''Brighter Than Creation's Dark'' is the seventh

studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...

by American rock band

Drive-By Truckers Drive-By Truckers are an American rock music, rock band based in Athens, Georgia. Two of five current members (Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley (American musician), Mike Cooley) are originally from The Shoals region of northern Alabama and met as ...

. 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''. The album's title is taken from a line in a Mike Cooley song entitled "Checkout Time in Vegas". Wes Freed 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 Bryan Stanley Harvey (born June 2, 1963) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher who played nine seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the California Angels of the American League and the Florida Marlins of th ...

, singer-guitarist for a number of indie bands, most notably

House of Freaks A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condit ...

. On

New Year's Day In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Day is the first day of the calendar year, January 1, 1 January. Most solar calendars, such as the Gregorian and Julian calendars, begin the year regularly at or near the December solstice, northern winter ...

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 Hurricane Katrina was a powerful, devastating and historic tropical cyclone that caused 1,392 fatalities and damages estimated at $125 billion in late August 2005, particularly in the city of New Orleans and its surrounding area. ...

. In

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...

, 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 (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. 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 – guitar, vocals * John Neff – pedal steel, guitar * Brad Morgan – drums * Shonna Tucker – bass, vocals * Spooner Oldham – 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