A Blessing and a Curse

iTunes Review

The Drive-By Truckers are such experts at their musical game of punk rock-bred alt.country that even when they write off-the-cuff, in the studio, it sounds as if they’ve been rehearsing and rewriting for weeks. A Blessing and a Curse is their sixth studio album and, allegedly, was written primarily during the sessions in order to capture the serendipitous energy. Their trademark three guitar crunch is as loud and raucous as ever and singer Patterson Hood can jerk a tear from your eye when he mellows out and allows his voice to break. With three schooled and able songwriters, the material is learned and diverse. Newest guitarist Jason Isbell contributes “Easy On Yourself,” the album’s catchiest track, while Hood evokes the ramshackle spirit of the Faces and their loose and limber groove for “Aftermath USA.” Guitarist Mike Cooley retools the Rolling Stones’ 1974 ballad “Till the Next Goodbye” for his equally affecting “Space City,” where these southern boys take a hit of glam. Less ambitious than some of their previous concept albums, taken song by song Blessing is quite a formidable set.