In 2016’s American Band, Drive-By Truckers co-founders Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley expressed their concerns about the sharp political divides that cut across US racial and socioeconomic lines. Since then, those complex moral issues have only gotten worse—leaving the Southern rock band no other choice but to report back on what they’ve learned. Hood is responsible for the bulk of the songs: He speaks directly to his children on issues like gun violence (“Thoughts and Prayers”) and child separation federal policies (“Babies in Cages”), expressing regret over the mess they’ve inherited. Cooley is at his most serious-minded on the powerful “Grievance Merchants”, offering a pointed critique on the rise of white supremacist ideology. The melancholy, fiddle-laced “21st Century USA” continues the band’s MO of defending the working class, conjuring the image of an economically depressed rural county and the employees who deserve their fair share.
Tracklisting
- Rosemary With A Bible And A Gun (3:20)
- Armageddon’s Back In Town (3:49)
- Slow Ride Argument (3:19)
- Thoughts And Prayers (5:21)
- 21st Century USA (4:13)
- Heroin Again (3:55)
- Babies In Cages (5:32)
- Grievance Merchants (4:08)
- Awaiting Resurrection (8:35)
Apple Music
Videos
Drive-By Truckers - Thoughts and Prayers (Official Lyric Video)
Release Images
Release Information
| Key | Value |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia URL | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Unraveling_(Drive-By_Truckers_album) |
| Format | Vinyl LP Album Stereo |
| Label | ATO Records |
| Catalog Number | ATO0518LP |
| Notes | Black Vinyl Version. ℗ & © 2020 ATO Records, LLC 16 page booklet with spot varnished cover, liner notes, lyrics, picture and various Information |
| Discogs URL | Drive-By Truckers - The Unraveling |