I've been a huge Drive By Truckers fan for a long time now, as clearly evidenced by this blog. Their newest album, which was released in January, ranks among their finest. Not an easy task considering the departure of singer/songwriter Jason Isbell.
Isbell left an indelible mark on the albums, namely the title track on Decoration Day and another track on that great record, "Outfit." He released a solid solo effort last year and I'm sure he has more stories to tell.
The new Truckers record, however, is Mike Cooley's for the taking. Sure, bassist Shonna Tucker contributes songs for the first time and does a fine job, but it's Cooley who quietly places himself front and center through nothing more than the skill of his songcraft. Whether it's the straight ahead rock of "3 Dimes Down" or the straight ahead country of "Lisa's Birthday" or the simple poetry of "Check Out Time in Vegas," Cooley really hits the nail on the head here.
But to single him out as the standout is slightly misleading given how great this record is...and it really is a record as a whole. It stands as a whole and holds up all the way through, the old fashioned way. Buy this thing now.
Buy it here.
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