While an album drenched in tradition, finding it’s niche somewhere between rock, country, soul and R & B might not be particularly good for record sales – it makes for some damn good listening.  Here We Rest, the latest full length from Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit begs to differ with the old adage “They don’t make em like that anymore”.  Just as with 2009′s self titled release, there isn’t a weak song in the bunch. These boys are on a roll.

Here We Rest may not be chalk full of the harder rock tunes one might expect from an artist so closely associated with Southern Rock, but this is an extremely balanced album none-the-less.  Between the soft-spoken acoustic opener “Alabama Pines,” the good time country stomp “Codeine” and the Derek Trucks-esque soul cover “Heart on a String” this album covers a lot of ground.  The boogie woogie guitar on “Never Could Believe” is off the hook, and tracks like “Go It Alone” and “Stopping By” provide high points as more straight forward Rock and Roll tunes.

It’s clear Isbell hasn’t lost his touch for story telling since his days in the Drive By Truckers.  Almost every song seems to paint a picture and tell a story that perfectly compliments the music itself.  Just like on their self-titled effort, Jason and the gang have created an album that plays like a full sentence from beginning to end – where every song has it’s place and compliments the next.

In the end Here We Rest is an earthy, eclectic and downright soulful album -  sitting firmly as the leader in the clubhouse for my favorite album of 2011.

You don’t have to take my word for it, check out the free album stream courtesy of AOL.