progression and catchy refrain of“ Are You Ready For Love” should make it a live concert highlight. The chunky beats of“ Chinese Fire Horse”( which somehow recalls both Siouxsie Sioux AND Salt-N- Pepa) give way to the jagged, angular industrial groove of“ Hold,” a clear contender for radio airplay. Nothing here rivals the sublime summery pop hits of“ Special,”“ When I Grow Up,” or“ Stupid Girl,” but the mix here is so dense and twisted that the album reveals its many quirks through repeated listens. The whole album has a narcotic vibe, due to Shirley’ s post-surgery recovery with the lyric“ I found God in Tramadol” being simultaneously funny and worrisome on album closer“ The Day That I Met God.” However, with an album as layered and creative as ** Let All That We Imagine Be The Light, fans of Garbage have nothing to be worried about. Appearing 9 / 29 at the Salt Shed, Chicago
– Andy Derer
7
JASON ISBELL Foxes in the Snow( Southeastern)
Following a string of albums with his cracking Americana outfit, the 400 Unit, including 2023’ s gloom-laden Grammywinner Weathervanes, erstwhile Drive-By Trucker Jason Isbell returns with the intimate solo acoustic release Foxes in the Snow. It’ s a daring project musically, relying solely upon Isbell’ s nimble flatpicking and his roadworn voice. It’ s also a daring project thematically, wherein Isbell’ s private life and artistic life share space unflinchingly close to the bone.“ There’ s a lot of heavy stuff on the record, and it felt private,” Isbell told an MSN interviewer about his reason for going it alone this time. With the stark, stripped arrangements and Isbell’ s daring lyrics, it’ s straightforward to intuit that songs including the emotional“ Gravelweed” reflect upon Isbell’ s divorce from 400 Unit violinist( and solo force / Highwomen founder) Amanda Shires.“ I’ m sorry the love songs all mean different things today,” he sings about a partnership that famously raised him out of addiction and toward maturity.“ True Believer” takes a decidedly more confrontational tone.“ All your girlfriends say I broke your fucking
heart, and I don’ t like it,” sings Isbell bluntly. Eventually, he promises to hold onto an ember of the friendship embedded within the relationship.“ Eileen” is couched in fictional storytelling, but includes the damning line,“ forever is a dead man’ s joke.” Nonetheless, this is not a breakup album. That’ s not all it is, anyhow. The destruction and upheaval are apparent, but the radiant birth of new love is reflected in equal power.“ Open and Close” tells a vivid story set in a room in New York, describing the uncertainty and skittishness that come with embarking on a new relationship.“ Good While it Lasted” is another portrait of rapt infatuation.“ For a minute in the afternoon, I almost didn’ t think of you, and it was good while it lasted,” the smitten Isbell sings huskily. He also refers to his very public relationship with addiction and eventual commitment to sobriety.“ Last time I tried this sober, I was 17,” he sings about courtship in his 40s.“ Wind Behind the Rain” closes the album, brimming with the joy of new love and high hopes.“ I want to see you smiling when you’ re 90,” sings Isbell. He goes further in the title cut.“ I love her well and I love her sick. I love the carrot, but I really like the stick.”
Isbell investigates other subjects as well. The tumbling“ Don’ t Be Tough” unfolds with a stream of adages offered to a younger counterpart on the value of vulnerability and empathy. The lead single,“ Bury Me,” veers sideways from American into authentic country and western.“ I ain’ t no cowboy, but I can ride,” sings Isbell with a hearty twang while describing a life lived to the fullest.“ Crimson and Clay” contrasts the rightward lean of his upbringing in Alabama with his outspoken leftward views. He describes the prevalent shadow of racism across his youth.“ Little noose in a locker, brown eyes crying in the hall,” he sings of a high school memory. Nonetheless, he maintains love and allegiance to his home.
Foxes in the Snow could be said to describe a period of confusion and uncertainty, but Isbell confronts these circumstances head-on.“ I ain’ t lost yet,” he sings during the winsomely melodic " Ride to Robert’ s "( with its tribute to Nashville honky-tonk Robert’ s Western World), even as he’ s clearly navigating new streets without the benefit of Google maps. Appearing 7 / 12 at the Coranado Theatre, Rockford.
– Jeff Elbel
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