On Go-Go Boots, their eleventh studio record in just twelve years, The Drive-By Truckers are focused on the softer or more acoustic side of their sound. While most of their records have featured these quieter songs, this is their first album to focus entirely on their country-soul leanings.
Recorded at the same time as 2010's The Big To Do, Go-Go Boots features songs from all three Truckers songwriters again, however it is worth noting that this is the second album to be dominated by contributions from Hood, with Tucker taking lead on two tracks ("Dancing Ricky," "Where's Eddie") and Cooley only providing three tracks ("Cartoon Gold," "The Weakest Man," "Pulaski"). This is not at all problematic though, as Hood is largely considered to be the Truckers' center and he once again delivers a rich batch of songs filled with the flawed characters that have long been at the center of the Truckers' catalogue; fans of Cooley's dry, self-deprecating songwriting may be left feeling slightly unsatisfied with only three new songs though.
There are three key parts to Go-Go Boots, and the first is the presence of two Eddie Hinton songs ("Where's Eddie,” "Everybody Needs Love"). Hinton was a longtime friend of the Hood family and is best known as a session musician in the soul and r&b genre. The Truckers' relationship with Hinton goes back to their 1998 debut Gangstabilly, that included "Sandwiches for the Road" which was based on Hinton's life. On Go-Go Boots, both Tucker and Hood tackle Hinton's songs and seemingly use those covers as a launching pad to inform some of the other soul sounds that inhabit the record, like "I Do Believe" and "Buckets of Mercy.”
An integral part of any Truckers record is Hood's almost cinematic storytelling and Go-Go Boots is no exception. Potentially continuing the story he started on The Big To Do's "The Whig He Made Her Wear,” Go-Go Boots' title track and "The Fireplace Poker" once again see Hood focused on the story of a preacher who killed his wife. One has to wonder whether "Used to be a Cop" is part of the same story, but it's the kind of subject matter that can only exist on a Drive-By Truckers record, regardless. The story has Hood seemingly obsessed and makes up the thematic core and second key part of the record.
As a fan who prefers Cooley over Hood, it was slightly disappointing to only get three new tracks on this outing. By the same token though, those three tracks are the third key element to album as they provide the country part of its' overall country-soul tone. "Cartoon Gold,” "The Weakest Man" and "Pulaski" are the most country-dominated we've ever heard the Truckers and strongly dictate the direction Cooley should take on a solo album, should he ever have a surplus of songs. Given Hood's recent prolific output this seems unlikely and, for now, Cooley fans will need to be thankful for these three gems.
As a whole, Go-Go Boots is a short record by Drive-By standards but, given that this album sees them exploring the softer side of their sound, that shouldn't be considered a fault. It will be interesting to seeing how these new songs are worked into their loud, boozy, three-guitar attack of a live set.
Artist:
www.drivebytruckers.com/
www.myspace.com/drivebytruckers
Album:
Go-Go Boots is out now. Buy it here on Amazon .
