Mrs. Peel Posted February 25, 2008 Author Share Posted February 25, 2008 So I guess you enjoyed it! Sounds like it was worth 'sliding into town'. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jimmyjimmy Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 So I guess you enjoyed it! Sounds like it was worth 'sliding into town'. Yeah. Those boys; (and I mean that in the most endearing way, from one southerner to another ) are a great band.He's allowing the songs to breathe and evolve a little. Jason has great chops, an excellent guitarist. I really see where he's dialing back the emphasis on his ability to play and allow the essence of the songs themselves to stand front and center. Looks like he's/ they are headed in a good direction. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Calexico Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 I'm seeing Jason and his band next month and I cannot wait. So happy that someone decent decides to play in this little shit hole. I am dragging 4 buddies to it and hoping he gets a decent crowd. I was actually in the venue last night at Hamell On Trial and there was a few people ponying up for Isbell tickets so fingers crossed! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mrs. Peel Posted March 26, 2008 Author Share Posted March 26, 2008 So I saw the Truckers last night....I figured I'd post in this thread since this was where we were talking about the new album and how it would translate live. The show was good. But it wasn't mind blowing like any of the other times I've seen them. They're still a great rock band, but there was absolutely something missing. First of all, the new material still didn't do much for me, even in the live setting. That Crystal Meth song was particularly painful with its reverbed vocals and extended psychedelic breakdown part complete with blacklight effects on their backdrop. Then they went straight into the Wah-Wah-laden Goode's Field Road, which put a long drawn out damper on the set. Two Daughters was nice, and so was Daddy Needs A Drink. Shonna's songs just don't do much for me, with the exception of Purgatory Line (which they didn't play) and she's not a very strong live singer, so those points of the evening dragged too. And, I really really dislike the monotone singing of The Righteous Path, so that didn't sit too well with me either. They've also seemed to change up some of their older songs in disappointing ways. Sinkhole was done a tad slower, and the last verse has been tremendously slowed down which takes away the phenomenal build up to "Damned if I wouldn't go to church on Sunday and look the preacher in the eye. OWWWW!" That's what makes the song, IMO. Plus, I really missed Jason's songs as well as his backing vocals. All night I kept "hearing" where Decoration Day would have fit in perfectly. And he and Cooley had great harmonization parts live that are nonexistent now.It sounds like I hated it, doesn't it? I don't mean to sound so harsh, but every time I've ever seen them I've come away saying no one could touch them with a ten foot pole. Last night, I enjoyed The Whigs as much as the Truckers (they rocked!). Of course I was singing along and having fun all night, they don't disappoint. But when you spend the whole ride home talking about what could have been better.....well, they didn't live up to my lofty expectations this time. I saw Jason and the 400 Unit last month in the same place and they were far superior. It's too bad he's going to have to claw his way back into the spotlight. I stole this setlist from the Truckers board: Living Bubba (opener)Ghost to MostCheckout Time in VegasCrystal Meth>Goode's Field Road2 DaughtersDaddy Needs a DrinkSelf Destructive ZonesHustonHome Field AdvantageRighteous PathGravity's GoneDevil Don't StayPutting People on the MoonLookout MountainThe Deeper InSink HoleMy Sweet AnnetteMarry MeHell No, I Ain't HappyRonnie & NeilZIP CITY!Let There Be Rock (with cool story about David Hood playing with Traffic in 1972 - kicking off the tour in New Haven)Women Without WhiskeyPeople Who Died (with singer from The Whigs on guitar) So as you can see, if you aren't a big fan of the new album you didn't get off lightly. Obviously I enjoyed the second half of the set immensely. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
myboyblue Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 I saw the Truckers once without Jason thus far. It was the Dirt Underneath tour and it was less intense as a result of the acoustic setting. That said, it was still great. I'm going to see them in Chicago in May and my expectations are high. I really like the new album. I think that there is a clunker or two but overall really solid with some of Patterson's finest work. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CortezTheKiller Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 So I saw the Truckers last night....I figured I'd post in this thread since this was where we were talking about the new album and how it would translate live. The show was good. But it wasn't mind blowing like any of the other times I've seen them. They're still a great rock band, but there was absolutely something missing. First of all, the new material still didn't do much for me, even in the live setting. That Crystal Meth song was particularly painful with its reverbed vocals and extended psychedelic breakdown part complete with blacklight effects on their backdrop. Then they went straight into the Wah-Wah-laden Goode's Field Road, which put a long drawn out damper on the set. Two Daughters was nice, and so was Daddy Needs A Drink. Shonna's songs just don't do much for me, with the exception of Purgatory Line (which they didn't play) and she's not a very strong live singer, so those points of the evening dragged too. And, I really really dislike the monotone singing of The Righteous Path, so that didn't sit too well with me either. They've also seemed to change up some of their older songs in disappointing ways. Sinkhole was done a tad slower, and the last verse has been tremendously slowed down which takes away the phenomenal build up to "Damned if I wouldn't go to church on Sunday and look the preacher in the eye. OWWWW!" That's what makes the song, IMO. Plus, I really missed Jason's songs as well as his backing vocals. All night I kept "hearing" where Decoration Day would have fit in perfectly. And he and Cooley had great harmonization parts live that are nonexistent now.It sounds like I hated it, doesn't it? I don't mean to sound so harsh, but every time I've ever seen them I've come away saying no one could touch them with a ten foot pole. Last night, I enjoyed The Whigs as much as the Truckers (they rocked!). Of course I was singing along and having fun all night, they don't disappoint. But when you spend the whole ride home talking about what could have been better.....well, they didn't live up to my lofty expectations this time. I saw Jason and the 400 Unit last month in the same place and they were far superior. It's too bad he's going to have to claw his way back into the spotlight. I stole this setlist from the Truckers board: Living Bubba (opener)Ghost to MostCheckout Time in VegasCrystal Meth>Goode's Field Road2 DaughtersDaddy Needs a DrinkSelf Destructive ZonesHustonHome Field AdvantageRighteous PathGravity's GoneDevil Don't StayPutting People on the MoonLookout MountainThe Deeper InSink HoleMy Sweet AnnetteMarry MeHell No, I Ain't HappyRonnie & NeilZIP CITY!Let There Be Rock (with cool story about David Hood playing with Traffic in 1972 - kicking off the tour in New Haven)Women Without WhiskeyPeople Who Died (with singer from The Whigs on guitar) So as you can see, if you aren't a big fan of the new album you didn't get off lightly. Obviously I enjoyed the second half of the set immensely. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mrs. Peel Posted March 27, 2008 Author Share Posted March 27, 2008 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CortezTheKiller Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 Touche Ms. Peel. I'm working on my retort when I have a few minutes to put some thoughts on the screen. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CortezTheKiller Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 Alright Mrs. Peel. You bring up some valid points. DBT definitely misses Jason's harmonizing vocals. Well, let me rephrase that. Mike Cooley misses Jason's harmonizing vocals. I think Shonna does a great job harmonizing with Patterson, but there's nobody left in the band who can harmonize on Cooley's songs. In comparing Jason to John Neff (his "replacement"), I think Jason is a more accomplished guitarist (Jason is an amazing slide guitarist), but I like what Neff brings to the band as a pedal steel player. He's also a capable guitarist and can play a good slide, just not as well as Jason does. Also, Neff doesn't sing at all. I mentioned Jason's ability as a harmonizing vocalist earlier. As far as missing Jason's songs, the only ones I truly miss are Decoration Day, Never Gonna Change, and Outfit. I like Goddamn Lonely Love as well, but I don't miss it terribly. The rest (The Day John Henry Died, Danko/Manuel, Easy on Yourself, and Daylight) are meh to not good. Considering the catalog the band has built for itself at this stage, I don't think the show suffers from not having the 3 Isbell songs to plug in. I do agree with you about some of the songs you mention. I can do without You and Your Crystal Meth (an outtake from the average A Blessing and a Curse) and ALL of Shonna's songs. Goode's Field Road is okay, but I do like The Righteous Path a lot. I saw DBT last Saturday in Boston @ The Paradise. They fucking killed it. I won't bore you with a review of the show, but this gives you a good idea about what the show was all about if you're interested. Thankfully, I didn't get You and Your Crystal Meth at my show, but I did get 2 Shonna songs (I'm Sorry Huston & Home Field Advantage) regretably. It was the best Truckers show I've been to. I've seen both Jason and DBT twice in the last 12 months. With both it was one okay show and one good/excellent show. While I know you want Jason to do well and you're excited about Jason's solo career, I don't know how you could say Jason & The 400 Unit are "far superior" to the Truckers. Frankly, I don't think they're in the same league. To get a sense of where the two acts stand, one needs to look no further than the Jack Daniels bottles each has on the stage for their respective shows - DBT oversized jug, 400 Unit little bottle you and I could handle in one sitting. Jason is a very talented musician, but he has a very long way to go to match the stage presence and charisma of Patterson Hood. For me (and I'm obviously biased), there Truckers are more than their music, they're an attitude. I think there's defiinitely a "DBT Thing" that they bring to the table. Jason and his 400 Unit are just a group of young 'uns touring and trying to generate some interest. I think they're good and I like Sirens of the Ditch, but there is a sizeable gap between Jason and his former band. I think Jason is more poppy than the Truckers and will translate better to a national audience in the same way that Ryan Adams as a solo artist does more so than Whiskeytown does. But for me it's DBT and Whiskeytown over Jason Isbell and Ryan Adams any day of the week. And I like Jason and Ryan alot. In a perfect world Jason Isbell is still in Drive-By Truckers. I think the Southern Rock Opera (just before Jason came on board) - Decoration Day (the band's masterpiece) - The Dirty South run for the band was amazing. They took a small step back with A Blessing and a Curse, but I love the direction they've gone in the wake of that record and the departure (dismissal if you ask me) of Jason Isbell. "Late Night" John Neff being back with DBT brings them back to their roots, but with much more maturity in 2007/2008 than they had in the late 90's. I LOVE Brighter Than Creation's Dark despite of some its warts (the aforementioned Crystal Meth and Shonna songs). Two Daughters and a Beautiful Wife, 3 Dimes Down, The Righteous Path, Perfect Timing, Self-Destructive Zones, The Opening Act, Checkout Time in Vegas, That Man I Shot, A Ghost to Most (best song I've heard this year), and Monument Valley rank as some of the best stuff they've ever recorded. And I was a bit apprehensious last Saturday when I went to see them in Boston (average show in NYC in July and the departure of Jason), but I was blown away. As the Boston Globe article I linked above states - The next time someone whines to you that rock 'n' roll is dead, killed by a wan army of sensitive emo types in guyliner, please buy them a ticket to see Drive-By Truckers. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mrs. Peel Posted March 27, 2008 Author Share Posted March 27, 2008 Well, as far as the JD bottles are concerned, Jason had a full sized one a few weeks ago and it was gone by the end of the show (I know because I tried to reach it to take it home with me), and the DBT's one of the same size had 2/3 left, so...... I absolutely get that they're "maturing" or whatever, I just don't happen to like what they've matured into, for the most part. Like I said, if you love the new album you'd love the current setlists and walk away thinking it was a phenomenal show. However, if you're like me and you don't have much love for the new record, 10 songs in a row of material you consider to be kind of monotonous and draggy is not going to leave you with a stellar review. The last half of the show was filled with the kick ass songs I love, so I had a much better time later on. It's kind of hard not to with Cooley's hand inches from your face. I could have licked the guitar strings if I wanted to. You talk about the "DBT attitude".....that's what made me fall for the band in the first place. I just don't overtly hear it in the new material, sorry. They still bring it on in the live sets when they play their older material, but most of the new album doesn't have it IMO. I actually didn't say that Jason and the 400 Unit were superior to DBT on all counts, I meant that his show was superior. I also saw a bit of an awkward Jason show last year...one of his first with the 400 Unit, I think. I mentioned it earlier in the thread. He didn't seem incredibly comfortable as a frontman yet. This last time he was obviously feeling more confident and "at one" with his band. It was a phenomenal show. Of course, both of our views are only our personal opinions. Plenty of people at the show thought it was awesome, I'm sure. But it just so happens that everyone I was with had the same reaction I did. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
myboyblue Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 The rest (The Day John Henry Died, Danko/Manuel) are meh to not good. I saw DBT last Saturday in Boston @ The Paradise. They fucking killed it. I won't bore you with a review of the show, but this gives you a good idea about what the show was all about if you're interested. Really? Meh? Thanks for the link. Looking forward to seeing these guys again. So fucking talented. Glad to see they are gaining more and more popularity. They may outgrow me in the near future as I can't stand the larger venues. That is part of the reason I'm actually excited about Jason's departure. He's back in the dingy clubs for the foreseeable future. That guy has a ton of runway though. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mrs. Peel Posted March 27, 2008 Author Share Posted March 27, 2008 Really? Meh? Oh yeah, forgot to address that part. How on earth anyone can think those songs are "meh" is beyond my comprehension. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CortezTheKiller Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 Well, as far as the JD bottles are concerned, Jason had a full sized one a few weeks ago and it was gone by the end of the show (I know because I tried to reach it to take it home with me), and the DBT's one of the same size had 2/3 left, so......Maybe that explains why Jason is starting to revert back to his old pudgy days. Oh yeah, forgot to address that part. How on earth anyone can think those songs are "meh" is beyond my comprehension.When stacked up against others in the band's catalog, those are average songs. Of course it's strictly my opinion and I don't imagine you will agree with me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
myboyblue Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 Maybe that explains why Jason is starting to revert back to his old pudgy days. When stacked up against others in the band's catalog, those are average songs. Of course it's strictly my opinion and I don't imagine you will agree with me. I agree on "easy on yourself" and "daylight"...definitely not my favorites. "John Henry" and "Danko" are some of the most solid songs on "Dirty South". Love those two. As far as the partying goes, when I saw Jason last month, he was getting after it. It is clear that he is living the rock and roll lifestyle. I had the honor of purchasing him a makers mark. He's young, he'll recover. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CortezTheKiller Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 I'm not sure if you ever saw what he looked like when he joined DBT back in 2002. I picked up Decoration Day on vinyl at the Boston show and on the inside flap is a picture of the band, and Jason looks like he just ate John Neff he's so fat. I was shocked. He obviously dropped a shitload of weight. But some of the pictures I've seen of him lately have him slowly inching back towards 2002. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jimmyjimmy Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 I'm not sure if you ever saw what he looked like when he joined DBT back in 2002. I picked up Decoration Day on vinyl at the Boston show and on the inside flap is a picture of the band, and Jason looks like he just ate John Neff he's so fat. I was shocked. He obviously dropped a shitload of weight. But some of the pictures I've seen of him lately have him slowly inching back towards 2002. Dude...a life on the road is an unhealthy life. It's totally understandable.If did what that man does for a living I'd weigh in at 250lbs and I'm six foot, 155lbs.And, although I'm trying not to be a total fan-boy, Danko/Manuel is far from average. On a separate note, I look forward to tomorrow night when I'll see the Truckers do their thing.I'm just glad to have the opportunity to see both of these bands live. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CortezTheKiller Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 Dude...a life on the road is an unhealthy life. It's totally understandable.If did what that man does for a living I'd weigh in at 250lbs and I'm six foot, 155lbs.I never noticed that there were a disproportionate number of touring musicians that were overweight. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jimmyjimmy Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 I never noticed that there were a disproportionate number of touring musicians that were overweight.No, not what Im saying.Just coming from the perspective of someone who understands how easy it is to fall back into old habits Quote Link to post Share on other sites
myboyblue Posted March 29, 2008 Share Posted March 29, 2008 absolutely great video podcast of the Truckers (acoustic) with a short interview as well: Interface Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CortezTheKiller Posted March 29, 2008 Share Posted March 29, 2008 No, not what Im saying.Just coming from the perspective of someone who understands how easy it is to fall back into old habitsPerhaps he'll be on the next version of Celebrity Fit Club. Might sell some more copies of Sirens of the Ditch in the process. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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