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Drive-By Truckers: Coloring Outside the Lines

Started by tomwatson · 11 months ago

It’s undoubtedly an oversimplification, but to me there are two fundamental models for rock bands–the first involves a style that is tight, punchy, and carefully arranged, the second involves a more ad hoc approach, a style that wheels and sprawls played by a band c ... Continue reading »

4 comments

  • OutOfContext

    1 year ago

    I first got into the Drive By Truckers by way of Mil Blogger The Apppalachian. I haven't gone too deeply into the back catalogue, but "Gravity's Gone" from A Blessing and A Curse is one of my favorite songs from the last couple years:
    "So I'll meet you at the bottom if there really is one,
    They always told me 'When you hit it, you'll know',
    But I've been falling so long it's like gravity's gone and I'm just floating."

    That's three-dimensional lyric writing by my book.
    I'll have to give the new one a listen.
    reply
  • oakling

    1 year ago

    I like the lyrics, but I love the retro-analog-two-sided-album thing. I'll have to check this out!
    reply
  • sean

    1 year ago

    Brighter's good, to me their best since Decoration Day which is still tops by me.Since these guys like narrative so much I wish a bunch of these cuts had more exposition/didn't fade out so quickly. I do prefer Hood's songs to Cooley's but they do compliment each other fairly well. Gonna check them out live in a few weeks...
    reply
  • Jason Chervokas

    1 year ago

    Sean, yeah I wanted to go see 'em too but I'm gonna be out of town when they're here in NYC in a coupla weeks. Just my luck Ornette, DBT, and Back Door Slam (power trio from the Isle of Man led by a precocious 20 yr old guitar talent) are all playing NY while I'm away. Love to hear your report.

    I agree that Hood's songs are generally better than Cooley's (and Isbell's may be better still and missed in the long run) but some of Cooley's on the new album, like "Bob", have have really grown on me over the last coupla weeks.
    reply
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