DRIVE BY TRUCKERS fans, UNITE!!!

A good example of what bores me about them since 2010: "21st Century USA." Every detail so creative-writing-seminar perfect, and the arrangement so enervated that all I feel is trapped by bric-à-brac.

Musically I can't figure out what's changed, exactly. I've seen them live a million times, and new songs and old songs alike kick ass. My only theory is that they are an awesome rock band approaching the studio like session musicians might, except they are not awesome session musicians.

I think it's the same thing that has hurt a lot of recent Springsteen records, but these guys have better songs.

"Armageddon's Back in Town" is definitely the album highlight for me.

Second close listen of "The Unravelling" reveals more of the depth of this record, the lyrics are killer and both of Cooley's songs are strong, though "Grievance Merchants" is the better of them. "Babies In Cages" is surprisingly catchy for what it's about. A more consistent record than their last one though the highs are not quite as high ("Surrender Under Protest" is monumental).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIN-CUBhhHc

"I never saw Lynryd Skynyrd, and I never saw the Clash. But I ran monitors for fuckin' Fugazi, motherfuckers!"

Fumes!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQelOp8oEJU

They need more guitar players

Impressive album imo: https://humanizingthevacuum.wordpress.com/2020/05/05/ranking-drive-by-truckers-brighter-than-creations-dark/

If Karen was music, it would be Jason Isbell

Given most of Isbell's views on societal issues and politics, I'm not sure how that take could be more wrong.

I mean, he's often heavy handed with some of his messages but, uh, really struggling to understand the leap to being a Karen.

If We Were Karens

Everything I have read about or from Isbell has made me like him more and more, no matter how I feel about his music.

I didn't say he was a Karen. I said he makes Karen music.

I wished I liked him more cuz he seems like a cool guy!

the song Ronnie and Neil is like someone reading a Wikipedia page over a bar band

Karen as a concept is at the point where it's losing any meaning

otm

plz elaborate on what him “being a Karen” actually means in this context

or “making Karen music”

I'm p sure a "Karen" would be the type telling Isbell to "shut up and sing" when he talks or tweets about politics, which he very specifically addresses on the new one.

I view Karen Music as any bland, toothless NPR bullshit that makes John Mellencamp sound edgy. Alt country pumpkin spiced latte music.

oh man you played the pumpkin spice card

actual Karens listen to dude modern country singers who I've never heard of but they sellout hockey arenas

I was reading some past interviews with him, and there are a few where he confesses his only real indulgence since hitting it big was buying Ed King's' famed '59 Les Paul "Red Eye." I don't remember if King's wife offered to sell it to him, or just care for it first, but apparently at some point it went up for sale and he called his accountant and asked if he could afford it and his accountant said "absolutely not." So he called his manager and explained the situation to her and then asked her to book him as many weirdo private parties as she possibly could to pay it off. I know the original asking price was $650k ...

the song Ronnie and Neil is like someone reading a Wikipedia page over a bar band

I was confused for a second - that's not an Isbell song, I think that's Hood.

Isbell has a few anthemic political songs that get heavy handed but mostly he just writes great short narratives IMO. I don't think Karens are lining up to hear songs about a guy's friend who's dying of cancer?

huh, i really dig isbell doing stretched out marvin gaye jams

every thread gets the troll it deserves

https://www.npr.org/2020/06/17/879393187/now-about-the-bad-name-i-gave-my-band

AFAICT there is not a single mention of the band's name, positive or negative, in the 16-year span of this thread

Drive By Wokesters

dont really want to read that whole thing whats the gist if you dont mind?

It's actually a decent read, but pretty well summed up by the last paragraph:

Our name was a drunken joke that was never intended to be in rotation and reckoned with two-and-a-half decades later, and I sincerely apologize for its stupidity and any negative stereotypes it has propagated. I'm not sure changing it now serves any higher purpose, but I'm certainly open to suggestions. In the meantime, you're welcome to just call us Lady DBT.

After all that I don't even understand what he's apologizing for. Or if it was worth taking up so many words if he's not changing it.

Pat's been in Portland too long

yeah, it's a stupid name, but most band names are pretty stupid. I'm not sure what there is to apologize for.

sorry for having such a bad name for such a cool band?

"I'm woke too!"

very weird

xpost Eh, this band has been in the woke zone for some time now. That Black Lives Matter sign has been a stage fixture for at least 4 years.

No one was asking them.

Maybe NPR asked them?

Sorry, these guys have always seemed like try-hards to me.

I like this band, but their stupid—stupid like “Goo Goo Dolls” is stupid, not stupid because I assumed anything malicious on their part—name kept me from paying any attention to them for years.

The more I think about this the funnier it seens

I had always been under the impression (held by probably only me) that their name held a double-meaning: Firstly as Hood explains it in the piece, and secondly as a reference to some obscure trucking industry slang ("Oh, that guy's just a drive-by trucker..." or something).

next: David Byrne regrets abelist bandname

'Gangstabilly' is far more regrettable than the band name.

I had the same thought! I'm surprised it wasn't mentioned.

BTW, I'm not too up on slang, but what's a "try-hard?" Does that mean they ... try too hard? I don't know, if that's the accusation, I'd rather they try too hard than do what 99.9% of acts do, which is to say, next to nothing. Buncha white Alabama rock guys in their '50s trying hard to be allies and supporters to progressive people and causes? That's OK by me.

I uh, don't get what is 'offensive' about the name. Is it just using the term 'drive by'? who gives a fuck?