Drive-By Truckers: Brighter Than Creation's Dark

Label: New West

With 2006’s half-hearted stab at attracting VH1 viewers now long past, the Truckers return to gritty portrayals of the New South’s sordid sides, with plenty of slide guitar and pedal steel (and Spooner Oldham adding keyboards to three-quarters of the tracks). It’s an effective country-rock/Southern rock hybrid that coheres wonderfully despite its surprising amount of variety. Titles such as “Daddy Needs a Drink,” “You and Your Crystal Meth,” and “A Ghost to Most” give an idea of the dirty soap operas that play out across this epic album, but the dark wit runs deep through all 19 songs. It’s too bad Jason Isbell’s gone solo, but with his ex-wife Shonna Tucker taking a bigger role, they still have three distinctive lead vocalists, and new guitarist John Neff proves his mettle whether rocking hard or adding shimmering pedal steel to mournful ballads. There are many memorable character portrayals, but none leaves a bigger impression than the Iraqi war vet obsessing about “That Man I Shot,” with Patterson Hood’s ragged voice the perfect vehicle for his expression. This is as dark an album as they’ve ever made, and one of their best. (Steve)