Free Music Friday #91: Drive By Truckers

I was sure I had featured the Drive By Truckers here before... but apparently not! They are often described as Alt Country, but but I identify Southern Rock coming through fairly strongly.

I found two tracks currently available for download, so we'll start with the more Rock-ish one: Used To Be A Cop from the recently released album Go Go Boots. I'd say this was fairly typical of the stuff I'd heard from them before although it is perhaps a bit more acoustic and laid back than material on The Big to Do (which is the only album of theirs I currently own).

This track is like others of theirs that I like, in that it tells a story. We have a character sketch of an ex-cop whose life seems to be spiralling down the plughole. The story is told from his perspective and there are hints of troubles and tribulations in his past that have contributed to bring him to the place he describes in the song. So I do feel some sympathy for this character but at the same time I can't help but wonder how many of his problems are of his own making.

The music is downbeat and poignant and fits the mood of the lyrics perfectly. You can download it by entering your email address in this widget:

And you can watch a video of it while it downloads:

Used to Be a Cop - Go-Go Boots - Drive-By Truckers from Drive-By Truckers on Vimeo.

The band also made a love song available for free download on February 14th, although, from the download available above, you are hopefully not expecting a straightforward love song. This track, Everybody Needs Love, is more at the Country end of things. What do you think? Would you have sent this to your true love on Valentine's Day?


P.S. Late again! I think I'm going to have to change the name of this feature to Songs On Saturday!