Drive-By Truckers - Go-Go Boots

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Go-Go Boots will be the Drive-By Truckers' ninth studio album, released on February 15, 2011 on ATO Records.

From TheBoot.com:

Drive-By Truckers are putting on their Go Go Boots.

That’s the title of the country-rockers’ new album that is on track to be completed right after Labor Day. The band’s label, ATO Records, will ultimately decide the release date, but Chief Trucker Patterson Hood predicts it’ll be out late this year or early next.

“I was working on it this week. I cut a new song this week for it and we’re just kind of rounding it out and finishing it up,” Patterson tells The Boot. “I couldn’t be happier with it.”

The songs for Go Go Boots were written at the same time as those that made it onto the band’s March release, The Big To-Do. When the band considered the 30 songs written for The Big To-Do, they divided them between that album and what will eventually become ‘Go Go Boots,’ which returns to the sound heard on the band’s 2008 release, Brighter Than Creation’s Dark.

“That is one that I’m extra proud of,” says Patterson of the 2008 album, which contained more introspective songs than the Drive-By Truckers’ generally deliver. “I really like that record and feel really strongly about it, but translating that into a rock show, particularly when our fans are expecting a certain energy level (from us) … was one of the hardest things we have ever done.”

After Brighter Than Creation’s Dark, the Truckers decided that their next album — The Big To-Do — would be full on rock.

“We all said early on that our next record would come roaring out of the box and out of the speakers and we needed to make a reach-out-and-grab-you-by-the-scruff-of-the-neck kind of record. Even the name of it conjures up a show,” says Patterson. “That was the whole basis of the dividing line (between) the songs for ‘The Big To-Do’ and it’s shows and these other songs. I feel just as strongly about ([the songs that will be on Go Go Boots). It’s just the other side of what we do.”

After Go Go Boots is released, Patterson says the band will play songs from both albums in their concerts. The combination will create “big fun rock shows even though some of the songs are darker and don’t necessarily have happy endings… The goal for next year when Go Go Boots comes out is to play combined shows with songs off of both of those albums and it kind of becomes its own thing. That’s the longer term goal of what we’re doing.”

Pretty excited for anything new by these guys. If Go-Go Boots is going to be a quieter, more introspective LP, hopefully it's at least varied in arrangements or incorporating new instruments. Some strings or brass would be an interesting touch. If the songs are anything like Daddy Needs A Drink, then I'll be satisfied. Such an amazing song.

This one's about 10,000 times better than their last. A+. Tim, if You dig "Daddy Needs A Drink" (agreed it's a good one, underrated in their catalog) you won't be disappointed - lost of slo-burn country soul. Great playing throughout.

That is excellent news.

I don't know, I think this one's by FAR their worst album yet, and I wasn't a fan of The Big To-Do either. You might like it if you're a corny indie fuck, but I miss the rock days. How the mighty have fallen...

That's crazy talk. I'd argue it's their best since Jason left the band. There are plenty of 'rockers' here, but the band's sorta matured from the days of "Lookout Mountain" and "Nine Bullets." Their playing has improved dramatically over the past few albums (even the stinkers on The Bog To Do featured some tremendous instrumental work). I can see not digging this new direction, but the writing on this new album, in particular, is as strong as ever. You really don't even dig the three Cooley songs on here, Reatards??

Err, that's The BIG To Do, though 'bog' certainly describes how I feel about that album.

In some ways their songwriting has never been better even if they've lost quality control.

I think these three Cooley songs are the three worst songs Cooley has ever written, "Eyes Like Glue" excepted.

I'll concede that "Eyes Like Glue" was shockingly turgid, but I think these three are great. Both "Pulaski" and "The Weakest Man" have those crazy harmonies at the end, and "Cartoon Gold" is full of lines that already sound classic to me. Do you reject the idea of Cooley as some sort of latter-day outlaw country troubadour? Because he's clearly gone that route. I miss tunes like "Uncle Frank" and "Love Like This," too, but, you know, those songs already exist. Guess I'm not totally clear on what you're objecting so strongly to about this new one...

"Cartoon Gold" is great.

These two albums def feel like a pretty classic "edit this down to one to one quality LP" situation.

I just think so many of the songs are totally unmemorable -- "Go Go Boots" and "Ray's Automatic Weapon" and "The Fireside Poker" have NO hook and NO sense of melody (and the latter has absolutely no reason to be eight minutes long), "The Thanksgiving Filter" feels kind of cheesy to me, I haven't liked any of Shonna's songs and these two are no exception (although "Where's Eddie" may be her best yet)...I DO like the idea of Cooley being an outlaw country troubadour but I think these three are instantly forgettable (I've listened to them at least five times but can't even recall what they sound like). That only leaves a few tracks in the "good" category, and I don't think any of them rank among DBT's best.

Fair enough. I think I posted this in an earlier DBT thread, but I was getting pretty sick of Patterson reading Court TV transcripts and police blotters and calling them lyrics. He does a little of this on the new album, but not as much as on TBTD. And I'm not a fan of Shonna's songs, either - DBT always seemed like such a lyrically driven sorta band and her lyrics always sound like they were made up on the spot. That said, "Dancing Ricky" is probably my favorite of hers so far (and uh...isn't "Where's Eddie" an Eddie Hinton cover?).

I also agree about "The Fireside Poker." Definitely a weaker track, but still light years better than the unlistenable "The Flying Wallendas" or "The Wig He Made Her Wear."

I dig the title track because it reminds me of On The Beach era Neil Young. A lot of this album does, actually, the way it sorta wanders in this sorta bluesy, stoned way.

I just think the album grooves where it's supposed to, and there are enough tunes on it ("Pulaski," "Assholes," "Used To Be A Cop," "Mercy Buckets," "Cartoon Gold") that remind me of Decoration Day (my sentimental favorite, now and forever) and make me remember why I love this band. Maybe I'm overrating it because I hated TBTD so much. Very possible.

Well given that you hate the Court TV stuff I guess I can understand, but in no way is "The Wig He Made Her Wear" in the same class of unlistenable as "The Flying Wallendas".

LOL. The Flying Wallendas is definitely the worst Patterson Hood song on any DBT record. What's Cooley's worst? My vote for Isbell's DBT nadir is Daylight.

It should be noted that this is their 9th studio album, and they're still a relevant, world-class band. You'd be hardpressed to find many other bands with 9 studio albums better than the DBT discography.

LOL. The Flying Wallendas is definitely the worst Patterson Hood song on any DBT record.

Clearly you don't recall "A Blessing And A Curse." :)

Cooley's worst is "Eyes Like Glue." Isbell has a few stinkers - "When The Well Runs Dry" being my least favorite. Anyone can steal the melody from "Tweeter and the Monkey Man" but it takes a special kinda talent to make it suck.

This

It should be noted that this is their 9th studio album, and they're still a relevant, world-class band. You'd be hardpressed to find many other bands with 9 studio albums better than the DBT discography.

is totally OTM and I'm glad to hear someone else say it. This is one of the last bands I give enough of a shit about to pre-order 'deluxe' editions of their albums. That there's a poorly constructed sentence but it's late, I'm half drunk, you get the idea.

By the way, I prefer talking about DBT here than on the frequently obsequious ThreeDimesDown forum, where it is an unspoken rule that any criticism of the band is strictly verboten.

God I hate artist forums that are like that.

Ok I'm not a big enough fan to spend $75 on that deluxe version though!

i loved creation's dark, if this is more of that i am down as fuck

I love the *sound* of this record, wish the songs were as good.

so i guess i should go illegally obtain this

^^^ Just did that a minute ago and it's sounding great.

To-Do and Go-Go are boring as fuck.

agreed. Don't know what happened to them after Decoration Day.

Used To Be A Cop. Holy mackerel that is a great song.

yah for real i heard it on kexp yest and was like O_O

I know, I was all OMG YESSSS

I think "Used to be a Cop" stands with the best Hood has ever written. It's surprisingly subtle in its hushed tragedy. And it is really a tragedy: guy not suited to anything but police work gets hurt on the job, suffers from PTSD, loses said job and without that stability/outlet, everything unravels. He's left literally on the outside, looking in at what his life used to be.

Yeah lyrically it's knife sharp...and I really, really love the music for this one. Feels very seventies to me (though I don't have the means to express why I get that feeling, I just do I am prepared to be wrong, lol)

I didn't hear it early on like other doodz here: got the free download with the CD, listening now...I dunno if my filter is just broken and I don't know how to objectively listen to them anymore but I really love this. Seeing them at the Fillmore on March 5 - psyched!

About 2/3rds through my first listen and I'm really liking this so far, definitely better than the last two. I'm assuming "Assholes" is about Isbell, correct?

Christgau likes.

xpost I never thought about Isbell for 'Assholes'...as far as I know they're still somewhat amicable. I assumed it was a manager or label something or other, but I don't know much of their background goings-on so I'm just guessing.

I just assumed it was a generic people-in-the-music biz thing. Worst song on the album, too: hate it when bands complain in song they've met people who don't understand them and didn't tell them the literal truth. I always want to point out how many people in their audience would gladly swap places.

x-post

Speaking of Isbell, he has a new record coming out called Here We Rest which (after 1st listening) is as exciting as it sounds.

I guess that reading (industry types) makes more sense.

"Assholes" is about New West, btw

So what went down, exactly?

Not sure, but I do recall Cooley having 'FNW' - "Fuck New West" - on guitar on live TV. I frequent the DBT messageboards, for I am a nerd among nerds, and the general understanding is that New West fucked them over pretty bad (hence the contractual obligation-looking CD The Fine Print, I think, but I could be wrong about that).

What went down is probably what always goes down at big labels. Greed, incompetence, etc. Par for the course, I reckon.

Actually I kind of eyerolled myself after I asked the question..."um, what always goes down btw band and management"?

Yeah, I'm sure it isn't a unique tale. Things seem to be going well with ATO, though!

I poked around on 3DD for a while but they inadvertedly scared me off...I stood next to the girls who call themselves the doublemint twins at a Fillmore Show, holy wow it was like they were royalty, passes and handshakes and howyadoin's from the band...i got so intimidated I never went back to the messageboard after that, haha

I bought this album in 2012, but only just got around to listening to it properly. It's the only DBT album I've heard. It's pretty good, where should I go from here?

dirty south.

Decoration Day, then Dirty South, the Brighter Than Creation's Dark, pretty much in any order, and if you like those you will probably like them all. Southern Rock Opera may be the best, but perhaps not the best second step after Go Go Boots.

Decoration Day and Brighter Than Creation's Dark are my two favorites. They don't have a bad album, but the one I listen to least is Blessing and a Curse.