Jason Isbell- Foxes in the Snow
Label: Southeastern
Producers: Jason Isbell, Gena Johnson
The tenth studio album from generational singer-songwriter Jason Isbell arrives in the aftermath of much upheaval and transition in the artist’s personal life, namely his divorce from fellow musician and bandmate, Amanda Shires, his wife of eleven years and whom Isbell credits for supporting him through his well-documented addictions toward a life of sobriety. To call an Isbell album personal or emotionally charged is usually unnecessary; there are few modern artists who have crafted such a deep chronicling of the human experience as Isbell, whether it be via fictional narratives or autobiographical tunes. Nonetheless, Isbell’s separation from Shires and newfound romance with professional artist Anna Weyant cut so close to home that he made the decision to record this album completely as a one-man effort. This is an all-acoustic record, featuring Isbell and Isbell alone, on vocals and guitar.
First and foremost this is a setting that, regardless of the inspirational circumstances, makes for a real treasure for listeners. How fortunate would we be if we could hear an album like this from every great songwriter in the musical canon; essentially performing their songs in the same formative state they were birthed, with just their raw voice and a guitar. It makes for an excellent showcase for qualities we already revere Isbell for: his powerful voice, his chilling lyrics, and evocative melodies. But it also demonstrates his raw musicianship, dexterity and range as a guitar player in fabulous fashion as well. The quality and clarity of new producer Gena Johnson’s work is outstanding as well, making this a record primed for your turntable. To hear it on vinyl is a true treat; it sounds like he’s strumming and singing to you directly from your living room recliner.
Then there are the songs themselves, all of them defined by the special Isbell touch we’ve come to adore. The three tracks that he’s specifically referenced as directly in response to his divorce from Shires–“Eileen”, “Gravelweed”, and “True Believer”–cover a remarkable swath of emotions and perspective from various states of the separation’s aftermath. “Eileen” is the most straightforward exercise in classic, potently raw Isbell devastation, narrating the arc of a doomed relationship from the blind optimism of its start through the cutting pain of its demise. All the while it’s leading to the ultimate knife-twist of the chorus: that his lover should have known this was coming all along given his inevitable trajectory toward heartbreak and loneliness. The same painful lesson awaits, albeit in more bittersweet fashion, on “Gravelweed”, a frank admission of the fact that some relationships only exist to serve certain, limited periods or purposes in time, in this case Shires’ role in helping him heal, and how their dynamic changed one he did. This one’s chorus is among his most poetic, and is underscored beautifully by the sweeping guitar work and a melody that is one-part comforting and two-parts wrenching: “I was a gravelweed and I needed you to raise me/I’m sorry the day came when I felt like I was raised/And now that I live to see my melodies betray me/I’m sorry the love songs all mean different things today.” Finally, there’s “Believer”, the album’s penultimate track, and what feels like the official musical farewell to his marriage and its relationship. It’s tattered with all of the layered contradictions and emotions that Isbell is so masterful at documenting in the flawed human experience: defiance, regret, avoidance, and ultimately acceptance.
Perhaps what proves most surprising and rewarding about Foxes in the Snow is that, despite being essentially a divorce record from Jason freaking Isbell, how well it balances sadness and heartbreak with the layers of levity, humor, and joy that are clearly peeking through the clouds in Isbell’s life in the divorce’s aftermath. Clearly, the opportunity to release the weight of his relationship with Shires, combined with the aforementioned newfound romance in his life, has enabled Isbell to approach his music with more of these elements, which were undoubtedly unicorns on the landmark albums he crafted in the wake of his then-newfound sobriety. The acoustic setting also naturally welcomes in the more whimsical country and folk roots of his music, leading to pure gems like the sly title track, the cozy “Ride to Robert’s”, and especially “Don’t Be Tough”. These moments take me back to the screen-porch Saturday nights that defined the summers of my youth, as my parents tuned into A Prairie Home Companion in between spins of albums from the likes of John Prine and Doc Watson. The greatest and most profound balancing act of the record however arrives with its lovely finale, “Wind Behind the Rain”, a stirring song of love and adoration for Isbell to carry into the new chapter of his life.
I’ve said this about Jason Isbell multiple times in the past, but it bears repeating nonetheless. He’s one of those rarely special artists that will be revered for generations to come, and we should consider ourselves rarely fortunate to bear witness to his prime years in real time. Foxes in the Snow is another thrillingly beautiful entry in one of the greatest runs of albums of this era and from any other in music history. It’s a remarkable document of a glorious love story, both what made it so great, and the devastation and ripple effects felt by its conclusion. It gorgeously balances sadness and regret with appreciation, acceptance, and ultimately recovery. And all of those emotions live and breathe boldly on the surface thanks to the album’s wisely stripped and rustic arrangements. It’s unquestionably another landmark achievement in his storied career.
Track Listing:
- “Bury Me” (Jason Isbell)
- “Ride to Robert’s” (Isbell)
- “Eileen” (Isbell)
- “Gravelweed” (Isbell)
- “Don’t Be Tough” (Isbell)
- “Open and Close” (Isbell)
- “Foxes in the Snow” (Isbell)
- “Crimson and Clay” (Isbell)
- “Good While It Lasted” (Isbell)
- “True Believer” (Isbell)
The 706 