In the last few years critics have ‘come round’ to Athens Georgia’s Drive-By Truckers, accepting the band’s apparently incompatible stew of rousing redneck roots rock and Modern American Poetry professor wordplay as a deliberate artistic choice, rather than a naïve accident.
The highlight of their 12th album is Primer Coat, where propulsive Byrdlike arpeggios sharpen a contemplative portrait of middle-aged lives unraveling.
The extended closer, Grand Canyon, represents an uncharacteristically experimental push into a peyote-fizzing cloud of reflective home-brewed back-porch psychedelia.
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph