American Band- 9/30/16

Talk about the songs, the shows, and anything else DBT related here.

Moderators: Jonicont, mark lynn, Maluca3, Tequila Cowboy, BigTom, CooleyGirl, olwiggum

User avatar
brett27295
Posts: 1477
Joined: Sun Jul 03, 2011 12:00 pm
Location: Raleigh, NC

Re: American Band- 9/30/16

Post by brett27295 »

I am still loving this album. I liked it from my first listen when it leaked during the summer. But over the months it has firmly established itself in the #3 spot right behind Decoration Day/Dirty South. I'm sure in the coming years it may slide around a bit but I'm still convinced American Band is their strongest album since Dirty South.
Turn you demons into walls of goddamned noise and sound.

Zip Up to Michigan
Posts: 352
Joined: Wed Feb 10, 2016 8:59 pm

Re: American Band- 9/30/16

Post by Zip Up to Michigan »

Nice album that I'm ranking well below The Dirty South, Decoration Day, Southern Rock Opera and Brighter Than Creations Dark... and slightly above English Oceans. Definitely the best since BTCD.

beantownbubba
Posts: 21751
Joined: Fri Apr 02, 2010 10:52 am
Location: Trying to stay focused on the righteous path

Re: American Band- 9/30/16

Post by beantownbubba »

brett27295 wrote:I am still loving this album. I liked it from my first listen when it leaked during the summer. But over the months it has firmly established itself in the #3 spot right behind Decoration Day/Dirty South. I'm sure in the coming years it may slide around a bit but I'm still convinced American Band is their strongest album since Dirty South.
I was gonna wait a full 6 months from release before posting an updated reaction, but as you point out, many of us have been listening to the album that long anyway. I, too, am still loving American Band and think it is holding up very, very well. I enjoy listening to it regularly. I'm not ready to rank it other than to say "highly." As is often the case w/ DBT songs/albums, the evolving nature of the live versions keeps the songs fresh and adds to the pleasure of listening to the original versions, which doesn't make much logical sense but that's how it works for me.
What used to be is gone and what ought to be ought not to be so hard

Daddy_played_poker
Posts: 260
Joined: Wed Nov 14, 2012 9:33 am

Re: American Band- 9/30/16

Post by Daddy_played_poker »

While I am like many others here in that I have a hard time being objective when discussing DBT music, the American Band objectivity "difficulty" shifts to its political relevance. The normal songwriting, musicianship, sequencing, production elements of rating an album are still somewhat overshadowed by the too real connections to our current political climate. To me, it is impossible to put it in the ranking (although I don't always see the need to do so anyway) right now when many of us are so flabbergasted by what we have seen in just four weeks. If we must rank, as Bubba said, it will take more time. That being said, it still kicks ass because its relevant to our time, has killer songwriting, takes you on a journey of fist pumping rock and heartwrenching emotions while combining outstanding individual music performances into a synergy-produced outcome that is a standout album that was recognized accordingly.

During the homecoming shows Patterson and Jay showed me that their present guitar contributions in the live show are giving Cooley even more room to add "icing to the cake" with his smoking licks that we depend on. Jay's work on American Band adds both melodic and punkish qualities that really have registered with me. Matt is a beast and EZB is my co-pilot!! I'm choosing to enjoy AB for the now and how it holds up historically will take care of itself. This band is and has been stellar and I hope they are able to continue to bring us musical pleasure for many years to come.
"to love is to feel pain there ain't no way around it."

User avatar
Tequila Cowboy
Site Admin
Posts: 20230
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2010 6:12 pm
Location: The Twilight Zone, along with everyone else

Re: American Band- 9/30/16

Post by Tequila Cowboy »

beantownbubba wrote:
brett27295 wrote:I am still loving this album. I liked it from my first listen when it leaked during the summer. But over the months it has firmly established itself in the #3 spot right behind Decoration Day/Dirty South. I'm sure in the coming years it may slide around a bit but I'm still convinced American Band is their strongest album since Dirty South.
I was gonna wait a full 6 months from release before posting an updated reaction, but as you point out, many of us have been listening to the album that long anyway. I, too, am still loving American Band and think it is holding up very, very well. I enjoy listening to it regularly. I'm not ready to rank it other than to say "highly." As is often the case w/ DBT songs/albums, the evolving nature of the live versions keeps the songs fresh and adds to the pleasure of listening to the original versions, which doesn't make much logical sense but that's how it works for me.
I guess I've pretty much gotten out of the ranking game on DBT records because it fluctuates so much and the quality level is so consistently high. As much as a landmark achievement SRO was I don't listen to it that much because I listen to a lot of live shows with those songs in the setlists. Then there's an album like GGB that I really love as a whole, and listen to maybe more than any other record, but is sort of a "which of these is not like the others" thing as that is it kind off sits outside the canon for me. To me EO ushered in this new era of the band from a recording standpoint and American Band really improved on that excellent record. I do listen to it often and still marvel at how much they hit their mark in terms of idea to execution. So, yeah, it ranks very highly for me in terms of what I want to hear and how successful a record it is on so many levels but in terms of making a 1,2,3,4, etc. list of albums anymore I will leave that to y'all because I'm out.
We call him Scooby Do, but Scooby doesn’t do. Scooby, is not involved

Iowan
Posts: 12062
Joined: Sun Apr 25, 2010 10:00 am
Location: Oneota watershed

Re: American Band- 9/30/16

Post by Iowan »

Shit, I'll play.

Decoration Day
The Dirty South
Southern Rock Opera
A Blessing and a Curse
American Band
Pizza Deliverance
English Oceans
Brighter than Creation's Dark
Gangstabilly
The Big To Do
Go-Go Boots

211poundsofpork
Posts: 1284
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2012 12:46 am
Location: southeastern PA

Re: American Band- 9/30/16

Post by 211poundsofpork »

As of this second:
Decoration Day
Southern Rock Opera
The Dirty South
American Band
English Oceans
A Blessing and a Curse (just because WoH and Aftermath really really resonate for me right now)
Brighter Than Creations Dark
Pizza Deliverance
Gangstabilly
The Big To-Do
Go-Go Boots
Last edited by 211poundsofpork on Tue Feb 28, 2017 2:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.

John A Arkansawyer
Posts: 7894
Joined: Sat May 15, 2010 9:51 am
Location: Little Rock, Arkansaw
Contact:

Re: American Band- 9/30/16

Post by John A Arkansawyer »

Tequila Cowboy wrote:Then there's an album like GGB that I really love as a whole, and listen to maybe more than any other record, but is sort of a "which of these is not like the others" thing as that is it kind off sits outside the canon for me.
That is an incredibly apt description of how I feel about it, too.
Tequila Cowboy wrote:To me EO ushered in this new era of the band from a recording standpoint and American Band really improved on that excellent record. I do listen to it often and still marvel at how much they hit their mark in terms of idea to execution. So, yeah, it ranks very highly for me in terms of what I want to hear and how successful a record it is on so many levels but in terms of making a 1,2,3,4, etc. list of albums anymore I will leave that to y'all because I'm out.
There were the early years: GB, PD, SRO (I still say it's all downhill from that one. It's not true, but I still say it)
Then there were the Jason years: TDS, DD, ABAAC
Then the Shonna years: BTCD, TBTD, GGB
And now the Hood/Cooley years: EO, AB, and next?

Or are those the Jay/Matt years? (Not to slight EZB, who's been there almost all along, but there's no slice with his name on it.)
The sooner we put those assholes in the grave&piss on the dirt above it, the better off we'll be

Zip City
Posts: 17313
Joined: Tue Jul 06, 2010 5:59 pm

Re: American Band- 9/30/16

Post by Zip City »

I think the eras are too different to make any kind of apples to apples rankings anymore.
And I knew when I woke up Rock N Roll would be here forever

Iowan
Posts: 12062
Joined: Sun Apr 25, 2010 10:00 am
Location: Oneota watershed

Re: American Band- 9/30/16

Post by Iowan »

Zip City wrote:I think the eras are too different to make any kind of apples to apples rankings anymore.
Ehh.

I just went by which I like the most. I'm not trying to take anything other than my own personal enjoyment level into account.

User avatar
Kudzu Guillotine
Posts: 11761
Joined: Wed Oct 27, 2010 10:46 am

Re: American Band- 9/30/16

Post by Kudzu Guillotine »

Tequila Cowboy wrote:To me EO ushered in this new era of the band from a recording standpoint and American Band really improved on that excellent record.
I'm not sure that I've thought of it that way but agreed. I'm also thankful to have it so nicely documented on It's Great To Be Alive. I love breaking out Alabama Ass Whuppin' every so often to get some idea of just how much the Truckers' sound has evolved over the years. My last show was at Cat's Cradle almost a year ago. The last few times I have seen them in general, I would put on a par with my favorite shows I saw in the early to mid-00's. The shows back then were raw and rambunctious but the ones they put on now are no less visceral, even if they are a bit more refined. This long into most bands careers, the cracks start to show. Not so with the Truckers, they continue to get better. That's a pretty fucking rare feat in rock n' roll. I'm eternally grateful to have been along for a fairly sizable chunk of the ride.

User avatar
Tequila Cowboy
Site Admin
Posts: 20230
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2010 6:12 pm
Location: The Twilight Zone, along with everyone else

Re: American Band- 9/30/16

Post by Tequila Cowboy »

Iowan wrote:
Zip City wrote:I think the eras are too different to make any kind of apples to apples rankings anymore.
Ehh.

I just went by which I like the most. I'm not trying to take anything other than my own personal enjoyment level into account.
Interesting. So GGB is your least enjoyable? Personal tastes are just that but I never fail to wildly enjoy that record anytime I play it.
We call him Scooby Do, but Scooby doesn’t do. Scooby, is not involved

Iowan
Posts: 12062
Joined: Sun Apr 25, 2010 10:00 am
Location: Oneota watershed

Re: American Band- 9/30/16

Post by Iowan »

Tequila Cowboy wrote:
Iowan wrote:
Zip City wrote:I think the eras are too different to make any kind of apples to apples rankings anymore.
Ehh.

I just went by which I like the most. I'm not trying to take anything other than my own personal enjoyment level into account.
Interesting. So GGB is your least enjoyable? Personal tastes are just that but I never fail to wildly enjoy that record anytime I play it.
Yup. I go for it less than any other DBT record.

Keep in mind that the DBT album I find the least enjoyable is an album I still find pretty enjoyable.

Zip City
Posts: 17313
Joined: Tue Jul 06, 2010 5:59 pm

Re: American Band- 9/30/16

Post by Zip City »

American Band will have a hard time ever cracking top 3 territory for me simply because I don't enjoy the current lineup's "sound" as much as do past iterations. I prefer the 3 guitar sound and the pedal steel sound over today's sound, which has too much piano for my liking. Heat Lightning marked a change in Patterson's way of arranging songs (IMO) that doesn't push my buttons like older albums do.
And I knew when I woke up Rock N Roll would be here forever

User avatar
brett27295
Posts: 1477
Joined: Sun Jul 03, 2011 12:00 pm
Location: Raleigh, NC

Re: American Band- 9/30/16

Post by brett27295 »

Hell I rank everything:

1. The Dirty South
2. Decoration Day
3. American Band
4. Southern Rock Opera
5. A Blessing & A Curse
6. Pizza Deliverence
7. English Oceans
8. The Big To Do
9. Go Go Boots
10. Ganstabilly
11. Brighter Than Creations Dark

Oddly enough my least favorite album contains The Righteous Path which is probably my favorite DBT song.
Turn you demons into walls of goddamned noise and sound.

beantownbubba
Posts: 21751
Joined: Fri Apr 02, 2010 10:52 am
Location: Trying to stay focused on the righteous path

Re: American Band- 9/30/16

Post by beantownbubba »

Kudzu Guillotine wrote:
Tequila Cowboy wrote:To me EO ushered in this new era of the band from a recording standpoint and American Band really improved on that excellent record.
I'm not sure that I've thought of it that way but agreed. I'm also thankful to have it so nicely documented on It's Great To Be Alive. I love breaking out Alabama Ass Whuppin' every so often to get some idea of just how much the Truckers' sound has evolved over the years. My last show was at Cat's Cradle almost a year ago. The last few times I have seen them in general, I would put on a par with my favorite shows I saw in the early to mid-00's. The shows back then were raw and rambunctious but the ones they put on now are no less visceral, even if they are a bit more refined. This long into most bands careers, the cracks start to show. Not so with the Truckers, they continue to get better. That's a pretty fucking rare feat in rock n' roll. I'm eternally grateful to have been along for a fairly sizable chunk of the ride.
I'll drink to that.
What used to be is gone and what ought to be ought not to be so hard

Swamp
Posts: 2732
Joined: Sat Apr 24, 2010 6:31 pm
Location: the swamps of northern Florida

Re: American Band- 9/30/16

Post by Swamp »

Zip City wrote:American Band will have a hard time ever cracking top 3 territory for me simply because I don't enjoy the current lineup's "sound" as much as do past iterations. I prefer the 3 guitar sound and the pedal steel sound over today's sound, which has too much piano for my liking. Heat Lightning marked a change in Patterson's way of arranging songs (IMO) that doesn't push my buttons like older albums do.
Very strange...............






I totally agree.
and the rest as they say is uh er uh, well somebodies history somewhere?

disgruntledgoat
Posts: 144
Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2015 5:26 pm
Location: Gent, East Flanders

Re: American Band- 9/30/16

Post by disgruntledgoat »

I'll bite

The Dirty South
Decoration Day
Southern Rock Opera
Brighter Than Creations Dark
American Band
Gangstabilly
Go Go Boots
Pizza Deliverance
A Blessing & A Curse
English Oceans
The Big To Do

User avatar
Cubfan06
Posts: 1911
Joined: Sun Apr 25, 2010 8:55 pm
Location: Chicagoland

Re: American Band- 9/30/16

Post by Cubfan06 »

I'll play too. Strictly from a current, subjective studio recording perspective.

1) Decoration Day
2)The Dirty South
3) American Band
4)Southern Rock Opera
5) Brighter Than Creation's Dark
6) Pizza Deliverance
7) A Blessing A Curse (Absence has made the heart grow fonder for this once cellar dwellar)
8) Go Go Boots
9) EO
10) Gangstabilly
11) The Big To Do (A damn fine catalog cellar dweller)


P.S. I know that its not the task at hand, but I'd find it pretty fun to throw the Isbell and Hood solo albums into the ranking mix as well some time.

boyyourself
Posts: 957
Joined: Wed Jun 09, 2010 9:38 pm

Re: American Band- 9/30/16

Post by boyyourself »

1. Southern Rock Opera
2. The Dirty South
3. Decoration Day
4. Pizza Deliverance
5. A Blessing and a Curse
6. American Band
7. Brighter Than Creations
8. Go Go Boots
9. Gangstabilly
10. The Big To Do
11. English Oceans

I had never done that and it was an interesting thing to process.

Humboldt
Posts: 68
Joined: Mon Apr 16, 2012 9:06 pm

Re: American Band- 9/30/16

Post by Humboldt »

Based on what CD I would stick in right now:

1) TDS
2) DD
3) AB
4) ABAAC
5) EO
6) SRO
7) BTCD
8) TBTD
9) GGB
10) PD
11) G

Some of the reasoning is that the first 2 albums don't have enough Cooley and Patterson's singing wasn't what it became. An example is The Living Bubba, which may be my favorite DBT song. I'd listen to the recent live album version everyday over the studio album. Re TBTD and GGB, I am not a big fan of Shonna's song, Cooley was from what I understand going through some writers block and they probably should have pruned the albums to one. SRO may have the finest material and may well be number 1 if the current lineup were to re-record the album as the songs are now played. Some of the versions on the album don't do justice to how great the songs became. Women Without Whiskey is probably the best example. Also, Rob Malone's stuff is kind of a throw away. AB and EO rank high to me because I enjoy the nearly equal Hood-Cooley split and to my ear this is the greatest sounding version of the band.

disgruntledgoat
Posts: 144
Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2015 5:26 pm
Location: Gent, East Flanders

Re: American Band- 9/30/16

Post by disgruntledgoat »

Some of the reasoning is that the first 2 albums don't have enough Cooley and Patterson's singing wasn't what it became. An example is The Living Bubba, which may be my favorite DBT song. I'd listen to the recent live album version everyday over the studio album.
AAW is my favourite released version of that.

Swamp
Posts: 2732
Joined: Sat Apr 24, 2010 6:31 pm
Location: the swamps of northern Florida

Re: American Band- 9/30/16

Post by Swamp »

disgruntledgoat wrote:
Some of the reasoning is that the first 2 albums don't have enough Cooley and Patterson's singing wasn't what it became. An example is The Living Bubba, which may be my favorite DBT song. I'd listen to the recent live album version everyday over the studio album.
AAW is my favourite released version of that.
While I enjoy the first 2 albums the AAW versions are so much better.(and I don't miss the pedal on that album) The same with SRO, live versions of those songs are so much better.
and the rest as they say is uh er uh, well somebodies history somewhere?

Bon Scott's AC/DC
Posts: 151
Joined: Wed Nov 30, 2016 10:49 am

Re: American Band- 9/30/16

Post by Bon Scott's AC/DC »

I listened to Spotify's version of American Band for the first time the other day. Some the album's 11 tracks on Spotify appear to be the live versions of the songs, whilst others are the studio versions of the songs. Anyone know why Spotify have the album tracks - some live, some studio - mixed like this?

Mundane Mayhem
Posts: 920
Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2017 2:04 am
Location: Denver

Re: American Band- 9/30/16

Post by Mundane Mayhem »

Bon Scott's AC/DC wrote:I listened to Spotify's version of American Band for the first time the other day. Some the album's 11 tracks on Spotify appear to be the live versions of the songs, whilst others are the studio versions of the songs. Anyone know why Spotify have the album tracks - some live, some studio - mixed like this?
Any examples? Granted, Spotify has been the most common way I've listened to this album since it's a bit more portable than vinyl, but nothing has changed to my ears. I'm 98% sure they're all studio versions (well, we know how "Filthy and Fried" was recorded, but album versions nonetheless).
All it takes is one wicked heart, a pile of money, and a chain of folks just doing their jobs

Bon Scott's AC/DC
Posts: 151
Joined: Wed Nov 30, 2016 10:49 am

Re: American Band- 9/30/16

Post by Bon Scott's AC/DC »

Mundane Mayhem wrote:
Bon Scott's AC/DC wrote:I listened to Spotify's version of American Band for the first time the other day. Some the album's 11 tracks on Spotify appear to be the live versions of the songs, whilst others are the studio versions of the songs. Anyone know why Spotify have the album tracks - some live, some studio - mixed like this?
Any examples? Granted, Spotify has been the most common way I've listened to this album since it's a bit more portable than vinyl, but nothing has changed to my ears. I'm 98% sure they're all studio versions (well, we know how "Filthy and Fried" was recorded, but album versions nonetheless).
For me, four songs are live versions, you can even hear the crowd in the background whooping. 1) Ramon Casiano, 2) Guns of Umpqa, 3) What It Means, 4) Baggage.

I don't have a paid subscription to Spotify (I only listen to it occasionally), so I don't know if that's the reason four track of the album for me are live versions?

User avatar
Tequila Cowboy
Site Admin
Posts: 20230
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2010 6:12 pm
Location: The Twilight Zone, along with everyone else

Re: American Band- 9/30/16

Post by Tequila Cowboy »

Bon Scott's AC/DC wrote:
Mundane Mayhem wrote:
Bon Scott's AC/DC wrote:I listened to Spotify's version of American Band for the first time the other day. Some the album's 11 tracks on Spotify appear to be the live versions of the songs, whilst others are the studio versions of the songs. Anyone know why Spotify have the album tracks - some live, some studio - mixed like this?
Any examples? Granted, Spotify has been the most common way I've listened to this album since it's a bit more portable than vinyl, but nothing has changed to my ears. I'm 98% sure they're all studio versions (well, we know how "Filthy and Fried" was recorded, but album versions nonetheless).
For me, four songs are live versions, you can even hear the crowd in the background whooping. 1) Ramon Casiano, 2) Guns of Umpqa, 3) What It Means, 4) Baggage.

I don't have a paid subscription to Spotify (I only listen to it occasionally), so I don't know if that's the reason four track of the album for me are live versions?
I have a paid subscription and just listened to see if I experienced the same thing and I did not. Not sure what the deal is.
We call him Scooby Do, but Scooby doesn’t do. Scooby, is not involved

Gaetzi
Posts: 966
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2011 2:37 pm
Location: Denver, CO

Re: American Band- 9/30/16

Post by Gaetzi »

Pizza Deliverance is the quintessential DBT album, for my money.
When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro

Mundane Mayhem
Posts: 920
Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2017 2:04 am
Location: Denver

Re: American Band- 9/30/16

Post by Mundane Mayhem »

Tequila Cowboy wrote:
Bon Scott's AC/DC wrote:
Mundane Mayhem wrote:
Any examples? Granted, Spotify has been the most common way I've listened to this album since it's a bit more portable than vinyl, but nothing has changed to my ears. I'm 98% sure they're all studio versions (well, we know how "Filthy and Fried" was recorded, but album versions nonetheless).
For me, four songs are live versions, you can even hear the crowd in the background whooping. 1) Ramon Casiano, 2) Guns of Umpqa, 3) What It Means, 4) Baggage.

I don't have a paid subscription to Spotify (I only listen to it occasionally), so I don't know if that's the reason four track of the album for me are live versions?
I have a paid subscription and just listened to see if I experienced the same thing and I did not. Not sure what the deal is.
I'm paid, too, so maybe that's the distinction. One other idea: have you downloaded live mp3s/FLACs that are being pulled into your Spotify "library"? Maybe there's some commingling going on.
All it takes is one wicked heart, a pile of money, and a chain of folks just doing their jobs

User avatar
Clams
Posts: 14850
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2010 1:16 pm
Location: City of Brotherly Love

Re: American Band- 9/30/16

Post by Clams »

Gaetzi wrote:Pizza Deliverance is the quintessential DBT album, for my money.
I'm gonna agree with Gaetzi here.

Still fucking up...
Everyone needs a friend, everyone needs a fuck

Post Reply