Back in the early 70's, the appearance of every guitar strumming talent prompted murmurings of "the new Dylan." We heard it famously about Springsteen when he burst forth with "Greetings..", but we also heard it endless, about Loudon Wainwright, John Prine, Patti Smith, Warren Zevon. Dylan was barely in his 30's by then, but he was the reference point. If you sang sophisticated lyrics and had an unconventional voice, you were the "new Dylan."
Flash forward forty years. Here's Jason Isbell, lately a member of the alt-country Drive By Truckers. He has the aching vocal strain of Ryan Adams, the lyrical sophistication (and bleakness) of Zevon. Songs of hard luck, regret and hope. A shoe-in for my top ten of 2013.
You know his "Stockholm" from your favorite indie radio station. His poignant, "Different Days" will remind you of another new Dylan, Cat Stevens (in his best moments).
But the masterpiece is this heartbreaker, "Relatively Easy."
