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I Do Believe I Understand Now

Patterson Hood - Murdering Oscar (And Other Love Songs) / Jez

Music | August 13, 2009 | Comments (7)

murderingoscar.jpgPatterson Hood: Murdering Oscar (And Other Love Songs)
[Ruth Street Records]

For those unaware, Patterson Hood is a founding member of the Drive-By Truckers. This is his second solo release. Patterson is a great storyteller. He could tell you about a trip to the grocery store, and it would hold your attention. He’s also a great interview on various topics. He was once either interviewed or wrote a short article on Michael Jackson long before he died, and it made you want to go buy Off the Wall.

I bought this CD and after reading the liner notes (not one to just put basic information about the recording, Hood writes a full page about the history of this release, as well as gives detailed stories about each song), I realize that Hood put this out on what would appear to be his own label. Realizing this made me so glad I purchased the CD. Those of you who have a record player should buy it on vinyl, as it has three more songs on that version.

While the Drive-By Truckers are my favorite band, I’ve yet to find an album without at least 2 songs that I didn’t care for, and unfortunately, a Hood song always seems to be one of those. It’s to be expected when he writes the most tunes. However, every song on this album is very listenable, if not just plain good. They each stand on their own and provide diverse influences; the songs DON’T all sound the same.

Probably the oldest song on the album is an old Adam’s House Cat tune called “Pollyana”:

In the past couple of years I’ve also started to notice that I enjoy hearing how each voice and instrument works with each other within a band or song. I’ve had friends who have seen the DBT and said that it either wasn’t very good, or it was boring. From the live performances I have seen of them in the past 3 years, either in person, or on various videos with quality sound production, I can’t understand this. The vocal harmonies and the way the different instruments layer on top of each other just amaze me with this band, and Hood carries that onto this release. At times, the results are just haunting. Part of this comes with the addition of John Neff’s pedal steel guitar.

Neff’s playing is probably the most unique I’ve heard on the pedal steel. He does things with a pedal steel that I have never heard. He adds ambience to a song without you even knowing he’s there. Maybe I’m just uneducated in the world of pedal steel guitar players, but he doesn’t just play the typical riffs, or overtake the songs as is likely to happen in some traditional country songs.

One example of this is “Pride of the Yankees”; in this tune, the pedal steel reminds me of hot Pensacola days, the apartment sliding glass door revealing bright, blue sky and sunshine. My A/C is cranked back to 68 degrees, and I’m sitting on my filthy futon, watching TV and shoveling down a Whataburger #1 meal off a fold-away, TV tray. I miss those lazy days.


“Belvedere” is a character sketch of a dirty, old man, and the music matches the creepiness of the fellow. This is the song that haunts me the most after “Pride of the Yankees”.


But lest you believe that it’s all haunting, creepy tunes, “I Understand Now” is upbeat and similar to the vibe of the Trucker’s “Do It Yourself”, even though that song was not as positive as “I Understand Now”. This may very well be the most positive song that Hood has written.


“Walking Around Sense” is great, warm, rainy day music. This song reminds me of a more mature “Plastic Flowers on the Highway”. The piano really makes this song, along with the intertwined lead guitars. I really dig the minute-plus guitar solo at the end of this one. It’s got a plodding, Crazy Horse feel to it.


If you’re going to end an album, and they all must come to an end, I really can’t think of any better album-ending tune than “Back of a Bible”. Oh sure, I’ve heard songs that do just as good of a job as this one, but it doesn’t get any better than this. I hear the beat of Wings’ “Let Me Roll It” in this one, which makes me wonder since DBT covered it, if a little didn’t rub off on this tune.


Hood took his time with this one, and it shows. Compared to his first release, Killers and Stars, the two couldn’t be any more different. That one had a demo-tape feel, and at times, seemed rushed. Both DBT fansand fans of good music with tons of American folk, soul, rock and country influences should be able to sink their teeth into this one.


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Comments

Honestly, I had never heard of either the Drive By Truckers or Patterson Hood, nor do I usually listen to this kind of music (I prefer hard rock/punk) but, wow. Just wow. Back Of A Bible nearly convinced me to run out and buy the album.

I'd probably remove Belvedere from my iPod though... not because I don't like it, but because I wouldn't want it to come on in the car with company (especially not a date). It's creep-tacular.

Thanks for your thoughtful review, and opening me up to a style of music I'd never really considered before!

Posted by: Dev at August 13, 2009 12:47 PM

after reading the liner notes (not one to just put basic information about the recording, Hood writes a full page about the history of this release, as well as gives detailed stories about each song)

See, now if more artists did shit like this, I'd consider buying CD's instead of being a lazy asshole and buying everything digitally.

So, that said, I'm off to Newbury Comics. I'm convinced.

Posted by: TK at August 13, 2009 1:38 PM

I'm a huge DBTs fan, they played the single greatest rock and roll show I've ever seen, and I'll go see 'em anytime they're within 150 miles of where I sit.

That said, Patterson Hood has often been, at best, just the second-best songwriter in his own band. Cooley is phenomenal, and Jason Isbell in his brief time with the band wrote some fine songs.

I think this record would have been better if someone had persuaded him to kick about three songs off it ("She's a Little Randy," "Foolish Young Bastard" and one more I can't think of the name). I get the feeling from this material that the other members of DBT have saved him from himself many times in choosing songs to release on albums. For one instance, if they'd have tossed "You and Your Crystal Meth" off "Brighter Than Creation's Dark," that would be a perfect record. "Meth" takes itself so seriously, but with a couplet like "You lost your family, wrecked your truck / I used to love you now you suck," well ... I burst out laughing the first time I heard that.

However, it's also true that he's written some kickass rock songs, and it's also true that I have three DBTs CDs and I didn't like ANY of them very much on first listen. When you start paying attention to the stories they tell, though, it's hard not to get pulled in. So maybe this one will grow on me too.

Posted by: , (the commenter formerly known as bucdaddy) at August 13, 2009 2:22 PM

I get your rainy day thing for "Walking Around Sense," but what comes to mind for me (especially the first minute of the song) is a movie scene with people chilling in a living room while drinking. Perhaps a little odd, but that is seriously what popped into my head the second the music started.

These are good songs. I like.

Posted by: nutmeag at August 13, 2009 5:17 PM

Darn right, that's some beautiful pedal steel right there! Thanks for alerting me to it.

The tunes seem just a little bit dry for my liking - I could do with a bit more glitz or just straight-up melody - but overall this sounds pretty, pretty, pretty good. I shall investigate.

Posted by: Caspar at August 13, 2009 5:24 PM

SO GOOD.

My brother got married back home in June, and the Thursday night before I got to see Patterson do a quick set @ Grimey's in Nashville promoting this album. Got to shake his hand and talk to him for a bit; really, really cool guy (plus Shonna Tucker was there! *swoon*). I just wish I had been able to make it to the Mercy Lounge show later that same evening.

The Truckers are at the top of my must-see-live list. I've been a fan for the last 5 years or so, ever since I got a Dell computer for college graduation and "My Sweet Annette" was loaded on it. One of my best friends down here where I am now is also a big fan, but he and I are about the only ones we know that listen to them (most of them are of your initial opinion, tcfka bucdaddy). And TK, the Truckers are fantastic about doing detailed liner notes in all of their albums. Check out their website (www.drivebytruckers.com) for a taste. Very cool.

Ending plug...NOW.

Posted by: Cody at August 13, 2009 7:39 PM

I am also a huge fan of the Truckers, and I know exactly what you mean about each album having at least two songs on it that I don't like. And yes, they're nearly always Hood songs even though I generally am enthralled with his songwriting. I have yet to run into a Cooley song I didn't like.

For my money, "Southern Rock Opera" was one of the best albums of the last ~20 years.

Posted by: Patrick at August 14, 2009 5:03 PM