DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS
The Big To-Do
ATO Records

If The Truckers' last album, Brighter Than Creation's Dark , was an album of reclamation, rebirth and recovery, The Big To-Do is the work of a band that finally sounds relaxed and comfortable with who they are, where they've been and where they're headed. 

There are no major revelations here for long-time fans and less sonic experimentalism than the last few records. In the place of those elements is, perhaps, the archetypal Drive-By Truckers album, and that ain't a bad thing. For those who aren't initiated, that means there are plenty of heartbreaks along the way. Those heartbreaks are peppered with stories of hard living and tough times, but ultimately it's about survival...for most anyway. After all, every Drive-By Truckers album has to have a body count. The Big To-Do is no exception, even if it's a significanly lower count than on their other releases.

Main songwriters Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley are always building on their strengths. Patterson's skill for narrative shines on “The Wig He Made Her Wear” and “The Flying Wallendas”, while Cooley alternates between the quiet, country-tinged lyricism of “Eyes Like Glue” and the hard-edged Exile On Main Street swagger of “Get Downtown” ( which is bound to be a long-term set addition that will bring the crowd to its feet).

Bassist Shonna Tucker's entries on this album are the biggest surprises. “(It's Gonna Be) I Told You So” is as close to power-pop as DBT has ever been. It's catchy as hell and has a hook as timeless as anything Buddy Holly's Crickets (or Marshall Crenshaw) have ever done. On the flip-side is her haunting and dreamy ballad “You Got Another”. There's a bittersweetness that recalls Fleetwood Mac's “Songbird”, but without as much sentimentality. There's no way around the beauty of that track.

I'm also happy to announce that the amps are turned back up for a good portion of the proceedings. “Birthday Boy” and “Daddy Learned To Fly” have that crushing rock and roll strut that so few bands can muster this far into the 21st Century. Maybe it's the addition of keyboardist Jay Gonzales, or maybe it's just the natural progression of the band, but there's less of a Crazy Horse feel and more of a Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers vibe. Listen to Jay's glistening piano and the crashing cymbals of drummer Brad Morgan about 3/4 through “Daddy Learned To Fly”. Add in the roar of John Neff's guitar and it's all a sonic undertow that'll pull you out to sea. It's a fun drift.

To put it simply, The Big To-Do is a damned good band doing what they do. There's no more and no less to it. 

Chris McKay / concertshots.com

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