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Despite loving blues and some old outlaw country stuff I never really got the whole "alt country/country rock" thing. I recently started a new job somewhere and my boss got me into Drive By Truckers by giving me a few albums (Southern Rock Opera and Dirty South). This is now my new favorite band. I love how they are basically a mix of classic outlaw country with a southern rock flair and the downtuned guitars add a real grittiness to the twang. I could listen to Mike Cooley play that rickety rear end guitar all day. I haven't been this into a band in forever.
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Jan 10, 2013 00:27
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| # ¿ Apr 26, 2024 12:26 |
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I've got tickets to see Drive-By Truckers next weekend and I can't loving wait. So I just bought a house and finally have a nice garage to work on my projects. I also just purchased an old 80's record player to put in it as well as a double vinyl of Southern Rock Opera. I can't wait to listen to it in all it's hissy and poppy glory.
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May 17, 2013 17:09
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The show is tonight and I'll let everyone know how it goes. The Pageant (in STL) has as good acoustics as drat near anywhere so I will be very interested to hear what they sound like live. I love how their set list is wildly unpredictable because they don't use one. I so hope to hear Space City live, but I fear I'll probably be disappointed since they rarely do that one live.
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May 24, 2013 15:42
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The Truckers show last night was badass. The sound was also great whether they were using 3 guitars or keys. Jay Gonzalez is awesome how he seemlessly goes between keys and guitar, many times in the same song. They opened up with Puttin' People on the Moon and then went right into Women Without Whiskey which caused the crowd to explode. The Pageant was nearly sold out as it was asses and elbows everywhere. Talking to a lot of people around me, it was pretty cool to hear how a lot of people from Iowa and Illinois drove down to the see the show. It should also be noted that Mike Cooley sounded loving awesome last night, both his voice and guitar playing. DBT sounds so loving heavy live. My favorite tunes live were Women Without Whiskey, Hell No I Ain't Happy, Zip City, Lookout Mountain, and a killer version of Buttholeville to end the night. Such a killer show.
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May 25, 2013 17:53
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I saw Blackberry Smoke for the first time and holy poo poo what a great band live. Awesome guitar sound and really good harmonies. In two weeks I'm seeing Jason Isbell in a tiny little club here in St. Louis (he sold it out and actually is now doing two shows to meet demand) and I'm pretty pumped. This is followed up by the Truckers heading here in March. What a great 3 month run. EDIT - hearing that there is "more Cooley" on English Oceans has me excited. I do love me some Hood at times, but all my favorite DBT tunes are Cooley ones.
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Jan 24, 2014 15:11
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I saw Jason Isbell last night at the first of two sold out shows in St. Louis. loving amazing live. He and his wife Amanda have such a great chemistry together on stage and when doing duets remind me so much of Johnny Cash and June Carter with that vibe (their cover of Warren Zevon's Mutineer was one of the highlights of the night). He played almost all of Southeastern and included a few of his better older songs (including some Trucker classics). Sobriety has been so good to him and it's wonderful to see him start shooting up the ladder. If you get a chance to him and the 400 unit on this tour you really should. The guy is in his prime. I'd imagine the next time around he's going to be in bigger theaters. ColonelJohnMatrix fucked around with this message at 15:58 on Feb 10, 2014 |
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Feb 10, 2014 15:54
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You guys were right talking about English Oceans. I've streamed it a few times now (it's right here for a limited time - http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/av/2014/02/album-stream-drive-by-truckers---english-oceans.html) and it's drat good. I think its the best thing they've put out in a very long time.
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Feb 26, 2014 21:03
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They really should take their time more between releases. While English Oceans isn't SRO, DD, or TDS, I'd definitely put it right behind them. A really great album and I'm excited to see the tour come through STL later this month.
ColonelJohnMatrix fucked around with this message at 15:51 on Mar 6, 2014 |
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Mar 6, 2014 15:48
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Wow, Isbell, Hood, and Cooley are reuniting for a one night show together on June 15 in Florence, AL. I REALLY hope they release a dvd, recording, or even a high quality youtube video of that.
ColonelJohnMatrix fucked around with this message at 18:48 on May 14, 2014 |
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May 14, 2014 18:46
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The Isbell, Cooley, and Hood reunion show from last weekend sounded freaking amazing. They sound like they never stopped playing together and it's great to hear them having a great time. Videos are on youtube but if you look around enough you can find the live stream mp3's (they are awesome quality). Checkout the killer setlist: Tornadoes Carl Perkins Cadillac Decoration Day Heathens Eyes Like Glue TVA Puttin People On The Moon Marry Me Goddamned Lonely Love My Sweet Annette Women Without Whiskey Outfit Daddy Needs A Drink Self Destructive Zones Cover Me Up The Living Bubba Space City Danko/Manuel Grand Canyon Cartoon Gold Alabama Pines ENCORE Zip City Never Gonna Change Let There Be Rock Keep On Smiling EDIT - for setlist spoiler tags just in case. ColonelJohnMatrix fucked around with this message at 17:08 on Jun 17, 2014 |
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Jun 17, 2014 15:38
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Here is a freeplay of Isbell's new Something More Than Free, courtesy NPR - http://www.npr.org/2015/07/08/420588068/first-listen-jason-isbell-something-more-than-free#playlist The bastard has done it again. There are a few real high points, including several of my new favorite Isbell tunes: If It Takes a Lifetime (fantastic John Prine-ish tune), Palmetto Rose (a badass honkey tonk rock number), and Speed Trap Town (old fashioned Isbell storytelling). This and Southeastern are a hell of a one-two punch. edit - While I'm talking Isbell and since I haven't posted in this thread in awhile, what is everyones take of Zac Brown's cover of Dress Blues? I'm really not a ZBB guy but I thought their version of Dress Blues sounded pretty good....until the cheesy "Taps" interlude. I dunno, it just feels like that addition really "Toby Keith'd" up a song that did not need it in any way. Changing the lyrics from "to fight somebody's Hollywood war" to "to give all in some god awful war" defeats a lot of the original message, but whatever. It's bringing Isbell more notoriety and that's a good thing. ColonelJohnMatrix fucked around with this message at 16:02 on Jul 9, 2015 |
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Jul 9, 2015 15:31
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Paper With Lines posted:I love Zac Brown. Their album with David Grohl is one of the best albums I've heard in a long time and it makes me sad that it's so short. Haha it's funny you tell that story. When listening to that song I've always thought the whole stars and stripes verse seemed out of nowhere and tacked on to the song....well from what you are saying I guess that was indeed the case. Ok, so since it's brought up give me a few examples of good Zac Brown stuff. I always hear people talk about how great they are, minus a few pandering tunes. Apparently the pandering stuff is all I've been exposed to. I know his band has some chops so lay it on me and I'll check it out.
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Jul 9, 2015 19:48
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The stuff you guys recommended was great. Those guys really nail those big, multi-part harmonies.
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Jul 9, 2015 21:15
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I've heard an interview with Cooley somewhere where he said during the touring back in the day for Southern Rock Opera they routinely had to tell people "knock that poo poo off" in regards to the rebel flag waving. Man, I love that freaking album. I would love if sometime they'd tour and just play the whole thing in order. That's my favorite concept album. It's the perfect blend of mythologizing the region while also ripping it apart.
ColonelJohnMatrix fucked around with this message at 21:03 on Jul 10, 2015 |
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Jul 10, 2015 21:00
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Thanks to you guys turning me on to Zac Brown. Been listening him to a bunch after picking up his live album. Most of it is good poo poo. I agree with the "more southern rock than country" assessment.
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Jul 16, 2015 19:20
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I agree with everyone here that it would be nice to see Isbell unleash a little more hell on his guitar. The guy is a virtuoso and stuff like Flying Over Water, Super 8, Danko/Manuel, and Decoration Day really shows him stretching his legs. I guess that's why Palmetto Rose is my favorite song on the new record, even if the verse/chorus change is sort of disjointed and sounds like two different songs. I really enjoy Something More than Free, it's one hell of an album. I just hope he rocks it up a bit next time around.
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Jul 29, 2015 20:08
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Bonzo posted:He's just a genuine guy too. drat it, now I just want to hear him do a full version of Little Wing.
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Aug 7, 2015 19:50
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I saw Jason Isbell last night at the Peabody in St. Louis. I'm still coming down from it this morning. Just an incredible show. I've seen him before and while it was very good, his command of the stage/material was something else last night. The way he effortlessly slides from rock guitar virtuoso to comedian/storyteller to intimate singer/songwriter is almost incomprehensible. My wife, who notoriously doesn't like concerts and had really only heard Isbell in passing in the car when I listen to him, was completely floored as well.
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Feb 18, 2016 15:38
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Sturgill Simpson just released a track off his forthcoming new album. It sounds like what would happen if Pink Floyd did Outlaw Country and its loving awesome!
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Mar 4, 2016 18:48
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I love Sturgill but yeah....i guess that cover isn't my cup of tea.
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Mar 28, 2016 17:39
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BeastOfExmoor posted:NPR is streaming A Sailor's Guide to Earth. Hmm. Pretty indifferent to the front half but I really like the last couple tunes.
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Apr 12, 2016 20:39
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I like the idea behind the Truckers album but the first two songs I've heard have been pretty blah and don't grab me.
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Aug 4, 2016 19:29
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KICK BAMA KICK posted:Yeah that's how I felt about the first one and I'm listening to the second now and it's exactly what I was afraid of from the description of the album posted on the last page. There's no storytelling; it's way too explicit. Like he's just reading a letter your mildly progressive aunt wrote to the local newspaper. Yeah, that mildly progressive aunt is a good description. Their political commentary has always been fantastic because it's been the side effect of telling a great story. It helps put you in the scenario and lets you see the bullshit first hand, coming to your own conclusions, and for the most part said story has always been surrounded by great music. These two tracks just kind of suck.
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Aug 10, 2016 14:26
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Yeah, I really enjoyed English Oceans and the songs were even better live. I think it's just a notch below the Southern Rock Opera / Decoration Day / Dirty South tri-fecta, but still fantastic. The whole album seemed to feel like they had come to terms with where they were in life, especially the Cooley songs, and had gelled with the new lineup. Hopefully the rest of American Band is better than what we've heard. At the very least their live show will be entertaining on this tour as I'm sure the stories behind some of these songs will come out.
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Aug 15, 2016 14:59
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NPR posted all of DBT's American Band - http://www.npr.org/2016/09/22/494571497/first-listen-drive-by-truckers-american-band I just gave it a listen and while there are a few decent tunes (I like Ramon Casiano and Kinky Hypocrite, both Cooley songs) the album just doesn't seem to hit on what the band is trying to say/accomplish because the music is just blah. I dislike most of the Hood songs in particular. However, like an aging pitcher that somehow manages to throw a 99 mph fastball out of nowhere, "Once They Banned Imagine" is a loving fantastic song where Cooley really nails it in talking about the wars following September 11th, at least IMO. I loves me some Mike Cooley when he's on. Anyways, because this is the Truckers I'll still buy it and give it a fair number of listens. Maybe some of these will grow on me more. ColonelJohnMatrix fucked around with this message at 20:19 on Sep 28, 2016 |
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Sep 28, 2016 20:17
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I've spun American Band several times now and I gotta say, it's really growing on me. Perhaps I was too dismissive upon the initial listen.
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Sep 30, 2016 17:06
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Isbell sounds so good on stage with them. I'm pumped to see DBT tonight in St. Louis, although now I can't help but wish that I saw them last night in Nashville instead!
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Jan 27, 2017 21:14
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The teaser and subsequent hints on twitter are that the new Isbell album will be an electric guitar heavy rocker. This is a great thing. Don't get me wrong, his acoustic and more folksy/country songs are great but my favorite stuff of his involves an electric guitar.
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Feb 15, 2017 22:22
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I'd agree with the album cover thing normally, but I do like how this one looks. Also, Amanda lookin' smokin' hot and very much like she's starring in Grease. Speaking of album covers, I do not like that DBT went with an actual picture on their new album versus the standard Wes Freed art. It looks like it doesn't belong in my collection. This is made worse by the fact if you catch them on this tour, they have lots of stuff with the Darkened Flags style art done-up by Freed and it looks awesome! ColonelJohnMatrix fucked around with this message at 20:34 on Mar 15, 2017 |
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Mar 15, 2017 20:26
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Ugh, The Nashville Sound is so good! http://www.npr.org/2017/06/12/530277867/first-listen-jason-isbell-the-400-unit-the-nashville-sound edit- Just finished my first listen through. This is a brilliant record. On a first listen I enjoy it a lot more than I did Southeastern and Something More Than Free and that's saying something. Some of those songs had to grow on me a bit whereas I love everything on TNS already. ColonelJohnMatrix fucked around with this message at 15:29 on Jun 12, 2017 |
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Jun 12, 2017 15:17
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That's a pretty funny statement as after reading it and doing some thinking about the people I know that listen to that stuff...I'd say he's pretty on the nose. Also, I've listened to Nashville Sound about 6 times now and it's my favorite album of his, Tupelo being my favorite song on it.
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Jun 15, 2017 19:01
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| # ¿ Apr 26, 2024 12:26 |
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Drive-by Truckers just announced a tour where they are playing Southern Rock Opera in it's entirety and am having a mild freak out. I cannot wait for this.
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Mar 21, 2024 19:20
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