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
Jason Isbell
ReleasedJuly 17, 2015
GenreAmericana, alternative country
Length43:55
LabelSoutheastern
ProducerDave Cobb
Jason Isbell chronology
Southeastern
(2013)		 Something More Than Free
(2015)		 The Nashville Sound
(2017)

Reception
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?8.2/10[3]
Metacritic87/100[4]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[5]
The A.V. ClubA−[6]
The Daily Telegraph[7]
Entertainment WeeklyA[8]
The Irish Times[9]
Mojo[10]
Pitchfork5.8/10[11]
Rolling Stone[12]
Spin7/10[13]
ViceA−[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'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.TitleLength
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

Charts

References
  1. "Jason Isbell - 06/20/15". Absolute Punk. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
  2. Colurso, Mary (February 15, 2016). "Grammy Awards 2016: Jason Isbell wins for Best Americana Album & Best American Roots Song". Alabama Media Group. Retrieved February 16, 2016.
  3. "Something More Than Free by Jason Isbell reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
  4. "Reviews for Something More Than Free by Jason Isbell". Metacritic. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
  5. Deming, Mark. "Something More Than Free – Jason Isbell". AllMusic. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  6. 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.
  7. Chilton, Martin (December 30, 2015). "Best Country Music Albums of 2015". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
  8. Vain, Madison (July 17, 2015). "Something More Than Free by Jason Isbell: EW review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
  9. Breen, Joe (July 30, 2015). "Jason Isbell: Something More Than Free | Album Review". The Irish Times. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  10. "Jason Isbell: Something More Than Free". Mojo (261): 92. August 2015.
  11. Deusner, Stephen M. (July 14, 2015). "Jason Isbell: Something More Than Free". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
  12. Bernstein, Jonathan (July 17, 2015). "Something More Than Free". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  13. Joyce, Colin (July 17, 2015). "Review: Jason Isbell Sees a Darkness, Embraces Light on 'Something More Than Free'". Spin. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  14. Christgau, Robert (October 10, 2015). "A Trip Down Country Road: Expert Witness with Robert Christgau". Vice. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  15. Manning, Craig (July 14, 2015). "Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free - Album Review". absolutepunk.net. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
  16. Freeman, Jon. Something More Than Free - Jason Isbell. countryweekly.com. 13 July 2015. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
  17. Winograd, Jeremy. Jason Isbell: Something More Than Free. Slant. 8 July 2015. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
  18. "The 50 Best Albums Of 2015". stereogum.com. December 1, 2015. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
  19. "16th Annual Country Music Critics' Poll". nashvillescene.com. January 28, 2016. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
  20. "40 Best Country Albums of 2015". rollingstone.com. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
  21. Jim Asker (July 28, 2015). "Jason Isbell Lands No. 1 on Country Albums Chart". Billboard.
  22. Bjorke, Matt (July 12, 2016). "Country Albums Sales Chart: July 12, 2016". Roughstock.
  23. Mason, Anthony (August 9, 2015). "The fall and rise of Jason Isbell". CBS News. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
  24. Kellmurray, Beth (July 27, 2015). "Jason Isbell Celebrates the Chart Success of 'Something More Than Free'". Diffuser.fm. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
  25. Hight, Jewly (August 5, 2015). "Country Star (and Expectant Dad) Jason Isbell 'Glad to Have My Baby on the Brain'". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
  26. Mazor, Barry (August 4, 2015). "'Something More Than Free' by Jason Isbell Review". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
  27. "Jason Isbell Album & Song Chart History - Adult Alternative Songs". Billboard.com. Retrieved September 10, 2015.
  28. "Jason Isbell Album & Song Chart History - Rock Airplay". Billboard.com. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
  29. "Australiancharts.com – Jason Isbell – Something More Than Free". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  30. "Ultratop.be – Jason Isbell – Something More Than Free" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 24, 2015.
  31. "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week 30, 2015". Chart-Track. IRMA. Retrieved July 24, 2015.
  32. "Swedishcharts.com – Jason Isbell – Something More Than Free". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 24, 2015.
  33. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 24, 2015.
  34. "Jason Isbell Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
  35. "Jason Isbell Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 28, 2015.
  36. "Jason Isbell Chart History (Top Americana/Folk Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 28, 2015.
  37. "Jason Isbell Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 28, 2015.
  38. "Jason Isbell Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 28, 2015.
  39. "Top Country Albums – Year-End 2015". Billboard. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  40. "Americana/Folk Albums – Year-End 2015". Billboard. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  41. "Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2015". Billboard. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  42. "Top Country Albums – Year-End 2016". Billboard. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
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