CD Reviews for 05/07/10 – Drive-By Truckers, She & Him
Compact Capsules for May 7, 2010
by Dan Ferguson
Drive-By Truckers
The Big To-Do
ATO Records ATO0084
New record label, same old Drive-By Truckers. On their ATO Records debut titled The Big To-Do, this well-oiled and highly seasoned machine comes out guitars-a-blazing. Nothing unusual there with ear-catching riffs aplenty. Tough luck stories about hard-bitten types dominate with Patterson Hood contributing the bulk of the songs and vocal leads. In true fashion, the DBTs like to push the level of discomfort level with Hood’s “The Wig He Made Her Wear”, based on a true story, one of his finest moments in song. Visit www.drivebytruckers.com.
She & Him
Volume 2
Merge Records MRG354
As light as a feather and sweet as a cube of Domino’s finest is one way to describe the breezy baker’s dozen comprising the 2nd installment from She & Him. Why mess with a good thing? That’s the obvious tact of the plainly titled Volume 2 from collaborators M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel. Once again, for pop types it’s a marriage made in heaven, Deschanel with her honeyed and coying voice and Ward with his cool licks and knob-turning tricks. Visit www.sheandhim.com.
(Dan Ferguson is a free-lance music writer and host of The Boudin Barndance, broadcast Thursday nights from 6 – 9 pm on WRIU-FM 90.3. He lives in Peace Dale and can be reached at [email protected].)
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