Patterson Hood (Drive-By Truckers)- Murdering Oscar (and other love songs)
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On his website, Patterson Hood points out that Murdering Oscar (and other love songs) is not a solo album. When you look at the lineup of musicians, you'll see that this is the case. Members of Drive-By Truckers are prominent throughout the album. Other musicians that appear on the album are: Don Chambers, Will Johnson, Scott Danbom, David Barbe, and Patterson's father David Hood. He also explains that this album was fifteen years in the making. But fear not, this album is no Chinese Democracy.The album opens with "Murdering Oscar." If you think that the song might have some heavy-duty subject matter, you are right. (Not that this is unusual for a Patterson Hood song.) Specifically, it is about an abusive relationship in which the woman kills Oscar before he kills her. The beginning of this tune is somewhat reminiscent of "Lookout Mountain" and it is a good way to begin the album. Another song with a pretty dark theme is "Screwtopia." This one is a little more subtle. He sets it up with a story about a couple that moves to the suburbs where the woman will stay home with all the kids they are going to have. Cynical, maybe. But then the punch comes at the end of the song. Frankly, I don't want to give it away. I think you should check it out for yourself. The first verse of "She's a Little Randy" reminds me of what Steve Earle has been doing recently, not so much in sound but in style. This verse features just guitar and drums and is pretty spare, very much like Steve Earle's album Washington Square Serenade. The vocal tracks in this song and "Foolish Young Bastard" are a little raw (and who doesn't like a little raw quality in their music?), and instead of being the focal point of the song, seem to linger in the background.
This album has dark themes (although that should hardly be surprising considering the album's title), prominent guitars (including pedal steel), and lyrics that tell a good story. In other words it is full of all the things you would expect from a Drive-By Truckers album. Patterson Hood wrote or co-wrote all of the songs on the album, except for "The Range War," which was written by Todd Rundgren. Fans of this prolific songwriter (as well of fans of DBT) will not be disappointed. In fact, they will probably realize that this album, fifteen years in the making, is worth the wait.
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Patterson Hood (Drive-By Truckers)- Murdering Oscar (and other love songs)
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