Jason Isbell, like many musicians, often ends his encore with a song or two that makes the audience wish he could play just one more before the night comes to a close. Enter Sadler Vaden- the lead guitarist for Isbell’s band the 400 Unit. With plenty of rock and roll experience behind him, as the primary songwriter and frontman for Charleston, S.C., power trio Leslie, and a prominent part of Atlanta’s Drivin’ N Cryin’, Vaden realized he missed the thrill of having an audience hang on to his every note. With that desire in mind once again, he’s coming close to the release of his self-titled solo release on August 12th. This is the perfect collection of songs to put on in your car for the drive home from one of his gigs with the 400 Unit (fellow member Derry Deborja even appears on this album).

Listen below to Vaden’s “You Can’t Have it All”. The riffs are quite similar to what you would hear if you have been lucky enough to see Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit live, which makes perfect since as Vaden is a huge and very important part of the sounds you experience at an Isbell show. “Musically I wanted to do something reminiscent of Stephen Stills Manassas album and early James Gang records,” he has said of this album.

“You Can’t Have it All” is a show-stopper, the type of song you would expect just as you thought the band was about to leave the stage. The classic rock feel and feel-good summertime concert vibes on this track is just what we need right now as we’re all of a sudden into the month of August. Sadler Vaden’s debut will get us through the bitter months; impeccable timing with his release date.

Vaden says “it’s a song about being happy with the time you’re promised, which is now. We as humans now have access to most everything at the click of a button.  I feel that a lot of us get wrapped up in wanting more and wanting it immediately. This song ponders the idea that it’s better to just be happy that you woke up alive. Although, I believe it’s good to satiate certain desires, you just can’t have it all.”

-Brenda Hillegas