Overview

Reunions, released in 2020, is Jason Isbell's sixth studio album with the 400 Unit. Co-produced by Dave Cobb — who also worked on Isbell's breakthrough records Southeastern and Something More Than Free — the album was recorded largely in Nashville and carries the warm, layered sound that has become a hallmark of Isbell's mature work.

Where some of Isbell's earlier albums were marked by stark confessional writing, Reunions feels more comfortable in its skin. It's the album of an artist who has earned his place and is now willing to explore mood and texture as much as narrative.

The Songwriting

Isbell has long been regarded as one of the finest lyricists working in American roots music, and Reunions does little to challenge that reputation. The album opens with "What've I Done to Help," a song that confronts the gap between good intentions and meaningful action — a question that feels evergreen.

The standout track, "If I Had Known You Then," is a meditation on past versions of oneself — the people we were before experience and loss reshaped us. Isbell sings it with the kind of earned weariness that younger artists can't fake. Equally strong is "St. Peter's Autograph," which blends Southern gothic imagery with deeply personal reflection.

Sound and Production

Dave Cobb's production has always given Isbell's records a rich, analogue warmth, and Reunions is no exception. The 400 Unit — Derry deBorja on keys, Chad Gamble on drums, Jimbo Hart on bass, and Isbell's wife Amanda Shires on fiddle and vocals — sounds cohesive and confident throughout. The arrangements are fuller than on some previous records, with strings and layered guitars adding texture without overwhelming the songs.

Shires's contributions deserve special mention. Her fiddle and harmony vocals give several tracks an emotional dimension they couldn't achieve otherwise, and her presence is felt throughout as both musical and spiritual.

Highlights and Lowlights

  • Strongest tracks: "If I Had Known You Then," "St. Peter's Autograph," "Dreamsicle," "Only Children"
  • Good but not exceptional: "Running With Our Eyes Closed," "Overseas"
  • Less memorable: A couple of mid-album tracks don't quite reach the heights of the best material, though none are weak by any objective standard.

Context and Comparison

Reunions sits comfortably in Isbell's catalog without being his definitive statement. Southeastern (2013) remains his most emotionally raw and essential record. Something More Than Free (2015) may be his most cohesive. Reunions is perhaps his most sonically ambitious — it's the record where he seems most interested in atmosphere and ensemble playing rather than the lone voice confessing into the dark.

Final Verdict

For listeners already familiar with Isbell's work, Reunions is a satisfying and often beautiful addition to a remarkable catalog. For newcomers, it's a fine starting point, though Southeastern offers a more immediate introduction to what makes him special. Either way, Reunions confirms that Jason Isbell remains one of the most important voices in American roots music — a songwriter who takes the form seriously and rewards the same from his listeners.

Rating: 4 out of 5