MARCH/APRIL 2010 ISSUE MMUSICMAG.COM SPOTLIGHT Danny clinch Brad Morgan, Jay Gonzalez, shonna Tucker, Patterson Hood, Mike cooley, John neff drive-by truckers their latest is a “straight-up rock record” with a few unexpected twists Drive-By Truckers’ BranD of three-guitar format was a big part of the story rock ’n’ roll is characterized by a full-on we wanted to convey on that album.” sonic assault led by a three-person guitar That said, The Big To-Do also includes attack in the front ranks. it’s no surprise, moments that will surprise longtime therefore, that a guitar-drenched song fans. “(it’s Gonna Be) i Told you so,” titled “Drag the Lake charlie” set the tone written and sung by bassist shonna Tucker, for the band’s latest album. “That was the offers a sly wink to Phil spector’s 1960s first song we tracked,” says Patterson Hood, girl-group productions. “you Got singer, guitarist and main songwriter for the another,” also a Tucker composition, athens, Ga.-based group. “We had lots of is a beautiful piano ballad laden with songs that veered off in various directions cathedral echo. but we knew going in that we wanted this The addition of keyboardist Jay Gonzalez album to be a straight-up rock record.” has also resulted in new, richer textures. “Jay aptly titled The Big To-Do, the disc had played in some of my favorite bands in does indeed sport a preponderance of athens,” Hood explains. “i called him to help unbridled rockers, steeped in a ragged us do a benefit performance where we were southern vibe. songs such as “Daddy covering Bruce springsteen’s Darkness at Learned to fly” and “The fourth night the Edge of Town in its entirety. Jay came to of My Drinking” bring to mind Zuma-era the first rehearsal and he had already learned neil young and crazy Horse. similarly, all of [springsteen keyboardists] roy Bittan the honky-tonk stomp “Get Downtown” and Danny federici’s parts. He’s amazing. (written and sung by guitarist and vocalist He’s a huge part of this new album.” Mike cooley) evokes the rowdier aspects as for the album’s production, the of the rolling stones’ Exile on Main Street. Truckers are emphatically old-school, Much of the Truckers’ musical density eschewing digital technology in favor of springs from the complex interplay among its analog recording to capture their sonic three guitarists, the third being pedal-steel crunch. “i’m blessed to be in a real band specialist John neff. “We didn’t set out to be that can sit in a room and play together,” he an army of guitar players,” Hood says. “That’s says, “and there’s no better way to capture actually a by-product of our [2001] album, that sound than on tape.” Southern Rock Opera. it’s just that the –Russell Hall 21 M mag 2_HBa.indd 21 3/23/10 3:27:25 AM.