Patterson Hood: Heat Lightning Rumbles In The Distance

A Patterson Hood B-side is better than most songwriter's best A-sides. Hood's solo output, apart from the Truckers, has been spotted with sparse (often much darker) material, and taken as a whole (3 albums worth) amounts to a solid body of work. While never quite as satisfying as a full blooded Patterson effort such as "Used to be a Cop" the writing on these albums is concise, clear, strong and deeply personal. Hood's newest album Heat Lightning Rumbles in the Distance comes out Sept 11 on ATO, backed by The Downtown Rumblers: Jay Gonzalez on piano, Brad Morgan on drums and Jacob Morris on cello. Their tour kicks off next week in NC. Opening the shows will be Hope For Agoldensummer, also from Athens. Dates after the jump. Here is a striking and sad duet with Kelly Hogan in tribute to the late Cody Chesnutt.

Truckers Do Letterman

[mp3] Drive-by Truckers: "Used to be a Cop"

Don't they look sharp? Playing album standout, Eddie Hinton's "Everybody Needs Love" from their excellent Go Go Boots album out now.

Happy 'Go Go Boots' Release Day

[mp3] Drive-by Truckers: "I Do Believe (Live)"

There's not much more we can say (or post) about how much we've been loving the new Drive-by Truckers' album Go Go Boots, out today on ATO. Just go get it. You want be disappointed. We promise. Further to that, there's not much more we can say about how excited we are for their CD release show tonight at the intimate (for 2011 Truckers' standards) Bowery Ballroom. Any chance to catch a band this loud and bold in a setting that's not T5 or Webster is a special treat. Enjoy a timeless Cooley tune in "Cartoon Gold" above.

Go-Go Boots: Sad, Phenomenal

[mp3] Drive-By Truckers: "Used To Be A Cop"

We are having a serious love affair with the new Drive-By Truckers record Go-Go Boots, coming out 2/15 on ATO. It's not the usual cookie-cutter DBT album. It's largely acoustic. quiet, slow, beautiful, and lyrically devastating. While most DBT tunes are dark, there are usually raging guitars and a lot of general rocking to distract the listener. With Go-Go Boots, the raw song arrangements lay these stories bare, and they cut to the core. While different and not so instantly gratifying, Go-Go Boots may be the best thing Drive-By Truckers have recorded in years. The album is best served on a cold winter Sunday with a sipping whiskey, rather than on a Friday night with shots, but as always it should be served loud. See after the jump for "The Thanksgiving Filter," and above for the title track. Look at what a solid drummer Brad Morgan is. Dude can play. DBT will be in New York for New Years, with the rest of their tour dates after the jump.



Go-Go Boots Tour:
Wed Feb 16 York, PA PULLO CENTER @ PENN STATE UNIVERSITY
Thu Feb 17 Peekskill, NY PARAMOUNT CENTER FOR THE ARTS
Fri Feb 18 Washington, DC 9:30 CLUB
Sat Feb 19 Washington, DC 9:30 CLUB
Fri Feb 25 Chicago, IL VIC THEATER w/Heartless Bastards
Sat Feb 26 Chicago, IL VIC THEATER w/Heartless Bastards
Sun Feb 27 Omaha, NE SLOW DOWN w/Heartless Bastards
Wed Mar 02 Reno, NV KNITTING FACTORY w/Heartless Bastards
Thu Mar 03 Las Vegas, NV SILVERTON CASINO w/Heartless Bastards
Fri Mar 04 San Francisco, CA FILLMORE AUDITORIUM w/Heartless Bastards
Sat Mar 05 San Francisco, CA FILLMORE AUDITORIUM w/Heartless Bastards
Wed Mar 09 Eugene, OR MCDONALD THEATER w/Heartless Bastards
Thu Mar 10 Portland, OR WONDER BALLROOM w/Heartless Bastards
Fri Mar 11 Vancouver, BC COMMODORE BALLROOM w/Heartless Bastards
Sat Mar 12 Seattle, WA SHOWBOX AT THE MARKET w/Heartless Bastards
Tue Mar 15 Missoula, MO WILMA THEATER w/Heartless Bastards
Wed Mar 16 Boise, ID KNITTING FACTORY w/Heartless Bastards
Fri Mar 18 Denver, CO OGDEN THEATER w/Heartless Bastards
Sat Mar 19 Denver, CO OGDEN THEATER w/TBA

*There will be a limited number of 2-day tickets available for Chicago and Denver. Details will be posted to the band’s site.

Previously announced dates:
Thu Dec 30 Brooklyn, NY BROOKLYN BOWL SOLD OUT
Fri Dec 31 New York, NY TERMINAL 5 w/special guests including acts from the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus, David Hood, Kelly Hogan, horns and more!
Sat Jan 01 Philadelphia, PA TLA
Thu Jan 13 Athens, GA 40 WATT w/2ND Sons
Fri Jan 14 Athens, GA 40 WATT w/Don Chambers and Goat and Henry Barbe
Sat Jan 15 Athens, GA 40 WATT w/David Barbe and The Quick Hooks and The Camp Amped Band
Thu Jan 20 Ft Lauderdale, FL CULTURE ROOM
Fri Jan 21 Tampa, FL THE RITZ YBOR
Sat Jan 22 Orlando, FL HOUSE OF BLUES w/John Bell & Friends, Nickel and the Polar Bears
Sun Jan 23 Jacksonville, FL FREEBIRD LIVE w/Futurebirds
Wed Jan 26 Pensacola, FL VINYL MUSIC HALL w/Futurebirds
Thu Jan 27 Huntsville, AL CROSSROADS w/Futurebirds
Fri Jan 28 Oxford, MS THE LYRIC w/Futurebirds
Sat Jan 29 Nashville, TN CANNERY BALLROOM w/Futurebirds

Drive-By Truckers: Go-Go Boots Cover Art

DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS: Go-Go Boots, February 15, 2011 on ATO Records.

DBT will also be releasing their documentary The Secret to a Happy Ending on DVD

[mp3] Drive-By Truckers: "Used to be A Cop"

“We recorded nearly 40 songs last year and into this year and fairly early on divided it into two separate albums” explains DBT co-founder Patterson Hood. “The Big To-Do, released first, was the more straight forward "Rock" album. Go-Go Boots is what I sometimes (semi-jokingly) refer to as our country, soul, and murder ballad album. Those elements definitely play into it, but it's a little more open ended than that.”

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New Record Announcements: Adele and Drive By Truckers

Drive-By Truckers "Used To Be A Cop" from Jason Thrasher on Vimeo.

We're admittedly more excited for one over the other. Can you guess? Here's a hint.

On February 15th, the Drive By Tuckers will release their newest LP titled, Go Go Boots on ATO Records. We were initially surprised by this announcement as their last record, The Big To Do, just dropped back in March. Go Go marks the band's 10th release since Gangstabilly in 1998. We're always ready for another DBT record. Always.

[MP3] Adele- "Hometown Glory"

On February 22, two-time Grammy award winning singer/songwriter, Adele will release her sophomore record and first for Columbia Records/XL titled, 21. Do we see a recurring album theme? Wonder what 21 stands for? Adele's first single, "Rolling in the Deep" will impact adult radio on Nov. 15 and she will be performing it on Ellen December 3rd. While this record seems highly ripe for the dreaded sophomore slum, perhaps Adele can do what she does best and sing her way out.

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Drive By Truckers on Daytrotter

Check out the DBT Daytrotter Session HERE

In keeping with our current trend of posting on our secret and not so secret all time faves, here is a fantastic Daytrotter Session done by the Drive By Truckers. Comprised of new material from their most recent release, The Big To-Do (ATO) these Georgia natives need no real introduction and or musical taglines/description; you know, we love. PS -- Mike Cooley's image should never be captured via photo, let alone cartoon caricature -- he's too cool for both.

Enjoy this before the rolling blackouts shut down your world!

New Drive-By Truckers MP3: "Birthday Boy"

[mp3] Drive-By Truckers: "Birthday Boy"
[mp3]: Drive-By Truckers: "This Fuckin' Job"

Somewhere along the way, The Drive-By Truckers got indie cred. The best part about this, is that the band didn't really do anything. To their credit, indie tastemakers like Stereogum and Pitchfork will sometimes get behind artists, because, well, they make good music. Yet, The Truckers are a safe bet. They smoke on stage, pound whiskey, and their beer of choice is more often than not PBR. Yet, the difference between The Truckers and The Wild Yaks, is that DBT have been doing this since PBR was a redneck beer, not the go-to choice of thrifty hipsters.

But we digress. My band of the decade has a new record coming: The Big To-Do drops March 16th on their new home, ATO. Today, we get the first Mike Cooley-fronted single, "Birthday Boy."

After a few weeks with the record, what strikes us about it is not the melodies, or the return to a really hard rocking attack. What really stands out, is that The Big To-Do contains some of the best stories The Truckers have compiled since Decoration Day. From "Drag The Lake Charlie" to "Birthday Boy" to "The Wig He Made Her Wear" the lyrics and characters are as well developed and compelling as short novels. The subject matter remains the same: small town life, huge problems, domestic violence, drinking, prostitution, and murder. Yet, the manner in which these tales are spun is as direct and engaging as if Patterson Hood sat on your porch for a few hours and laid it all bare for you.

That being said: enjoy the two tracks above. More on the record and its content coming up.

Drive-By Truckers are Band of the Decade, Sign to ATO

OK. Snap decision. The Drive-By Truckers are my band of the decade. Done. I'm not making a list about it. That's all. It's them. How can it not be?

From the epic Southern Rock Opera, to the old, crazy, drunk years of Gangstabilly and Pizza Deliverance, to the (almost) perfect Decoration Day, to the mature (still pretty drunk) and beautiful Brighter Than Creations Dark, The Drive-By Truckers have put out some of the most well-written rock songs I've heard, maybe ever. Mike Cooley, is a calm and modest genius of a songwriter, while Patterson Hood is the face and soul of the band. Most of their live performances are easily in my top 10, and maybe one or two cracking the top 5. They survived the loss of a great songwriter when Jason Isbell left the band, and were able to rebound from the notoriously poor album A Blessing and A Curse. They've survived this long on the road, mentally and physically. They have families now, and sometimes Patterson Hood wears a blazer. They are resilient, exciting, sad, brilliant, and overarchingly sincere. They are my band of the decade.

I'm extremely happy I've made this decision, and it was easier than I thought. A lay-up. I'm also extremely happy to share the news that they have signed to ATO Records. Of course, it's sad to see them leave their longtime New West home, but their commercial success of late (it's still weird to say that) could be built upon and developed further through the ATO channels and staff. Their new album, The Big To-Do drops March 16th. Patterson says: "[it's] very melodic and more rocking than anything we’ve done since disc 2 of Southern Rock Opera.” It also contains a song titled "The Fourth Night of My Drinking." We'll leave it at that. Full track-list after the jump.

The Big To-Do Track Listing:
1. Daddy Learned to Fly
2. The Fourth Night of My Drinking
3. Birthday Boy
4. Drag the Lake Charlie
5. The Wig He Made Her Wear
6. You Got Another
7. This Fucking Job
8. Get Downtown
9. After the Scene Dies
10. (It’s Gonna Be) I Told You So
11. Santa Fe
12. The Flying Wallendas
13. Eyes Like Glue
14. Girls Who Smoke (Bonus track – vinyl only)

Those Darlins "Red Light Love" Video

[MP3] Those Darlins - "Red Light Love"

Straight from an appearance on the Travel Channel with Samantha Brown (wtf?) Those Darlins continue to let it ride this summer, releasing a video for their fantastic single "Red Light Love" it's an all animated affair recalling something along the lines of Peanuts, meets Scooby Doo meets The Drive-By Truckers. Surprised they went with the drawings, given that they're, ya know, hot, but doesn't matter to us any, thumbs up. Their self titled debut is available now. 

Also, check out North American tour dates after the jump.

August
22 - Chattanooga, TN @ JJ's Bohemia #
26 - Knoxville, TN @ Tennessee Shines - Bijou Theatre
28 - Louisville - Ear X-Tacy - instore - 6pm
29 - Urbana, IL @ University of Illinois Courtyard Café

September

8 Bloomington, IN @ The Bishop Bar
9 Cleveland, OH @ Case Western Reserve University
10 - Newport, KY - Southgate House
11 - Circleville, OH @ Tootles
12 - Louisville, KY @ Original Highland Festival
17 - Nashville, TN - Americana Music Festival @ Mercy Lounge
18 & 19 - Bristol, VA @ Bristol Roots & Reunion Festival
26 - Cumberland, TN @ Bluegrass Underground ++
28 - Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel *
9/29 - Atlanta, GA @ The Loft *

OCTOBER
1 - Baton Rouge, LA @ Chelsea's Café *
2 - New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jacks
3 - Oxford, MS @ Proud Larry's
8 - Little Rock, AR @ White Water Tavern
9 - Norman, OK @ The Opolis
10 - Lawrence, KS @ Jackpot Music Hall
12 - Denver, CO @ Hi-Dive
14 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
16 - Seattle, WA @ Sunset Tavern
18 - Eugene, OR @ Sam Bonds Garage +
20 - San Francisco @ The Rickshaw Stop
22 - LA @ Silverlake Lounge
23 - LA @ Hotel Cafe
25 - Phoenix, AZ @ Modified Arts
27 - Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad
29 - Dallas, TX @ The Cavern
30 - Austin, TX @ The Continental Club
31 - Houston, TX @ The Rudyard **

* W/ Dr. Dog
+ W/Digital Leather
** W/The Meat Puppets (Halloween!)
++ w/Charlie Louvin
# w/Heypenny

New Patterson Hood Video "Pollyanna"

Drive By Truckers' frontman and beard extraordinaire, Patterson Hood, has struggled to make a splash with his newest release, Murdering Oscar (and Other Love Songs), which dropped in late June -- maybe rightly so. We're caught between rock and a hard...band(?) Loving DBT is just something we do; their music and southern soul flows deep in our veins and permeates our being. We don't know why we wear Western shirts, drink the occasional whiskey and don cowboy boots, but when Southern Rock Opera comes on, it all seems to makes sense. That being said, yeah, we don't love Murdering Oscar, but we love DBT; therefore, they are pretty much free to do no wrong. Be it Patterson Hood or Jason Isbell, we'll always champion a piece of what they do, solo or band. The only time our minds may change, is if, god forbid, Shonna Tucker releases a solo album. We'll need a lot more whiskey to get up for that one. Until then, enjoy this newly released video for "Pollyanna"

Let there be rock!

Drive By Truckers Offer Up B-Side Collection

Run and tell Ronnie and Neil that after I get my Blublockers, I will need this DBT compilation and my life will therefore be complete. Then I can die happy with John Henry.

DBT announced that the rarity/b-side collection titled, The Fine Print (A Collection of Oddities and Rarities 2003-2008), will be available on Sept 1.

Get excited.

New Patterson Hood LP

Stream new songs at Patterson's myspace

Everybody knows we love the Drive-by Truckers. Always have. Their last record Brighter Than Creation's Dark was my #2 record of last year. Honestly though, we're still a little put off by their decidedly piss-poor show at Terminal 5 with the Hold Steady. I guess everyone has off nights, especially at T5. Anyway, front man Patterson Hood has a new solo LP coming soon. Murdering Oscar (and other love songs), drops 6/23 on Ruth St. Records. This is Patterson's follow up to his dark (I mean really dark) debut LP Killers and Stars. Where that was a closely recorded acoustic affair produced mostly at Patterson's dining room table, Oscar seems to be more fleshed out, featuring other members of DBT, Patterson's fave band Centro-matic, and even his famous pop - Muscle Shoals' own David Hood.

We love ya Patterson, but Cooley 4eva.

Stark Give Away: Hold Steady / Drive By Truckers Tickets!

FREE TICKETS!

Because we love you, our readers, so much, we are giving away two free tickets to the Hold Steady/Drive By Truckers concert tomorrow night (Thursday, Nov. 6) at Terminal 5 in NYC.

The first person to email Matt at Starkny@gmail.com will automatically win these tickets --you MUST be able to meet us in the East Village to pick them up.

Good luck. Get your ass-a-emailn'.
~Best,
Stark

The Gaslight Anthem

Roseland Ballroom

NY, New York
10.13.08

The Gaslight Anthem - "Great Expectations" mp3

Fact: The Gaslight Anthem's fans could kick the shit out of Hold Steady fans. Yet, walking around the Roseland Ballroom last night was like walking through about 15 different Hold Steady songs at once -- young-rock kids sucking face by the bar, crowd surfing and riding high off the buzz from drinking their smuggled booze on the train from New Jersey. We were basically looking at thousand Craig Finn's in training. Yet, the main goal of the evening was to see if New Jersey band, the Gaslight Anthem, were worth their salt...to see if their live show matched the passion and quality of their new record The '59 Sound; ultimately, we just wanted to know if this group could be more than an overly-derivative Springsteen-style rock band. To our pleasant surprise, they were. Full review after the jump...

Opening for Alkaline Trio, and Rise Against (sure, why not), The Gaslight Anthem have scored themselves a strong tour with a devoted fan base -- playing two sold out nights in New York. The Roseland was practically filled for Gaslight's opening set at around 7:15 pm. The New Jersey faithful fist pumped, clapped, and sang along with a devotion and passion sorely lacking at almost every indie-rock show we've seen this year. It was refreshing. Gaslight powered through their set of melancholic and nostalgic rock/punk tunes -- singing of lost songs, old radios, high-top sneakers and sailor tattoos. Did they channel Springsteen? Of course they did. Lead singer Brian Fallon had done his homework. He mirrored the Boss' on-stage mannerisms as the band employed E-Street style build-ups, energizing the crowd before launching into the chorus.

Like all great bands, the Gaslight Anthem didn't set out to emulate their idols. All the above similarities came from an internalization of their influences - from years of listening to and digesting the Springsteen catalog until they reached a point where they couldn't sound like another band if they tried. Of course, the Gaslight Anthem draw from more than just Springsteen. There's a lot of Replacements in there, Pouges, and yeah, even some of the Misfits characteristic knack for writing hooky-punk choruses. What's to come for this band remains unclear. The black hole that is the state of current "modern rock" could swallow them up forcing them to change their sound and cater to the large pseudo-emo fan base out there. That would be a shame. Or, they could walk that fine line, play a careful balancing act, and draw from not only the modern rock/punk crowd, but also manage to dip into the ever growing fan bases of bands such as the Hold Steady, Drive-by Truckers and Kings of Leon. Whatever the outcome, one fact remains clear - the Gaslight Anthem made a great record and can back it up live.

Oh yeah - in terms of the "ultimate rock showdown"... we would pay to see Gaslight fans take on Lucero fans. Or better yet - Brian Fallon v. Ben Nichols. Now that's a way to spend a Monday night.
Photos by: GLK

Jason Isbell Dedicates Song to McCain Campaign

Stupid sexist Democrats

Jason Isbell - "The Devil is My Running Mate" - mp3
Former Drive by Trucker Jason Isbell didn't really write this song for John McCain. Yet, while Stark usually likes to stay non-partisan on our site, there are some non-music issues (ie. Tom Brady and Sarah Palin) that arise such ire in us, that we are forced to vent via blog post. So we decided to offer up the track "The Devil is My Running Mate" that we dedicate to John McCain. This song comes off of Isbell's excellent solo effort Sirens of the Ditch released last year via New West Records. If you haven't, register to vote now, and make sure to actually vote. Click for a NYT feature on Palin. See after the jump for the quote of the day from a senior McCain strategist...

"Whatever The New York Times once was, it is today not by any standard a journalistic organization. It is a pro-Obama advocacy organization that every day attacks the McCain campaign, attacks Senator McCain, attacks Governor Palin, and excuses Senator Obama. This is an organization that is completely, totally, 150 percent in the tank for the Democratic candidate, which is their prerogative to be, but let's not be dishonest and call it something other than what it is. It is an organization that has made a decision to cast aside its journalistic integrity and tradition to advocate for the defeat of one candidate — in this case, John McCain."

- McCain senior campaign strategist Steve Schmidt

More Hold Steady/DBT Tour Dates

The Hold Steady & Drive By Truckers - 2008 Tour Dates
30-Oct Louisville, KY Coyote's @ City Block
31-Oct Nashville, TN Ryman Auditorium
1-Nov Atlanta, GA Tabernacle
2-Nov Tallahassee, FL The Moon @ FSU
3-Nov Raleigh, NC Lincoln Theatre
5-Nov State College, PA The State Theatre
6-Nov New York, NY Terminal 5
7-Nov New York, NY Terminal 5
8-Nov Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory
9-Nov Boston, MA Orpheum Theatre
11-Nov Toronto, ONT Phoenix Theatre
12-Nov Pittsburgh, PA Carnegie Music Hall
13-Nov Bloomington, IN Bluebird
14-Nov Chicago, IL Riviera
15-Nov Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
16-Nov Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
19-Nov Boise, ID The Big Easy
20-Nov Seattle, WA The Showbox
21-Nov Seattle, WA The Showbox
22-Nov Portland, OR Crystal Ballroom
23-Nov San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
24-Nov San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
25-Nov Los Angeles, CA The Wiltern

Breaking News: The Hold Steady & Drive By Truckers to Tour

Breaking News -- The Dream Ticket

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood. You read correctly -- The Hold Steady and the Drive By Truckers are ready to make dreams come true. Two of America's great Rock 'n Roll bands will unite on what will be a 23-date touring run. Stark sources reveal three important tour dates with more to come:

Halloween @ The Ryman, Nashville
Nov. 6 & 7 @ Terminal 5, NYC

For now, just bask in the beautiful revelry that is the Dream Ticket. How about a double whiskey coke no ice while I drive around my friends, getting haircuts and jobs.
More mangled lyrical mixes to come...

Website Launch and New Record - Tim Emmerick

Stark's long-time friend and part-time lover Tim Emmerick just recently launched his new website. In the interest of full disclosure - we all know Tim real well and some of us have spent time playing in his various projects. All that aside - it's our goddamned blog so we're gonna write about him. Right now, Tim is across the pond in Bath, England working up tunes for the follow up record to his debut, North.

Emmerick walks the line between a traditional Americana sound laced with dobro and pedal steel, and a more organic roots-rock-vibe drawing influences from the Drive by Truckers to the Tragically Hip. Hit up the new site and his myspace for tunes, and keep your eye out for more new stuff in the coming months . If you live in England, go visit him and buy him a 40 for us. (Old English HG800 preferred).
http://www.timemmerick.com/
Myspace

Interesting CD Releases this Week from Largehearted Boy's Blog

StarkNY's editor's pick of the week is the new M83, Saturdays=Youth - out Tuesday on Mute/EMI
__________

"It seems only fitting that the week after Kim Deal's Breeders released Mountain Battles that her Pixies bandmate Black Francis (aka Frank Black) releases his latest solo effort, sv n f ng rs.

Other new releases I have already heard and can recommend include the Brian Jonestown Massacre's My Bloody Underground, James McMurtry's Just Us Kids, Joseph Arthur's Crazy Rain EP, the US release of Kate Rusby's Awkward Annie, Kris Delmhorst's Shotgun Singer, the Kooks' debut album, M83's Saturdays=Youth, and Tristan Prettyman's Hello.

Two live releases are worth mentioning this week. Former Drive by Trucker Jason Isbell releases a five-song live EP, Live at Twist & Shout that showcases both music from his solo album and his Drive-By Truckers songs. Gossip's Live in Liverpool features a cover of George Michael's "Careless Whisper."

The most intertesting reissues are Air's three-disc remastered edition of Moon Safari (10th Anniversary 3-disc Deluxe Edition) and a vinyl two-disc edition of Whiskeytown's Strangers Almanac."

*Post courtesey of Largehearted Boy (we know Brooklyn Vegan does this too... we know.)