Welcome to Club XIII

[beantownbubba]

There’s a lot to unpack with this record. Still gathering my thoughts

Yes.

[Jack Flash]

Shake and Pine has quickly become my favorite Patterson song on the record. Not sure if it's about someone specific, or perhaps an alternate reality version of Patterson himself. Anyone know the story behind this one?

[beantownbubba]

It really is going to take a while to wrap my head and fingers around this record, but a few thoughts for the moment. Like I said, and perhaps all that needs to be said, Smitty would love this album.

Really nice work, Glenn. I don't hear every moment the way you do but that's more than fine. Everything you say and observe makes total sense and any difference between us will come down to shading or emphasis, not substance. One of the best things you've done.

I think this record is really for the HeAthens in the way that it rewards repeated close listening and in the way those close listenings reveal new levels, new depths and more allusions, references and, to some extent, shared experiences (Springsteen, Dylan and several DBT songs step right up but others are more subtle and I'm sure I'm missing a bunch as well). Every one of these songs can be listened to on the surface just fine but like the proverbial iceberg, 90% of the mass and power is below the waterline.

The legend of this album's recording in 3.5 days is already set in law and lore and who am I to argue, except nothing about this album sounds or feels half assed or even "beautifully sloppy", not fully thought out and intentional, not beautifully coordinated and not superbly played and produced. Just like I don't understand how the band nails it live w/out rehearsing, I do not understand how this record could be made in less than 4 days. The segue between the first two songs alone is the kind of thing that takes most bands/producers a week to figure out.

Are Brad's drums mixed much higher than usual or am I just noticing him/them more than usual? All of the playing is everything it should be and all of it reflects the bandmembers' individual skills and the collective sound that comes from years of playing together and trusting each other, but having said all that, Brad's playing catches my ear more than anyone else's throughout this record.

So, Welcome 2 Club XIII, in which the band's maturity and emotional age more or less catches up w/ their individual and collective chronological ages. Suggested subtitle: "How 30 years on the Road Turned Us Into Mensches Despite All Odds." It is not trapped in the past, it is not cheap, lazy nostalgia, but the past informs the present and hints at the future. The level of detail these guys, especially Patterson, remember about long ago events is incredible and all of it belongs, all of it contributes to the whole. And yeah, this is most definitely a concept album, all the better for not being promoted that way. The band's determination to avoid the overt political stuff of the last 3 records leads them in other directions but also binds those directions together, kind of like Who's Next being the anti-rock opera which followed Tommy while creating its own internal cohesiveness and logic.

One of the band's beloved signatures is the way that Cooley & Hood will often write songs about the same people or events. I haven't seen "The Driver" and "Every Single Storied Flameout" referred to or discussed that way, but to me they seem connected at the hip. If Cooley's son (literal or figurative) doubts that Cooley knows whereof he speaks in ESSF, all he needs to do is listen to The Driver. The writers of both songs very much sound like they're trying to make sense of a very similar confusing past through a similar lens (parental and otherwise). "The Driver" is an amazing song that I'm sure will take me forever to fully unpack and no doubt my understanding of it will change as that unpacking occurs. I've never really thought about the difference between "haunting" and "menacing" but the music, lyrics, arrangement and Patterson's lead vocals tightrope that line beautifully to great emotional effect. Add in those astonishing, ethereal backing vocals (3.5 days? really?) and this song is more like a novel than a short story (and I mean that in a positive, admiring way). Just as an aside, I keep waiting for Patterson to say/sing "It's a very long song"

That'll do for now.

[beantownbubba]

Shake and Pine has quickly become my favorite Patterson song on the record. Not sure if it's about someone specific, or perhaps an alternate reality version of Patterson himself. Anyone know the story behind this one?

At some point I was gonna write that in listening to and trying to understand "Shake and Pine" it really helps to know that it's about (or maybe inspired by?) Jimmy C. At least I read Patterson saying something to that effect in a recent interview.

On edit: Patterson's comments about the way the song came to him and the way he came to understand it are well worth reading.

[glennrwordman]

Really nice work, Glenn. I don't hear every moment the way you do but that's more than fine. Everything you say and observe makes total sense and any difference between us will come down to shading or emphasis, not substance. One of the best things you've done.

Thank you, Bubba. That means a lot coming from you.

re Brad's drums mixed much higher than usual or am I just noticing him/them more than usual? All of the playing is everything it should be and all of it reflects the bandmembers' individual skills and the collective sound that comes from years of playing together and trusting each other, but having said all that, Brad's playing catches my ear more than anyone else's throughout this record.

Me, too. I think the whole record is better sounding than just about anything they've done. To quote another band who reward repeated listenings, "everything in its right place". And in this case, you REALLY can here the incredible choices EZB makes, moment to moment.

[lotusamerica]

Hey all, long time since stopping by here... just too much life with a little one to keep up with much and a little FB goes a long way...

Still soaking in, and I don't have much new to say than what I've read of y'all, but I do have one thing I wanted to see if it's been talked about. Since my first listen to the Driver, I've been back and forth between that and Leonard Cohen's You Want It Darker. I don't know if there's an intentional similarity or if it's been talked about somewhere, and figured this was the quickest place to check. Even if it's only a mash-up inside my head, it's making me happy.

[beantownbubba]

Hey all, long time since stopping by here... just too much life with a little one to keep up with much and a little FB goes a long way...

Still soaking in, and I don't have much new to say than what I've read of y'all, but I do have one thing I wanted to see if it's been talked about. Since my first listen to the Driver, I've been back and forth between that and Leonard Cohen's You Want It Darker. I don't know if there's an intentional similarity or if it's been talked about somewhere, and figured this was the quickest place to check. Even if it's only a mash-up inside my head, it's making me happy.

Welcome, sir. Stop by anytime.

As far as I know you're the first to make the Leonard Cohen comparison. Other than the spoken word aspects, I'm not hearing the similarity, but still an interesting comparison or analogy and it's always a good thing to give Mr. Cohen a shout out. And, as you say, if it makes you happy that's more than good enough. .

[lotusamerica]

Welcome, sir. Stop by anytime.

As far as I know you're the first to make the Leonard Cohen comparison. Other than the spoken word aspects, I'm not hearing the similarity, but still an interesting comparison or analogy and it's always a good thing to give Mr. Cohen a shout out. And, as you say, if it makes you happy that's more than good enough. .

OK, thanks. The bass lines and cadence of the spoken verses could go right alongside one another in my ears. Complementary is probably more apt than similar - in my head I can hear one left channel and one right and so I'll just keep on... I just wondered if there'd been any mention of a tribute to LC. Anyway, hope you're well!

[gepman]

Still waiting for my CD or LP from Music Today...
When will I learn?

[Clams]

At some point I was gonna write that in listening to and trying to understand "Shake and Pine" it really helps to know that it's about (or maybe inspired by?) Jimmy C. At least I read Patterson saying something to that effect in a recent interview.

On edit: Patterson's comments about the way the song came to him and the way he came to understand it are well worth reading.

I see where the song is dedicated to Jimmy in the liner notes but I haven't seen that interview. Can you post a link?

I think this record is really for the HeAthens in the way that it rewards repeated close listening and in the way those close listenings reveal new levels, new depths and more allusions, references and, to some extent, shared experiences (Springsteen, Dylan and several DBT songs step right up but others are more subtle and I'm sure I'm missing a bunch as well). Every one of these songs can be listened to on the surface just fine but like the proverbial iceberg, 90% of the mass and power is below the waterline.

Yes, this record really seems to require some effort to decipher the songs.

[beantownbubba]

I see where the song is dedicated to Jimmy in the liner notes but I haven't seen that interview. Can you post a link?

I was afraid somebody was going to ask me that, but I actually found it w/out too much trouble.

https://www.grammy.com/news/drive-by-tr ... -new-album

"Seven months later, Hood was performing "Shake and Pine" solo in Asheville, North Carolina. Right then, he had a lightbulb moment. "I had a friend pass away suddenly around the first week of November in 2020," he tells GRAMMY.com. "I realized: Wow, this is about my friend Jimmy. It's all here. All these different lines are codes for various things about him and our friendship and my sense of loss with him dying and our last conversation."

Edit: BTW, I guess "turning inward" and "shooting from the hip" aren't exactly contradictory, but is anybody else puzzled by how the two concepts supposedly fit together?

[brettac1]

I have listened to the album about a half dozen times over the past few days (still waiting on my LP to supposedly show up tomorrow).

Haven't given a ton of thought as to where I'd place it in the canon other than to say I really like it and that at minimum it's my favorite since American Band. I place that album in either the bottom of what I consider the top tier of DBT albums or at worst the top of the second tier.

Looking forward to spending more time with it to form more thoughts but one thing I will say with certainty is that I love "The Driver" on the album far more than live due to the great vocal from Schaefer Llana. It was not a song that hit for me in person but landed immediately the first time I put the album on. I don't feel there's a weak song on the album and that's great.

[beantownbubba]

I love "The Driver" on the album far more than live due to the great vocal from Schaefer Llana. It was not a song that hit for me in person but landed immediately the first time I put the album on.

I assumed that my similar reaction was due to not being familiar w/ the song when I first heard it live, but you may be right.

[brettac1]

I love "The Driver" on the album far more than live due to the great vocal from Schaefer Llana. It was not a song that hit for me in person but landed immediately the first time I put the album on.

I assumed that my similar reaction was due to not being familiar w/ the song when I first heard it live, but you may be right.

On a related note, I think all of the contributions from Schaefer and Margo Price are great.

[Tequila Cowboy]

It's been a long time since I've written a proper write-up/review of a Drive-By Truckers record upon its release. Nominally I suppose, because, after eighteen years on the Rock & Roll equivalent of Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, I can't possibly pose as an objective observer. I've seen over two hundred shows, and when I am at one of those shows, I consider both those around me and on stage to be family. All that said, I still know excellence when I see it. All bias aside on Welcome 2 Club XIII, their fourteenth studio release, that merit, and artistry are on full display.

Recently, one of our fellow HeAthens noted that upon playing The Driver, which opens the album, his young son proclaimed, "Guitar!" I honestly can't think of a more appropriate response to the crunching riff behind this song. In the foreground are spoken lyrics recounting the narrator's driving, sometimes aimlessly and sometimes with purpose, on the way to or from memorable moments of his life. On these drives, he reached epiphanies and saw wonders and horrors alike. In many ways, the song is a Drive-By truckers travelogue, revisiting moments in song, and in that sense, the song is almost a companion to Stephen Deusner's recent biography of the band. Getting back to the music, the ethereal background vocals from Schaefer Llana help emphasize the gravity and revelatory nature of drives past. Behind it is a consistent and pummeling drum beat from Brad Morgan, and oh yeah, the kid had it right, "Guitar!". It's stunning, and it may be the most rocking opener since Where the Devil Don't Stay on The Dirty South.


Next up is Cooley's Maria's Awful Disclosures referencing The Awful Disclosures of Maria Monk, which launched a wave of anti-catholic and anti-immigrant sentiment after publication in 1836. In truth, the song is a searing indictment of QAnon, the pervasive web of conspiracy theories that plague us today. As Cooley sings, "Professional victims with recycled lies stoking satanic panic in fear-addled minds, Maria's awful disclosures" the past is simply prologue. With a driving rhythm from Brad Morgan and Matt Patton, the guitars play a forboding fugue to fit the all-too-real lyrics. Add Cooley's ability to weave a melody through crunching guitars and the aforementioned calculated rhythmic sludge, and you find the magic. This is typical yet extraordinary, Drive-By Truckers at their finest.

The two songs that close side one, both from Patterson, deal with melancholy and loss. Shake and Pine is the more metaphorical of the two, with the narrator looking back with lines like "Seems the more I know, The less I have the answers, To these things I sow, That eat me like a cancer til there's nothing left, For you to grab ahold of til I spiral out of control." That finds him aching without a means of relief. A jangly guitar plays through the verses in contrast to a crunch that brings in the chorus. All this plays out over a tableau of a sturdy drum beat and insistent bassline. The last track on the side, We Will Never Wake You Up In the Morning, is a heartbreaking account of addiction and a friend's fall. The song begins with a shuffle drum beat from Brad Morgan and a simple strummed guitar over it. Eventually, a fluid bassline and ghostly slide guitar join the sparse instrumentation as Patterson weaves a tale of heartbreak. Throughout the song, the instrumentation fills out to include a repeating plinking couplet on keys which helps build tension. The most heart-wrenching verse of the song is the second to last, concluding with "There were bottles in your bedroom and nothing in the kitchen," which sums up the tragedy in eleven words. It's as powerful a song as any in the band's catalog, and it's sadly all too relatable.

Side two opens with the glam rock shuffle title track. The song sounds like a party, but the lyrics reveal a different story as they spin a yarn about Patterson and Cooley's experiences in Muscle Shoals early in their careers. Drive-By Truckers made their career by playing in great dive bars, but Club XIII is a whole step below some of those charming haunts and, in fact, seemingly lacks any charm at all, as the colorful description tells you everything you need to know. “Welcome to Club XIII, Penny Beer, and cheap cocaine, Girls warmed up by tanning beds, Orphans out in the rain.” We don’t know this place as listeners, but we join the party anyway as the backing vocals invite us in. We’re let in on the joke towards the end, but we’ve known all along. “Our glory days did kinda suck,” which stands in stark contrast to so much of a particular segment of country music that often romanticizes this kind of stink as the best time of their lives. Patterson knows better.

The reminiscence continues on Forged In Hell and Heaven Sent with its country beat and the tale of past times, but it’s not a party this time. It’s a clear-eyed look back with a long-lost friend who seems to have a hard time of it. The mood is nostalgic, but there’s an element of lost time and opportunity and a determination not to let that happen with the narrator’s family. As with so much of this album, the music has as many layers as the lyrics and Margo Price’s backing vocal work is in lock step with Patterson’s to tell the story. Jay Gonzalez’s organ flourishes and piano fills remind me of the serve the song ethos of Benmont Tench; not the first or last time I’ll make that comparison with Jay’s work.

You could write pages and pages about Every Single Storied Flameout and still miss some of its subtleties. This is genius-level songwriting and one of my three favorite songs on the record, along with The Driver and We Will Never Wake You Up In the Morning, each of which share incredible depth. One of the marvels of Cooley’s songwriting is that he can fit words into a melody that, in other hands, would have no business being there. Yet, from as far back as One of These Days, all the way to today, he excels at it. Fathers and sons is not a new theme for Cooley, and superficially this song seems to mine familiar ground. The song is the inevitable conclusion to Eyes Like Glue in the case of the narrator not following his own advice. All this plays out to one of the catchiest, driving rock beats on the album. One of the things I like so much about the song, from a musical standpoint, is how the building music almost foreshadows the shift in melodic tenor that comes next. There’s an anticipation that builds until the line “I’d have a lot of nerve to go feigning shock and outrage, If I’d been my example I’d be worse,” a line of solid accountability that ushers in a wave of celebratory horns that both seem inevitable and strange. The thing is, I’ll be damned if they don’t take the song to yet another level. Many years ago, fans complained about adding horns to Shit Shots Count off English Oceans. Something Patterson said to me back then in response to the silly controversy has always stuck in my brain, “Who doesn’t like horns?” Indeed. Someone will write a Master's thesis on this song; mark my words.

The album starts to wind down with the return of a character we’ve seen before in Billy Ringo in the Dark. Billy Ringo is the party friend, the good-time Charlie with a darkness that envelops him. It’s heartbreaking and all too familiar, or indelibly attached to one of our own for many of us. I have yet to make it through it without tears. The next song and the one that closes the record is in many ways a companion piece, but instead of focusing on a person, it focuses on the past in more general terms. Literature and songcraft are full of stories about the invulnerability of youth and how that folly shapes us in tragic and profound ways. This is one of the better examples of that story. Once again, the rhythm section lays down a strong foundation for melodic guitars and sliding guitar notes that fade in and out with verses. As the song winds down, the meandering nature of those guitars becomes more pronounced and is aided by the second strong vocal performance of the album by Schaefer Llana. She comes in about two-thirds into the song, providing a solid harmony vocal to Patterson’s lead. Later, she drifts into the background as the song fades, much as her vocals did in the album’s opener, providing a kind of symmetry. Overall it’s as strong a closing track and performance as you’ll find in the band’s catalog.

After listening to this record multiple times, I do not doubt that it’s a masterpiece, but they’ve had other masterpieces. Is it possible to have numerous albums in that category? I don’t know; I’ll leave that up to everyone to decide on their own. One thing is for sure; this is a work that will stay with you and will continue to reveal itself in surprising ways upon further listening. Of course, it’s also not surprising that ten years into this core lineup, they’re capable of this kind of art.

In closing, I would be remiss in not noting the gorgeous production of David Barbe, who is as crucial to this band's studio output as any member. Like the band, he grows and changes, and that’s reflected in the final product. Drive-By Truckers are a proper band with no one part dominating the others. This is their fourteenth album and as good or better than anything they’ve ever done. Let that sink in.

[brettac1]

Love it, TC.

[beantownbubba]

Great stuff, TC. Some more or less random comments:

I do not doubt that it’s a masterpiece, but they’ve had other masterpieces. Is it possible to have numerous albums in that category?

Yes. I'm not quite ready to anoint this one yet, but it may very well be, and if it's not it won't be because the band has "too many" masterpieces.

One of the marvels of Cooley’s songwriting is that he can fit words into a melody that, in other hands, would have no business being there. Yet, from as far back as One of These Days, all the way to today, he excels at it.

Truly. I've been marveling at Cooley's phrasing ever since I learned who Cooley was and he never ceases to amaze in this way among others. I think I've said before that he's in Dylan territory as a master of phrasing and squeezing syllables into places they shouldn't be able to go.

This is typical yet extraordinary

That as much as anything defines this band 25 years in. Consistently extraordinary may be an oxymoron, I'll leave that to the grammarians, but that's what DBT is.

"There were bottles in your bedroom and nothing in the kitchen,"

BAM! We know EXACTLY what this means and what it looks like and how fucking painful it is.

“Who doesn’t like horns?” Indeed.

Fuck yeah! Some may yearn for more cowbell, but give me more horns pretty much anytime.

I would be remiss in not noting the gorgeous production of David Barbe, who is as crucial to this band's studio output as any member. Like the band, he grows and changes, and that’s reflected in the final product.

I'm never sure exactly what constitutes production, but even so, I'm certain that Barbe's work on this album is superb and is the apotheosis of his mind meld w/ the Truckers.

[beantownbubba]

I doubt I'm gonna have much of anything of import to say that hasn't already been said by the erudite and talented prior posters so I'll just continue to pick around the edges.

I used to tear my hair out when Patterson would open shows with "Guns of Umpquaa." It was so contrary to received wisdom about how to construct a show and a departure, in my mind, anyway, from Patterson's usually surefooted showmanship and grasp of the moment. Now he has doubled, maybe even tripled down, by sometimes opening w/ "Billy Ringo." I of course defer to Patterson's judgment, but I gotta say, I do not get this.

Speaking of Patterson, how Pattersonian is it for him to say we'd never been out West, well, at least not further than Texas? Details and precision matter, and they are so much a part of Patterson's songwriting style.

And how is this for a great rhyme? "Things that kept us youngest came pounding down upon us." It takes Patterson's phrasing/pronunciation to make the rhyme work and boy does it ever.

Speaking of "Forged in Hell," the POV it maintains and the "conversation" between Patterson and Ms. Price are pretty extraordinary. The song neither glorifies nor disparages those wild, crazy days of yore, but it traces how it made us who we are and led us to today, and in particular how it all played out for a very specific "us," i.e. the two old friends "played" by Patterson and Margo. Delicate, deep, tough to pull off stuff. As with so much of this album it plays off and comments on other songs, including in this case the kind of sucky glory days in "Club XIII."

[Tequila Cowboy]

Speaking of "Forged in Hell," the POV it maintains and the "conversation" between Patterson and Ms. Price are pretty extraordinary. The song neither glorifies nor disparages those wild, crazy days of yore, but it traces how it made us who we are and led us to today, and in particular how it all played out for a very specific "us," i.e. the two old friends "played" by Patterson and Margo. Delicate, deep, tough to pull off stuff. As with so much of this album it plays off and comments on other songs, including in this case the kind of sucky glory days in "Club XIII."

Completely agree. One of the more fascinating things about this record is how not only does it refers back to itself, it refers back to all sorts of moments from the band’s history. “The Driver” alone has references to “White Knuckle West Virginia”, “Hell No I Ain't Happy” and nods to Patterson’s love of The Replacements and Stevie Wonder. It's not overt like the storytelling of The Hold Steady and their interleaved themes but it's cool as shit just the same.

[beantownbubba]

Speaking of "Forged in Hell," the POV it maintains and the "conversation" between Patterson and Ms. Price are pretty extraordinary. The song neither glorifies nor disparages those wild, crazy days of yore, but it traces how it made us who we are and led us to today, and in particular how it all played out for a very specific "us," i.e. the two old friends "played" by Patterson and Margo. Delicate, deep, tough to pull off stuff. As with so much of this album it plays off and comments on other songs, including in this case the kind of sucky glory days in "Club XIII."

Completely agree. One of the more fascinating things about this record is how not only does it refers back to itself, it refers back to all sorts of moments from the band’s history. “The Driver” alone has references to “White Knuckle West Virginia”, “Hell No I Ain't Happy” and nods to Patterson’s love of The Replacements and Stevie Wonder. It's not overt like the storytelling of The Hold Steady and their interleaved themes but it's cool as shit just the same.

Yep. This is what I wrote on the same subject above: "I think this record is really for the HeAthens in the way that it rewards repeated close listening and in the way those close listenings reveal new levels, new depths and more allusions, references and, to some extent, shared experiences (Springsteen, Dylan and several DBT songs step right up but others are more subtle and I'm sure I'm missing a bunch as well). Every one of these songs can be listened to on the surface just fine but like the proverbial iceberg, 90% of the mass and power is below the waterline. (As it happens I first noticed the Stevie Wonder reference earlier today).

[Clams]

The last track on the side, We Will Never Wake You Up In the Morning, is a heartbreaking account of addiction and a friend's fall. The song begins with a shuffle drum beat from Brad Morgan and a simple strummed guitar over it. Eventually, a fluid bassline and ghostly slide guitar join the sparse instrumentation as Patterson weaves a tale of heartbreak. Throughout the song, the instrumentation fills out to include a repeating plinking couplet on keys which helps build tension. The most heart-wrenching verse of the song is the second to last, concluding with "There were bottles in your bedroom and nothing in the kitchen," which sums up the tragedy in eleven words. It's as powerful a song as any in the band's catalog, and it's sadly all too relatable.

No one does In Memoriam like Patterson Hood. Never Wake You Up, Grand Canyon, Come Back Little Star, Living Bubba. All are stunning songs about people we've lost.

The reminiscence continues on Forged In Hell and Heaven Sent with its country beat and the tale of past times, but it’s not a party this time. It’s a clear-eyed look back with a long-lost friend who seems to have a hard time of it. The mood is nostalgic, but there’s an element of lost time and opportunity and a determination not to let that happen with the narrator’s family. As with so much of this album, the music has as many layers as the lyrics and Margo Price’s backing vocal work is in lock step with Patterson’s to tell the story. Jay Gonzalez’s organ flourishes and piano fills remind me of the serve the song ethos of Benmont Tench; not the first or last time I’ll make that comparison with Jay’s work.

Margo Price is the modern day Emmylou harris. She instantly elevates any song on which she sings backup vocals.

The album starts to wind down with the return of a character we’ve seen before in Billy Ringo in the Dark.

It might be me but I hear some of Patterson's guitar work in Santa Fe when I hear Billy Ringo

[Mundane Mayhem]

Others have reflected on the record brilliantly. I am still formulating my opinions about it, but for now here are two minor contributions to the discussion:

-Any theories as to why "We will never wake you up in the morning" is stylized as such? I can't recall another song in the catalog that isn't titled/capitalized according to ordinary/standard titling conventions.
-I've seen a lot about the connections between "Maria's Awful Disclosures" and "Grievance Merchants," but this is territory that Cooley has been mining since at least "Made Up English Oceans," continuing on through basically the entirety of his American Band output: How and why people come to believe obvious bullshit, and who benefits from getting them to believe it (and act on it).

[Jonicont]

The song is the inevitable conclusion to Eyes Like Glue

I remember not a lot of love when it came out. 12 years later, seems folks have caught up

[Clams]

-I've seen a lot about the connections between "Maria's Awful Disclosures" and "Grievance Merchants," but this is territory that Cooley has been mining since at least "Made Up English Oceans," continuing on through basically the entirety of his American Band output: How and why people come to believe obvious bullshit, and who benefits from getting them to believe it (and act on it).

Yep

[dime in the gutter]

there's a fool on every corner, on every street, in every one...

[brettac1]

The song is the inevitable conclusion to Eyes Like Glue

I remember not a lot of love when it came out. 12 years later, seems folks have caught up

Such a great song.

[beantownbubba]

-I've seen a lot about the connections between "Maria's Awful Disclosures" and "Grievance Merchants," but this is territory that Cooley has been mining since at least "Made Up English Oceans," continuing on through basically the entirety of his American Band output: How and why people come to believe obvious bullshit, and who benefits from getting them to believe it (and act on it).

Yep

Yepyep

[beantownbubba]

The song is the inevitable conclusion to Eyes Like Glue

I remember not a lot of love when it came out. 12 years later, seems folks have caught up

Or one might argue that the distance between "Eyes Like Glue" and "Every Single Storied Flameout" explains why there was not a lot of love for the former when it came out.

[Tequila Cowboy]

The song is the inevitable conclusion to Eyes Like Glue

I remember not a lot of love when it came out. 12 years later, seems folks have caught up

Or one might argue that the distance between "Eyes Like Glue" and "Every Single Storied Flameout" explains why there was not a lot of love for the former when it came out.

Intriguing. Care to elaborate?

[beantownbubba]

IIRC we hashed this out in great detail a couple of times, when TBTD was released and at least once more at a later time. To me it's one of Cooley's most ordinary songs* and the second verse (the one about the big brain) is like chalk screeching on a blackboard to me. ESSF, OTOH, is somewhere between a typically great Cooley song and a singularly great Cooley song. A powerful song w/ intensely meaningful, creative lyrics, appropriately emotional delivery and accompanied by musical punch to match. And horns.

*That's ordinary in its ordinary sense. Not terrible. Not without merit. Not without the ability to tug my heartstrings when I'm in the right mood. But not top notch Cooley and not in the same league as ESSF. And then there's the 2nd verse <shudder>.