Music documentaries

I finally finished watching the Jason Isbell doc on HBO this morning. It was really good. Like really good. I'm glad to see some folks revisiting Reunions as a result of it and context helping them understand why it was my AOTY of 2020 (lol)
 
I guess I shouldn't be amazed at his and Amanda's willingness to share very intimate information in the movie, but it still shocked me to see how transparent they were with their life during its filming.
 
When she starts reading that email with “Dear Mr. Husband” it gets me every time.

I still don’t care for the production/sound of “Reunions”, but I am enjoying more of the songs than I originally did thanks to the doc. I liked the album, and loved a handful of songs, but I didn’t initially feel like it was on the level of the albums before it. I still think ‘What’ve I Done To Help’ was the wrong song to open that record with. It’s so repetitive, and feels really long to me. Kinda starts things off on an awkward note for me.
 
Aron said:
When she starts reading that email with “Dear Mr. Husband” it gets me every time.

I still don’t care for the production/sound of “Reunions”, but I am enjoying more of the songs than I originally did thanks to the doc. I liked the album, and loved a handful of songs, but I didn’t initially feel like it was on the level of the albums before it. I still think ‘What’ve I Done To Help’ was the wrong song to open that record with. It’s so repetitive, and feels really long to me. Kinda starts things off on an awkward note for me.
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Reunions is the reason I am an Isbell fan, he was something I didn't turn the radio from before. Reunions (like Before These Crowded Streets) hit me at a time in life when it very much paralleled my own journey. I mean it was the year I sobered up. My wife and I have been up and down and persevered. We were pregnant and I had a dread of what if I fuck this one up? Dealing with isolation both as a blessing and a curse.

What've I Done to Help is very much a mantra. It's a beautiful way to start off the album, both in its abruptness and its repetitiveness - as it is a grounding, a reminder of what is coming and that he has, and has been, helped.

Watching the documentary helped me realize that all these things I got out of it were actually what was meant to be there... the album (and the doc) also gave me insight into his earlier work... context from the other side as it were.

There has never been a moment that I more identified with anyone than when he says that "she's the only one that makes me feel like I belong" and also "I realized that I'm okay, I mean I'm an asshole, but we'll figure that out." I was basically tears the whole damn thing.
 
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