Brighter Than Creation's Dark finds the Drive-By Truckers, the once-labeled disciples of the Southern rock movement (see Lynyrd Skynyrd), in a state of identity crisis. But it is this welcomed tension, characterized by a breadth of weary voices and multi-textured rhythmic backdrops, which propels The Drive-By Truckers past their Southern Rock Opera roots and introduces their vintage ideology into a variety of new settings. Guitarists Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley share much of the songwriting and lead vocal duties - with the exception of three tunes penned by bassist Shonna Tucker, whose lead vocals would be akin to Stevie Nicks attempting to sing country in the mid -'60s.
Though the orchestration follows a familiar pattern of riff-heavy saturation augmented by the cry of a lingering pedal steel guitar, much of the song direction depends on the will of that song's particular owner. For those looking for accessibility, Hood relies heavily on the spirit of Tom Petty - but through a far more rustic lens. Picture Crazy Horse calling in Petty to replace Neil Young - an idea that would only come close to functionality if Petty were able to drop his guard and sing with some deep-seated personal conviction. In essence, Hood's familiar tone is the product of this type of equation, especially on "The Righteous Path," which offers an optimistic lesson about the simple life of an individual in a "messed-up world" and fades to obscurity when Hood calls out, "No time for self-pity or self-righteous crap / Trying to stay focused on the righteous path."
While Hood's style is consistent and relatively easy to grasp, Cooley is much harder to pin down as he ventures from the rugged, pick-up-truck-driving influence of Neil Young to the far more laidback, small-town country shuffle of Gram Parsons. The thickly distorted guitar attack of "3 Dimes Down" caters to the former styling and comes fittingly with the playful invitation, "Come on baby, rock and roll never forgets."
