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.
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Mpf1947, Youtube
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
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Chez, Chortle.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk