Ugly Buildings, W***es & Politicians - Greatest Hits 1998-2009

iTunes Review

The title snagged from a line spoken by John Huston in the film Chinatown, this “Greatest Hits” survey of Southern rock’s most formidable 21st-century band is an interesting take on what could be considered their hits. The climate being such that there is no mainstream radio format to accommodate these rockers, the band has had to imagine what their hits might be — or figure what satellite radio stations dedicated to trucker rock and alt-country should be playing. With several songwriters contributing to the band’s appeal, the variety here is stunning. Patterson Hood is the band’s main man, offering up songs of common-man struggles with vocals that ache in empathy. Mike Cooley is sharper tongued and Jason Isbell surprised everyone with the best hooks. “Ronnie and Neil” pays tribute to the Lynyrd Skynyrd frontman and Neil Young. “The Living Bubba,” “Let There Be Rock” and “Sink Hole” take Southern rock and turn the amps up until it bleeds. Guitars are always up front and it’s their powerful crunch that details tunes like “Never Gonna Change,” “Uncle Frank” and “3 Dimes Down.”