Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – Here We Rest – Lightning – LRR-24652 - ***

Often regarded as The Drive-By Truckers' most talented member, only to leave and find his belatedly acclaimed colleagues surpass him, Jason Isbell might appear to be Alt Country's Robbie Williams.
The eleven tracks on his perfectly paced third solo collection politely play out just as one might expect, from dainty fiddle driven numbers to lightly gnarled roots rockers, each domestic vignette as clearly drawn as the last, but with few surprises.

Perhaps Isbell benefitted as much from the Truckers' melodrama and mess as they did from his cool head and professional precision.

(24/4/11)