Song Review – Jason Eady’s “Barabbas”
Jason Eady will not be the next Stapleton, Isbell, or Simpson. He’s too good, and too country for all of that. Instead he’ll be the guy that remains so pure of expression—like Guy and Townes—that he’ll never get spoiled by superfame, while his legacy will still be something of such weight and import, nobody will concern themselves with how many seats in an arena he could sell during the height of his career.
Jason Eady is not one to sweep you off your feet if you aren’t already predisposed to finding the appeal in his music. He’s not the gateway drug for your pop country friends to convert to Americana. There are much more potent antidotes for such an exercise. Jason Eady is a fairly dry, hushed experience, and from what we’ve been told about his upcoming self-titled album to be released April 21st, we can expect even more sparsity on this new one.
When you have a good song, most everything else tends to get in the way. That’s the case with “Barabbas.” Wise songwriters know that when you can put the weight of historical moments and important figures behind your song, you’re getting a vastly superior head start on your average, sappy love song, or summer ode about splashing through the mud in your truck. Listen to “Pancho and Lefty.” Jason Eady, and the host of all-star Texas songwriters who contributed to this track—including Larry Hooper, Adam Hood and Josh Grider—put together something that is both devout and agnostic, historical yet fictitious, and pricks just about every zone of human perception that song needs to arouse to go from good to great.
To even germinate the idea of writing a song about the man who was let free when Jesus was sentenced to crucifixion is pretty wondrous in itself, but isn’t it a great representation of how we all walk through life holding on to guilt—products of our past transgressions—trying to make the best of second chances, and the past just as much of a burden as the future is a beacon. Barabbas got off scot-free so that an innocent man could die, but sometimes the conscience can be be as fierce as a prison sentence. Even so, life is what you make of it, and regardless of what got you here, you must move forward by being grateful for the opportunity, and gracious for the gift of life. We all owe that to those that died to make it all possible.
Far from preachy, “Barabbas” is even a bit folksy, which makes it that much more approachable. Yet this song is bolstered by the weight of religious moments most all of us have been taught, whether we choose to heed the message. “Barabbas” is about a specific man, and about all of us, and like all great songwriting its message melds to each of our individual stories to mean something different to everyone in the audience. “Barabbas” is pretty genius, but served in such a simple way anyone can enjoy.
Two Guns Up.
– – – – – – – – – – –
February 24, 2017 @ 10:23 am
Daylight & Dark is one of my favorite albums ever. Really, really excited for the new one.
February 24, 2017 @ 2:51 pm
Here, here on that one! I still listen to that record on a regular basis. That has to be the most underrated album of the last few years. This guy is special, and im glad i was introduced to him. Quite a talent.
February 27, 2017 @ 2:08 am
I completely agree. I just discovered him last year, but since then I’ve listened to Daylight & Dark and AM Country Heaven very regularly. I’m really looking forward to this album.
February 24, 2017 @ 11:00 am
This is another another SCM tip I was turned onto (thanks). Heard this last night & love it. Between this & ‘Why I Left Atlanta’, hoping he’s gonna have a AOTY contender.
Sunny Sweeney also dropped another pre-release track, which is top notch. Marty Stuart too.
February 24, 2017 @ 11:09 am
Yes
February 24, 2017 @ 11:26 am
This is the second song off of his soon to be released album. Both are excellent. Looking forward to the new album.
February 24, 2017 @ 11:58 am
Wow. No other words. Just, wow!
February 24, 2017 @ 12:22 pm
It’s a really good song, so much that I’ll forgive the fact that it’s supposed to be spelled “Barabbas”.
February 24, 2017 @ 1:11 pm
Wow!!!!
February 24, 2017 @ 1:57 pm
Oh, my, this is outstanding.
February 24, 2017 @ 1:58 pm
I can picture myself listening to this song on a gloomy day and just be all sad.
February 24, 2017 @ 2:40 pm
Eady is a really fine writer, one of the best. His voice is pretty soft, gentle, and middy, — and so is the guitar here. Does anyone else hear them blending too much together for the words to be heard distinctly? A little eq might help the vocal pop more out of its surroundings.
This record is on my get list for sure.
February 24, 2017 @ 2:56 pm
I read this review twice, and I’m not sure if it’s favorable or negative. I have to disagree that Jason is not on par with Stapleton, Simpson, or Isbell. In my opinion he is equal or better, and I would gladly play his music for a friend wanting to hear traditional/Americana music, and I already have. This album is meant to be an acoustic album which might explain its simple arrangements, but his past albums speak for themselves.
February 24, 2017 @ 3:16 pm
I agree, Eady can certainly hold his own against the best. I took what Trig wrote not as an insult but a compliment in a favorable way towards Eady. I think he was comparing where Eady’s path will take him and it will take him down the path of the likes of Guy, Townes, REK and so many other great musicians and songwriters that chose to stay out of the big machine but make some of the best country music to date. There’s no denying the fact that Eady couldn’t make it to the level of Isbell or SS, but I don’t think that’s what he’s out to do. If it happens, great, but I think Eady is perfectly content with being on the outside with all the respect from the guys on the inside. Eady has a humbleness about him that bleeds into his work and no matter how big he can get, I don’t think that will ever change. I believe this record will be a hit for him due to the success we are seeing in the mainstream from others. Will it be a social hit? Who cares, it will be a great album and that’s what Eady set’s out to do.
I’m sure he’s out to make the best record he can, but I don’t think he has that chip on his shoulder to be the leader of the pack. Eady will do what he does best, play country music and at this point in his career, it won’t be ignored.
February 24, 2017 @ 3:40 pm
Yes, what Whiskeytown said, better than I could (or did).
Definitely wasn’t a knock on Eady.
February 24, 2017 @ 6:11 pm
That’s why I read it twice. I didn’t think you were knocking him, but wasn’t sure if you were saying he’s good, but not as good as the others. Whether he becomes the next big thing, or just the best small thing, Jason Eady is at the top of my playlist.
February 24, 2017 @ 3:20 pm
Just to point out, he said hes too good and too country to be the next Stapleton, Simpson, or Isbell. Not that he wasn’t good enough to be
February 24, 2017 @ 3:38 pm
No fireworks and light show nessicary, just a smooth Don Williams kind of country. Daylight and Dark is an modern classic. Hope this new record brings him to the level of those other guys you named, Jason certainly deserves it
February 24, 2017 @ 3:41 pm
Damn good song in fact one of the best I’ve heard in a long while…
And his singing style, relaxed and soft, and the sparse production, reminds me of an early Don Williams.
February 24, 2017 @ 3:49 pm
Slightly (ok completely) off topic, but Aaron Watson’s new album is outselling LBT’s new album on itunes. Also Rhiannon Giddens new album is out, and has been making me happy today :p. Just some good country stuff coming down the pike.
February 24, 2017 @ 3:55 pm
side note: and it’s not entirerly fair to the song, but as a historian and a Jew, I can’t separate the song from the actual history, that this (inaccurate) belief led to…
February 24, 2017 @ 6:03 pm
Everyone has a right to his/her own beliefs. That said, I think it was in poor taste to call someone’s belief “inaccurate.” You could have just said that as a Jew you were not into the song, and left it at that. That is respectable. To denounce someone’s beliefs, not so much.
February 24, 2017 @ 6:12 pm
The inaccurate historical belief, is that the Jews killed Jesus. That inaccurate belief helped lead to mass anti-antisemitism and hundreds of thousands of Jews being killed. And that belief being inaccurate isn’t a belief, it’s historical fact.
February 24, 2017 @ 7:33 pm
Glad you got it all figured out. Hopefully, the remaining 10 billion of us can find a way to get on board
February 24, 2017 @ 7:42 pm
um, wait what? Are you saying you think the Jews killed Jesus? Because if so…wow don’t even know where to start
(sorry Trigger, didn’t mean to pull thread off-topic like this)
February 24, 2017 @ 8:35 pm
Jason and his wife ,Courtney are both excellent writers. Very good story. Definitely five star song.
I almost ran my mouth, but then i caught myself. Nice try…..
February 24, 2017 @ 8:48 pm
I don’t generally demand historical accuracy, as I said in this case it’s my bias, that’s the problem, bc I get queezy around this topic. (just don’t tell me the song is historically accurate, cause it’s not)
February 24, 2017 @ 9:41 pm
You can be non-religious, or not a Christian, and understand the mythological significance of ideas or people. Was Barabbas real? Was Jesus real? If so, was he the son of God? Were the Jews responsible for his death, or the Romans? None of this should matter when you listen to a song like this, and frankly it’s a little degrading to even concern yourself about it. The songwriters took a character from history and told a story from his perspective. It was a really cool idea, and regardless of your religious affiliation there is wisdom of life to be had here. This is the reason that I dislike people interjecting politics and religion into music because all it does is take the magic out of it.
February 25, 2017 @ 8:54 am
Personal experience matters when listening to a song. If you didn’t have a good relationship with your father, the new ZBB song probably won’t resonate as much, if you don’t want to be a mother, the same with the new Sunny Sweeney song. I don’t think the song is poorly written, or anything like that. I said at the top that it was my bias, but because of the history surrounding this myth as it’s impacted my community, I don’t connect with this song. And their is a LOT of rather negative history around this myth.
February 26, 2017 @ 8:45 am
I’m not Jewish, but I can appreciate your perspective. I grew up in a observant Catholic family in a area where the white folks tended to be Catholic or Jewish. The freeing of Barabbas as told in the Gospel was the exclamation point on the whole “The Jews killed our Lord” thing and I would hear the story every Palm Sunday at Mass. I remember I used to get annoyed when Jewish kids I knew (neighborhood friends, Little League teammates, or whatever) would say “Jesus Christ” as a curse, as it was like adding insult to injury, because I believed that, you know, the Jews killed Jesus.
February 25, 2017 @ 5:41 am
I usually try to avoid politics or religion but I feel like I have to answer that comment.
It was an extremely evil symbiosis between hate, ignorance,racism and nationalism that
caused the holocaust. (And the WW2).
There is book written by a very well known Jewish writer, Stefan Zweig, if you haven’t read it do so. It’s a self biography I think the english titel is “The World of Yesterday” It was first publlish in Stockholm in 1942 And in my opinion it should be mandatory to read it in school just like Shakesper is in most schools…
February 25, 2017 @ 9:24 am
Don’t really want to get into it, you’re right about the Holocaust, but I’m not actually referring specifically or even primarily to the Holocaust.
February 25, 2017 @ 11:50 am
“but I’m not actually referring specifically or even primarily to the Holocaust”
OK. I’m sorry for misinterpret your post, but I work at a library and most of the history books that people lend are about WW2 or the Holocaust so maybe I relate to these issues to quickly. But it was this part of your post that made me think you were:
“lead to mass anti-antisemitism and hundreds of thousands of Jews being killed”
February 25, 2017 @ 11:53 am
Yeah, I get why you went there: crusades, inquisition etc. For a variety of reasons (one being time) we don’t really teach it in schools.
February 25, 2017 @ 8:51 am
You are correct about it not being fair to the song. No real reason to bring it up.
February 27, 2017 @ 1:42 pm
I debated coming back around to this thread, because I think it’s been beaten to death..but then more Jewish Community Center’s were evacuated today, and another graveyard vandalized.
I have been asked (by a roommate at summer camp) if I felt guilty for killing Jesus. It would be nice to be able to listen to this as just a song, but especially given the recent rise in antisemitic behavior, I don’t have that luxury. While most people have come stopped blaming Jews for killing Jesus, the belief still exists with some.
February 27, 2017 @ 6:58 am
“True, the Jewish authorities and those who followed their lead pressed for the death of Christ;(13) still, what happened in His passion cannot be charged against all the Jews, without distinction, then alive, nor against the Jews of today.” Pope Paul VI, Nostra Aetate, http://tinyurl.com/k4dj
April 21, 2017 @ 12:37 pm
It’s bizarre to me that so many people took offense to your objecting to Blood Libel.
I’m a mainstream Protestant, and one of the most upsetting experiences I ever had at church was when an Atlanta congregation had an entire chorus of “Jews” shouting “Crucify him!!!” at a Good Friday service.
February 24, 2017 @ 8:10 pm
I’ve had the genuine pleasure of hearing this whole project and it’s pure magic through and through. “Black Jesus,” “Where I’ve Been,” and “Waiting To Shine” (my personal favorite track of the year thus far) are all introspective storytelling at it’s very best. His bride Courtney sings perfect harmony behind many of the choruses and I just can’t say enough good things about the entire LP. His album When The Money’s All Gone easily ranks in one of my top ten favorite albums of all time but this one might be equally as good. I hope Thirty Tigers can get this out to as many ears as can possibly listen.
February 26, 2017 @ 9:19 pm
Courtney Patton not only sings perfect harmony, she’s also a great singer/songwriter in her own right. I listen to her 2015 album “So This is Life” as often as anything else I own. She and Jason Eady sound just perfect together.
February 24, 2017 @ 10:10 pm
Stunning.
Is that his wife signing back-up?
February 25, 2017 @ 5:42 am
If you haven’t listened to it yet, you might also like to check out David Olney’s “Barabbas”.
(And Jason Eady, he’s great, of course.)
February 27, 2017 @ 7:00 am
It’s amazing the power music can have when done right.