Drive-By Truckers have been known for their modern Southern rock records, but they whip out the acoustic guitars for their new album, Brighter Than Creation's Dark.
Though most of the Drive-By Truckers were raised in northern Alabama, guitarists/vocalists Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley started the band in Athens, Ga. in 1996, releasing their first album Gangstabilly in 1998. Their 2001 double-album Southern Rock Opera put the group on the national scene with a four-star review from Rolling Stone magazine. Their subsequent efforts, Decoration Day and The Dirty South, continued the Truckers' streak of fan and critical acclaim.
The Drive-By Truckers are known for their honest, gritty sound. Whether you want to call it rock, alternative country or even cowpunk, their sound is distinctively Southern. This isn't your parents' sweet, happy Southern rock, however. Their songs tell stories of the gritty, dirty, poor Southern life through rocking choruses, punchy verses and a whole lot of guitar (three guitarists to be exact).
Their latest effort, Brighter Than Creation's Dark, exhibits another side of the Athens quintet that has always run deep throughout their material: grass-roots Southern country.
The first track on the album, "Two Daughters and a Beautiful Wife," sets the tone for most of the album with acoustic guitars, simple progressions and painfully honest vocals. The song tells a story that should be familiar to Richmonders like me. Patterson Hood sings about the brutal murder of the Harvey family on New Years Day 2006 in Richmond. He reinforces the horror of the story by asking, "Was it all a dream? / Was it all a crazy dream?"
This album features the first appearances of songs composed and sung by bassist Shonna Tucker. Tucker, who officially joined the group in late 2003, wrote and sang two songs for the album: "I'm Sorry Huston" and "Home Field Advantage." What boggles my mind is why she had not been introduced as a main singer/songwriter earlier. Her voice fits in perfectly with the Truckers' sound, and she's a pretty decent writer. Tucker is the ex-wife of former DBT guitarist and songwriter, Jason Isbell. Isbell parted ways with the Truckers in April 2007.
Another song that stands out on the album and should connect with many listeners is the Patterson Hood-written song "Daddy Needs a Drink." The simplicity of the song is what drives its spirit. It's a chord-based acoustic guitar song about a guy getting home from a stressful day at work. In the song, Hood sings, "Daddy needs a drink to hem in his demons / To hear through the baby screaming or the TV set turned on." I see this song as being a potential anthem for midterms/finals season, 'cause we all could probably use a drink around that time.
I do not want to give the impression that every song on the album is an acoustic ballad. Brighter Than Creation's Dark has a few tried-and-true traditional DBT songs in its arsenal. "3 Dimes Down" is a nice little 3.5-minute straightforward rocker delivered in true DBT style: lots of guitar and a thick, thick drawl.
In short, if you like listening to truly Southern music without the whiny-ness of modern country, pick up DBT's new album.
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