Quick Hits, Vol. 267 (Drive By Truckers, Chris Stapleton, AC/DC, T.I.)

Drive-By Truckers - The New OK.  These guys just recently released a pretty solid album, with a killer track called "Thoughts and Prayers" that called out politicians for their weak platitudes after a school shooting or some other horrible thing happened.  This is another good one, with a few fiery rockers that live in that same wheelhouse of pissed off redneck yelling about our country going to shit.  And I like it.  With lyrics like “Smashing medics and the once-free press ... Goons with guns coming out to play / It’s a battle for the very soul of the USA” or "heads getting bashed and tear gas, boys too stupid to be proud" you can tell which side of the argument they come down on regarding the current state of affairs in America.  Or singing about "flags of oppression" or nazis on "Perilous Night."  "Sarah's Flame" does some of the same, but actually name-checks "old fat Donny" when singing about Sarah Palin's effect on today's politics, which was apparently derived from studying bumper stickers on those trucks with confederate flags on them.  But it's not all doom and gloom, they also do a great cover of the Ramones' "The KKK Took My Baby Away," which is good stuff.  There is also a funkiness to some of this - it's not just straight rock, there are some groovy organ licks and bouncing bass lines that take it out of the normal alt country/southern rock where I would stick these guys.  The horns on "Sea Island Lonely" are definitely what I'm talking about.  But then the banjo weaving through "The Distance" draws them back over to where I think they ought to normally be.  And like their old buddy Jason Isbell, the power of this band is in good songwriting.  

Damn man.  I hadn't seen that much of footage from Portland.  What a fucked up time.  Solid track though.  But, this album has the classic patterning of a disc that is not that interesting to the crowd.  The first track has 217k streams, the second has 83k, the third has 72k, etc. until the final track has just over 50k.  You can tell that people are checking it out, but not getting fully engaged.  Which is too bad, although I agree that their last album was better than this one overall.  But this is still good.  I'll keep it around.

Chris Stapleton - Starting Over.  I'm just an absolute sucker for Stapleton.  Anything he rolls out will have me salivating and ready to gush about how great it is.  I thought Traveler was brilliant.  Liked the From a Room discs a lot as well.  And they have been slow releasing a few singles from this one to get me revved up for the main course.  The title track is winning the streams battle with 26.4 million streams.

Unbelievably sweet to think about getting to sing that song with your wife manning the piano and singing harmonies with you.  Just a perfect picture.

My love for him comes from a handful of things.  First, he's a flipping badass on the guitar.  I've seen him live a few times and the dude can freaking slay.  And if you listen to this disc, you get 31 flavors of his prowess.  His guitar also sounds like Waylon at times ("When I'm With You"), or Stevie ("Devil Always Made Me Think Twice"), or Gregg Allman ("Joy of My Life"), or John Mayer ("You Should Probably Leave"). 

Second, he's got soulfulness in his singing that is missing from most other country singers.  Some of these tracks are almost R&B (albeit like a swampy Southern R&B, this ain't Bel Biv Devoe).  "Cold" is the perfect example of that - brutal song about a broken heart, with powerful, gritty laments belted out over strings and a basic country backing beat.  Or righteous gospel fire on "Watch You Burn." 

Third, the dude can write lyrics.  "Whiskey and You" is an older example of that, but look at the album opener here: "Starting Over" - I keep finding myself singing it in my head - "It don't matter to me, wherever we are, is where I wanna be.  And honey for once in our lives let's take our chances and roll the dice.  I can be your lucky penny, you can be my four leaf clover, starting over."  It's lovely.  And it makes me want to start carrying a lucky penny.   Even just the opening line "well, the road rolls out like a welcome mat, to a better place than the one we're at."  He also uses it to pay homage to Tom Petty - the whole tune sounds like something off of Wildflowers - check the middle guitar solo or the opening guitar licks.  Some of the lyrics are just so warm and comfortable.  "Nashville, TN" is like that, and so is the killer "Maggie's Song."  "Hillbilly Blood" has some strong Steve Earle undertones.  "Arkansas" has some "Just the Good Old Boys" vibes (and is a fun rocker - if I lived there, I'd make that the State song immediately).

I need to talk more about "Maggie's Song" and discuss why it is going to make you cry forever.  First off, it sounds like The Band, which is dope.  Second, finding a sweet pup in a grocery cart, then giving her a happy place to run around with kids and chase squirrels, and then saying goodbye to her while laying down by her side and telling her she was a good dog.  COME THE FUCK ON, CHRIS!!!  When I have to bury my dog someday, I'm gonna be a damn mess.  Hell, now I'm a mess just thinking about that prospect.  Damnation.  Great song though.

Just another very enjoyable album.  I don't understand at all why Stapleton isn't on top of the charts forever, but he's freaking great.

AC/DC - POWER UP.  I MEAN, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO SAY ABOUT FREAKING AC/DC? HAS THERE EVER BEEN A MORE RELIABLE BAND REGARDING THE OUTPUT THAT THEY CREATE?  EVERY SINGLE SONG SOUNDS LIKE IT COULD HAVE BEEN ON ANY OF THEIR OTHER 17 ALBUMS.  BANGING DRUMS WITH LOADS OF CYMBALS/HI/HATS.  A SCREAMY SET OF VOCALS ONE STEP AWAY FROM ANIMAL'S VOCALS FOR DR. TEETH AND THE ELECTRIC MAYHEM BAND.  GUITAR SLINGING RIFFAGE AND HIGH PITCHED SOLO-AGE.  LYRICS ABOUT EITHER ROCKING OR BONING OR ROCKING WHILE BONING OR BONING WHILE ROCKING.  IT'S BEEN THE SAME FOR 45 YEARS.  IF THAT IS YOUR THING, THEN THIS IS YOUR THING.  IF IT AIN'T, THEN GO LISTEN TO YOUR WHAM! RECORDS WITH YOUR MOMMA.  

At the same time, I think maybe we have moved on from some of these sentiments, which is what makes them seem like they could have come out in the 70's.  I think this is still okay, if a little crass: "You got a long night coming, And a long night pumping, You got the right position, The heat of transmission." It ain't "You Shook Me," but it's a pimply cousin.  And then "Money Shot" is unsurprisingly all about getting that money shot, by prescription, to cure what ails a lady ("Doctor, what's the antidote? Lady, just try the money shot. (Best taken when hot)").  <shivers uncontrollably> But then you've got: "if you rejeeeeeect me, I'll take what I want," which is a definitely troublesome lyric.  Top track is "Shot in the Dark" with 16.6 million, that even bites their own prior work in a more obvious way with those exact guitar riffs to open the track.

God, please don't actually show me the guys in the band.  That's just fucking depressing.  It's like an AC/DC cover band from the local nursing home got together for a jam.  I mean, they can still jam, but I don't want to see their dentures pop while they sing backup.  I'm good on this one.

T.I. - The L.I.B.R.A.  Man, I loved Paper Chase.  Just a great album from front to back.  I have yet to hear TIP create another that is that good.  There are a few (very few) tracks on here that are pretty cool, but the majority of it is pretty forgettable stuff.  "Respect the Code," which features Rick Ross and is supremely laid back and cool, is a good one.  There is also a weird handful of interludes by someone named Ms. Pat that are crass and kinda funny?  20 damn songs, over an hour, and it just feels like it keeps on going and going and going, with very little that piques the interest.  "Hypno," which bites part of the sounds from B.I.G.'s "Hypnotize" at least shows T.I. as a still nimble rapper who can still dominate a beat.  Most of the tracks have collaborators, but some of those really fall flat.  I was excited to see Killer Mike on one, but it's a lame R&B ass sounding track.  I wish that there was something super catchy or lyrically interesting on here, but not happening.  The one with Young Thug is the top streamer at 7.1 million, this is "Ring."

Sounds like a generic new Atlanta trap track - short lines of nonsense lyrics over a clicky beat.  I mean, I catch the vibe, that it's the old dog versus the new dog and all, but I don't see anything in there that is interesting.  This disc can go - no need.