Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit offer up an evocative character piece with “Cast Iron Skillet.” Cut from a new record, Weathervanes, the downcast ballad sketches two separate stories: an old childhood friend who committed murder, and a father who disowns his daughter after she falls in love with a Black man. “I heard the blade broke off inside the man, and he took a while to die,” sings Isbell. He then turns his attention to reflecting on their upbringing, singing, “Seems like just a week ago, we were ten and twelve years old.” In true Isbell fashion, the lyrics paint reality as it is, clear and crisp. There’s no sugarcoating or frivolous imagery. “In the second verse, he relays the girl’s story with clarity, “Jamie found a boyfriend with smiling eyes and dark skin,” he sings, “And her daddy never spoke another word to her again.” It’s a powerful wallop of a performance, and it’ll leave a mark on your brain.
Listen to “Cast Iron Skillet” below.