songs on that album, such as ‘Cover me Up’, and ‘Elephant’, latched Isabell in the major league, a position he has maintained with critically acclaimed albums such as ‘Something more than Free’, ‘The Nashville Sound’, and ‘Weathervanes’.

These albums were recorded with a full band sound, that his ever growing band of fans have grown to love, and expect. ‘Foxes in the Snow’, marks a brave departure from that template.

In career terms, this could be viewed as Isbell’s ‘Nebraska’.

Some of the themes are well-travelled ground, Love and Loss, battles with addiction and life on the road, home, belonging and loneliness. Yet Isbell is always able to bring his own, unique take on the issue.

Full of Isabel’s sardonic humour and wit. Take this from ‘Ride to Robert’s’

We all get lost out here

The deepest ditches line the righteous path,

God said hold my beer

And he made a man so he can watch him laugh

Or this, from the lovely ‘Open and Close’

I’m mad at the sidewalk, and I’m mad at the rain,

I’m mad at the band who played Kid Charlemagne in the Bar in the village, and the solo all fucked up to hell

Given the last few turbulent years he has experienced, the listener can muse for themselves what is autobiographical, and what is fiction, adding another layer of intrigue to the record. For me, I’m just happy to audially wallow in another quite beautiful offering from this master craftsman.

Given the solo nature of the project, the comparisons that have been made to Steve Earle and particularly John Prine (Prine-esque?) will continue. But Isbell is a huge star, all of his own, a singular talent that others are now compared to.

His guitar playing, somewhat overshadowed in the past, by the band, is front and centre, and is quite wonderful. From simple accompanying strumming to dexterous solos, he seems completely at home, in this solitary setting. Favourites on the album change with listens. Currently the lovely intoxicating motif of ‘Eileen’ and the quite beautiful ‘Wind behind the Rain’ are ingrained already in my mind, but it’s an album to be played without interruption on repeat.

Recorded over a mere 5 days, Jason plays, sings and produces the entire album.

‘Foxes in the Snow’ is a quiet thing of beauty, that may well prove to be a high point in Jason Isbell’s already storied career. It will certainly be an album that fans will return to time and time again, and even this early in the year, a short odds favourite for the Grammys