Something More Than Free
Something More Than Free is the fifth studio album by Jason Isbell. It was produced by Dave Cobb, who also produced Isbell's last record, Southeastern.[1] The album received the Grammy Award for Best Americana Album at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards.[2]
Something More Than Free | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||
Studio album by | ||||
Released | July 17, 2015 | |||
Genre | Americana, alternative country | |||
Length | 43:55 | |||
Label | Southeastern | |||
Producer | Dave Cobb | |||
Jason Isbell chronology | ||||
|
Reception
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AnyDecentMusic? | 8.2/10[3] |
Metacritic | 87/100[4] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The A.V. Club | A−[6] |
The Daily Telegraph | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Entertainment Weekly | A[8] |
The Irish Times | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Mojo | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Pitchfork | 5.8/10[11] |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Spin | 7/10[13] |
Vice | A−[14] |
Something More Than Free received mostly positive reviews. On Metacritic, the album has a score of 87 out of 100 based on 25 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim."[4]
The A.V. Club's Eric Swedlund praised the album, writing "though Something More Than Free may not repeat Isbell’s album-of-the-year accolades, it continues the magic of that breakthrough LP."[6] In another positive review, Craig Manning of AbsolutePunk wrote "Like Southeastern, Something More Than Free is a masterwork, and while I'm not sure if I quite agree with Isbell that it's better than Southeastern, it certainly offers a different (but equally satisfying) experience."[15] Jon Freeman of Nash Country Weekly gave the album a grade of A, writing "Jason Isbell has a reporter’s eye for detail and a poet’s gift for a beautifully crafted turn of phrase." Freeman continued, "Jason’s throaty rasp, not unlike Tyler Farr’s, is the ideal vehicle for those stories [..] It may not be all pretty, but Something More Than Free is as real as it gets."[16] In a mixed review, Pitchfork's Stephen Deusner described Something More Than Free as " an album that contains too few surprises," writing that "the music does little to distinguish these characters or enliven the lyrics."[11] In an otherwise positive review, Jeremy Winograd of Slant Magazine wrote that Something More Than Free "retains Southeastern's intimate acoustic-based feel and heavyhearted lyrical matter, but it's even more smooth-edged and lacks the emotional gut-punches of its predecessor."[17]
Accolades
Publication | Accolade | Year | Rank |
---|---|---|---|
Stereogum | The 50 Best Albums of 2015 | 2015 | #31[18] |
Nashville Scene | 16th Annual Country Music Critics' Poll | 2015 | #2[19] |
Rolling Stone | 40 Best Country Albums of 2015 | 2015 | #1[20] |
Commercial performance
The album debuted on the Billboard 200 at No. 6, and on the Top Country Albums as well as the Top Rock Albums charts at No. 1 upon its release in the United States, with 46,000 units sold.[21] As of July 2016, the album has sold 143,000 copies in the US.[22]
Something More Than Free debuted at number 1 on Billboard Magazine's rock, folk and country record charts.[23][24] Although he had had critical success in the Americana genre, this was the first time Isbell received such high ranking across genres.[25] The album was well received.[26]
The single '24 Frames' peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Triple A chart[27] and at No. 42 on Rock Airplay.[28]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Jason Isbell.
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "If It Takes a Lifetime" | 3:43 |
2. | "24 Frames" | 3:16 |
3. | "Flagship" | 3:52 |
4. | "How to Forget" | 4:06 |
5. | "Children of Children" | 5:52 |
6. | "The Life You Chose" | 4:05 |
7. | "Something More Than Free" | 3:33 |
8. | "Speed Trap Town" | 4:04 |
9. | "Hudson Commodore" | 3:26 |
10. | "Palmetto Rose" | 4:06 |
11. | "To a Band That I Loved" | 3:52 |
Personnel
- Dave Cobb - acoustic guitar, percussion
- Derry Deborja - mellotron, organ, piano, synthesizer, Wurlitzer
- Chad Gamble - drums
- Jimbo Hart - bass guitar
- Jason Isbell - amplifiers, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, nylon string guitar, resonator guitar, hi-string acoustic guitar, microphone, slide guitar, lead vocals, background vocals
- Amanda Shires - fiddle, strings, background vocals
- Sadler Vaden - electric guitar, background vocals
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
|
References
- "Jason Isbell - 06/20/15". Absolute Punk. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
- Colurso, Mary (2016-02-15). "Grammy Awards 2016: Jason Isbell wins for Best Americana Album & Best American Roots Song". Alabama Media Group. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
- "Something More Than Free by Jason Isbell reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
- "Reviews for Something More Than Free by Jason Isbell". Metacritic. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
- Deming, Mark. "Something More Than Free – Jason Isbell". AllMusic. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
- Swedlund, Eric (July 17, 2015). "New sides of Jason Isbell surface on the excellent Something More Than Free". The A.V. Club. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
- Chilton, Martin (December 30, 2015). "Best Country Music Albums of 2015". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
- Vain, Madison (July 17, 2015). "Something More Than Free by Jason Isbell: EW review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
- Breen, Joe (July 30, 2015). "Jason Isbell: Something More Than Free | Album Review". The Irish Times. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
- "Jason Isbell: Something More Than Free". Mojo (261): 92. August 2015.
- Deusner, Stephen M. (July 14, 2015). "Jason Isbell: Something More Than Free". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
- Bernstein, Jonathan (July 17, 2015). "Something More Than Free". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
- Joyce, Colin (July 17, 2015). "Review: Jason Isbell Sees a Darkness, Embraces Light on 'Something More Than Free'". Spin. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
- Christgau, Robert (October 10, 2015). "A Trip Down Country Road: Expert Witness with Robert Christgau". Vice. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
- Manning, Craig (2015-07-14). "Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free - Album Review". absolutepunk.net. Retrieved 2015-07-16.
- Freeman, Jon. Something More Than Free - Jason Isbell. countryweekly.com. 13 July 2015. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
- Winograd, Jeremy. Jason Isbell: Something More Than Free. Slant. 8 July 2015. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
- "The 50 Best Albums Of 2015". stereogum.com. 2015-12-01. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
- . nashvillescene.com. 2016-01-28 http://www.nashvillescene.com/news/article/13062912/16th-annual-country-music-critics-poll. Retrieved 2016-04-10. Missing or empty
|title=
(help) - . rollingstone.com https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/40-best-country-albums-of-2015-20151208/don-henley-cass-county-20151207. Retrieved 2016-11-04. Missing or empty
|title=
(help) - Jim Asker (July 28, 2015). "Jason Isbell Lands No. 1 on Country Albums Chart". Billboard.
- Bjorke, Matt (July 12, 2016). "Country Albums Sales Chart: July 12, 2016". Roughstock.
- Mason, Anthony (9 August 2015). "The fall and rise of Jason Isbell". CBS News. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
- Kellmurray, Beth (27 July 2015). "Jason Isbell Celebrates the Chart Success of 'Something More Than Free'". Diffuser.fm. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
- Hight, Jewly (5 August 2015). "Country Star (and Expectant Dad) Jason Isbell 'Glad to Have My Baby on the Brain'". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
- Mazor, Barry (4 August 2015). "'Something More Than Free' by Jason Isbell Review". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
- "Jason Isbell Album & Song Chart History - Adult Alternative Songs". Billboard.com. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
- "Jason Isbell Album & Song Chart History - Rock Airplay". Billboard.com. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
- "Australiancharts.com – Jason Isbell – Something More Than Free". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
- "Ultratop.be – Jason Isbell – Something More Than Free" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 24, 2015.
- "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week 30, 2015". Chart-Track. IRMA. Retrieved July 24, 2015.
- "Swedishcharts.com – Jason Isbell – Something More Than Free". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 24, 2015.
- "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 24, 2015.
- "Jason Isbell Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
- "Jason Isbell Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 28, 2015.
- "Jason Isbell Chart History (Top Americana/Folk Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 28, 2015.
- "Jason Isbell Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 28, 2015.
- "Jason Isbell Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 28, 2015.
- "Top Country Albums – Year-End 2015". Billboard. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
- "Americana/Folk Albums – Year-End 2015". Billboard. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
- "Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2015". Billboard. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
- "Top Country Albums – Year-End 2016". Billboard. Retrieved July 25, 2020.