American Band- 9/30/16

[Markalanbishop]

Is that a synthesizer I hear on Ever South?

[Markalanbishop]

oops, double post

[DebbieTrucker]

Most of the songs on AB have back stories we've heard of by now. "Surrender Under Protest" is the one song I'm not sure of meaning of. I am interested in finding that out.

[jr29]

If there is a link to the album floating around I'll take a PM. I was gonna hold out until the release, but my curiosity is getting the best of me.

[potatoeater]

Is that a synthesizer I hear on Ever South?

I know what you're talking about. It gets my attention every time. I'm not sure exactly what instrument is producing that sound though.

[potatoeater]

Filthy & Fried gets officially released tomorrow! Watch yer email non-leakers!

[whatwouldcooleydo?]

still haven't heard it....... just sayin'

That is about to change! Thanks to "you know who you are"

[Markalanbishop]

Most of the songs on AB have back stories we've heard of by now. "Surrender Under Protest" is the one song I'm not sure of meaning of. I am interested in finding that out.

Ann Powers of NPR wrote about the meaning of SUP:

http://www.npr.org/2016/06/21/482780892 ... er-protest

and here's more detail about the "Lost Cause"
http://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/los ... tart_entry

[potatoeater]

and here's more detail about the "Lost Cause"
http://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/los ... tart_entry

Nice diggin' Mark. Thank you!

[DebbieTrucker]

Most of the songs on AB have back stories we've heard of by now. "Surrender Under Protest" is the one song I'm not sure of meaning of. I am interested in finding that out.

Ann Powers of NPR wrote about the meaning of SUP:

http://www.npr.org/2016/06/21/482780892 ... er-protest

and here's more detail about the "Lost Cause"
http://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/los ... tart_entry

Thank you much! It makes perfect sense now.

[LBRod]

still haven't heard it....... just sayin'

That is about to change! Thanks to "you know who you are"

I thought you had will power. In 20 years a few weeks wait won't make a bit of difference.

[whatwouldcooleydo?]

still haven't heard it....... just sayin'

That is about to change! Thanks to "you know who you are"

I thought you had will power. In 20 years a few weeks wait won't make a bit of difference.

the flesh is weak

[Duke Silver]

still haven't heard it....... just sayin'

That is about to change! Thanks to "you know who you are"

[Kevidently]

Of all these awesome, intense, meaningful songs, how come it is that "Filthy and Fried" is the one that's hitting me the hardest? And why is "Ever South" #2? I'm not southern! THIS ALBUM IS TOO MUCH GUYS.

[linkous]

This record is just everything I hoped it would be. A hotch potch of everything DBT are great at, it is the correct length, no filler, no flab, no song outstays it's welcome, lyrics that hit home without being overly preachy. And the band is tighter than a gnats chuff!

[whatwouldcooleydo?]

still haven't heard it....... just sayin'

That is about to change! Thanks to "you know who you are"

well-played Duke, well-played indeed

[whatwouldcooleydo?]

all the talk was like drawing up a huge line in front of Charlie Sheen. He can avoid it for a while, but since it's there he might as well join the party

[Clams]

Of all these awesome, intense, meaningful songs, how come it is that "Filthy and Fried" is the one that's hitting me the hardest? And why is "Ever South" #2? I'm not southern! THIS ALBUM IS TOO MUCH GUYS.

Yes and how about EZB with those BIG drums in F&F?!? They sound like Max Weinberg/Born in the USA era drums to me.

[Markalanbishop]

Of all these awesome, intense, meaningful songs, how come it is that "Filthy and Fried" is the one that's hitting me the hardest? And why is "Ever South" #2? I'm not southern! THIS ALBUM IS TOO MUCH GUYS.

Yes and how about EZB with those BIG drums in F&F?!? They sound like Max Weinberg/Born in the USA era drums to me.

You can never have the drums too high in the mix I love the big drums on Ever South as well.

So there's this thing Cooley does in Ever South that kills me. It's those seemingly weird chords/parts/leads that he has used before (e.g., that little two beat lead he plays when Patterson is introducing Runaway Train on IGTBA and that chord he plays on AAW during the intro to Too Much Sex that makes Patterson laugh, to name just two) that seem jarring at first but then make perfect sense after a couple of listenings. On Ever South he intersperses these throughout the song and they're especially effective right at the end of the song. It really adds a sense of tension and release to the songs that I just love. I'm not sure if it's the same thing Cooley's doing but jazz guys talk about playing "outside" the chord and I think I've heard it called polytonality as well. Or maybe that's not it at all. Maybe he's just emphasizing certain notes in a chord instead of the standard triads (or 7th's)? I don't know theory well enough to even begin to describe what is going on musically. So how about a little help from all you guitarists and keyboardists out there who can better explain what I'm talking about? Or maybe I'll just ask Cooley himself when he does his next Ask Me Anything session on Reddit or FB

[alquina]

Overall thoughts on the record: Almost 9 years into my DBT love affair, so I realize I’m hardly objective at this point. What I love most about American Band is how it perfectly addresses (to my liberal ears, at least) so many of the issues with today’s America. I love to hear both Cooley and Hood angry and fired up about the world around them, and taking chances in the process, channelling their inner Springsteen and Clash.

I also have a feeling that this record, once released, will get the band noticed. I mean, who else is writing rock songs like Ramon Casiano, Umpqua and What It Means? Nobody that I’m aware of. Given the timing and themes of the release, I wouldn’t be surprised if they get some major press by national publications, maybe even a coveted Rolling Stone cover which could say “Drive-By Truckers: an American Band, a Record for the Times”. Here’s my take on individual tracks:

Ramon Casiano. Cooley’s sharpest lyrics since Uncle Frank. An epic take down of not just Harlon Carter and the roots of the NRA, but today’s NRA as well. Great guitar work by Patterson too. Clocks in at just under four minutes - not one wasted syllable or note. Every rock show this fall needs to open with Ramon Casiano.

Darkened Flags. The heaviest sounding song on the record (Banned Imagine would be right behind it). Classic heavy riff by Patterson, reminds me of Drag the Lake.

Surrender Under Protest. IMO this one is more about the stalemate over the flag than about the flag coming down. The sympathizers indicate that the battle isn’t over yet (“Compelled but not defeated!!”), and that’s okay as long as the flag comes down (“Surrender under protest if you must!”) The chorus is reminiscent of the Clash.

Guns of Umpqua. Heartbreakingly beautiful. The juxtaposition of the normal and the absurd, the beauty and the horror. Nobody does this like Patterson Hood.

Filthy & Fried. Another heartbreaker, this one about drugs not guns. Like Primer Coat, Cooley once again breaks down American family life, though this time around the family's having a much harder go of it. A classic Cooley puzzle-song.

Sun Don’t Shine. I like this one and I expect I’ll like it a lot more come fall. Prior to reading somewhere that it’s Patterson’s homage to Oregon weather, I thought it was about depression.

Kinky Hypocrite. Another great take-down by Cooley. He really nails it with the wordplay - the tricky navigation and the every slope is slippery lines are great, and also the cheap clothes worn by all the two-bit scumbags: Florsheim shoes, poly-wool blends and pentecostal denim. Classic. Also, can’t say if it’s true and I’ve never one to spread rumors (heh heh) but I’ve heard that this song was a first-take in the studio ad-libbed from start to finish by the band.

Ever South – The most Heat Lightning-sounding song on AB. Does anyone else think Jay’s keyboards and the spoken-word delivery give the song a hip-hoppy sound? And btw, I love the Southern Devil/take you on the town boasting in the final verse.

What It Means. Another song that we’ve already analyzed to death. I like how the first half of the songs is more micro in scope, examining specific incidents, while the second half takes a more macro view at the state of the world vis a vis race relations and how far we’ve come and how far we still have to go. Lyrically it reminds me of something by Dylan or McMurtry.

Once They Banned Imagine. The slowest song on the record and also one of the heaviest sounding. Jay’s keyboards are so simple but they really make the song. I understand the events that Cooley’s singing about, but I’m still having trouble putting the puzzle pieces together. (No surprise there – I’m still trying to figure out Women Without Whiskey and Devil Don’t Stay after about 2,000 listens to each, lol).

Baggage. Up there with Ramon and Umpqua as my 3 favorites from AB. I suspect a lot of folks will relate to the subject matter of this song and the confessional lyrics, and the Robin Williams backstory will make the song that much more compelling to the listening public. Extra points for using asswipe in a song and for coining a new word - draggage. I could listen to Cooley’s guitar playing on last few minutes of the song all day long.

Great post, Clams! I have an idea to toss at you about "Once They Banned Imagine". I think he's talking about John Lennon's "Imagine". As you know, the song was extremely controversial and was banned by many radio stations because of the perceived atheist/Socialist message. The lyrics, "Imagine all the people, living life in peace" was censored and records burned at a time when our country was trying to find our way after the bloody racial violence of the civil rights movement. We had a chance to go one way and "live life in peace", but after they "banned" imagine...it became the same old war its always been...the war it was when we were kids. The notion of keeping us seperate and against anyone who doesn't look or believe like we do. (black vs white, Christian vs Muslim etc.)
I'm probably way off...just my thoughts.

[angryandy]

I heard "Surrender Under Protest" on the radio yesterday! (90.7 WFUV New York City). I could not believe it. I don't think I have ever heard a DBT song on terrestrial radio before.

[Zip City]

I heard "Surrender Under Protest" on the radio yesterday! (90.7 WFUV New York City). I could not believe it. I don't think I have ever heard a DBT song on terrestrial radio before.

They're playing the shit out of it on NPR

[Iowan]

I heard "Surrender Under Protest" on the radio yesterday! (90.7 WFUV New York City). I could not believe it. I don't think I have ever heard a DBT song on terrestrial radio before.

I stream a station from Frisco, CO that plays DBT a lot. We have an independent station based here in NE IA that plays "Everybody Needs Love" and "Pauline Hawkins" on a quasi-regular basis as well.

[John A Arkansawyer]

I heard "Surrender Under Protest" on the radio yesterday! (90.7 WFUV New York City). I could not believe it. I don't think I have ever heard a DBT song on terrestrial radio before.

They're playing the shit out of it on NPR

Over FM or AM radio? Or over their HD channels? And what exactly does "on NPR" mean, anyway? On an NPR station? Or does NPR have some sort of non-classical, non-folk, non-negro-music-that-white-people-like programming? Asking for a friend. Every knows I don't listen to the lamestream media.

[Zip City]

I heard "Surrender Under Protest" on the radio yesterday! (90.7 WFUV New York City). I could not believe it. I don't think I have ever heard a DBT song on terrestrial radio before.

They're playing the shit out of it on NPR

Over FM or AM radio? Or over their HD channels? And what exactly does "on NPR" mean, anyway? On an NPR station? Or does NPR have some sort of non-classical, non-folk, non-negro-music-that-white-people-like programming? Asking for a friend. Every knows I don't listen to the lamestream media.

I've heard it both on the national broadcast of some music programs (World Cafe, for example) as well as local music programming. FM and HD

[heartbreaker1976]

Of all these awesome, intense, meaningful songs, how come it is that "Filthy and Fried" is the one that's hitting me the hardest? And why is "Ever South" #2? I'm not southern! THIS ALBUM IS TOO MUCH GUYS.

Yes and how about EZB with those BIG drums in F&F?!? They sound like Max Weinberg/Born in the USA era drums to me.

You can never have the drums too high in the mix I love the big drums on Ever South as well.

So there's this thing Cooley does in Ever South that kills me. It's those seemingly weird chords/parts/leads that he has used before (e.g., that little two beat lead he plays when Patterson is introducing Runaway Train on IGTBA and that chord he plays on AAW during the intro to Too Much Sex that makes Patterson laugh, to name just two) that seem jarring at first but then make perfect sense after a couple of listenings. On Ever South he intersperses these throughout the song and they're especially effective right at the end of the song. It really adds a sense of tension and release to the songs that I just love. I'm not sure if it's the same thing Cooley's doing but jazz guys talk about playing "outside" the chord and I think I've heard it called polytonality as well. Or maybe that's not it at all. Maybe he's just emphasizing certain notes in a chord instead of the standard triads (or 7th's)? I don't know theory well enough to even begin to describe what is going on musically. So how about a little help from all you guitarists and keyboardists out there who can better explain what I'm talking about? Or maybe I'll just ask Cooley himself when he does his next Ask Me Anything session on Reddit or FB

Polytonality - Playing the wrong goddam notes and being too lazy to do another take.

[Markalanbishop]

Polytonality - Playing the wrong goddam notes and being too lazy to do another take.

Damn, I always forget about Occam's razor! Thanks.

[DebbieTrucker]

Overall thoughts on the record: Almost 9 years into my DBT love affair, so I realize I’m hardly objective at this point. What I love most about American Band is how it perfectly addresses (to my liberal ears, at least) so many of the issues with today’s America. I love to hear both Cooley and Hood angry and fired up about the world around them, and taking chances in the process, channelling their inner Springsteen and Clash.

I also have a feeling that this record, once released, will get the band noticed. I mean, who else is writing rock songs like Ramon Casiano, Umpqua and What It Means? Nobody that I’m aware of. Given the timing and themes of the release, I wouldn’t be surprised if they get some major press by national publications, maybe even a coveted Rolling Stone cover which could say “Drive-By Truckers: an American Band, a Record for the Times”. Here’s my take on individual tracks:

Ramon Casiano. Cooley’s sharpest lyrics since Uncle Frank. An epic take down of not just Harlon Carter and the roots of the NRA, but today’s NRA as well. Great guitar work by Patterson too. Clocks in at just under four minutes - not one wasted syllable or note. Every rock show this fall needs to open with Ramon Casiano.

Darkened Flags. The heaviest sounding song on the record (Banned Imagine would be right behind it). Classic heavy riff by Patterson, reminds me of Drag the Lake.

Surrender Under Protest. IMO this one is more about the stalemate over the flag than about the flag coming down. The sympathizers indicate that the battle isn’t over yet (“Compelled but not defeated!!”), and that’s okay as long as the flag comes down (“Surrender under protest if you must!”) The chorus is reminiscent of the Clash.

Guns of Umpqua. Heartbreakingly beautiful. The juxtaposition of the normal and the absurd, the beauty and the horror. Nobody does this like Patterson Hood.

Filthy & Fried. Another heartbreaker, this one about drugs not guns. Like Primer Coat, Cooley once again breaks down American family life, though this time around the family's having a much harder go of it. A classic Cooley puzzle-song.

Sun Don’t Shine. I like this one and I expect I’ll like it a lot more come fall. Prior to reading somewhere that it’s Patterson’s homage to Oregon weather, I thought it was about depression.

Kinky Hypocrite. Another great take-down by Cooley. He really nails it with the wordplay - the tricky navigation and the every slope is slippery lines are great, and also the cheap clothes worn by all the two-bit scumbags: Florsheim shoes, poly-wool blends and pentecostal denim. Classic. Also, can’t say if it’s true and I’ve never one to spread rumors (heh heh) but I’ve heard that this song was a first-take in the studio ad-libbed from start to finish by the band.

Ever South – The most Heat Lightning-sounding song on AB. Does anyone else think Jay’s keyboards and the spoken-word delivery give the song a hip-hoppy sound? And btw, I love the Southern Devil/take you on the town boasting in the final verse.

What It Means. Another song that we’ve already analyzed to death. I like how the first half of the songs is more micro in scope, examining specific incidents, while the second half takes a more macro view at the state of the world vis a vis race relations and how far we’ve come and how far we still have to go. Lyrically it reminds me of something by Dylan or McMurtry.

Once They Banned Imagine. The slowest song on the record and also one of the heaviest sounding. Jay’s keyboards are so simple but they really make the song. I understand the events that Cooley’s singing about, but I’m still having trouble putting the puzzle pieces together. (No surprise there – I’m still trying to figure out Women Without Whiskey and Devil Don’t Stay after about 2,000 listens to each, lol).

Baggage. Up there with Ramon and Umpqua as my 3 favorites from AB. I suspect a lot of folks will relate to the subject matter of this song and the confessional lyrics, and the Robin Williams backstory will make the song that much more compelling to the listening public. Extra points for using asswipe in a song and for coining a new word - draggage. I could listen to Cooley’s guitar playing on last few minutes of the song all day long.

Great post, Clams! I have an idea to toss at you about "Once They Banned Imagine". I think he's talking about John Lennon's "Imagine". As you know, the song was extremely controversial and was banned by many radio stations because of the perceived atheist/Socialist message. The lyrics, "Imagine all the people, living life in peace" was censored and records burned at a time when our country was trying to find our way after the bloody racial violence of the civil rights movement. We had a chance to go one way and "live life in peace", but after they "banned" imagine...it became the same old war its always been...the war it was when we were kids. The notion of keeping us seperate and against anyone who doesn't look or believe like we do. (black vs white, Christian vs Muslim etc.)
I'm probably way off...just my thoughts.

That take on the song makes a lot more sense to me personally. That was along the lines of how I viewed it lyrically. Racial inequality would span generations. "Once They Banned Imagine" is one of my favorite DBT songs ever.

[Southern Efficiency]

The posts about "Once They Banned Imagine" have lured me out of my cave. It's been discussed elsewhere here, but I'll rehash, with some backing sources and personal flourishes:

The title line is about our reaction to 9/11. In the aftermath of the attack, Clear Channel sent out a list of songs that stations it owns might want to think twice about playing. Cooley takes a page out of his "English Oceans" book and refers to the urban-legend version of the story, that "imagine" was "banned" from a good chunk of the radio dial.

So that's the hook, but once you have 9/11 in mind, you can see what else he's getting at. We were in a very vulnerable place then, hence the heartstrings ready for grabbing. "Boots up their asses" is a clear reference to that Toby Keith song from the early days of the Iraq war.

And we could have had a just war, which is why Cooley is referencing the greatest generation and "No better cause for setting our sails to the wind." Who didn't want to get the bastards who attacked us?

"Once they banned 'Imagine,' it became the war it was when we were kids." Remember the Cold War? Remember the time after it? Suddenly we didn't have One Great Enemy who could destroy mom, apple pie, baseball and capitalism with a nuclear launch anymore. This is a good thing! But if you're interested in exerting control over great numbers of people, it's really inconvenient not to have a bogeyman. (cf 1984) Now, in this time of great vulnerability, we're power-shifting from "Find the bastards who attack us and bring them to justice" to "Let's get Saddam!" and "Muslims are the enemy" (not actual quotes). Look at where we are now -- one side of the political life of this country is really interested in calling Al Qaeda/ISIS/whoever's next an "existential threat" to the United States. If you remember the Cold War, that sounds familiar. At least the Russians actually *could* have put us out of existence. IMO, the only existential threat terrorists pose to the country is if they goad our leaders to get so authoritarian that our country isn't recognizable anymore.

[beantownbubba]

The posts about "Once They Banned Imagine" have lured me out of my cave. It's been discussed elsewhere here, but I'll rehash, with some backing sources and personal flourishes:

The title line is about our reaction to 9/11. In the aftermath of the attack, Clear Channel sent out a list of songs that stations it owns might want to think twice about playing. Cooley takes a page out of his "English Oceans" book and refers to the urban-legend version of the story, that "imagine" was "banned" from a good chunk of the radio dial.

So that's the hook, but once you have 9/11 in mind, you can see what else he's getting at. We were in a very vulnerable place then, hence the heartstrings ready for grabbing. "Boots up their asses" is a clear reference to that Toby Keith song from the early days of the Iraq war.

And we could have had a just war, which is why Cooley is referencing the greatest generation and "No better cause for setting our sails to the wind." Who didn't want to get the bastards who attacked us?

"Once they banned 'Imagine,' it became the war it was when we were kids." Remember the Cold War? Remember the time after it? Suddenly we didn't have One Great Enemy who could destroy mom, apple pie, baseball and capitalism with a nuclear launch anymore. This is a good thing! But if you're interested in exerting control over great numbers of people, it's really inconvenient not to have a bogeyman. (cf 1984) Now, in this time of great vulnerability, we're power-shifting from "Find the bastards who attack us and bring them to justice" to "Let's get Saddam!" and "Muslims are the enemy" (not actual quotes). Look at where we are now -- one side of the political life of this country is really interested in calling Al Qaeda/ISIS/whoever's next an "existential threat" to the United States. If you remember the Cold War, that sounds familiar. At least the Russians actually *could* have put us out of existence. IMO, the only existential threat terrorists pose to the country is if they goad our leaders to get so authoritarian that our country isn't recognizable anymore.

Let me add some gloss on an essentially correct interpretation.

First, Clams: My guess is that "grabby" doesn't refer to a specific person, but to the class of people who personally benefited from the post 9/11 hysteria either financially or in increased power. If it is an individual my guess is Cheney but I really think it's the whole cabal: Bush, Cheney, Blackwater, Rumsfeld and the rest of the military industrial complex, the sponsors of the Patriot Act, etc etc.

Southern Efficiency, as I remember it, the clear channel list was a pretty effective ban for a short time.

After 9/11 this country was as united as it had been in a long, long time. We were focused on getting the bad guys, protecting ourselves and saw ourselves, mostly correctly, as being on the side of the righteous, w/ the support of much of the world. As SE said, we had our cause and we had set our sails. But the "movement" was coopted pretty quickly. "Bin Laden" and "terrorists" became code words for some combination of Arabs and Muslims. Congress rolled up its sleeves and got to work protecting us so we got freedom fries. Wearing a flag pin on your lapel became not only a sign of patriotism but THE sign of patriotism; not wearing a pin made one suspect. Then came the insane spending on anything that could tangentially tie itself to anti-terrorism, the blatant lying and fear mongering that led to 2 wars and untold, unchecked spending and ultimately the completely unpatriotic Patriot Act. Our good intentions had been subverted and inverted by those who had the most to gain for themselves, so what might have been a "just war" became just another "same old" war, like WWI, Vietnam and most wars other than WWII.