This is a Random Album Generator.
One album a day.
From the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Southern Rock Opera

Drive-By Truckers

2001

Southern Rock Opera
Album Summary

Southern Rock Opera is the third studio album by the American rock band Drive-By Truckers, released in 2001. A double album covering an ambitious range of subject matter from the politics of race to 1970s stadium rock, Southern Rock Opera either imagines, or filters, every topic through the context of legendary Southern band Lynyrd Skynyrd. The record was originally self-released on Soul Dump Records. The album was re-released on July 16, 2002 by Lost Highway Records. The album was financed by issuing promissory notes in exchange for loans from fans, family and friends of the band.The album's artwork was done by Richmond, Virginia artist Wes Freed.

Wikipedia

Rating

2.84

Votes

10075
Genres
Country
Rock

Reviews

Like a review? Give it a thumb up to help us display relevant reviews!
Sort by: Top Date
View Author
Mon Aug 16 2021
1

If you took a group of good-ole-boys, fed them nothing but Skynyrd, Tom Petty, and the Eagles from the time they were born until they dropped out of high school halfway through their sophomore year, gave them 2 weeks worth of free music lessons, and then locked them in a studio with three half barrels of Busch and a brick of cocaine - this album would be the result. It's trash (a fuckin' hour and a half of trash) - minus Plastic Flowers and Cassie's Brother, which were okay (but still derivative). Oh - and did I mention Skynyrd? Because they did. Like probably 40 times. At least it was 90+ minutes long . . . .

👍
View Author
Tue May 25 2021
3

Are you getting ready for a lengthy stay at a nearby state or federal penitentiary and not sure how to prep? Southern Rock Opera has you covered. So, close your eyes, turn it up and get baptized. This is a straight-up southern-culture record and these are some of my takeaways in no particular order: Skynyrd | Grit | Racist Governors | Cheap Cocaine | Stale Beer | Ronnie Van Zant | Sweat-Stained Trucker Hats | Southern Pride | Shady Shit | Tanktops (No Bras) | Roscoe P. Coltrane | Rock and Roll | Humidity | Skynyrd | Whiskey | Bushy Beards | Skynyrd | Good Ole [fill-in-the-blank] | Skynyrd | Airplane Crash The more I listened to this, the less I liked it, but the more I appreciated it. Individually, each song is forgettable but as a package it forms a picture of southern life and rock and roll. The album is a collection of anecdotes, explanations and accounts centering around Lynyrd Skynyrd. Two songs stand out to connect the disparate parts: Three Great Alabama Icons and Angels and Fuselage. Through loose narratives, bass-y guitar riffs and southern drawl crooning, DBT has created a window into the soul of the unapologetic south. Southern Rock Opera is like required reading, Sunday school, cafeteria food or Cracker Barrel... if you have your way, and you've done it once, you'll never do it again. So, a big 'thank you' to Drive-By Truckers for making this. It's not for everyone. But, if you’re southern-culture-curious, love Skynyrd, Alabama or have family in prison, you're gonna love Southern Rock Opera.

👍
View Author
Thu Nov 12 2020
4

This album is massive in both literal size and in scope. I feel like I could write three reviews: one about the sound, one about the Lynyrd Skynyrd metanarrative, and one about the attempt to rehabilitate the Southern image in the popular imagination. I'll focus on the last, because it's the most interesting. It's a noble attempt, and they mostly succeed, but they try a little to hard to have it both ways (i.e. "the duality of the Southern Thing"), and while the effort is respectable, I don't love that there are no less than three songs that lionize or at least soften George Fucking Wallace. Sure, they're being ironic when they celebrate that "George Wallace stared them Yankees down," but it's a hell of a singable line that's no doubt sung by a certain subset of their fandom with gusto, a fact they well recognize themselves later on: "few saw beyond the rebel flag/And this applies not only to their critics and detractors/but also their fans and followers." Patterson Hood wants so badly to redefine what it means to be a Southern man, but he can't help but throw a bone to the peanut gallery he himself happily dismisses. I found myself respecting this album more and more as I listened to it, but ultimately it's got some fundamental flaws that it can't fully overcome. One note about the sound: It's damn good. Best track: Dead, Drunk and Naked

👍
View Author
Fri Jul 09 2021
1

Sounds like a parody in places. I know too little about USA history to get too deep into the lyrics, and the vocalists' voices didn't motivate me to listen more intently. Musically, I found it dull, and everything instrument blended into the others.

👍
View Author
Fri Jan 14 2022
1

This ain't no southern rock. This is watered down Kid Rock. This album sets some sort of record for most George Wallace shout outs, which is....something? Stick with '70's Skynyrd instead.

👍
View Author
Thu Mar 04 2021
4

A long, long album, but I really appreciated this deep-dive into Southern Rock and the mythos of Alabama. A lot of good tracks, like the one about George Wallace being welcomed to hell by the Devil himself, or the really sweet, almost Flaming Lips inspired ballad about the moments right before the Skynyrd plane crash. May not return to this as it's a hefty album, but it definitely deserves its place here I think.

👍
View Author
Sat Jul 31 2021
2

I don't dislike it at the normal 2 star level, but the problem is, if you're going to do 90 minutes, you at least have to have a few songs that GRAB you, which this doesn't have. It just goes on and on and on remaining passable but never great.

👍
View Author
Fri Oct 20 2023
1

If Tom Petty and Blue Hammer smashed and created a child that ought to have be drowned at birth.

👍
View Author
Thu Mar 03 2022
5

Have this a very solid two and a half listens through and can now safely say this is my new favourite alt country rock concept album about the rise and fall of Lynyrd Skynyrd. A very very solid album.

👍
View Author
Mon Jul 12 2021
3

I was fully expecting to hate this - looking at the cover it gives off country hipster vibes and I really wasn't in the mood. But instead it's pretty good country rock, doesn't seem to be any hipster shit involved, more like someone trying to recreate 70s southern rock, which is cool. Big fuzzy guitars, has that country flavour in places without being overbearing (the country parts kinda remind me of Johnny Cash, see "guitar man upstairs"), and they have a good ear for choruses. Only major gripe is: does this really need to go for an hour and a fucking half? Jesus H. Christ, are you serious? This shouldn't be more than 45min. Even after about 25 I understood what it was about (not the cultural references, which are neither here nor there to me), and it wasn't offering up anything new. 3/5 all the same - would be a 4 if not for the length.

👍
View Author
Thu Oct 26 2023
1

As if Lynyrd Skynyrd records aren’t bad enough on their own, here’s a double disc concept album *about* Lynyrd Skynyrd that rarely rises above the level of your friendly neighborhood bar band. Had it been a single disc album…fine, two stars. The fact that it is a double album is what makes it unforgivable.

👍
View Author
Fri Feb 26 2021
4

This was actually surprisingly good. The first few songs especially I liked. Then there's an interesting monologue about George Wallace and the perception of southerners by the rest of the country. It was pretty thoughtful, but then there's another song that says stuff like, "the south will rise again" so I dont really know what to think about these guys haha.

👍
View Author
Wed Jun 23 2021
4

While this isn’t something I’ll likely listen to again anytime soon, I do appreciate how evocative and thought provoking some of their lyrics are. “Three Great Alabama Icons” definitely lead me on a rabbit hole of researching the band and their perspective on things. I don’t agree with the notion that we should praise George Wallace for eventually coming around to a perspective that I think should be the bare minimum for a decent human being, but they did present their perspective fairly and honestly & it definitely made me think - which is what good political/protest music does.

👍
View Author
Mon Dec 07 2020
3

Good musically and the concept behind the album was great but the singer wasn’t my favorite.

👍
View Author
Thu Feb 04 2021
3

Taking over where Lynyrd Skynyrd left off. This album has a really interesting concept and I like the difference in the two singers voices (although I prefer the one that sounds like he gargles nails every morning). This has some truly rocking tunes on it and I think I’m going to revisit it at some point. My only complaint is that it is a bit long but honestly I didn’t mind. Favorite song: Ronnie and Neil Least favorite song: Moved

👍
View Author
Tue Jun 15 2021
3

Did this really need to be a double album? It was fine. I was bored while listening.

👍
View Author
Sun May 16 2021
3

1st song: Sounds like a collaboration between Jack White, Beck, and Cake. 2nd song: very repetitive riff, but I don't hate it. It works for the genre. Getting some Tom Waits mixed with Skynyrd influences. 3rd song: Yeah this is just a Skynyrd cover band that branched out and made their own album. I don't hate it. 4th song: Not vibing with it. Too boring. 5th song: Feel like I should be in a trashy backwoods bar. All the Skynyrd is gone. Only left with trashy southern rock. 6th song: final song I'm able to listen to. Can't handle any more Southern Rock Overall, pretty meh. If you like Southern Rock, pretty solid. I really thought the first song had a lot of potential. I liked how it was presented, and it reminded me of The Raconteurs. If Skynyrd is pinnacle southern rock, this is a 6.5. It's safe, doesn't try to do anything new, and a bit redundant at times. Honestly, I just want to listen to The Ballad of Curtis Loew now and not this band. After going back to Skynyrd, the biggest difference is the diversity of instruments and sick riffs. Upon instigation I have listened to more songs. 7: okay, this is much better than the last few songs. I'm definitely getting some early day Tom Waits here, and I dig Tom Waits. This singer needs to be more prominent. 8: hell yeah. This is what I was looking for from the first song. That storytelling kind of song. I went ahead and listened to the last song on the album and I really liked it. I think my review hasn't changed. I think if they took out half of the songs on this album and left them on the chopping block, you'd have a really solid album. Too many meh to bad songs to make it better than a 6.5

👍
View Author
Fri Feb 23 2024
3

Well, that was a rollercoaster! Started out as a clear 1 given the length and subject matter. First impressions - sounds more like Butthole Surfers than Skynyrd, amusingly macabre opening track! Then: OK, more like I expected; please don't ask me to indulge George Wallace apologia - "southern culture" yadda yadda is just good ol' cynical racism, stop excusing that shit. Next: I really don't want to hear a litany of shit concerts you went to as a high schooler, or trite southern fried thematic effluvia. They really like teasing that Sweet Home Alabama riff, eh? Finally: Oh, this is the Skynyrd story *in media res* and I am *totally here for it*. Last track is remarkable; I played the whole thing through again immediately and appreciated it *a lot more* (ditching my oh-so-witty "2nd worst thing to happen in 2001" quip - could also have worked a plane crash angle in with a bit more effort..) Excise the sub-Kid Rock shit in the middle and I'd give this a 4. For now: unexpectedly, 3 hours of my day I did not begrudge spending with these hicks.

👍
View Author
Fri Feb 23 2024
3

The title “Southern Rock Opera” suggests a novelty record, the length suggests obnoxiousness, while what lyrics I caught suggest a whisky-rock liker’s Bildungsroman; an uneasy mix that needs banging riffs and a lot of soaring to work. The record’s pleasant to have in the background, the guitar sounds are there, but the songs and riffs don’t stick, apart from maybe Life In The Factory and Let There Be Rock. Is that a goat I hear? “Meh meh meh…” Bumping up to three because “Angels and Fuselage” is a title redolent of a lost JG Ballard novel set in the Nevada desert, “Shut Up and Get On The Plane” made me laugh, and because I enjoyed the album enough to listen to it exactly twice. This means any other rock operas on this list defaults to 1, apart from “Tommy”, which will be DNF. Never make me visit the Lynrd Skyrnd Wikipedia page again.

👍
View Author
Fri Jun 03 2022
2

Boring, long, and not that good.

👍
View Author
Sun Jun 26 2022
2

Ovo izgleda ko parodija. Edit: čak i zvuči phahahah Srsly gitara je u dost vremena super, ostalo je sam dosadno.

👍
View Author
Thu Apr 01 2021
5

I went down a deep rabbit hole on Lynyrd Skynrd because of this and I think that's what makes music so great, that it can teach as well as entertain

👍
View Author
Tue Jun 15 2021
5

Trying to get enjoyment out of country/western music is usually like trying to bucket dry rivers, but this one was great. Husky vocals, good music, tells a great story.

👍
View Author
Wed Dec 08 2021
5

Excellent. Remember their name from a poster at university, but never heard their music. An unexpected treat!

👍
View Author
Wed Mar 09 2022
5

Modern southern rock classic

👍
View Author
Mon Jun 13 2022
5

This was amazing. Holds it's own over a double length album that is tightly pulled together, intelligently written and sounds like a whiskey-fueled bar band with a strong southern Tom Petty feel. Surprised. Very enjoyable.

👍
View Author
Thu Sep 22 2022
5

Awesome - like the skynyrd/steinman crossover that we didn't know we needed! It's long, and heavy, and emotional, and absolutely brilliant. I will definitely listen to this again (and again) and look forward to checking out the rest of their stuff.

👍
View Author
Sun Nov 20 2022
5

The mix is so murky, the outright theft of Lynyrd Skynyrd riffs is blatant. This just sounds so good. Days of Graduation made me laugh so much I had to pause the music and gather myself. There is darkness and humour. The correct name for this genre must be Southern Gothic. The Southern Thing sounds like Don Henley on guest vocals. I love the fact that we're getting history lessons. Good history, nuanced history. Then it finishes with the devastating Angels and Fuselages. Who would think that "Scared shitless" would be poetry. This is why I subscribed to this list, it's a totally unexpected piece of genius.

👍
View Author
Fri Jun 30 2023
5

Reminds me of college. This album is top 20 in the pantheon of left-country.

👍
View Author
Wed Aug 23 2023
5

ok this might sound crazy considering all the other reviews on this album but I thought this was excellent. it's going to take a lot to convince me to pay attention to a 93-minute double album, but I thought the rock opera/concept album approach worked very well here. listening to each song and reading through the background/explanation and lyrics via DBT's website and Genius annotations really helped to contextualize what I was hearing. obviously, you'll need to have a penchant for southern rock, lynyrd skynyrd, or late 20th century US history to get the most out of this album. but even without those, it still evokes a mood and time period very well. it handles a wide variety of concepts and themes in a moving and respectful way, and definitely deserves your time and attention. favorites: about half of these honestly. in disc/track order, ronnie and neil through the southern thing, zip city, let there be rock through plastic flowers on the highway, angels and fuselage

👍
View Author
Thu Sep 21 2023
5

Love these raw, heartfelt songs. Jason and company takes us on a crusade over the south. They taught us about history, traditions, love, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and alcohol for over 90 minutes. Great passionate voice and tasty guitar tone. I cannot ask for more in a rock and roll album.

👍
View Author
Mon Oct 23 2023
5

Best enjoyed as, well, a Southern Rock Opera. Loved it all.

👍
View Author
Wed Nov 29 2023
5

This had some bona fide tones and juice!

👍
View Author
Thu Dec 07 2023
5

What a gem! I guess this stuff didn't make it to my 14 year old ears and I am not certain I would have got it then... not sue I do now fully. I do know it's an abolute treat.

👍
View Author
Thu Dec 14 2023
5

Excellent album. Really smart and funny songs that also rock. The opener “Days of Graduation” was a surprise. Cool vibe and dark energy, and I definitely wasn’t expecting it to end with a “Free Bird” joke. The other spoken-word song, “Three Great Alabama Icons,” was mesmerizing. Fascinating story about the former governor of Alabama. Incredible opening line too: “I grew up in north Alabama back in the 1970s when dinosaurs still roamed the earth.” Lots of funny vignettes and plenty of memorable songwriting. And I think it’s cool that about half of these songs form a loose concept album about the legacy of Lynyrd Skynyrd. It’s an interesting idea and ties the songs together. I want to buy this on cd so that it can live in my car because it’s a very long album and all of these songs are interesting and deserving of repeat listens.

👍
View Author
Sun Jan 07 2024
5

I’ve heard of but never really paid attention to Drive-By Truckers. On the one hand, having my first exposure be their giant two-album Southern Rock Opera seemed like maybe jumping into the deep end and fraught with peril. On the other, this was referred to as their magnum opus. This was a very good thing. I loved this album. These guys have that southern country rock thing down, write about interesting subjects from the grave to the mundane, and sound fantastic. I love a good road song and this had plenty of that, while also exploring expected subjects like whisky, relationships, death, longing, and lots of personal touches clearly reflecting their lives. A really great collection of music that never did wear out its welcome despite the long runtime.

👍
View Author
Sun Jan 07 2024
5

This is epic. I was daunted by the 90-minute running time and put it off until time to make dinner. I put it on while I cooked and wasn't really listening, wasn't really enjoying it. After dinner, I put my headphones on and started where I left off, at The Three Great Alabama Icons, at which point I realized that I needed to start it over. And I'm glad I did. It is definitely long but there are lyrics worth really hearing and an appealing southern rock sound throughout. Moreover DBT really stick the landing --- I was riveted through most of the second act. I don't think that this will necessarily become a favorite album but it certainly fits the brief of being an album to hear at least once, especially having read the origin story. Glad the band was persistent in its efforts to get it made.

👍
View Author
Thu Jan 18 2024
5

If you are pressed for time, just listen to Disc 2. It shifts gears from "typically good" to "sublime".

👍
View Author
Thu Feb 15 2024
5

A little bloated and maybe only their 3rd best album. But DBT rules. Worth sticking around for the 2nd half. And the George Wallace saga.

👍
View Author
Wed Apr 28 2021
4

4/27 A country epic, at an hour and a half it drags on at some points, but it does draw a compelling narrative of life down south, growing up in the 70s and 80s, some history of the area and the groups that influenced them, all wrapped up in some hard, southern rock. Standout Tracks: Days Of Graduation, Birmingham, Three Alabama Icons, Moved, Let There Be Rock, Plastic Flowers On The Highway, Cassie's Brother, Shut Up And Get On The Plane, Angels And Fuselage

👍
View Author
Wed Dec 02 2020
4

Banda muito interessante e conceito do disco também. Referências a Lynyrd Skynyrd e Neil Young, referências claras. Vale ouvir os discos mais novos, pareceram muito bons

👍
View Author
Wed Dec 02 2020
4

Bom album de country rock, jamais esperava uma opera contry rock!

👍
View Author
Wed Dec 02 2020
4

QUe ótima descoberta (pra mim). Rock excelente, bem tocado, músicas muito boas! A mescla de instrumentos country/folk compô muito bem o conjunto. Pra ouvir mais vezes

👍
View Author
Wed Jul 21 2021
4

This album surprised me. Very much an introspection into the stereotypes of the south and the " the duality of the southern thing." Thoughtful lyrics and some good jams too.

👍
View Author
Tue Apr 13 2021
4

Veryyyy southern rock. Dig the political vibes to this also.

👍
View Author
Thu Feb 18 2021
4

Like this. Was going to pass but thought i would give it a try and glad i did

👍
View Author
Thu Jun 03 2021
4

Aangename verrassing! Ruwe rock en zeer gevarieerd. Blijvertje!

👍
View Author
Sun Mar 28 2021
4

Nice load of southern rock. Bit much a times

👍
View Author
Mon Jul 12 2021
4

Wow, what an interesting project! I've heard the album these guys released in 2016, "What It Means" is such an incredible track, so I knew to expect some politics on here, and they delivered. The vocals at times hit me like a southern Mark Kozelek. I love the sometimes brazen, sometimes tongue-in-cheek, exploration of the southern psyche (including the racism), which is often emblematically personified by artists like Lynyrd Skynyrd. This album started so strong, with a handful of genuinely fantastic tracks in the first half. Were this a single album (rather than a double), it would get a 4.5 from me. But I can't deny that the second half didn't reach the same heights for me; very little stuck out on the back end aside from the closer. But still, this is incredibly ambitious and absolutely deserving of attention and a spot on this list. Favorite tracks: The Three Great Alabama Icons (wow), Dead Drunk and Naked, Days of Graduation, 72, Let There Be Rock, Angels and Fuselage. Album cover: Love this art style, and loved finding out that they maintained this on so many of their albums. I dig this one a lot. 4/5

👍
View Author
Fri Apr 30 2021
4

Poderoso disco de rock sureño. Me apunto el grupo...

👍
View Author
Wed Apr 21 2021
4

Was big into these guys when this came out. prefer decoration day. but this one is good too.

👍
View Author
Mon May 31 2021
4

I’m not so sure about this one—but I’ll be generous cause it seems more enjoyable than I normally find this genre

👍
View Author
Sat Jun 12 2021
4

Does exactly what it says on the tin. Also offers up a glimpse to the duality of the Southern states of the US. BT: Ronnie and Neil, Guitar Man Upstairs, Women Without Whiskey

👍
View Author
Fri Jun 11 2021
4

A sprawling southern classic.

👍
View Author
Tue Jun 15 2021
4

Been meaning to listen to this band for a while. Been way into this kinda sound for a little bit now. I dig the concept of this record and how well they executed it

👍
View Author
Tue May 25 2021
4

Terrific album. I had listened to this a little while living in Austin in the early 2000s, but I totally did not appreciate it at the time. The story of this album really captures the tension between the good parts of the South and all the bad. I love the storytelling and the connections to Skynyrd and Young. Will definitely put this and other Drive-By Truckers albums in my regular rotation.

👍
View Author
Wed Jun 23 2021
4

I never considered these guys southern rock though they clearly play southern rock. Just, decades after the Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Jason Isbell was in DBT for a few years but was not on this particular record Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley are the primary DBT guys. Patterson's father is David Hood who was the bass player in the famous Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section who played on countless albums recorded there in the 60s to the 80s. Also known as The Swampers. Here's a great playlist of songs the Swampers played on https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3fJ30XwyRO5kPAvvKzgkWT?si=0b1f4e56766a46cb

👍
View Author
Mon Aug 02 2021
4

Muy bueno, aunque no he podido encontrarlo entero. Rock.

👍
View Author
Thu Aug 12 2021
4

Tenen aquesta manera tan peculiar i personal d'enfocar el rock sureny barrejat amb el rock alternatiu que tots els seus discos són inconfundiblement seus, a més que es fa difícil no disfrutar-los. Com a falta, sempre sonen una mica lineals, sense grans tonades ni singles... però és que ells són així

👍
View Author
Tue Aug 17 2021
4

Wow this is great! I will definitely listen to more of there work.

👍
View Author
Fri Sep 17 2021
4

a generic rock album at first but as i listened it grew on me and the southern twang combined with the story told with the songs makes it different from the rest

👍
View Author
Wed Sep 29 2021
4

It's good-humored blend of southern rock, ranging from cow-punk to Southern boogie, from Tom Petty to the Rolling Stones, from "the Band" to Neil Young. (7/10) Favourite Track: Zip City

👍
View Author
Wed Sep 29 2021
4

Loved this double album now adding it to my album rotation . Great guitar, lyrics, Vibe. Took me awhile to get into it but 1/2 way through the first album i was hooked.

👍
View Author
Sun Oct 17 2021
4

I'm a big fan of DBT - not many people come close to their lyrics and the stories they tell. But for me, this album (like most of their others) contains just a few too many mid-tempo chuggers that all go on for a couple of minutes too long.

👍
View Author
Tue Nov 09 2021
4

Im gonna keep listening to this one

👍
View Author
Wed Nov 17 2021
4

An absolutely mental concept double album interweaving the story of Lynyrd Skynyrd with that of a fictional band. The heavier rock numbers are great and when this album clicks its superb but with 90 minutes playing time there is a bit of excess baggage to sift through. Could they have achieved their goal on a single disk 50 to 60 minutes album? I think so and it would have turned this solid Southern rock epic into a classic. Regardless, this is a hugely ambitious undertaking for band and listener. I get that it won't be everyone's cup of tea. But I bloody loved it. Well most of it anyway. 4/5

👍
View Author
Thu Dec 02 2021
4

I like southern rock a lot, but had never listened to DBT before and was pleasantly surprised. Only complaint is how long it was, so only able to give it one listen. 4

👍
View Author
Thu Dec 23 2021
4

i kind of hated the first track and thought it boded poorly for the album but,,, i actually ended up really liking it. the three great alabama icons / wallace package was DOPE

👍
View Author
Thu Jan 06 2022
4

A love letter to Lynyrd Skynyrd and Southern living. It does them justice and 'three great alabama icons' is a classic.

👍
View Author
Wed Jan 26 2022
4

What a pleasant surprise. This is a lot better than I expected and much better than Lynard Skynard deserve.

👍
View Author
Thu Jan 27 2022
4

4.5 stars. Really great listen. Sums up classic southern rock in a really neat package without being corny or cliche.

👍
View Author
Fri Feb 11 2022
4

Sprawling, ambitious and yet I feel like the songwriting never tapers off. Essentially a meditation upon southern identity viewed through the lens of the Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash - feels like the hardscrabble obverse to Randy Newman's more arch and mannered 'Good Ol' Boys'. 'Ronnie and Neil' is one of the best rock songs I've heard in a good while. There's another track that kicks off by talking about seeing Blue Oyster Cult on acid, aged 14 - excellent.

👍
View Author
Fri Feb 11 2022
4

I was pleasantly surprised by this. I was a bit in and out of it, but the parts that punched through were really interesting. And kind of naive in an early 2000s kind of way? But the kind of heart in the right place, struggling with that Southern identity that I kind of identify with having grown up in the South. I will be listening to this again.

👍
View Author
Fri Mar 04 2022
4

Honestly, was very worried this was going to be a super conservative rock album, was pleasantly surprised.

👍
View Author
Fri Mar 04 2022
4

Looooved this! What a nice surprise. Not every song was great but the majority were really fun country/rock. Will listen again for sure.

👍
View Author
Fri Mar 18 2022
4

A country rock opera? I called bullshit on SF Sorrow influencing Pete Townshend's Tommy but am glad to let SF Sorrow take the credit for influencing this one. lol It's long so I only listened to it once and didn't have time to sort through the lyrics. There is a lot of good jamming and some good ole southern harmonies. Very guitar dominated rock but with messy long sleeve shirts rather than messy long hair.

👍
View Author
Wed Apr 27 2022
4

Enjoyed this album mostly, it had a couple songs I really liked

👍
View Author
Thu Jun 02 2022
4

Not sure what happened to my previous rating but I really enjoyed this just a little lomg

👍
View Author
Mon Jun 13 2022
4

I'll have a double, please! It tells a story that I can understand. I suppose the other albums on this list also tell stories. But the vast majority of them don't do as much to keep you engaged and entertained as this album does.

👍
View Author
Sat Jul 02 2022
4

I think some reviewers here are missing the point on what Southern Rock Opera is all about. You should go back, listen to Randy Newman's Good Old Boys, and then come back to Southern Rock Opera. Just because a lyric states something (about the "South" rising again, for instance), that doesn't mean the line was delivered unironically, or from a perspective that the songwriter doesn't want you to critique. You'll appreciate this album more if you understand that. This is an amazing album. It's smart, lyrically and musically ambitious, and it rocks really hard. It's one of the best recordings of the past 25 years, and has really stood the test of time. Drive-By Truckers is the only band I can think of that ever really captured the musical vibe of Lynyrd Skynyrd, but it's even deeper than that. This is a fully fleshed out, beautifully crafted examination of what "the Southern thing" is, that sense of identity, ghosts and burdens of the past included. But they never hit you over the head with it. The message is nuanced, the tragedy of history framed through the smaller tragedy of what happened to Lynyrd Skynyrd. The storytelling is simple, but really impactful and frequently haunting. That final three song sequence of "Shut Up and Get on the Plane"/"Greenville to Baton Rouge"/"Angels and Fuselage" is ominous and heartbreaking. Fave Songs: Birmingham, Women Without Whiskey, 72 (This Highway's Mean), Zip City, Plastic Flowers on the Highway, Angels and Fuselage, The Southern Thing, Let There Be Rock

👍
View Author
Sat Jul 16 2022
4

Not sure why I never much listened to these guys before, living in or close to the South for much of my life. I kind of had a natural aversion to Southern rock (or just have heard enough of it in my life) and the red politics that are associated with it, so it's really cool to hear some that comes from a different perspective.

👍
Load more reviews