Heat Lightning Rumbles in the Distance Thread

[Duke Silver]

After half a dozen listens, the only song I'm having a hard time getting into is Untold Pretties, mostly for the reasons others have noted (the speed). And the line that goes something like "...the taste of an old girlfriend on my lips and fingers" is kinda...

[John A Arkansawyer]

After half a dozen listens, the only song I'm having a hard time getting into is Untold Pretties, mostly for the reasons others have noted (the speed). And the line that goes something like "...the taste of an old girlfriend on my lips and fingers" is kinda...

Perfect? See also...

[Gang Green]

After half a dozen listens, the only song I'm having a hard time getting into is Untold Pretties, mostly for the reasons others have noted (the speed). And the line that goes something like "...the taste of an old girlfriend on my lips and fingers" is kinda...

Perfect? See also...

What about the last verse to Joni Mitchell's Coyote? See below:

Coyote's in the coffee shop
He's staring a hole in his scrambled eggs
He picks up my scent on his fingers
While he's watching the waitresses' legs

[jimmyjack]

After the Damage and Come Back Little Star are my early favorites

Mine too

[Lurleen McQueen]

[Iowan]

After half a dozen listens, the only song I'm having a hard time getting into is Untold Pretties, mostly for the reasons others have noted (the speed). And the line that goes something like "...the taste of an old girlfriend on my lips and fingers" is kinda...

I like the uncomfortably graphic nature of that line. So honest.

[lajakesdad]

I have spent 2 different days driving to and calling different stores. I cannot find this album on vinyl or CD. I give up. Gotta order online. What's the best method for the vinyl? I don't want a damaged one.


My favorite is Heat Lightning --> Come Back Little Star - incredible

I also love After the Damage but it needs one more verse. After about a minute, it's all the chorus part. But still a strong enough song to be my #3. (today)

After hearing the demos, it all makes much more sense. They sound like Killers and Stars part 2. His picking style and chord selection are so familiar but I still enjoy the new material. The demos are pure Patterson Hood and the same song style he has always done. It's why we come back. So raw and pure.

[Duke Silver]

I have spent 2 different days driving to and calling different stores. I cannot find this album on vinyl or CD. I give up. Gotta order online. What's the best method for the vinyl? I don't want a damaged one.


My favorite is Heat Lightning --> Come Back Little Star - incredible

I also love After the Damage but it needs one more verse. After about a minute, it's all the chorus part. But still a strong enough song to be my #3. (today)

After hearing the demos, it all makes much more sense. They sound like Killers and Stars part 2. His picking style and chord selection are so familiar but I still enjoy the new material. The demos are pure Patterson Hood and the same song style he has always done. It's why we come back. So raw and pure.

Amazon. My vinyl came double boxed in perfect condition. Comes with a cd, too.

[Duke Silver]

Does anyone else start singing "I Want Candy" at the beginning of 15 Days?

[Smitty]

Patterson Hood's third solo outing 'Heat Lightning Rumbles In The Distance' is a world-weary stepping back from the full tilt of Drive-By Truckers, and a hat-tip towards a more old fashioned kind of country music with story songs of damaged people, their lives marred by having made the wrong matches and having taken the wrong paths seeking salvation, or at any rate relief, at the end of an empty bottle or in an adulterer's bed at the end of an empty night while trying to blank out their own misery.

http://www.nodepression.com/profiles/bl ... ng-rumbles

[Smitty]

Hi Patterson. I read that this record originally started as a book that you began writing, which focused on a turbulent span of your life when you were 27. Can you discuss this time period?

Patterson Hood: Oh jeez. It was a crazy traumatic time. In the fall of 1991, in a two week period, I got separated from my first wife (soon to divorce), was disowned by much of my family over that, moved away from my hometown (Florence AL, across the river from Muscle Shoals) to Memphis TN. Mine and Cooley's first band together (Adam's House Cat, 1985-91) relocated then broke up. I fell in love, had my car stolen and our band's truck stripped. I started a new job and a long distance relationship with a girl 7 hours away. That was all in two weeks.

Plus we were despondently broke, constantly drunk and as close to suicidal as I've ever been. Rock bottom would have been a penthouse view from where we were. Nirvana's Nevermind came out during those two weeks. I saw them at The New Daisy with about 128 people in the audience and two weeks later they could have sold out any room in town including the arena.

Adam's House Cat broke up because there wasn't any future for a band like us and six months later every band in the top ten sounded like us. Or at least I thought so at the time. 27 can be a bit delusional I guess too.

http://www.nodepression.com/profiles/bl ... les-in-the

[ramonz]

Hi Patterson. I read that this record originally started as a book that you began writing, which focused on a turbulent span of your life when you were 27. Can you discuss this time period?

Patterson Hood: Oh jeez. It was a crazy traumatic time. In the fall of 1991, in a two week period, I got separated from my first wife (soon to divorce), was disowned by much of my family over that, moved away from my hometown (Florence AL, across the river from Muscle Shoals) to Memphis TN. Mine and Cooley's first band together (Adam's House Cat, 1985-91) relocated then broke up. I fell in love, had my car stolen and our band's truck stripped. I started a new job and a long distance relationship with a girl 7 hours away. That was all in two weeks.

Plus we were despondently broke, constantly drunk and as close to suicidal as I've ever been. Rock bottom would have been a penthouse view from where we were. Nirvana's Nevermind came out during those two weeks. I saw them at The New Daisy with about 128 people in the audience and two weeks later they could have sold out any room in town including the arena.

Adam's House Cat broke up because there wasn't any future for a band like us and six months later every band in the top ten sounded like us. Or at least I thought so at the time. 27 can be a bit delusional I guess too.

http://www.nodepression.com/profiles/bl ... les-in-the

"....but I love playing with Cooley. After all these years. Maybe more than ever."

Love to read that.

[jimmyjack]

Sorta prosaic choice of a question - I mean, isn't that pretty much covered, verbatim, in "Untold Pretties?"

[Gang Green]

Downloaded the album on the official release date and have been been craming it in before the big show at the World Cafe in Philly tomorrow night. I have to say I'm now in love with this album and can't wait to see Patterson and the band tomorrow night. I hate to bring-up weaknesses, but if there's one for me, its the chorus of Depression Era. I wish it was a little more subtle if that make sense, he didn't need to say "Depression Era", we get it, but I do like the verses of the song nonetheless, as my parents and Uncles were all Depression Era, I related to it. And, unlike many, I like the spoken word song, especially, about the girl from the Sunbeam bread package, and I like the pace of the song. I got to see him perform 12:01 and Come Back Little Star solo at the Birchmere last summer, but now I like these songs even more. Love Billy Ringo and Better than the Truth. I can't wait to see the show tomorrow night, I hope I can make it in one piece, or I hope the show isn't cancelled due to inclement weather like Lee Bains last week.

[cortez the killer]

Sorta prosaic choice of a question - I mean, isn't that pretty much covered, verbatim, in "Untold Pretties?"

Woo hoo-hoo-hoooooo...

[ukdan2999]

Pre-ordered the CD / TSHIRT combo on 9/10. Got the demo tracks download and the instant track, still nothing delivered via USPS. Has anyone else had this problem? Maybe by Monday it will be here? Any suggestions? Thanks!

BTW - untold pretties, I could listen to a complete album of Patterson and his narrative. Sometimes grim, sometimes harsh, sometimes hard to swallow. Always beautiful, sincere and make me look at life in a different perspective. But hey, that's just me.

[cortez the killer]

The Critics seem to side with those on the board.

[cre618]

The Critics seem to side with those on the board.

Except for those Pitchfork bastards.

FYI, I also love this record. Easily his best solo record....maybe even better than some DBT records.

[cortez the killer]

The Critics seem to side with those on the board.

Except for those Pitchfork bastards.

FYI, I also love this record. Easily his best solo record....maybe even better than some DBT records.

I'll give you the fact that the Bitchfork review isn't in line with the 3DD opinion. However, it's not a bad review. I see it more as a cautiously optimistic review of the record.

[cre618]

I'll give you the fact that the Bitchfork review isn't in line with the 3DD opinion. However, it's not a bad review. I see it more as a cautiously optimistic review of the record.

Yeah, after I've actually read the review, , it's a pretty good one. I think the album is stronger than the review, but the writer definitely knows his stuff.

[Clams]

...somewhere between anguish and acceptance...

[Zip City]

Betty Ford is climbing into my top 3

[lajakesdad]

Betty Ford is climbing into my top 3

I really like this tune too. Some people here aren't liking it. I love when the drums and bass kick in. A killer groove.

[RolanK]

Betty Ford is climbing into my top 3

I really like this tune too. Some people here aren't liking it. I love when the drums and bass kick in. A killer groove.

+1. One of my favorites on the album

[Zip City]

Betty Ford is climbing into my top 3

I really like this tune too. Some people here aren't liking it. I love when the drums and bass kick in. A killer groove.

For me, it's the heavy left hand of one Jay Gonzalez

[Sub]

Betty Ford is climbing into my top 3

I really like this tune too. Some people here aren't liking it. I love when the drums and bass kick in. A killer groove.

For me, it's the heavy left hand of one Jay Gonzalez

I'm with you on that, makes it seem more dramatic which is perfect given the context of the song.

[RevMatt]

Just came back from a friend's gig. This friend is also a big Drive By Truckers fan. We were talking about this album and he said it was one of the most moving records he's ever heard. He said it hit him particularly strong because it came out the same week he learned he was going to be a grandfather.

[bovine knievel]

I had my first listen of the vinyl last night. This album was made for late nights with a nice buzz. And I agree, Betty Ford grabbed me and wouldn't let go. Been singing it all day... in what you wore to the party

Also, I love these lines from 12:01

These friends of mine
A bunch of lost cases just marking time

[uncle rickey]

Regarding (untold pretties), in introducing the song Thursday night in Hudson, Patterson said the initial plan for the song was for it strictly to be an instrumental on the record, though with the lyrics included in the liner notes. He said in the late stages of recording the album he read the words over the instrumental track and liked the way it synced up, so it became what it became.

[Kudzu Guillotine]

Regarding (untold pretties), in introducing the song Thursday night in Hudson, Patterson said the initial plan for the song was for it strictly to be an instrumental on the record, though with the lyrics included in the liner notes. He said in the late stages of recording the album he read the words over the instrumental track and liked the way it synced up, so it became what it became.

In that Oxford American audio thing he did recently where he introduces the songs he also said it was partially inspired by R.E.M.'s song "Belong". If I'm not mistaken that's one of the tunes he covered during the Finest Worksongs benefit at the 40 Watt a few years ago.