As Hood sets the pace with his loyalty to his Southern rock roots, the placement of Cooley's simplistic country throwbacks may be questionable, especially when he proves equally as effective in droned-out rock numbers. With Cooley's mid-tempo shuffle, both "Perfect Timing" and "Self-Destructive Zones" echo the front-porch, country-honk swagger of the Stones. If anything, these tunes allow the listener to come up for air and prepare for the next electric journey through the seldom-romanticized lives of your typical struggling Southerner.
The depressing, two-minute, static confusion of "You and Your Crystal Meth" may be oddly placed, but upon further listening, it resonates as a fitting accusation to the drug's unmerciful grip . Hood pleads with his addict friend, even conceding, "I ain't exactly a no-drug guy / Don't dig the way that you get high." And in showing his disgust with his friend's state, he goes on to say, "Hope your kids don't see you throwing up / Hope they ain't there if the house blows up." While the American anti-drug campaign remains ambiguous and ineffective, tales mirroring the sentiments felt in Hood's quivering voice are the ones that question why the war on methamphetamine has yet to begin.
On the brighter side, while "Checkout Time in Vegas" channels the honest despair of Van Morrison's voice, Cooley fills the graceful arrangement with his humble touch and experience-laden vocals. Reflecting upon times of loss, he aptly sizes up the role of authority with the consideration, "If all you need is a badge to take what's left from those who lost it / A badge ain't no more real than bullets are."
Brighter Than Creation's Dark plays on the collective strengths of each individual talent within the current Drive-By Trucker's lineup. While Cooley is unable to be held down to one specific style, Hood is the rock that creates the stability in the Truckers' venturing sound. While Hood may be the rock, the true unifying factor comes in the form of shared experience, which welcomes the presence of Southern authenticity. A-
Spring Break
