A Blessing And A Curse

Some things take a while to reveal themselves. When I heard "Feb 14" back in January I thought it sounded okay, but it was a fairly average rock song, and it seemed to lack the storytelling aspect that's at the core of the best Drive By Truckers songs. It sounds like the Replacements, sure, but I don't necessarily want the Truckers to sound like the 'Mats.

This album doesn't really sound like the same band that made Decoration Day or The Dirty South either. Of course, that's kind of a foolish thing to say. If any band has a unique identity these days that they can really call their own, it's the Drive By Truckers. But the storytelling/conceptual edge of the last three records is missing from A Blessing and A Curse, and it can be a little unsettling.

This is Patterson Hood's album. The last couple records best moments often belonged to Jason Isbell, but on this record the DBT founder seems re-energized. "Remember it ain't too late to take a deep breath and throw yourself into everything you got" he sings on "A World of Hurt" and it's as if he's done just that. It must be a hell of an inspiration to have Isbell and Cooley to compete with for song inclusion, and with this record Patterson proves he's up for the challenge. He even managed to write the best Stones song in years with "Aftermath USA".

It's Mike Cooley who has the finest moment on the disc though. "Gravity Gone" is the lyrical high of the album, and may be the best song Cooley has had on a Truckers album. He sees the trappings of fame and phrases it in only a way a Trucker could. "Between the champagne, hand jobs and the kissing ass by everyone involved/Cocaine comes quick and that's why the small dicks have it all."

So the sound is there. And the stories are there too, even if they aren't as unified as previous records. The Drive By Truckers know how to give the whole package too. It's pretty easy to download songs these days and make a snap judgment and move on to the next thing. In a beautiful gatefold cd which recalls the 70's double vinyl days, the Drive By Truckers invite you to sit down and absorb the whole experience. Look at Wes Freed's artwork. Read the lyrics. Get the stories. Then slap it on your ipod and make it part of your life.