The Nashville Sound is the sixth studio album by Jason Isbell, and the third credited to "Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit" (the first since Here We Rest in 2011). It was released on June 16, 2017.[2][3] The album was produced by Dave Cobb, who had produced Isbell's previous two albums: Southeastern (2013) and Something More Than Free (2015). At the 60th Annual Grammy Awards, the album won the award for Best Americana Album, and the song "If We Were Vampires" won the award for Best American Roots Song.

The Nashville Sound
Studio album by
ReleasedJune 16, 2017
StudioRCA Studio A (Nashville, Tennessee)[1]
GenreAmericana, alternative country
Length40:17
LabelSoutheastern
ProducerDave Cobb
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit chronology
Something More Than Free
(2015)
The Nashville Sound
(2017)
Reunions
(2020)

Reception

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Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.9/10[4]
Metacritic82/100[5]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [6]
American Songwriter     [7]
The A.V. ClubB [8]
The Independent     [9]
Mojo     [10]
Pitchfork6.3/10[11]
Record Collector     [12]
Rolling Stone    [13]
Uncut9/10[14]
ViceA[15]

The album earned Isbell his first CMA Award nomination, which was for Album of the Year at the 2017 ceremony. It won Best Americana Album at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards, and International Album of the Year at the 2018 UK Americana Awards. Additionally, "If We Were Vampires" won the Grammy for Best American Roots Song.[16]

Accolades

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Publication Year Accolade Rank Ref.
Rolling Stone
2017
50 Best Albums of 2017
21
Stereogum
2017
The 50 Best Albums of 2017
49
Uncut
2017
Albums of the Year
72
Exclaim!
2017
Top 10 Folk and Country Albums of 2017
4

Commercial performance

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In the United States, the album debuted at number 4 on the Billboard 200 with 54,000 album-equivalent units, of which 51,000 were pure album sales.[21] It is Isbell's highest placement on that chart, besting Something More Than Free, which peaked at number 6 in 2015.[21] As of December 2018, the album had sold 152,500 copies in the U.S.[22]

The single "If We Were Vampires" peaked at number 29 on the Billboard Triple A Airplay chart.[23]

Track listing

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All tracks are written by Jason Isbell, except where noted

No.TitleLength
1."Last of My Kind"4:22
2."Cumberland Gap"3:24
3."Tupelo"4:01
4."White Man's World"3:56
5."If We Were Vampires"3:35
6."Anxiety" (Isbell, Amanda Shires)6:57
7."Molotov"3:46
8."Chaos and Clothes"3:34
9."Hope the High Road"3:03
10."Something to Love"3:39

Personnel

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Credits adapted from AllMusic.[24]

The 400 Unit

  • Jason Isbell – lead vocals, harmony vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar
  • Derry Deborja – keyboard, Therevox, photography
  • Chad Gamble – drums
  • Jimbo Hart – bass
  • Amanda Shires – harmony vocals, fiddle, photography
  • Sadler Vaden – electric guitar

Production and design

Charts

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References

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  1. ^ Gold, Adam (8 February 2018). "Three Years After Being Saved, Studio A Still Makes an Impact". Nashville Scene. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  2. ^ Leahey, Andrew (June 14, 2017). "Jason Isbell's 'The Nashville Sound': Track-by-Track Guide". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  3. ^ Horton, Carrie (June 12, 2017). "Everything We Know About Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit's New Album, 'The Nashville Sound'". The Boot. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  4. ^ "The Nashville Sound by Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved August 29, 2019.
  5. ^ "Reviews and Tracks for The Nashville Sound by Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit". Metacritic. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  6. ^ Deming, Mark. "The Nashville Sound – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit / Jason Isbell". AllMusic. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  7. ^ Beviglia, Jim (June 13, 2017). "Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit: The Nashville Sound". American Songwriter. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  8. ^ Williams, Matt (June 16, 2017). "Jason Isbell is world-weary yet hopeful on The Nashville Sound". The A.V. Club. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  9. ^ Gill, Andy (June 14, 2017). "Album reviews: Fleet Foxes – Crack-Up, Beth Ditto – Fake Sugar, Royal Blood – How Did We Get So Dark?". The Independent. Archived from the original on 2022-06-18. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  10. ^ Hodgkinson, Will (June 15, 2017). "Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit – The Nashville Sound". Mojo. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  11. ^ Sodomsky, Sam (June 17, 2017). "Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit: The Nashville Sound". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  12. ^ Staunton, Terry (July 2017). "Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit – The Nashville Sound". Record Collector (468). Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  13. ^ Bernstein, Jonathan (June 15, 2017). "Review: Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit Look Outward on 'The Nashville Sound'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  14. ^ Mueller, Andrew (July 2017). "Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit: The Nashville Sound". Uncut (242): 32.
  15. ^ Christgau, Robert (June 17, 2017). "Robert Christgau on Jason Isbell, Steve Earle, and a Flood of New Country". Vice. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  16. ^ "2018 GRAMMY Awards: Complete Winners List". Grammy Awards. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
  17. ^ "50 Best Albums of 2017". Rolling Stone. November 27, 2017. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
  18. ^ "The 50 Best Albums of 2017". Stereogum. December 5, 2017. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  19. ^ "Uncut's 75 Best Albums of 2017". Uncut. November 21, 2017. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
  20. ^ "Top 10 Folk and Country Albums of 2017". Exclaim!. December 4, 2017. Retrieved Jan 9, 2018.
  21. ^ a b Caulfield, Keith (June 25, 2017). "Lorde Earns First No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart With 'Melodrama'". Billboard. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
  22. ^ Bjorke, Matt (December 4, 2018). "The Top 10 Country Albums Sales Chart: December 4, 2018". Roughstock. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
  23. ^ "Jason Isbell Album & Song Chart History - Adult Alternative Songs". Billboard.com. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  24. ^ "The Nashville Sound - Jason Isbell, Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit - Credits - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 17 June 2017.
  25. ^ "ARIA Australian Top 50 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. June 26, 2017. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
  26. ^ "Ultratop.be – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – The Nashville Unit" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
  27. ^ "Ultratop.be – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – The Nashville Unit" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
  28. ^ "Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
  29. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – The Nashville Unit" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
  30. ^ "Irish Albums Chart: 23 June 2017". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
  31. ^ "NZ Heatseekers Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. June 26, 2017. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
  32. ^ "VG-lista – Topp 40 Album uke 25, 2017". VG-lista. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
  33. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
  34. ^ "Sverigetopplistan - Sveriges Officiella Topplista". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved June 23, 2017. Click on "Veckans albumlista".
  35. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – The Nashville Unit". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  36. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
  37. ^ "Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
  38. ^ "Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit Chart History (Top Americana/Folk Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
  39. ^ "Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
  40. ^ "Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
  41. ^ "Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
  42. ^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 2017". Billboard. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
  43. ^ "Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2017". Billboard. Retrieved July 19, 2020.