DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS
LIVE AT THE 40 WATT EP
iTUNES
LIVE AT THE 40 WATT EP
iTUNES
What can you say about the Drive-By Truckers that hasn’t
already been said – except maybe “Did you know they
have an 8 song ep available exclusively at iTunes?” Well, it
took little time for me to get home, sign up, log on and
download these tunes.
already been said – except maybe “Did you know they
have an 8 song ep available exclusively at iTunes?” Well, it
took little time for me to get home, sign up, log on and
download these tunes.
For those unfamiliar with the Truckers brand of indie-southern-country-rock, you’re
missing out. Songs about drinking, growing up in the misunderstood South and other
more socially taboo subjects make the Truckers at least prolific, if not gutsy, ground
breaking and fresh. What’s fresh about Southern Rock? Pick up any record in the
DBT catalog to find out – Southern Rock Opera, the 2001 two disc concept album,
Decoration Day – 2003, and 2004’s The Dirty South are all great places to start. Did I
mention their songs are great? Each of their 3 guitarists brings a different pen to the
table and each alone could carry your better than average rock band across the
country. I have personally talked at least 10 friends and family members into buying
Decoration Day, each discussion ending with a personal money-back guarantee from
my pocket if they weren’t 100 percent satisfied. I’ve not yet been asked to pay up.
Live at the 40-watt EP was recorded in August of 2004 on their tour supporting The
Dirty South. The Athens, GA venue, in the state that has become the Alabama band’s
second home, has been a regular DBT tour stop for years. Taken from a phenomenal
concert DVD of the same name, this EP is a good sample of the band’s live set.
Those familiar with the extensive catalog can debate endlessly about song selection
and the wisdom behind releasing it in a compressed, proprietary format. I wonder why
they chose to include the first person thoughts of a man about to throw himself off a
cliff - "Lookout Mountain" and "The Living Bubba," a slower tempo, heart-wrenching
tribute to late Atlanta musician and AIDS victim Gregory Dean Smalley. Although both
stellar tunes, and good representations of the Trucker’s sound, they have each
already appeared on 2 releases – both on the also live Alabama Ass Whuppin (2000),
Lookout Mountain on The Dirty South and The Living Bubba on their 1998 debut
Gangstabilly.
Fortunately, the EP also includes some gems, leaning heavily on The Dirty South.
Guitarist Jason Isbell’s "Goddamn Lonely Love" is a standout, as is Mike Cooley’s
"Women Without Whiskey" from Southern Rock Opera. If I were picking the songs, the
chilling title track from Decoration Day would have been a finalist, as would DBT front
man Patterson Hood’s "Tornadoes" from TDS.
What I really have a problem with here is the format. iTunes uses the proprietary m4p
format, which can only be played on an iPod or their downloadable player.
Fortunately, their player offers burning capabilities so you can listen to it on CD. The
real drawback is the compression, which leaves a flat, somewhat muddy sound.
Fans who love the Truckers and can’t wait for their next studio offering (A Blessing
and a Curse – April ‘06) couldn’t care less.This EP satisfies the desire for some new
music and does manage to capture their intense live sound.
--Jeremy Porter
missing out. Songs about drinking, growing up in the misunderstood South and other
more socially taboo subjects make the Truckers at least prolific, if not gutsy, ground
breaking and fresh. What’s fresh about Southern Rock? Pick up any record in the
DBT catalog to find out – Southern Rock Opera, the 2001 two disc concept album,
Decoration Day – 2003, and 2004’s The Dirty South are all great places to start. Did I
mention their songs are great? Each of their 3 guitarists brings a different pen to the
table and each alone could carry your better than average rock band across the
country. I have personally talked at least 10 friends and family members into buying
Decoration Day, each discussion ending with a personal money-back guarantee from
my pocket if they weren’t 100 percent satisfied. I’ve not yet been asked to pay up.
Live at the 40-watt EP was recorded in August of 2004 on their tour supporting The
Dirty South. The Athens, GA venue, in the state that has become the Alabama band’s
second home, has been a regular DBT tour stop for years. Taken from a phenomenal
concert DVD of the same name, this EP is a good sample of the band’s live set.
Those familiar with the extensive catalog can debate endlessly about song selection
and the wisdom behind releasing it in a compressed, proprietary format. I wonder why
they chose to include the first person thoughts of a man about to throw himself off a
cliff - "Lookout Mountain" and "The Living Bubba," a slower tempo, heart-wrenching
tribute to late Atlanta musician and AIDS victim Gregory Dean Smalley. Although both
stellar tunes, and good representations of the Trucker’s sound, they have each
already appeared on 2 releases – both on the also live Alabama Ass Whuppin (2000),
Lookout Mountain on The Dirty South and The Living Bubba on their 1998 debut
Gangstabilly.
Fortunately, the EP also includes some gems, leaning heavily on The Dirty South.
Guitarist Jason Isbell’s "Goddamn Lonely Love" is a standout, as is Mike Cooley’s
"Women Without Whiskey" from Southern Rock Opera. If I were picking the songs, the
chilling title track from Decoration Day would have been a finalist, as would DBT front
man Patterson Hood’s "Tornadoes" from TDS.
What I really have a problem with here is the format. iTunes uses the proprietary m4p
format, which can only be played on an iPod or their downloadable player.
Fortunately, their player offers burning capabilities so you can listen to it on CD. The
real drawback is the compression, which leaves a flat, somewhat muddy sound.
Fans who love the Truckers and can’t wait for their next studio offering (A Blessing
and a Curse – April ‘06) couldn’t care less.This EP satisfies the desire for some new
music and does manage to capture their intense live sound.
--Jeremy Porter