Drive-By Truckers: The Unraveling
Not many bands can say that they have almost 25 years under their belt. Even less can say that their two songwriters have been a team for even longer. But, the Drive-By Truckers are a band that can say that, proudly. Labeled as everything from alt-country, to southern rock, to “we don’t know how to label them,” the Truckers have forged a path in rock n' roll history with their unique sound, introspective songwriting, and blistering live rock shows. While their sound has evolved over the years, as band members have come and gone, Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley have stayed true to their roots and their beliefs. To listen to a DBT song is to hear a story, sometimes based on real events and sometimes not. Their songs are a combination of southern gothic imagery and thought provoking, visceral lyrics that seem to stick with you for years to come.
While Hood and Cooley are the songwriters and main guitar players, the rest of the band bring the classic Drive-By Truckers sound with their combined talent. Brad Morgan (drums), Matt Patton (bass) and Jay Gonzalez (keys and guitar and everything else) are a force to be reckoned with. There is nothing quite like the “three guitar attack” sound of Hood, Cooley and Gonzalez lined up on the stage and putting a hurtin’ on whoever is in their presence.
The Drive-By Truckers have always been known as a political band, but it seems that recently their political views have been brought more into the spotlight, especially with the last album, American Band. This may be a combination of many things, but the fact of the matter is, as artists, this is how they express themselves. As Patterson has said, “If the last one was a warning shot hinting at a coming storm, this one was written in the wreckage and aftermath. I have always said that all of our records are political, but I’ve also said that ‘politics is personal.’ With that in mind, this album is especially personal.”
Fans have been anticipating the 12th studio album for over three and a half years, which is the longest span of time between new albums the Truckers have ever had. Hood and Cooley struggled with the direction they wanted the album to take. Hood says, “...the original plan was to zigzag in a different direction, but alas, the past few years have seen an uptick in school shootings, church shootings, racial violence, suicides and overdoses, border violence, and an assault on so many things that we all hold dear. Writing silly love songs just seemed the height of privilege.” Cooley and Hood focused on writing songs at a more personal, emotional level. After it was all said and done, they recorded 18 songs in 85 hours. The Unraveling was recorded in the historic Sam Phillips Recording Service in Memphis, Tennessee with producer David Barbe and engineer Matt Ross-Spang. Patterson Hood says, “If the writing was a long and brutal process, the recording was a joyous celebration.” Most of the tracks were cut live, and some just in one or two takes. They whittled the album down to nine songs that are all raw, real and relevant.
Photo By Andy Tennille
The opening track “Rosemary with a Bible and a Gun” is a beautiful song Hood wrote about Memphis as a “sort of stream of conscious love song to that dark and mythical city on the banks of the Mississippi.” The song has a very dark feel to it, and Hood admits the song is reminiscent of the tough times he and Cooley experienced after moving there in 1991. The addition of the string arrangement by Kyleen King and Patti King, especially at the end of the song, left me wanting it to go on for a lot longer than it did.
“Slow Ride Argument” is the third track and the first of the two songs on the album written by Mike Cooley. The almost frantic pace of the song seems to echo the anxiety and frustration many people are feeling, whether it be from the current state of affairs or personal struggles. “Don’t go taking it out on anything but the highway. Let her go my friend. Let the outside air in” is the line that really drew me into the song. And, just when you feel in your gut what Cooley is trying to say, Hood comes in chanting, “slow down, take it easy.” It is a very powerful song, and one that says a lot with not many words.
“Thoughts and Prayers” is the latest single that was released from The Unraveling. It is a rather direct view of the aftermath of a school shooting that we see on any version of the 24/7 media coverage that takes place after it happens. It is a gut wrenchingly emotional song, as Hood sings, “The white noise in my head, I think I need a filter, a pressure valve to keep from blowing up. When the shit comes down, I pray I can rise above it, hold me close when I’ve had enough.” But it is also bluntly unapologetic with the line, “Stick it up your ass with your useless thoughts and prayers.” While some would argue that this song is mocking prayer or people’s tendency to say those 3 words when someone suffers a loss, which is just not true. This song was written as a way to express the frustration of trying to explain to your kids why the new “normal” is to have lockdown drills at school. This may be called the most political song on the record, but I don’t feel that way. I think it may be the most personal song Patterson Hood has written in a long time.
The 5th track is called “21st Century USA” and is the song that Hood says “opened the floodgate” for him, after not writing for quite a while. He wrote it during a layover in Gillette, Wyoming. The opening guitar reminds me of something you would hear from their 2003 album Decoration Day. However, we are far from 2003 and the mood changes quickly to lyrics about “working hard for shrinking pay” and using “prescription pills to make the pain less.” The song describes just about any town in the USA, where people work hard, but never seem to get ahead. Jay’s pedal steel and the lovely strings, again arranged by Kyleen King and Patti King, give this song its haunting sound. “You look at your children and you hope and pray that they can conjure up a better day. No one remembers how it got that way. 21st Century USA.”
“Babies in Cages” was written in the living room of Hood’s in-laws' house. He recorded it on his phone while sitting there, and the beautiful, acoustic opener to the song you hear on the album is from that original phone recording. The song quickly turns into a funky, almost atmospheric sounding groove thanks to Matt Patton’s bass, Jay’s keys, and a special guest, Cody Dickinson (North Mississippi All Stars), who played an electric washboard through an Echoplex and wah-pedal into an amp. Musically, this is by far, my favorite song on the album. There are so many layers and textures of sounds... it is just a beautiful thing. The lyrics are direct and disturbing, and bring visuals that many seem to refuse to want to see. “Are we so divided that we can’t at least agree. This ain’t the country that our granddads fought for us to be. Babies in cages. Standing in the darkness to answer for our sins. Children changing each other’s diapers in a pen. Babies in cages.”
Cooley’s second song on the album is called “Grievance Merchants,” which is his take on the white supremacist violence that has reared its ugly head in recent years. The song has the signature Cooley guitar sound, along with the convoluted and complex lyrics he is known for. “Giving boys targets for their grievance and then mocking those who bear the pain they cause; it takes a certain special kind of something to cash the check it brings and sleep at all.” Cooley’s writing is both direct and abstract at times, but always brilliant. “The demonizing of the trouble minded with all the usual suspects on the scene. Merchants selling young men reclamation. Merchants selling old men back their dreams.” Lyrically, this song is a Cooley masterpiece.
The rest of the album does not disappoint. Every song seemed to be my new favorite after a few listens. Music is art, and overall, I think The Unraveling is a stunning work of art. It is a vitally important record for the times that we live in. It is beautifully written, with the unmistakable Drive-By Truckers sound. Everyone should listen to this record, and then listen again, more closely. If you can, make it to a show. Everyone needs to experience this amazing rock band, who after almost 25 years, are still at their peak and continue to reinvent themselves with every new album.
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