The Drive-By Truckers return today with their 10th studio album, The Big To-Do, and they managed to bring some of the rawk back, as well. I gotta be honest, after the last two studio releases I was pretty sure my torrid love affair with the band was in its setting sun. It seemed that marriages, kids, label disputes and time had worn the edge off the band, and I really wasn’t digging the new direction very much. That feeling was reinforced when The Fine Print came out and I was reminded of how good the band had been and how subpar I felt that the last two albums had been. Then I read somewhere that Patterson said their new album was gonna be a “return to rock” and, despite my efforts otherwise, I started to look forward to the release of The Big To-Do.
So I guess the question to ask is, is this the return to rock the band promised? The best answer I can come up with is that it depends on your reference point. I mean, it’s not the rock record that SRO, Decoration Day or The Dirty South were, but when set beside A Blessing and A Curse and Brighter Than Creation’s Dark, its rock is undeniable and quite welcome. The standout tracks on the album are Cooley’s homage to a stripper, “Birthday Boy”, Patterson’s working man’s anthem, “This Fucking Job” and a redone (I know this song from somewhere) version of “After The Scene Dies”. There are stories of excess like “The Fourth Night of My Drinking”, of murder like “The Wig He Made Her Wear”, and a particularly touching ballad to Cooley’s son called “Eyes Like Glue” closes the album. There are moments where you’re left scratching your head, though. Both of Shonna’s contributions feel out of place and really kill the album’s pace, as does Patterson’s “The Flying Wallendas”.
In the end, yes, I think this is a return to rock for the Truckers. I don’t think we’ll ever get another album like The Dirty South or its predecessors from the band and that’s okay. They’re not those people (or that band) anymore, and as people change and grow, so does their music. I’m just glad to see we’re not gonna be stuck with ABAAC‘s and BTCD‘s from here on out, and with that in mind I’ll say The Big To-Do is essential listening.
Drive-By Truckers – This Fucking Job
Drive-By Truckers – Birthday Boy
The Drive-By Truckers Official Site, The Drive-By Truckers on myspace, Buy The Big To-Do
Stream the entire album:
Autopsy IV
Part time blogger. Full time hater.
I still don’t know what you have against Brighter Than Creation’s Dark. Three Dimes Down is one of their best songs, ever. Goode’s Field Road, That Man I Shot, Home Field Advantage, and The Home Front. The Big To-Do has yet to grow on me.
I tend to agree that from SRO to Dirty South were the best period for the band, but I’m not as against BTCD then you (and some others I know) are. So far what I’ve heard from this record I’ve pretty much liked, though I’ll be giving this a good, hard listen when I get off work today and make it to the store to snatch up the CD.
See. I don’t like That Man I Shot, The Home Front or Home Field Advantage and prefer The Fine Print’s version of Goodes Field. To me, BTCD is largely a sprawling snoozefest.
I still consider myself a fan but either my tastes are changing or their music is. I’m sure its a bit of both. I just don’t listen to them as much as I used to.
That being said, this and BTCD do indeed have their strong points. Some of them just aren’t realized immediately. Birthday Boy quickly rose to my top 20-ish list of favorite DBT songs (to think it almost didn’t make it to the album).
I think they’re just taking a few more risks in their album composition these days. Sometimes it pays off and sometimes it doesn’t. But I can’t fault them for doing it. Most artists branch out at some point. I actually consider DBT’s efforts to be mostly successful.
And despite my waning interest, I’m still going to rock the fuck out to them on Friday when they play at Tipitina’s.
I’m exceedingly happy with this album. I personally thought that BTCD was great, and I didn’t even mind ABAAC as much as many others. Maybe it’s the fact that I didn’t get into DBT until around 2005 but I’ve never felt the changes in band direction were for the worse. I guess it’s kind of the same with with Lucero – I’ll follow a favorite band just about anywhere, even more so as they add elements to the “original” sound.
If I recall, “After The Scene Dies” was trotted out a few times during the Dirt Underneath tour. Yep, just confirmed that on the DBT Liner Notes page on the site.
I have to agree with Stucky, this album has yet to grow on me. Birthday Boy and The Wig he Made her Wear are easily my favorites, but the album as a whole I feel falls short. I personally loved BTCD and is my second favorite album by DBT, behind (of course) The Dirty South.
That all being said, can’t wait to see them May 12th in SLC!
I like That Man I Shot, but I don’t care for The Home Front or Home Field Advantage all that much. I do, however, have to disagree and say I prefer the version of Goode’s Field Road from BTCD. I don’t know, just seems to fit the song better in my personal opinion. Feel free to disagree
Can’t wait to hear this album. I’m still waiting for it to arrive in the mail. I do love Brighter Than Creations Dark however. A Blessing and A Curse was pretty lackluster though.
I wonder if some sort of unscientific extrapolation could be made from which version of Goode’s Field Road folks liked.
This is certainly the best of the last three efforts, but for me, that’s not saying much at all.
Overall, a totally fair review, Bryan. Mine will be a) less kind and b) up in the next few days.
Looking back, I don’t think anyone would disagree that ABAAC was easily DBT’s worst effort. That’s not to say there aren’t good songs on it, its just not up to standard compared to the rest of their library.
Adam, I, for one, will respectfully disagree that ABAAC was the band’s worst effort. Despite a few stand-outs, I would award that honor(?) to BTCD. I haven’t found many who will agree with me on this one, but I just couldn’t figure out why the album was so poorly received. I enjoyed the hell out of it myself.
While Isbell’s contributions were arguably his weakest yet, I’d still take his B-material over none at all. That said, after my first two listens, I’m loving the Big To-Do. Definitely more of a return to the classic sound than the previous album(s). One poster said something about Shonna’s tracks sounding a bit out of place. I’d have to agree. The Flying Wallendas wasn’t my favorite track either. Other than those minor complaints though, this album rocks.
I’d like to second the comment above me…whenever one of Shonna’s songs come on, I think “darn, here comes a wasted track.” If the album has 12 songs and she sings 2 of them, then it feels like there are only 10 “DBT” songs. I certainly don’t mean to insult her or comment on her talent, but I don’t listen to a DBT album to hear Neko Case. That’s just my personal tastes…
you know AdHoff. What’s really frustrating about that is that those used to be Jason’s songs.
I read on another message board the other day, “DBT could be America’s greatest rock band. All their missing is Jason Isbell.”
Pretty much agree with what most everyone has said so far (especially your last thought Adam). Its solid, but nothing like SRO, DD, DS. That said, I downloaded the thing on day one and will gladly do the same for the next Truckers record and I already coughed up the cash for tix and will be at their show with a glass of whiskey when they come through Indy.
@Autopsy IV: I have to agree, those two or three songs that belong to Shonna now use to be Jason’s and that is very frustrating for me and other DBT fans I’m sure.
@A.M. Maudlin: To each his own. Though I do believe they overdid it with the amount of songs on BTCD. Sometimes more is less. Just because you’ve got a song doesn’t mean it has to go on the record.
While I don’t know if it fits up there with SRO/DD/TDS, I’m in love with this album – I love the direction they’re taking and I would take Neff on pedal steel full-time and Jay Gonzalez on keyboards over Isbell anyway – nothing against Isbell, I love his work too and to me the split just means we get to hear all he’s capable of with the fantastic 400 Unit. And two of my favorite songs on the Big To Do are I Told You So & You Got Another – Shonna’s an awesome talent and like it or not, she is a Trucker and has been since Jason joined. But don’t get me wrong, I know where ya’ll are coming from; it ain’t the “old” Truckers, as great as they were I love the natural evolution of the band – it may turn some old fans off and attract some new ones – I myself believe this is my favorite “incarnation” of the band yet, even if nothing they ever do will (or can) ever touch Decoration Day to me. Also it’s worth it to get the vinyl for “Girls Who Smoke” (and the smoking artwork) – an absolute travesty to leave that off the proper album – and if you want to hear a band really rocking out, get it on iTunes and you’ll get the studio version of Strutter (KISS) – or if you’re like me and can’t afford to buy the album fifteen different ways, find someone who did buy it on iTunes and swap bonus tracks with them
Unlike BTCD, I liked the new one on first listen. I don’t really like the first of Shonna’s songs (and, yeah, Flying Wallendas isn’t my fave, either), but that’s about it. On repeated listens, I really love this one (and it took me over a year to love BTCD).
What I like best is that it’s finally strong on Patterson songs again, not just in quantity, but also quality. On the last few albums my favorites were mostly written by others in the band – and I awkwardly felt guilty about it! wtf? After The Scene Dies, Fourth Night, Daddy Learned,…all killer tracks! And another fine Faces-romp from Cooley! Hell yes!
Although I’ve been a die hard truckers fan for 12 years or so,I’ve just noticed this site. I live in Atlanta and have seen the Truckers close to 30 times. I just saw their two night stand at the variety playhouse and I have to say it was the best I’ve seen ‘em (at least since Jason left) Jay is an excellent addition, it was an up beat rock show and they pounded out about 30 songs each night. Cooley took the vocals on “ROCKIN IN THE FREE WORLD” which I had never seen. Great show! Check out The Big To Do when it comes through your town….even if your not a huge fan of the new material.
The real question is does it have horns?
Haha.. This debate needed some comic relief! I was still reeling over someone saying (though I love his stuff) that they’d take Neff over Isbell anyday. You helped to lift my jaw up off the floor…but hey to each to his/her own. That to me was the end of the greatest period of any make or model of DBT. Its like now it almost shames me b/c I just dont love either ones material like I did with those albums.
Jason’s 1st solo was good not great but the 2nd one, well If you heard it you know. As for the truckers last three albums including this one, its just different some stuff good some stuff is just oh well…If Shonna wants to write her stuff and sing, to me do it on a solo album and not the DBT stuff. Let us decide if we want to buy it b/c for some reason, I feel force fed her songs by putting them on the album. As a matter of fact while talking about solo albums..damn what I would give for Cooley to drop a solo album…oh well enough rant. Cheers
Simply put, the music of DBT is tired, one trick pony, southern drivel. The same thing, over and over. The only band I can think of that has shown less evolution over the years would be Widespread Panic. At first the Truckers had a good thing going. I was a fan, I still like Decoration Day, and the Dirty South had it moments. While I do dig much of the reccomended music on this site, the songs of the Truckers, Patterson Hood, Jason Isbell Et Al. have become completly irrevelant.
Every few months I have to say this here or somewhere else. “A Blessing…” is probably my favorite DBT album.
I listened to this album for the first time last night after having heard the songs previewed from the January shows courtesy of Sloane’s site. I fell in love with the liver version of ‘Girls Who Smoke’ and although I don’t have the vinyl copy – IMO this song could well be the best song not on this album! This, their 10th outing, is a weak record and as a long time devout fan (bought everything) I am disappointed. Releasing two albums in 2010 is plain greedy. They could have used the best bits from both albums and had a another critical success. The Shonna songs on this album sound like filler. Even Paterson seems to have lost his way a little. His voice sounds tired. Funnily enough my thought as I listened to it was that it needed somebody like Jason to add what is apparently missing. I’m sure that this is a grower, but Shonna’s songs coupled with ‘Wallendas’ have no place on a supposed ‘rock’ album.