''Brighter Than Creation's Dark'' is the seventh
studio album by American rock band
Drive-By Truckers
Drive-By Truckers are an American rock band based in Athens, Georgia. Two of five current members ( Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley) are originally from The Shoals region of northern Alabama and met as roommates at the University of North Alab ...
. It was released on January 22, 2008 in the United States.
Background
Recorded during and after the acoustic Dirt Underneath Tour, the album features a more stripped down, and country based sound not seen since their second release ''
Pizza Deliverance
''Pizza Deliverance'' is the second album released by Alabama rock band Drive-By Truckers, released in 1999. It was recorded with high spirits in five days at Patterson Hood's house. The album was mixed by Andy LeMaster. The album cover art was c ...
''. The album's title is taken from a line in a
Mike Cooley song entitled "Checkout Time in Vegas".
Wes Freed
Wes Freed (April 25, 1964 – September 4, 2022) was an American outsider artist. His works appeared on album covers of Lauren Hoffman and numerous American rock bands, including Cracker and the Drive-By Truckers.
Early life
Freed was ...
once again provided the album artwork. According to guitarist Patterson Hood, the band's decision on the name of the album was greatly influenced by the Freed's artwork. Hood also said that the album was recorded with much ease and did not require compromises. The album was released as both a compact disc as well as a double vinyl. The band embarked on a worldwide tour entitled "The Home Front Tour" throughout the entirety of 2008 in support of ''Brighter Than Creation's Dark''.
"Two Daughters and a Beautiful Wife" is about
Bryan Harvey, singer-guitarist for a number of indie bands, most notably
House of Freaks. On
New Year's Day 2006, Bryan and his family were
found brutally murdered in the basement of their home.
"Goode's Field Road" took many trials, recordings, and years for Hood to finish writing. Originally begun in 2000, Hood intended the track to be on ''
The Dirty South'', but at the last minute the band switched the take for "Lookout Mountain" (however, the original "mannered country" version that didn't make ''The Dirty South'' can be heard on ''
The Fine Print''). The band rerecorded the "raging primal stomp" version of "Goode's Field Road" as heard on ''Brighter Than Creation's Dark'' in one take.
"A Ghost to Most" was written in reaction to
Hurricane Katrina.
In
Sweden, the album charted at #37 on
the official albums chart. The album also peaked at #37 on the
''Billboard'' 200 album chart in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
. According to Hood's letters to fans, the Drive-By Truckers are exceptionally well received in Scandinavia.
Accolades
Brighter Than Creation's Dark was voted the 27th best album of 2008 in the Pazz & Jop music critics poll and the poll creator, Robert Christgau, named it the third best album of the year in his own top ten.
Christgau ultimately named it his 7th favorite album of the decade in 2009.
Track listing
Personnel
*
Mike Cooley – guitar, vocals
*
Patterson Hood
Patterson David Hood (born March 24, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter and co-founder of the band Drive-By Truckers.
Early life
Hood was born in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, the son of Jan Patterson Adams and David Hood, the longtime bassist ...
– guitar, vocals
* John Neff – pedal steel, guitar
* Brad Morgan – drums
*
Shonna Tucker
Shonna Tucker is a bassist and songwriter from Killen, Alabama, near Muscle Shoals.
Background
Tucker grew up in Killen, Alabama, receiving her first bass at age 12, a gift from her father. She describes her musical education as "mostly play ...
– bass, vocals
*
Spooner Oldham
Dewey Lindon "Spooner" Oldham (born June 14, 1943) is an American songwriter and session musician. An organist, he recorded in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, at FAME Studios as part of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section on such hit R&B songs as Percy S ...
– piano, organ, Wurlitzer
Charts
References
External links
Drive-By Truckers Tour Notes
{{Authority control
Drive-By Truckers albums
2008 albums
New West Records albums
Folk rock albums by American artists