Artist: Drive-By Truckers
Album: English Oceans
Source: http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/av/2014/02/album-stream-drive-by-truckers---english-oceans.html
Pre-listening Notes: There are some people who are really, really into this band. I was given a free copy of Decoration Day back in the mid 2000's, and I enjoyed it. I downloaded and listened to Southern Rock Opera and The Dirty South, the albums preceding and succeeding that one and I enjoyed those less. I haven't listened to the other six albums they've put out both before and after the three I have listened to. The band is somewhere in between a indie rock band, a country band, and a southern rock band musically. Lyrically, they seem to focus on down home, southern themes. And that's about that.
Initial Reaction: This doesn't seem too drastically different than earlier stuff. It's got that southern rock feel, along with some country. This seems to be a little more upbeat and rocking than the stuff I remember, though. There were some lyrics about whores, happy meals, and meat being "just meat". There are some horns towards the end of the song.
Random Thoughts: They like to switch up the singers on these songs. I'm not sure which one is Patterson Hood and which is Mike Cooley, though. I know on two of the albums I had previously listened to, there was a third, Jason Isbell, who has since gone out on his own and left this group. I know that his songs on those two albums are my favorites. The next couple songs haven't been as rocking as the first one. This song just seems to be pretty country sounding to me. There isn't much new going on here, just some more of what I described above in the pre notes. My guess is if you liked the band before this, you'll like them with this release.
Final Reaction: Overall, this wasn't much different than I remember them being, but I also wasn't a huge, rabid fan like they seem to attract. It wasn't anything I'd ask someone to turn off, but it is also not something I'd buy a physical copy of. If you dig this band or southern rock, alt-country, or indie rock with country influences, then by all means check this out because I think you might enjoy this.
Final Grade: 6.0/10
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment