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.

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!

Music = Good

Patterson Hood - Murdering Oscar (and other love songs)
Release Date: June 23, 2009
Label: Ruth St. Records
MP3: Stream new songs at Patterson's myspace
Rating: 89
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Drive By Trucker's frontman, Patterson Hood, follows the lead of fellow DBT'er Jason Isbell, releasing another solo album. There is definite southern-rock cross over here, as well there should be. Hood tells stories beautifully with precision band backing and signature vocal stylings. I love me some whiskey and a rainy day when listening to Hood. Today is rainy, who gots the whiskey? Key tracks include: "Pollyanna," "Granddaddy," and "Murdering Oscar."

Passion Pit- Manners
Release Date: May 19, 2009
Label: Frenchkiss
MP3: "Moth's Wings"
Rating: 93
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Pure genius. We can't say enough about Michael Angelakos and his electro-dance jams. You can play this album cover-to-cover, have a drink and a smoke, then come back and do it again. Creating electronically influenced highs and lows, Angelakos makes you want to sing every lyric and fist pump every beat. With full children's choir accompaniment on certain tunes, Passion Pit gets raucous and reels you in. Key tracks include: "Little Secrets," "The Reeling," "Moth's Wings" and every other song.


Dirty Projectors- Bitte Orca
Release Date: June 9, 2009
Label: Domino
MP3: "Stillness is the Move"
Rating: 92
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New age, modern or any real genre classification defies this album. Conjuring up thoughts of Yes, Paul Simon, David Byrne and a hodgepodge of all musical genres, the Dirty Projectors have created an album of timeless classics. The signature jangling, finger picked guitar riffs are ever-present and the falsetto is not lacking. The album never lets up and keeps you satisfyingly occupied. You never know what time period is coming on next. Key tracks include: "Cannibal Resource," "Stillness is the Move," "Temecula."

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.