Brighter Than Creation's Dark (studio album) by Drive-By Truckers

This group is one of the most under rated artists on this site. While this record isn't their greatest it is still better than where it is currently ranked. There are so many fantastic songs on here that could rival their best work, such as The Righteous Path, Bob, Two Daughters And A Beautiful Wife and That Man I Shot. There are some amazing performances instrumentally as well which all sound unique and keep the record fresh. Vocally, it is very strong and I love the use of the female vocal which adds a different edge to the music. However, there is quite a big flaw in the record and that is the run time and bloated track list. If this is reduced down to 10 or 11 songs this is possibly their best work. Unfortunately, they didn't cut it down and so it struggles when compared to their better records which are also quite long but maintain the listeners interest and the quality of the music right until the end. Overall, well worth a listen if you enjoy this groups music as I'm sure you will love this record and find some great songs on here.

From buzzdainer 10/16/2016 16:49

The departure of a primary songwriter--in this case the inimitable and immensely talented Jason Isbell--usually signals the dissolution, or at least the gradual demise, of a band. In the case of Drive-By Truckers, though, it signaled a kind of rebirth with Brighter Than Creation's Dark, a renewal made possible on the strength of their two remaining band leaders Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley, as well as the emergence of Isbell's ex-wife Shonna Tucker, who takes over as songwriter and on lead vocals for several tracks. The result is a tour de force, led by Hood's "The Righteous Path," which could easily be a companion piece to "Lookout Mountain" from The Dirty South: an uneasy meditation on what it means to be a middle-class suburban white man in the contemporary American South.

An interesting record. This band has gone through some changes. There is some great and not so good material on here. Focus people.

From zdwyatt 12/18/2013 17:10

The length definitely hurts this one. You take out the six weakest tracks and you have a 4.5 star collection of 13 songs. As it is, it does have a couple weak spots. However, the rest of the songs are solid. My favorites are the instant Cooley classic "Three Dimes Down" and Hood's pair of anti-war tracks, "That Man I Shot" and "Home Front."

If you like their music, I suggest to listen to an album of Admiral Freebee.

From Romanelli 01/19/2012 14:33

The best thing to come out of the South since Lynyrd Skynyrd. This album shows that Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley can still bring the goods, no matter who else is in the band with them. A rarity...a band that survives despite constant lineup changes. Great writing, great playing. A great album by a great band.

From paladisiac 12/09/2011 18:33

Southern fried rock, country & bluegrass-tinged with some nice yarns spun. I finally delved further into their back catalogue as a result of this album. At 19 tracks, the album goes on a bit long but also comes with many highlights, including "two daughters and a beautiful wife", "the righteous path" ("i don't know god, but i fear his wrath"), "perfect timing" (probably the best upbeat track), "daddy needs a drink" (send one to me too!), "bob", "lisa's birthday" and "you and your crystal meth". A lot of these songs are like character sketches.

Rock and roll fans who have yet to delve into the Drive By Truckers' entire catalog have no idea what they are missing. They rock incredibly hard, are alternately smart, funny and righteous, feature multiple talented songwriters, and put on a killer live show.