Reunions
| Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit
Reunions
Reunions is the seventh studio album released by Jason Isbell, accompanied by his backing band The 400 Unit. It was released first in independent record stores on May 8, 2020, through Southeastern Records, intended to help small businesses amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It received a wide release a week later on May 15, 2020. The songs "Be Afraid", "What've I Done to Help", and "Only Children" were released as singles prior to the album's release. Reunionspeaked at number 9 on the US Billboard 200 chart. -Wikipedia
Critic Reviews
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Pitchfork
The alt-country singer-songwriter’s new album moves steadily and carefully, lingering on the conflicted emotions of his finely-etched tales and the band’s textured, elegant understatement.
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Variety
The singer-songwriter's seventh album continues his reign as one of Americana's master craftsmen.
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Medium
Reunions is the work of an artist at the height of his powers, a man who sees the gifts he’s been given and honors them with both his love and his hard work. It’s an excellent, excellent record.
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Pop Matters
This is an excellent album in its own right, and I can't imagine any Isbell fan being disappointed by it. The 400 Unit are in fine form this time out, with keyboardist Derry deBorja being used particularly well throughout the record. It's already a candidate for one of 2020's best.
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Rolling Stone
The singer-songwriter’s latest is his most crisply produced and lyrically haunted work yet.
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Paste Magazine
His best impulses he keeps channeling into his music, on seven albums and counting, and the result is a body of work that often feels indispensable. Isbell is a songwriter’s songwriter, but the songs that result are for all of us.
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Stereogum
Reunions makes it four good records in a row. Let it fuck you up. And if you have to, let yourself cry in front of your family.
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Meaww
a collection of 10 sincere, moving songs that delve into relationships with lovers, friends, children, parents, and the narrator himself. The end result showcases a talented artiste at the height of his powers and a sublime backing band ready to nimbly rise to every musical occasion.
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The Fire Note
On this seventh album, Isbell never loses contact with his inner voice, he’s just given it a larger audience by embracing a bigger, more polished production that anticipates a larger crossover audience that will no doubt appeal to rockers. It’s a solid move.
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The Young Folks
In Reunions, as elsewhere in Isbell’s career, the simple matter of settling down and raising a family is made to sound like the greatest adventure of them all.
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Sputnik Music
More than anything, it is still incredibly authentic and an opening into the soul of a real man. With Reunions Jason Isbell has welcomed us all into this new stage of his life, even while he’s not quite sure what it will look like.
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Six Shooter Country
We’re all going to have our own memories of this most peculiar year, but Jason Isbell will be one of the artists providing the soundtrack.
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Louder Sound
Saviour of alt.country Jason Isbell is in fine form on Reunions, solo album number seven.
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Folk Alley
the sound is somehow grittier and more refined, more urgent and more soulful, all at once.
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Maximum Volume Music
It is one of the finest albums of Isbell’s already stellar career, and one of the finest, most lyrically interesting records this year.
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Daily Herald
Isbell's music has that grow-on-you quality that makes it hard to measure instantly against his previous work. That's not a flaw, to be clear -- and it's safe to say this album will start some new arguments.
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National Review
Reunions is a set of human stories, not of talking points. And Isbell recognizes that the story of a family fractured by an ocean is a human story not much different from his own. Such an understanding produces a spectacular performance that cannot be reduced to mere politics. It may also inspire politics that cannot be reduced to mere performance.
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Narc Magazine
This is a record which once again displays Jason Isbell’s songwriting prowess, he’s a true master of his craft. Reunions is crammed with passion and heartfelt songs, opening with What’ve I Done To Help there is a stripped back element that underpins the first few tracks.
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Spectrum Pulse
I can hear this album being challenging for some audiences, but man, it’s still worth it all the same. Absolutely take the time, check this out.
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Saving Country Music
Fans don’t have nearly the platform Isbell does, but it is a platform Isbell has earned from the sheer magnitude and power of his creative output, of which Reunions adds to.
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Stereoboard
‘Reunions’ may not be quite as consistent and captivating as previous efforts, but with radio ready cuts to wet the eyes, stir the soul and rouse a little righteous indignation, it should cement Isbell’s position as the crossover poster boy for modern day Americana while also reaffirming his status as one of the finest songwriters of this generation.
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No Ripcord
He talks about moving forward and working on these issues, leading to a beautiful thing that’s communicated on Reunions. He’s afraid, but he’ll do it anyway.
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Brooklyn Vegan
a lively, powerful album for a world on fire.
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