That's a tough question because I'd make an argument that every single one of their records (well maybe not Gangstabilly) is essential haha. Their catalog really doesn't have many weak spots. I'm a DBT nut but my favorite could be Dirty South, Decoration Day, Brighter Than Creation's Dark or American Band--depending on the day and my mood. That being said, I think this live record is a great survey of their career and what you can expect at one of their shows: Give that and American Band a listen for sure, then if you have time check out their two records from 2020 as well. edit: FYI if you're seeing them at the Fillmore in SF, incidentally that's the venue where that live album was recorded over a weekend several years ago.
SRO has some of my all-time favorite Truckers songs but it is just a tier below those other four records I mentioned as a full piece imo. The highs are so high but the Rob songs in particular are some of the weakest they've ever recorded.
my personal take is they don't have one sole album that's "great," but would be an absolutely incredible greatest hits band/they're incredible live
Thanks for the tips! I’ve been listening to that live album while driving, it rocks! And yeah, I am seeing them at the Fillmore, that’s really neat. Hoping to have time to listen to a few of their other albums before the show.
what would be everyone's greatest hits-like length album be for them? a friend of mine wanted a playlist for them and what I came up with was: 1. Hell No, I Ain't Happy 2. Carl Perkins' Cadillac 3. Birthday Boy 4. Goddamn Lonely Love 5. This Fucking Job 6. Danko/Manuel 7. Let There Be Rock 8. Outfit 9. Shit Shots Count 10. Baggage 48 minutes felt right. kinda tried to curate it in a way that would flow like an album lol
I can't get it down below like 54 min without hating myself. Chronologically and without having songs by the same songwriter back to back (so like their live setlists): 1. Uncle Frank 2. Dead Drunk and Naked 3. Zip City 4. Sink Hole 5. Marry Me 6. Outfit 7. Where the Devil Don't Stay 8. Goddamn Lonely Love 9. The Righteous Path 10. Birthday Boy 11. Girls Who Smoke 12. Ramon Casiano
zip city and uncle frank were my last two cuts bc I really wanted to keep it under 50 minutes haha and couldn't find a place in the order for them also wanted to keep it roughly equal with 4 hood/3 cooley/3 isbell
Doesn’t hit all the same highlights mine does but really their set at Shoals Fest this year could be a pre-EO greatest hits: Lookout Mountain Play Video A Ghost to Most Play Video Tornadoes Play Video Women Without Whiskey Play Video Everybody Needs Love (Eddie Hinton cover) (with David Hood) Play Video Marry Me Play Video Heathens (with Jason Isbell) Play Video The Day John Henry Died (with Jason Isbell) Play Video Where the Devil Don't Stay Play Video Angels and Fuselage
doing this made me remember how much i love the big to do as well. flying wallendas was very close to being included
I got into them around the release of The Big To-Do and go go boots, so I have a soft spot for those. The dirty south I would probably have to put at #1 though.
Fyi y’all they are livestreaming their show on Tues night from SF. 11 PM CT start time is rough for me but you have 48 hours to rewatch so I’m probably gonna do it. $15. https://drivebytruckers.veeps.com/events/4be39ea1-6915-4cd9-a0fa-2528acf2c2cb?c=EML_LN_LN2086818
Watched this. I still enjoyed the hell out of it but the mixing was kinda bad, a little disappointing especially since their sound is so fucking good when you're in the room with them Anyway but more importantly when they played one of the new songs they've been working into the setlists here and there Patterson referred to it as "a song off our upcoming album" so maybe we're getting new music sooner rather than later?
they’ve been playing three new songs throughout the tour. have to imagine it’s done, if not close to done.
And based on the sequencing of the songs in set lists at least one is a Cooley one because it was sandwiched between two Hood songs. Need more Cooley on this record
always need more cooley. but it doesn’t seem like it’s a band politics thing. apparently he just only writes like two songs a year, they’re just always good lol
The new one they played in the livestream was good btw, slow burner that lasted about 6-7 min and kinda jumped around narratively from Patterson as a teenager to later driving around with the band