Listening Post

‘‘Maybe white guys with Southern accents, who look like rednecks, need to say Black Lives Matter too.’’

Patterson Hood’s comment gives a hint about what lies in store on American Band, the Drive By Truckers’ fiery new album. They’ve never been known as politically reticent but now, feeling the tumult enveloping American society, they step it up a notch.

Lyrically speaking, Hood and cosongwriter Mike Cooley pull no punches. American Band doesn’t shy away from asking tough questions and picking its targets. The National Rifle Association and unscrupulous cops come in for particularly heavy serves, while they also touch on issues of racism, suicide and social disintegration.

Musically, from opening track Ramon Casiano it’s all classic Truckers, a jarring electric guitar shattering the silence as they head off into the Texas badlands with a healthy dose of heavy southern rock’n’roll. Hood’s furious, brilliant What it Means looks at racial protests spurred by the shooting of Trayvon Martin. Kinky Hypocrite evokes 70s Stones, while Baggage chugs along with their three-guitar attack to the fore. Even winding tales like Ever South – Hood’s homage to his southern identity – sway with an organic southern funk.

They can still drop it back too, though, most notably on numbers like the gorgeous, lilting Sun Don’t Shine. Here, Jay Gonzalez’s subtle organ shines, along with some very tasteful slide guitar.

At times angry, always thoughtful, American Band is one of the Truckers’ finest efforts.