Southern Rock Opera

I have never heard of this band or this album. no idea what to expect but it's 20 songs and an hour and a half long so rock opera sounds about right *Days of Graduation: extremely interested. the lyrics are evocative and compelling, they give you a character and a sense of place instantly. ominous sound. Ronnie and Neil: hate these vocals. AC/DC with strep throat. please God don't do this for the rest of the album, you will crush my hopes and dreams. I also don't know anything about Lynyrd Skynyrd so the references are all going over my head. 72 (This Highway's Mean): different vocal style. phew. the song is a nothingburger for me though Dead, Drunk and Naked: still really enjoying the songwriting and the lyricism but I just...hate how it sounds. chorus nibbles a bit though *Guitar Man Upstairs: this track is so much fun. tons of energy and the tale about a guy who is seemingly only bigoted against guitar players is hilarious. Birmingham: snoozer. zzzzzz The Southern Thing: turns out "the southern thing" is class consciousness. if that ain't what southern pride is to you you missed the fucking boat brother *Three Great Alabama Icons: based based based based based based. one thing about this album is that regardless of if I dig the music itself, I am always excited to hear what he's going to say next. "George Wallace died back in '98 and he's in hell now." "Fortunately for him, the devil is also a southerner..." *Wallace: stop! stop! he's already dead! writing a country song about a racist politician burning in hell is everything. they dragged the fuck outta him Zip City: it's whatever Moved: this one has an unique sound, all reverb-y and moody and lo-fi. the vocals are just a tough sell on almost all of these tracks. Let There Be Rock: switch out the singer and this could be a Wednesday song, specifically reminds me of Chosen to Deserve with the verses about using drugs and doing stupid shit as a teenager. good song, just not my thing Road Cases: it's fine *Women Without Whiskey: songwriting is stellar on this one, so many hard-hitting lines. "I know the bottle ain't to blame and I ain't trying to, cause it don't make you do a thing, it just lets you. And when I'm six feet underground I'll need a drink or two...and I'll miss you" OKAY Plastic Flowers on the Highway: r/fuckcars. it's fine Cassie's Brother: this is decent, I like the sound of it better than a lot of stuff on here. ooooooo that boy is funky Life in the Factory: Lynyrd Skynyrd lore dump Shut Up And Get On The Plane: "Dead is dead and it ain't no different than walking around if you ain't living. Living in fear's just another way of dying before your time." OKAY Greenville to Baton Rouge: I actually like his vocals here. jamming out like crazy towards the end. *Angels and Fuselage: amazing closer. perfect counterpart to Shut Up And Get On The Plane. your perspective can switch up real quick when you're actually face to face with your mortality. once again blown away by the lyricism, it's so...efficient? dense? it packs in so much to chew on in so few words. "Friends in the swamp, friends on the ground, friends in the trees. Angels and fuselage." I love how authentically southern this album feels, like it's clearly someone who knows the references and the nuances and the history and the culture inside and out to experiment with it in this way and to draw all of these connections. it's a far cry from the formulaic culture-war pop-country type stuff that I grew up hearing. and this dude had some shit to SAY. seriously compelling lyrics and storytelling throughout, and so many interesting ideas at play. the songwriter has a way of laying out these beautiful vignettes so effortlessly, so evocative but it rarely feels like it's trying too hard. this is a tough one to rate because I don't actually LIKE it sonically, but I'm also kind of blown away by it and I will remember this album for a very long time. they probably could've chopped a few of the more mid tracks though __ SCORE: 7/10 ADDED TO PLAYLIST: Days of Graduation, Guitar Man Upstairs, Three Great Alabama Icons, Wallace, Women Without Whiskey, Angels and Fuselage

Ok - a bit different, but not something I’d go back to

I've seen them live and enjoyed them. Yet this album didn't hit me like I thought it would have. Maybe it's because they went for a 70's southern rock sound and I'm not a fan of a lot of that style. It's well done though. Some tunes I like the music other the lyrics got me. A couple I enjoyed the whole song. Not enough to make me want to relisten to it. Over all its OK.

Listen, is it good music? Yes, for the most part. But do I want to listen to an hour of that shit? Absolutely fucking not. I was surprised however by how much it didn’t repel me instantly like I thought it would which says a lot.

Ég heyri svo rosalega hvað þá langar að vera að búa til eitthvað meistaraverk en þeir ná því bara því miður ekki. Þetta verður frekar óminnisstætt án þess að verða leiðinlegt. Ég trúi því að þeir eigi dygga aðdáendur.

beer drankin tunes. love the vibes fav tracks: "Guitar Man Upstairs" and "Zip City"

I do like the DBT's as everybody should call them, but think on this list they would have been better served by Dirty South, Alabama Ass Whuppin or English Oceans. Crying out for an edit down to a single album this one, their songwriting and arrangements mean too many songs sound like the one three songs ago. Three stars but do go and listen to the others.

Some interesting songs and musically pretty decent. But didn’t really get the blood flowing.

This album definetely has a lot of energy expressed by those guitars... buy it's a very long listening.

2000s country rock. Decent but very long and samey. Good storytelling.

There are parts of this album that are brilliant, and parts that are cringe. It really should have been a single disc but i'm very glad I got to listen to the whole thing. Love the singers, they have a great voice.

3.5 having never listened to this group before, I was pleasantly surprised. it's a *very* long album, but makes good use of the 90+min through a balanced portfolio of songs and storytelling. album art is rad, too. now I'm gonna go buy a big 'ol pickup truck and a pack of menthols.

Quite an interesting take on southern rock. I don't hate the way they did it, and its honestly admirable. I also don't totally agree, but hey, do what you want! Overall, more enjoyable than I anticipated, so a 3/5.

6/10. El nombre lo dice todo: una ópera rock sureña. Es el disco perfecto si te gusta el tiro al pichón desde la hamaca del porche de tu cabaña mientras bebes de una garrafa con tres "X" y le tocas el culo a tu prima Mary Lou.

Southern Rock styled after Lynyrd Skynyrd, nice enough, but overstays its welcome, especially since there is nothing special about it at all. 2.5/5

This is a decent record. The band is good, and the songs are fine. I don’t know what it is, but it just doesn’t connect with me at all. I love Skynyrd and southern rock in general. This kind of sounds like paint by numbers southern rock. Insert Ronnie Van Sant and Bear Bryant reference there, Alabama song here, three guitars simultaneously soloing…everywhere. It’s all fine but it’s so long and so much of the same thing. Nothing bad but also nothing I would have regretted dying without hearing.

These guys have an unhealthy obsession with whatever chord progression Sweet Home Alabama starts with (and with Alabama in general considering they're from Georgia). This album is way too long and, apart from some spoken word segments, repetitive. I don’t mind long albums, but when most songs are generic, it’s not that fun to listen to. The only song on this album I can say is great is Ronnie and Neil. I guess The Three Great Alabama Icons offered some interesting pieces of trivia I didn’t know about. But all the other songs are… there. I can’t say they’re bad—they’re fine—but don’t stand out whatsoever. As someone who doesn’t enjoy the vibe of the American South, they weren’t that interesting. But I appreciate this album for not over-romanticizing it and pointing out its flaws while also stating that there’re still a lot of great people in the South despite its reputation.

Average country rock

Faktisk noe kult her også, og interessant med sørstatskultur

A total mixed bag for me. I love the concept and scope, and some songs are excellent. However, it really needs trimming and better curation in the track selection. Some have also noted the questionable nature of some lyrics and how they relate to the South's legacy, but I like to think it's a crucial part of the history, and to ignore it would be glossing over a deeply troublesome era. Anyway, yeah I like it, probably won't listen to it again besides a few tracks. Cool experience though, why I joined this project. 23/09/25

A solid album thay really should not have been a double album. The first half is really strong and has a lot of groovy moments with some very insightful lyrics. The second half feels very repetitive and lost my interest, especially in conjunction with the first. Decent listen, much better stopped at the half way point. Top tracks: Days of Graduation, Three Great Alabama Icons, Zip City

They mention a lot of great bands on this album. Unfortuneately, they are not at the level of those bands. 3 stars or C+.

Not memorable

Mellow rock. I liked it.

Southern Rock epic mixing loud, (twin and triple) guitar-heavy rock with reflective, story-driven songs about Southern life and myth. Nice enough to listen to once or twice.

Southern Rock, 2001 -> 3

Was some good ole story-tellin' southern rock, I tell you what

Favorite Track: Zip City

Listens: 2 Standout Tracks: Days of Graduation, Three Great Alabama Icons I enjoyed this way more than I thought I would; that is to say, I didn't absolutely hate it. Not particularly a fan of Southern Rock/County music or... Opera (fortunately there was no such Opera in the strictest sense of the Genre). I particularly liked the subject matter as it relates to the politics and cultural commentary of "the South" in the form of the few skits/ spoken word songs littered throughout the album. Three Great Alabama Icons was particularly interesting and I really liked how it ended, with the bit about the Devil. This will not be entering my daily rotation in any capacity, but I am glad to have heard it. I also really enjoy the album cover art. Great style.

Tillbaks till grabbarna på 70-talet

Might've earned a 4 if it wasn't so damn long

Neil young tribute was nice 50/100

I quite liked this, treating it as if listening to an all day rock station on the radio and hearing pretty much what I'd expect. But it doesn't particularly stick out as a piece of art.

Not bad but overstays its welcome a bit

Pretty good.

Started relatively well, then ran out of steam (or gas?) quickly, and continued down the road for far too long. Analogy over.

I'm going to demonstrate my sublime music analysis skills right now. I think the members of Drive-By Truckers... might like Lynyrd Skynyrd. I know, right? Anyways, this is definitely an album that I listened to. Let's start with the obvious things people might complain about. This thing's looooong. Over 90 minutes in fact. Yeah, it kind of dragged a bit. I was definitely tired by the end. This definitely could've been shortened and the point still would've come across well. Speaking of the point, let's talk about the themes of this album! It's called Southern Rock Opera for a reason. It is definitely southern rock and it could be classified as a rock opera in a loose sense. The themes are explored decently well. I appreciate the fact that they're making it clear that they're not racist. They're just Southern. You've got to remember that those two things are not mutually inclusive. The themes do get a bit repetitive. Like, there's only so many times you can sing about Lynyrd Skynyrd before it gets a bit redundant. But still, there's some good songs on here in the thematic sense. The instrumentation is very clearly southern rock. It's good, but a little repetitive as well. The vocals are a bit hit-or-miss. I can tell that there are two main vocalists. I like the deeper guy's voice well enough, but the other guy kind of annoys me a little. Southern Rock Opera is definitely an interesting album. It's got some good elements like the characteristic sound and interesting concept that are executed fairly well. It's also got some things that I don't feel as positively about, but that I still don't feel too negatively about. This is an interesting look into Southern culture in music form, but I'm not a fan of the south so I don't see myself going back to it because of that and the album's sheer length. It's not bad, but not my thing. Still, I can't give this too low of a score. I think I'll settle for a light 3/5.

Overall: 6/10 I think I would have liked this a bit more if it wasn't soooooo long. I don't ever want to listen to this much Skynyrd worship at once. That's my other problem, it's not very original. The concept of it is, but the music isn't. It pretty much feels like a tribute album in a way. They're obviously talented musicians and I enjoyed it for the most part but I had enough by the end of the first half. Made me want to listen to Tom Petty. Fav Song: Zip City

interesting album, found it cool that it was a story of lynyrd skynyrd, just a bit long in my opinion

Not bad. Some songs a bit too country for my liking, others more like Crazy Horse which i definitely prefer.

This album wasn't bad. Lynyrd Skynyrd worship is kind of an odd concept for an album, but I did like the recurring themes of trying to separate Alabama from a stereotype of the American south while also acknowledging much about its ugly past that falls into said stereotype. The music for me ranged from meh to decent; lots of good guitar playing and tones, but nothing that's got me super excited for a second listen. 3/5

Really liked the concept, but I wasn't too into the execution. It's too long and a lot of the time I wasn't engaged. I did like the history lessons though. 2.75/5

Fun "southern rock" album from a prolific country rock group. I dig it.

3/5

Kind of boring for me

Même si c’est un Lynyrd Skynyrd à rabais, c’est pas si mal que ça

Muy sureño, estilo lynyrd y otros. 7/10

2.9

This is a band I've tried to get into since living in Richmond, VA but just can't. This album is way too long and most of the songs sound exactly the same. Beyond that, I just don't enjoy the vocals.

I generally really like Southern rock; this one not so much

I actually was quite entertained by this through a lot of the first album (even though it was country rock), but found it had gone on too long by the second. Cool idea though and I love the band name. Rating: 3

Liked this a lot more than I expected I would. Pleasant to listen to, clear and crisp sound, with some good stories and some excellent guitar action

IM BORED GRANDPA Would have been a three, because even if it's not my thing, there's nothing about it that's like... bad or offensive to my ears. But it's a touch too long for me, so 2.75.

There are some decent rockin' tunes here as well as some unnecessary history lessons on Alabama, lots of mentions of Ronnie Van Zandt and Lynyrd Skynyrd, and they definitely want you to know they are not racist like the other Southerners. It sounded like they had at least two different guys doing lead vocals. One of them sounded like he was doing an exaggerated raspy Bruce Springsteen or Bryan Adams impression. Really rough at times. With not nearly enough content to fill the 90 minutes, I can't give it more than 3/5.

first listen fascinating listen but a bit long for me and i think too varied for a single work

I would have enjoyed this more if it were shorter. It seems double albums are the purview of the ultra fan. Some of the songs were interesting and fun to listen it but it seemed like a lot of filler.

The Good: We know these boys aren’t going to stop… The Bad: Maybe they could have considered stopping after song #7? The Ugly: Trying to imagine what a real southern rock opera would sound like… I know I’ve heard of the band, but I can’t recall having listened to a single song of theirs, and when you start reading the bio it becomes apparent that these truckers haven’t had a lot of luck when it comes to gaining attention… Though not the best album ever, compared to some of the crap I’ve had to listen to, this is actually not a bad album… just wish that they weren’t being so preachy about Alabama, or only fully embracing the “southern rock” ethos… look at the Black Crowes… those bastards have managed to publish several excellent albums which are “southern rock” yet what they really are is good music. I am conflicted between giving this a 3* or a 4*… however, if I would have to listen to this album again right now I would opt to skip… 3*

Meh

Dudes rock. This was better than I expected, especially the spoken word stuff and wallace

too long

its fine

A little uneven, but gritty and honest. It’s nice to hear a full record from a band I know has been a huge influence on some of my favorite Americana bands.

very good!

It was ok, not something I would have on regular rotation.

I enjoyed the concept of the album. A bit 'extra' but I guess by definition an Opera is.

Pretty solid and definitely worth diving back in on

I thought that this album was pretty cool. Not something that I'm necessarily revisiting a ton but I had a good time.

Never heard of these guys. Album is impressively authentic to a fault. They are dead serious in getting that classic southern rock sound down to the themes explored in their songs and I can't tell if its satire or not. Deserves another listen through or maybe just the hits as some songs were a slog. Another listen through and I'm on board with them. Its not something I'd seek out, but seems like a great fit to sneak into the family bbq playlist where other bands in this genre cover the same themes in the opposite connotation. -mitona The opening track caught me, have only been able to listen through the first 3 tracks… so far the majority feeling I’m having…. Huh? Never been much of a country boy but I’ll give this a fair shot, too early to rate tho. -spacecrabs

Wow. I actually enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I was going to. It’s weird… lots of Alabama mentions. And of course Lynyrd Skynyrd. Truthfully, I liked it all, the worst part of this album is that it just goes on for too long. Also, having the last song be from the perspective of the plane crash is absolutely insane.

i liked it but i probably won’t reach for it, the AL icons was a cool one - 3.5

I’m not usually one for southern rock, and a whole album about Lynyrd Skynyrd felt let it would be a real grind. Thankfully, it was actually alright. It never quite won me over as far as to say I enjoyed it, but it was ok as background music. The whole twanginess of it all is my biggest turn off, but that’s the case with the vast majority of this genre for me. I’m certainly not going to be rushing for a second listen, but I don’t exactly feel like I’ve wasted time having it on.

Dead Drunk and Naked. Something about George Wallace. Good album

3.5

okay, why not, I guess a bit lengthy.

Fuck it I kinda liked it

I really don't know if I love or hate this album. Its interesting to have a song informing you about music in the south. Then followed by a song about the devil punishing a racist governor.

This is really fun, wish I had some ol boys to go to the drive in on Saturday night to listen to this with..

Nice.

Angels & fuselage and the three great alabama icons are stand out tracks.

I liked a lot of the tracks, but the same amount of tracks is forgetful. 2.5/5

It was fine. Didn’t hold my attention though.

I liked this album. Enjoyed the idea of a concentric theme. A few of the songs were really good, and I liked the informative thread that ran through it. I feel like the storytelling theme fell short at points but for an intro to southern rock It was good. 3.5

It was interesting

Interesting but odd

meh

As someone with no familiarity with Skynyrd, I liked this. Musically, it reminded me of the albums I enjoy from, say, Cracker or Fastball. But there were some twists of weirdness throughout, too, that I felt elevated what could otherwise have been a somewhat generic Southern rock album. I loved the last track. I only had time to listen through once, but I'd definitely revisit this album someday.

Never heard this. Found myself intrigued by what they were saying. Redneck rap?

You know this album had me thinking about it a good bit after I was done. Not because it's the best thing, quite far, but it had mw considering this genre and part of the country in a different light. We are all subject to the media around us and how it ultimately warps our perceptions. And I'm certainly no southern boy, so, especially in today's political climate, I don't have a particularly high opinion of the south. But maybe I should try to avoid the pitfall that Drive-By Truckers accuse Neil Young of falling into by judging the south soley on their reputation. Not that it's not significant, but it's also not the whole story. So I'll judge this album instead. 3/5, music is derivative and far lesser than their Skynyrd icons, but a bonus point for making me type all this. Best song is Ronnie and Neil.

Country rock is fun and upbeat. Most songs sounded the same though, not much variety.

Nowhere near as bad as the reviews suggest.

5/10

While I’m enjoying the storytelling, I have realized I’m not as big of a rock fan as I thought.

Interesting and mostly good but way too long you damn truckers. A love letter to alabama and the south will all its flaws

I don't get this.

a koncepció egészen izgalmas, de a zene már kevésbé sajnos.

Decent listen.

not my favorite country rock, i feel this would be a fun concert with the song intros but don’t love it as much for everyday listening

The album is too long. In my opinion, virtually no albums should be over 90 minutes. The first half of the album was great, and date I say a Southern USA history lesson with allusions to Lynyrd Skynyrd? Unfortunately, the second half wasn't Rock, or an Opera; it was Country. Favorite Track: "Three Great Alabama Icons".

Listenable.

Another total unknown for me from this collection, and an interesting one at that. Although I'm not sure I'd have personally chosen to make a (far too) long album played through the lens of Lynyrd Skynyrd, they clearly thought that would be a fun project, and largely succeeded in keeping the theme and a fairly distinctive result (although they could have probably omitted the 2nd CD/vinyl without too much of a loss). I think my favorites were "Ronnie and Neil", "The Southern thing", and "Zip city", and also the final track "Angels and fuselage" for some unexplainable reason. I was struck by how several songs reminded me of Robert Earl Keen's music ("Days of graduation" and "Three great Alabama icons" in particular, both reminiscent of narrations in "Farm Fresh Onions"), an artist I wish was included in the collection, but I can see why the "1001 Albums" mentioned comparisons to Neil Young, given the almost-live-sounding production and prominent guitar playing. Whatever you think of this at-times rough-sounding album, you have to give some credit for the fact that they recorded the album over several nights in a studio above a uniform factory at the end of a blazing Birmingham summer, plus that they had a GoFundMe approach to funding the album long before that even existed. A shame that they had a pretty brief stint as a band.

There is no reason as to why this is as good as it is, with as poor singing as it has. I can totally see where the Jason Isbell/ Drive By Truckers crossover and influences hit eachother. Really like this, despite the fact that no one is good at singing. Best Song: Zip City Rating: 6.5/10 Stars: 3/5

Some interesting tracks but is it really that good?

There’s a four-star album in here, if it wasn’t a double album.

This type of straight ahead Bluesy rock usually wouldn't sustain my attention for over an hour and a half, but the strength of the lyrics combined with the central concept makes this project go from pretty good to great. Also helps that the second half is significantly better than the first.

I enjoyed this album, but it's something I'd only want to listen to once. It really is a 'rock opera' in the sense that they have written a story and then they've shoehorned the words into multiple vaguely similar tunes (possibly in one recording/jamming session?). I'm glad I had the lyric sheet in front of me. I saw the word 'Educational' used in another review. And yeah to a Brit it was in some ways. There's 2 sides to every story though, but thanks for sharing your side. Like any Opera or Broadway Musical, now I've seen/heard it, then I've no desire to see it a second time.

The album title says it all Southern Rock. Eh.

Spoken word vibe with southern twang

There are parts that I enjoyed. I think the music is pretty good and some of the lyrical content is intriguing. Album is too long and they reference Skynyrd a few too many times. 2.5/5 Probably won't listen again

Good so far raspy accented muricans . Didn't listen to all of it but eas perfectly fine music :) nice guitars

Wish I could give this 3.5 haha - I actually really enjoyed the vibes on it, didn't listen to lyrics well enough or know enough about Lynrd Skynrd to fully "get it" but love the southern rock/ swamp rock stuff

Thoughtful lyricism over fun albeit generic sounding rock. I'm always happy to listen to an album that feels like it's telling a narrative.

Yeah this was kinda cool I guess

If you’re into Southern/Country Rock, you’ll probably love this. For the rest of us, this wasn’t bad. In fact, I expected to hate this, but I didn’t. At 94 minutes, it’s probably too long for the average punter, but on the whole I did enjoy it and I think it’s worth your time.

3 stars. Not something I would listen to again but, while not the greatest vocals, lyrics, or choice of material to write about, I do appreciate the attempt to make this album. At least they are capable musicians. It would have been very difficult to listen to this album if they weren't.

Still yet to be convinced of a double album’s length, but if this was edited down a fair bit it would be great!

Some heavy rock songs, very cliche ‘fuck-you’ guitar chords, very feel good depending on the mood you’re in. 6/10.

Really interesting story behind the album and the content of the album. Plan to revisit!

Alabama! Generic but it’s pretty good, so can’t really complain all that much. It’s got the right amount of edge to work. Problem is, it starts to get “samey”. Condense it into a single and this one is a hell of a lot better.

Not my style

weird but good all in all

5/10 Hey I recognize this. I'm sure I've heard it before. Wait what was that about George Wallace facing the Yankees down? Fuck these guys. 1-9-2025

I enjoyed this - favourite song was Ronnie and Neil, but will come back to it I think

The album cover is Halloween-y looking. Sounds like a solid southern rock band. i thought disc one was better than disc two. They seem obsessed with Alabama even though they are from Georgia.

Sprawling rock opera indeed, a Betamax Guillotine Alabama odyssey. The scene traverses the realms of the region's turmoil with racist politics, eminent esteem for Lynyrd Skynyrd (and how elusive they were to see in concert), figuratively attending AA sessions with the Truckers, and then at its core exhorting to best stay out the way of a southern thing. Public Enemy would urge to abide that it's also a black thing.

Was ok, wouldn’t listen to it again though

It reminded me of something but I don't know of what.

Enjoyable enough. Really well produced as well

5.5/10

I have never heard of this band. It feels like dad rock. Honestly wasn't sure about this at first, but then I remembered that it's called "Southern Rock Opera" so when I looked at it through the rock opera lens it made more sense.

A good ole southern rockin' good time!

Something that is right up my alley, but didn't grab me right away. Could be better with subsequent listens, but overall I think it was a little too bloated. 3.5/5

Great album.

Interessant

I would have given this a much lower score, but I think that monologue about George Wallace will stick with me the rest of my life

Good dinner music. Would have made a good live set.

Tooooooooooooooo looooooooooooonnngggg

It's okay, it references Lynyrd Skynyrd too much for my taste to tell the coherent story it wants to tell but it does have some creative highlights and is fascinatingly ambitious. The Dirty South is a far better album in my opinion. I would prefer for the band to not use the gd slur in a few of their songs and I find this disappointing.

Probably good but not my thing.

Pleasantly surprised with this one. I was expecting the usual good 'ol boys nonsense, but this is a pretty dark album and all the better for it.

Even at an hour and a half long, this didn't feel like it was TOO long an album to get through. It really does feel epic. The problem is, about half the songs are good and the other half are ehhh. Three Great Alabama Icons is incredible though.

I like a few of their other albums better but this one is pretty good

Enjoyed this more than I expected, but it is a bit too long. Found the first disc more engaging than the second, especially the 3 song run from "Birmingham" to "Three Great Alabama Icons". They have me wondering if I should give Skynyrd another chance. I definitely prefer a modern take on this type of southern rock though (like Wednesday, Waxahatchee, MJ Lenderman, etc.)

What a strange experience. But hey, I got a history lesson

The Duality of the Southern thing. If this were a soundtrack to a movie I'd like it better. The south has got something to say...

3.49

Now then - I’d vaguely heard of Drive-By Truckers before, but now that I think about it I might be confusing them with Ice Road Truckers (that show that seems to alternate with Storage Wars on some daytime TV channel I never watch) Drive-By Truckers are in fact a Southern rock band, as indicated by the album title, and this is… a 94-minute concept album about the frontman’s troubled relationship with Alabama where he grew up and the American South in general, and their perception by other states and non-Americans, told from a variety of perspectives but somehow always referencing Lynyrd Skynyrd. It’s ambitious, baffling, and surprisingly quite good. Musically my closest reference point is Modest Mouse, with slightly angular guitars over grooves that mainly serve as a backdrop to the detailed storytelling lyrics - there isn’t much in way of hooks or choruses other than a couple of pastiche songs. The vocals are almost grungy with a clear southern twang, and sometimes remind me of Kurt Cobain specifically in the Meat Puppets covers during the MTV Unplugged set. Lyrically it covers a lot of ground, from race relations and politics to the state’s strange musical legacy (citing its most famous musical exports as the celebratory Sweet Home Alabama - by a band from Florida - and the critical Alabama and Southern Man by Neil Young - a Canadian). Speaking of strange musical legacies, I find it odd that these guys were formed in Athens, Georgia - the same place as R.E.M, the B-52s and Neutral Milk Hotel. What a bizarrely varied musical footprint for a city with a smaller population than Slough. Anyway - it’s a very complex album if sometimes a bit too on the nose, with lots of repeated ideas. There’s a great spoken word track The Three Great Alabama Icons, that singles out three cultural signifiers most non-Alabama-natives associate with the state - college football, Lynyrd Skynyrd (again) and racism. The song gives some history about the former state governor George Wallace who, despite a relatively progressive history as a judge, ran for Governor in the 60s as a staunch segregationist after realising that would get him the votes, and effectively held that position for over 20 years before back-pedalling on his racist politics. One of the key themes of the album is really laid out in this song, where the singer states that Wallace and his politics always felt dated and didn’t represent the people he grew up with - but upon leaving the state, he was surprised to see just how closely other Americans associated Alabama with segregationist politics and, while racism is an institutionalised worldwide problem, ‘it’s always a little more convenient to play it with a Southern accent’. It’s a great track, but then finishes quite clunking by introducing the following track, told from the perspective of the devil welcoming Wallace to hell. It retreads a lot of the same beats from the more insightful Icons and just feels very repetitive - as do a few of the songs on the second half and, oh yeah, the constant Lynyrd Skynyrd references. In short, I enjoyed certain aspects of this very much, but didn’t really care for other bits. It’s a 3, but a 3 I have had far more to think and say about than a lot of other albums on this list

I think I'm not the kind of person for this album, I don't totally get the entire concept of the album but still found the lyrics and some of the songs pretty compelling. I guess I feel mostly positive about it but I wouldn't comeback to it really

I've been into this band for a while, but never heard this album. It's great but not as incredible as The Unraveling (2020). I expect if this list is updated, this album would be on it. The same great songwriting and musicianship, and more justified indignant rage/passion that still manages to look to the future. The Unraveling would get 5 stars!

The songs and narrative are reasonably amusing southern fried rockabilly. The main issue for me is the album length, which makes it feel like a bit of a slog to get through. The cover artwork is pretty awesome.

Interesting song seened mainly around the theme of being working class in Alabama but not being a bigot. Some fun lyrics about sniffing glue and the music was so so country rock. The thing that got on the wick is that Lynard skinner was mentioned in pretty much everysong. Still more enjoyable than i was expecting.

Didn't hate this, it was ok in the background.

I actually enjoyed this, which is noteworthy only because as I usually dislike Country Music. It dragged on far too long though, which means it's still a 3 star album for me.

I semi-enjoyed it, in that it's interesting a concept album/story-ish... but jeez do they have a raging hard-on for Lynyrd Skynyrd!

Even though the singer's voice/style goes well with the music, I don't like it. Just not my type of singing. Some decent lyrics sprinkled throughout.

3.5. Nice guitar tones, not really into country but definitely interesting and diverse enough to be a fun listen. Kinda loses some of its coherency midway through though.

3.5 Double implements of being more country than Southern Rock, overall enjoyable.

Meget større fan af første halvdel end anden halvdel. Ret god, positiv overraskelse! Synes sangeren lød en lille smule som Lemmy engang i mellem

It's fun to do concept albums.. Lynyrd Skynyrd was mentioned a few times... There's no song I can recall from the double album, which I want to put on again, but I enjoyed it as a whole.

Not bad.

Some nice tracks are here, and I can appreciate what they’re doing here. It’s just too lengthy and sounds the same. It’s ok.

I liked it!! I need to relisten to it though

Saaie huismerk Sheryl Crow, met een vleugje van Dik Hout, die de veters nog niet mogen strikken van hun muzikale helden (?) Lynyrd Skynyrd. Of althans, helden, ze maken er soms een soort van parodie van. En aangezien ik een fan ben van de eerste albums van Lynyrd Skynyrd (zeg maar voor die vliegtuigcrash), heb ik met deze gasten wel een beetje moeite. Voor southern rock geef ik op een slechte dag al vrij makkelijk 5 sterren weg, maar deze gasten weten het toch vakkundig in het belachelijke te trekken, zodat ik af en toe geneigd ben de botte schaaf te hanteren. En ik schaaf er dan op een goede dag ook weer makkelijk 2 of 3 sterren vanaf. Aan de andere kant is dit prima zo'n album wat je op de achtergrond tijdens het werk af kan spelen en waar weinig mensen zich echt aan zullen storen. En er zitten dan ook wel weer genoeg gitaren in. Zolang die gitaren een beetje lekker te keer gaan, dan is het 3+, als het wat rustiger wordt, wordt het ongeloofwaardig en gaat het naar een 3-. Dus hou ik het maar bij een gemiddelde 3.

Not bad music. But too many references I don't get.

Does what it says on the tin. It's Southern Rock. Exactly what you would expect nothing more, nothing less. A perfectly palatable record if a trifle long. Wouldn't buy it, wouldn't want to listen to the whole thing again. But if the odd track was to surface somewhere I'd probably not turn it off. Leave it as a 3 again.

Well the beginning of the album certainly sets a tone.

Sept, 17, 2024 Oh my god it's 1.5 hrs... I really like the album cover I think. I have the lyrics open to try and appreciate what they are saying in the songs bc I'm usually not a lyric person. Some of the songs have interesting lyrics kinda and then you're hit with a wtf line. Something something South rises up again??? Rises up again to do what exactly?? Do I even need to ask?? But then you're hit with The Southern Thing and I'm confused again (bc I'm probably not paying enough attention). I'm so bored and not even on Disc 2....... "...the devil is also a southerner" Okay I definitely feel like this is some sort of country punk with how wildly progressive these songs seem to be. I see a lot of other reviews complaining about how much they mention Lynyrd Skynyrd but like that's the point of the album. In the end just too long for me but I also get it. 3/5

Uh, interesting. I liked some aspects... other, less so; their voices, for example, are not all that great sometimes.

another groundbreaking record

I think this album presents me more often because it is difficult believe that this would be more likely

Middle of the road southern rock. Nothing much to it

Southern rock opera describes it quite nicely. Sounds like Lynyrd Skynyrd and the like. Can run in the background quite nicely.

Had no idea what to expect from this one, but I ended up enjoying it well enough. It's like a mix of Skynard (who gets referenced more than their fair share) and Tom Petty with some extra social commentary thrown in for fun. It's not the best southern rock I've heard, but it's far from the worst. I just wish it wasn't 90 minutes long.

3.5/5. I like the ambition.

I bought this album in high school. Loved it then. Still like it, just not as much.

This is really good. It's tough to rate it highly, though, since the most interesting parts just make me want to listen to exile on main street, or AC/DC, or ZZ top.

I enjoyed this pretty much the entire time, nice listen. Torn between 3 and 4

Good enough that I could listen to the whole thing. 3.5

If one has to listen to an alt country rock band, one could do worse. Good pedigree.

Incredibly generic

So, I had a coworker tell me I had to listen to this album a few months ago. He said it was a life changing album. I listened. I'm just not getting the same feeling. This is actually my least favorite type of music. These guys are good at storytelling while jamming, but it isn't any story to which I can relate, nor is it the type of music I like. I can recognize their talents, and there are people this is for, but it ain't me, babe. If these guys were playing in city market in downtown Savannah, I would probably stop and listen for a couple minutes, then move along. I guess Birmingham is my favorite, because I lived there. Three Great Alabama Icons was a neat story. I enjoyed it. I will say, this album seemed to get better as it went on, but still not my jam.

"Days of Gradutaion" kicks off Southern Rock Opera like a haunting Tommy The Cat: a spoken prose poetically telling a story of a guy trying to get the girl. But generally the album is laid-back rock with a Southern lean at times; with different vocals, many of these tunes could pass as Tom Petty. Though there are occassional groovy riffs and an extra measure or two ("The Southern Thing"), Southern Rock Opera is mostly standard chord progressions with some good soloing. I can't tell if there is more than one singer but there IS more than one singing style; the vocals are showcased in "Moved," which sounds just like a dude in his garage playing and singing for himself without minding the people outside jogging or walking their dogs. For some, this raw approach may be comforting but for me it hits a little too close to open mic at the local bar, pouring your heart out to a crowd that is--ironically--unmoved and couldn't care less. "Three Great Alabama Icons" serves as a great intro into "Wallace" and clearly establishes that they do not subscribe to the racist mentality associated with the Deep South. (I couldn't help but think that the narrative was delivered in a style similar to Nada Surf's "Popular.") It shouldn't be a revolutionary statement for country or southern rock but it is, and it claims there is more to the Southern lifestyle than just its racist roots. I like that they put that sentiment out there and dissuade assholes from coming to their shows. Overall, middle of the road rock whose only ambition is the album length. They take no chances. I can enjoy this at a festival while in line to get beer and find a spot to await the next band's performance. As typical I'm knocking off a star for being on the list, but I'm adding another for incoroporating the storytelling direction of songs, and for bravely telling their crowd they don't want bigots. Very punk of them. Net gain/loss: 0

Well, even though I'm Southern, I guess, and even though I grew up listening to a lot of music courtesy of my musician father, I never really listened to Southern Rock, and I don't have a very strong Southern identity, at least compared to some other Southerners I have seen, so I'm probably not the target audience for this. I didn't mind it too much, though. The music was pretty straightforward "bar rock," but the lyrical concept was kind of intriguing, all of these Southern Gothic vignettes intertwined with...Lynyrd Skynyrd lore?! Speaking of Skynyrd, I was never much into them, so it might have helped me enjoy this album if I was. However, after listening to this entire album and paying attention to the lyrics, I feel like I learned a lot about the band, whether I was curious to know or not. But I thought it was interesting how the overarching theme used Skynyrd as a device to contemplate, even wrestle with Southern identity. Can you like Skynyrd, can you be Southern, without being a racist asshole? I get the feeling that the band needs the answer to be yes, and they (like many younger Southerners) are trying to forge a way forward in the shadow of all of these horrific historical events while holding on to the good things about being Southern, letting the rest stay in the past.

Bearable at the end lol

This gives me some real mixed feelings. I didn't find it 'fun' to listen to, but it was insightful into a culture that I'm perhaps a little too harsh on. I think I liked it, and I would want to read the lyrics for some of songs here again, like 'Three Great Alabama Icons', but I don't want to listen to it another time.

Not the best. But not the worst. Some decent music and good playing.

A lot of this album was just generic country rock to me, with a heavy lean in name dropping bands they liked. Then the tracks about the Alabama Icons made me sit up and listen. I thought they were really passionate and informative. Then it was back to generic country rock. At least it’s pre 9/11, so it’s not infused with misguided patriotism.

Interesting album. Didn't mind it and liked the story but very long

6/10, сомнительно но оукээээй

Rough, but some nice tracks on the record

I was interested to listen to this album. I really like the song. “Gravity’s Gone” by Drive-By Truckers and had always meant to listen to more. I definitely think they are a good band, and I think they have some good songs here, I like the entire package, but I wasn’t necessarily blown away.

Preeeeeety long

Interesting album, a bit more country than I gravitate towards, but it’s not bad. I found myself listening to “Three Great Alabama Icons” twice trying to decipher the message. I feel like I give most albums 3 stars, but here I am again with a 3 star review.

Pretty good, I much prefer the DBT with Jason Isbell, just my personal preference. I think he joined right after this album (and actually toured with them performing this) -- Decoration Day is at top 20 song for me..

Having found myself enjoying the opening track I was hopeful but it soon started to feel a drag. There is a decent album to be had if half the tracks had been dropped. The skynard worship was also starting to piss me off after about 20 minutes

Great.

Southern rock is generally not my favorite, but with that said this is definitely a highlight of the genre. It contains interesting lyrics as well, touching on some political themes throughout.

The music for this album is pretty cool. The focus on the South is a bit hard for me to grab onto as a concept, which makes the song Three Great Alabama Icons a bit of a slog, since I don't give a shit about any of those people. Having so many songs about Lynard Skynard (or however you spell it) doesn't really work in their favor. This being a double album also really makes you feel the length as you listen to it. Overall, it's fun Southern rock, but I was hoping for a more focused album, or at least a differently focused album 3/5

Yllättävä uutuus. Tosin pituus söi pisteitä. Sopivan mittaisena olis ollut lähellä nelosta

Molto carine, del genere che piace a me. Dopo un po' tutte uguali.

Intriguing double album that at one point had me looking up info on George Wallace.

Me: doesn’t feel like listening to the Dead album yesterday, too long Generator: Ok, here’s a much longer album for you today. Me: Ok Both impressive and slightly disappointing. Impressive in the focus on the South being more nuanced & bittersweet than I expected; disappointing in the racist politicians, drunk driving, & fiery plane crashes all kinda get the same musical treatment, so even after a more uplifting song like “Let There Be Rock” I still kinda felt mired down. It does have a strong finish, at least, considering it’s like a 22 minute-long “Detroit Rock City” but about Lynyrd Skynyrd’s plane crash. Those final 4 songs arguably have the finest guitar work of the record as well. In several of the songs there are background vocals, either noise picked up by the mic or ghost vocals from a different take; either way it’s kinda creepy to listen to with headphones. Finally, I have copy/pasted my favourite lines from the album: “To the fuckin’ rich man, all the people look the same” “Ain’t no use thinking about it / You’ll just drive yourself insane” HL: “Dead, Drunk and Naked”, “The Southern Thing”, “Wallace”, “Moved”, “Life in the Factory”, “Greenville to Baton Rouge” April 24, 2024

Interesting listen. Enjoyed the album but most likely wont be a relisten

Actually surprised me first song was really good and pumped me but it went down a notch from that initial start. Still this band susrpised me and the album is much better than what I ever expected.

goed, zeer goed, maar beetje teveel Lynyrd Skynyrd referenties om goed te zijn... OK, het is een conceptalbum dat deels over hen gaat, maar toch... nu, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Neil Young, beetje ZZ Top, beetje Eels ... je kan bij mindere goden leentjebuur spelen... toch duurt de plaat me net iets te lang voor de volle vijf sterren...

...

What can I say. When this guy hears a guitar scale, he gives a 3 minimum!

I found this to be really forgettable - the music played but none of it had any impact - positive, negative or otherwise! It's not bad - just, well, meh!

Pretty good

This is a tough one for me as I am a DBT fan (particularly the Isbell years), but I do think this album is a bit overrated and is definitely too long. The "southern rock" sound is in full force which I think was part of the point, but some of the songs are just unnecessary and not very good. I feel like this could be a 4 star effort with about 6-8 fewer tracks on the album which would really help highlight the stronger ones, but that's not the route they took here, so 3 stars it is.

It’s just too friggin long. They have a decent sound. They could probably open for Hootie and the Blowfish one day.

excellent old time

I enjoyed the up-tempo southern rock and booze-drenched storytelling that encompasses this sweeping double album. Lyrically, there is a lot to like about SRO as well, given the lyrics that don't shy away from the history of racism and "redneck-ery" (is that a word? It is now) that so many think of when "the south" is mentioned. "Three Great Alabama Icons" gives us a spoken-word history lesson about segregation and frontman Patterson Hood's experiences with this topic growing up. Given the 90-minute length of this double album, I don't see myself relistening often and perhaps ever again (I docked a star because it starts to drag toward the end of the second disk), but I enjoyed it overall and give it a 3/5. There are some strong tracks scattered across this southern fried thing. Interesting Factoids from Wikipedia: * 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. *According to (former Drive-By Truckers frontman) Patterson Hood, "(the album) was recorded in Birmingham, upstairs in a uniform shop during an early September heat wave, with no air-conditioning. We had to turn the fans off when we were recording, and we worked from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. So Southern Rock Opera was fun to write, but we had a miserable time making it." *After the album was finished...the troubles continued for The Truckers when they ran out of funding for the immense project. To resolve the problem, and to avoid "any fine print crap", as Hood put it, the band took a non-traditional approach. The Truckers made a prospectus and solicited investors, with a promise of 15% interest, to pay for the manufacturing and distribution of Southern Rock Opera. The approach worked. Through their fan-based online news group and by sheer word of mouth, The Truckers were able to raise $23,000. This allowed them to print about 5,000 copies of the album and buy a "new" used van for touring. [From a Stereogum article that reflected back on the 20 year anniversary of Southern Rock Opera] *Originally intended for self-release on Soul Dump Records on Sept. 11, 2001, the sprawling double album was delayed a day when the printer closed early following that day’s terrorist attacks. As a result, the band sold its first copies of Southern Rock Opera during a concert in Murfreesboro, Tennessee on Sept. 12. A year later, after the musicians had moved an initial 10,000 units on their own, the album was reissued by Lost Highway Records, the Nashville-based Universal subsidiary that was quickly becoming a standard-bearer in the so-called “alt-country” scene via releases from the likes of Ryan Adams, Lucinda Williams, and Robert Earl Keen." Standout Tracks: Ronnie and Neil, Dead, Drunk And Naked, Three Great Alabama Icons, Let There Be Rock, Women Without Whiskey, Shut Up And Get On The Plane 3 stars

Bless their hearts. Not old Southern rock (Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd) but a sweet tribute to them. Fine background music.

Very surprised. actually not that bad at all. Has some ballads Stories and good country. Won't listen again, but was OK

cultura southern al 100% piacevole ma di una lunghezza esasperante. do 3 stelle anche se sarei più da 2

Too long, but the instrumentals were pretty good

When it came out I am sure they were going for Southern Rock but in the 20 years since it came out, it just sounds like a lot of the underground country music that I am sure they inspired. Unfortunately, I grew in an area where that is basically the only type of music you can see live on a regular basis, so I'm kind of burnt out on it. There are also a lot of bands that I think have done it better since this album came out. Props for being trendsetters but not a huge fan of the album.

If you take away the comparisons and references to Lynyrd Skynyrd, you're left with an above average alt-country band that reminds me of Whiskeytown, a bit of Tom Petty, early Wilco, Molly Hatchet and maybe even the Beat Farmers. Epic in length and ambition, there is lots to love, but maybe there's too much to listen to. So many songs and two acts (and discs), if was pared down it could have had more impact. Sprawling and over an hour and a half, it's a pretty big time commitment and while most of it pays off, it is a really good album, but you really have to be in the mood for the complete southern rock opera. 3 1/2 ***

6/10, it was OK but this the album that got me to pause reviewing again even though I didn't hate it

Started strong but liked it less as it went on. 57/100

3.5

What I'm sure people unfamiliar with the US South imagine. Some good stuff message-wise but the music didn't blow me away

heilmikið á seyði. á aðra umferð skilið. 3,5

Entertaining core American rock

This is good, not great. There's a lot of filler and some element of "boogie" that rubs me the wrong way in a way that the later Isbell and post-Isbell stuff doesn't. Not bad by any stretch, but not an album I'd reach for regularly.

I'm not feeling this one. If I wanted to listen to something inspired by Lynyrd Skynyrd I'd listen to Lynyrd Skynyrd. One star awarded back for some good political commentary

I might have a soft spot for this band because of a fun little song called "Gravity's Gone" which has been on my playlists for the last couple decades. But this is a different project entirely, and one that I probably should dive into a bit deeper. Getting through it was a bit tough on first listen. Definitely not worth the dunking most listeners are giving it. A solid 3/5.

High energy classic southern rock with some clever lyrics.

This was better than I expected. Couple of great songs on here and a lot of guitar playing that I liked.

This is probably amazing if you know a lot about Lynyrd Skynyrd, but i don't, so 90 minutes of songs about them is a little much. The music isn't bad though.

3.5/5 I'll have to relisten, seemed promising!

Miles better than I expected at the start. Surprisingly thoughtful lyrically, a pleasant surprise. Probably didn't need a whole double album, but all good.

When I saw the words “southern rock opera” I was very skeptical. But found myself bopping along and never wanted to turn this off! Worthy of 3 stars in my book.

This is firmly in 3.5 territory. I know this band fairly well, this album less so. I enjoy the band but this album was just okay. Every song felt like it was right on the edge of me loving it, with none of them quite getting there. Maybe I need more familiarity with Lynyrd Skynyrd?

A pretty neat concept well executed. There is is some guff on the journey particularly at the start and we are taken though a sampler of all that southern rock has to offer. All that rough and all that shines can be found.

This is very long. It also mentions Lynyrd Skynyrd so many times. Not offensive but not really our vibe, and for the most part it blends into one.

This was just so strange

Pretty good, but too long and too many Lynyrd Skynyrd references. Seriously there’s a reference to Lynyrd Skynyrd on every single song basically. Just reference something else from the South, like other country music or eating a ton of meat (more American, but whatever) or (offensive thing the South did as a joke that ends up not panning out the way I expected).

I was surprised I liked as much as I did. Definitely some good songs. "Let There Be Rock" & "Women Without Whisky" (the hits) were fun to listen to... and a few others (Cassie's Brother & Plastic Flowers On The Highway) I really liked too. Although Plastic Flowers was sad...

Not bad. Kind of what I expected. Nothing really blew me away.

It was actually pretty good, might delve into it again in the future

Dated maybe but enjoyed it anyway. Gutsy.

This seems kinda all over the gambit in the Southern Rock spectrum. It's interesting.

Some moments are a little too Bryan Adams. I like the story though it is told in a rather obvious, on-the-nose way. I bet these songs rip at a live show, however.

Bändin fiksaatiot ovat koomisia ja siksi rohkeita - minua ainakin naurattaa ja liikutta läpi sedimentoituneimmankin rokkauksen. Ronnie and Neil!!

Surprisingly good. Awsome riffs and interesting lyrics. Gotta love the hate on this app due to intolerance. Southern culture is one of the only groups we can still all hate with impunity, and I find cowardice in that

This is a decent album, though I don't feel like it needs to be a double album. If I grew up listening to this band I could see really loving it but coming to the album later, it just starts to feel repetitive after 90 minutes. I was excited to give this one a listen after reading some about the band and album. I have to be honest, I never really gave the Drive-By Truckers a chance because their name sounded silly to me and painted a different picture of what their band would sound like but there are some really solid songs on here. Also, was stoked to find that they're quite progressive. You can definitely hear the common themes come back up on the album but difficult to find the concept album on first listen. I'd give this one a 3.5 if I could but feel like I have to go with a 3 instead of 4, just because I feel like it could use some paring down. Standout Tracks: Ronnie and Neil, Dead Drunk and Naked, Birmingham, Zip City, Plastic Flowers on the Highway, Life in the Factory, Shut Up and Get on the Plane, Angels and Fuselage

Far too long, and too much of a tribute to another band to be considered a good work in its own right. That said, it's kind of interesting - some good Southern stories and some proper thoughtfulness. Could've been a properly good album if distilled down to 45 minutes (removing 90% of the Skynyrd references along the way). 3/5.

Ah Southern Rock Opera by the Drive-By Truckers I wonder what type of genre this will be, either true southern USA rock or there’s still a slight chance on some country-rock mash up which would make the next 93 minutes not that nice. In all seriousness this album was a fair eye opener and a refreshing take on how aware a band is to social and political climates that they experienced and have seen which has also had impact on music. The band originating from the south there were some very obvious social issues occurring in the 50’s and 60’s in the USA and the band has a way of shining the light on these and also political stances during that time, for example “Three Great Alabama Icons” is a spoken word piece that highlights what Alabama is known for and particularly recognises how a politician could win favour in the civil rights era by leaning into racism particularly in the south, its worth listening to this song alone to get some context. Another reoccurring topic on the album is Lynyrd Skynyrd, who is mentioned a whole bunch of times and, more specifically, as an iconic band from Alabama that endorsed the recognition of music led by black musicians in the post civil rights time. Now in terms of the songs this is where I find the album to be a bit less interesting, overall I’m not much of a fan of the lead singers vocals, they’re very raspy and although suiting the genre of music fairly well they’re not that enjoyable. Also I do find this album to be excruciatingly long, now I do like some longer albums but there has to be enough variety to make it feel shorter and more enjoyable and I just don’t get that out of this, despite this I did enjoy a few songs such as “Ronnie and Neil” which is a truckers rock anthem, I get a similar vibe with “Let There Be Rock”, meanwhile “Greenville To Baton Rouge” had some standout guitar too. I do appreciate the band trying to switch things up on “Moved” as this slower style can definitely work on an album such as this I just find the vocalist not too strong without the thick instrumental in the back. From what I’ve heard so far on this list this might have the most interesting theme so far and I’d highly recommend just to try and understand what the band is commentating about on this album because I started to learn a bit about 60’s politics in the south and also what the area meant to the band. I’d also like to say the album is fairly well put together but from a song and genre standpoint it’s not my cup of tea unfortunately.

Good album

I did kind of like the feeling of sitting at a bar having a guy tell me his life story and where he came from, but then sometimes there's that point where it has gone on quite a long time and you realize you're trapped, still smiling and nodding as he keeps talking about himself and getting repetitive. "Did I mention Lynyrd Skynyrd?" This gave a strong point of view, theme, and story, but as it got longer and longer, I noticed I hadn't been enjoying the singing and music so much.

5/10. Interesting talky bits, and a few cool songs, but a lot of the music was rather meh

Hmm

Some great songs

Southern Rock that's too long.

I listened to half of this. I’m not sure what to make of it. Musically it’s okay, I guess. The fact that it announces itself as a “rock opera” or concept album made me think I should pay attention to the lyrics which are all about Neil Young and Lynrd Skynard. I don’t know. It seems more of an oddity than a classic album?

This seems to be an attempt to rewrite 'Sweet home Alabama' a dozen times and failing every time. The general sound of the album is good - I love guitar music generally, but this just isn't good enough to hold my attention. Less emphasis on the concept and more on the individual songs would have helped. Southern Temperance and Blackberry smoke both do it better. Sorry guys, it was a worthy motive but the delivery isn't up to scratch.

Very political which I wasn’t expecting. Still not for me.

This is a weird one for me. I really like them as a band, but the album is far too long. Probably would have been a solid 45m min album.

I like this type of music, but the songs didn’t seem to go anywhere

I've heard this band name for years but never listened. It's a cool sound I guess, not totally my thing but I think this style of country / hard rock deserves some spots on this mix and I don't know if we've had much of this specific sound yet. I can tell that they swap through singers a bit, just 4 songs in and I think I'm up to hearing 3 different and distinct vocalists. That's pretty cool. The guitar playing is pretty nice too; good tone and good riffs that know when to shine and when to let others in the band shine. "Guitar Man Upstairs" is a pretty funny some lyrically.. it's about the law and living in the town and dealing with people and how the protagonist is just an old man who has someone who moved in upstairs who plays guitar and drinks all day. Kind of funny for a musician to write a song about this from this perspective hahaha. I went into this being like "ugh country rock" and left with a better result than expected.

it has an interesting context and it's enjoyable musically. but it's a bit long

Okay Rock album. I’ve never been a fan of double albums.

Good quality southern blues rock. Some overlap in song sounds, a couple were very Mary Jane's Last Dance-ish. Good content, interesting concept for an album. Did drag on a little bit into the second part.

More Rock… This time from 2002 though so hopefully a bit refreshing. 1hr 33 minutes though! It’s alright, quite like the backing music. Vocals in the first one weren’t for me and it was pretty dark, but quite funny at the end. Another meh one so far. I do quite like the ironic and left-wing lyrics but isn’t enough to change my general vibe with it. 3/5

I never thought I'd like an album by a group called "Drive-By Truckers" but I actually dug the southern rock sound they had quite a bit. Fun album.

I wasn't sure how serious this would turn out when compared to the original major rock operas, but over the listen it built itself up. There is a constant and important narration that reflects the story through a few different songs, and the music is written with appropriate emotion. This album is at its' best when attention is paid to the lyrics and the various subjects they talk about. My favorite being the section on people from Alabama, most specifically George Wallace. It's not Tommy or the Wall, but an interesting result of their effect in rural America

One finds this enjoyable enough and just fine musically and, speaking as a Southerner, credibly Southern lyrically, vocally and instrumentally. The gritty country-fried guitars def need a side of biscuits and gravy. But it doesn't feel particularly distinguished in its Southernness. Uncle Tupelo, Son Volt are more worthy candidates and about several other ABB or Lucinda albums, plus Jason Isbell's [DBT bassist] solo work in the years hence. Hell, even Molly Hatchet is more seminally Southern. Charlie Daniels Band or the Dixie Dregs would have been a more creative or counterintuitive choices. One admires the ambition of the work here, and the combo of fan-fiction and freak-flag-flying, but doesn't get particularly moved by or even very much engaged with the storyline or heroic arc. And too many songs are just redneck-y rockers. And sure there is some fine guitar playing -- how could there not be given the sheer quantity of it? One is tempted to round up for feelings of homesickness, but feels obliged to keep it real.

3/5. The idea of the rock opera is very cool, and the southern history lesson was pretty neat, but the music was still a little lacking for my taste.

11/14/23 2:07 S Tier————————— A Tier————————— Ronnie and Neil Wallace B Tier————————— 72 (This Highway’s Mean) C Tier————————— Day Of Graduation

Tuesday 11/14/2023, 2:15, office S Tier————————— Guitar Man Upstairs The Southern Thing Shut Up And Get On The Plane Greenville To Baton Rouge A Tier————————— Ronnie and Neil Days Of Graduation Birmingham B Tier———————— Plastic Flowers On The Highway Road Cases Zip City Life In The Factory Angels and Fuselage 72 (This Highways Mean) Wallace Dead, Drunk and Naked Women Without Whiskey Three Great Alabama Icons Cassie’s Brother Let There Be Rock Moved

I didn't get the overall theme of the opera. Maybe because the songs tended to sound similar? There didn't seem to be a lot of contrast. I liked the intro to "Wallace" and the song itself. Also, "Shut Up And Get On The Plane" was great. "Let There Be Rock" was interesting, but the AC/DC song is better. I mean, it was okay, but I feel like the opera part could have been told better. Maybe I just need to hear it again, I dunno.

This album is both better and worse than you first think. Given its tribute to Skynyrd, I think it's worth noting that they don't take advantage of their three guitar band like Skynyrd did. I still think they have some catchy simple beats (most of the time in fact), but it's not top work or ability there. They have some thoughtful lyrics (and sometimes not) and make a nice attempt at describing "the duality of the Southern thing" (kudos to The Three Great Alabama Icons) to those not in the know, but it's a bit of an exaggeration or trying too hard sometimes. As far as rock operas go, it's probably an A for effort or idea and a C for execution. Again, it's all linked around Skynyrd and the South (with multiple appearances of Neil Young and George Wallace) but it doesn't all come together right. It's a double album with a lot of bloat and with some wandering pieces. They probably could have done it in one album and 30 less minutes. There's a few different vocalists and they are all flawed at best. That said, I think Patterson Hood's scratchy vocals fit the whole sound and at times (like on The Southern Thing) I thought you wouldn't want anything different - like listening to a Dinosaur Jr. album with their flawed but fitting vocals. I preferred side one more (Ronnie and Neil, 72 (This Highway's Mean), Dead, Drunk and Naked in addition to those previously mentioned) though the opener on side two (Let There Be Rock) and a couple toward the end (Life in the Factory, Shut Up and Get on the Plane, Angels and Fuselage) were solid too. At times I thought about giving it a 4 but I think that's maybe a bit too generous. But it's definitely worth at least a 3.

Pretty political and interesting stories told in the lyrics. Heavier southern rock. Interested to read about them as I know they’re very prolific

As much as I ridiculed this at first, there are enough songs I liked that I can see myself returning to this multiple times and it growing on me with each listen. The guitar solos and interplay on songs like Zip City are excellent, and there were some clever lyrics once I got past the twangy delivery. The overarching theme is actually ambitious even if my initial impression was that the whole point was ‘there’s no confederate flag in the back of our pickup so we’re okay.’

Foutu album de castor-rock, j'ai l'impresison d'avoir passé ma journée à écouter ce ACDC de Wish.

Ya know I think I could like Drive-By Truckers. This was a long album which I had to keep checking how far along I was which is normally a two star but I’m inspired to seek out a different ‘essential’ album so three

The ambition of a proper concept album cannot be underestimated, and musically I found the album quite good but could not really follow the story due to my lack of knowledge of American history.

This was fine but I zoned out for a bit of it.

Brani Preferiti: - Nessuna preferenza Note: Mi ritrovo nelle parole lette da un commento relativo a questo album, ascoltare questo album con la consapevolezza di quel che si va incontro è da considerarsi una forma di masochismo soprattutto nel sapere che stai per subirti un manifesto politico agli stessi livelli dei comunisti che ti trovi di fronte alle scuole superiori... ma Dio se è affascinante. Apprezzo ascoltare fatti storici, quindi non mi è dispiaciuto scendere nella storia del "Southern Rock" e al mythos che è l'Alabama. Sono venuto per ascoltare un nuovo album consigliato, ma sono rimasto per subirmi storie morbose e una battuta sulla durata di Free Bird. Mi trovo in serie difficoltà sul come valutare questo album, da un lato è stato un album avvincente e originale, dall'altro prese singolarmente non c'è una canzone che mi piace particolarmente, però tutte sembrano funzionare all'interno di questo disco inutilmente lungo.

Not that good

Exactly what it says on the tin. Do you like southern rock? Do like it enough for an hour and a half worth of material? Southern Rock Opera is for you. It was around the song The Southern Song that I got the nagging feeling that this was trying to the The Wall really bad. I don't even like The Wall that much, but any attempt to match The Wall is a fruitless attempt. I think this works better as a love letter to the south and it's developed culture, while also being aware of the social and historical implications (specifically regarding race). My position on long albums is unwavering: you do not need more than 50 minutes. Ideally you wrap it up at the 40-minute mark. It's clear that Drive-By Truckers are quite passionate about southern rock and had enough material to make a double album, but I'm not passionate enough about southern rock to listen to Southern Rock Opera again in one sitting.

It was ok

Solid, wish I’d heard it at the time

i think its a good piece of southern rock ie lynard skynard(which is frequently referenced) Some really enjoyable guitar licks and didn't hate some of the lyric writing. but not my genre of music usualyl

Weirdly liked it? Am I the problem..

not as bad as I thought it'll be

It’s unrefined and that’s its niche. I’ve been a distant listener for a while, and it’s safe to say that while I enjoy the guitar work and composition of the tunes, that I’m still not going to be anymore than a moderate fan.

I'm a sucker for southern rock, but an hour and a half might be taking the piss a little much. I like the production, especially the guitars, and I like the singers changing out every few songs. Helps keep things fresh. Could probably do without the defense of George Wallace, even if it does seem to be coming from a good place (or maybe that's just me). Favorite tracks: "Ronnie and Neil", "Dead, Drunk and Naked", "Shut Up and Get On the Plane"

At an hour and a half this album is about 45 to 50 minutes to long. Parts of it I liked but I felt like it was never going to end.

good album but did not much for me

I'm not sure what about this is supposed to be notable. It was fine to listen to but none of the tracks stood out to me.

Quite nice, all album creates a vibe that a story is told, instead of it being a collection of songs.

Lynyrd skynyrd tribute act

"Anyone who's ever been on it, knows exactly where it's at" This album is all about the lyrics and the guitars. The sound is traditional guitar rock with the odd country-twinge. When it dials in the three guitar attack is a blistering force of distortion and harmony. The vocals aren't virtuoso or anything but perfect for the songs, raspy and hoarse with a heavy accent. Great songwriting overall, and all tied together through an exploration of 'the duality of that southern thing' and a radical act of self-mythologizing, projecting the band into the southern rock cannon in Skynard's wake. Though the valiant effort to articulate an anti-racist Southern heritage and de-exceptionalize the south as THE site of American racism sometimes comes across as mostly self-exculpatory. The personal songs and family stories are the strongest. I love Cooley's songs on this album: Highway 72's verses, Women without Whiskey's jangly guitars, Zip City's yearning angry vocals and squeaky squirrely solo. A bit too much of a good thing though; the double album drags on a bit even though the quality of the songs doesn't dip, it's a bit samey. Decoration Day would be my pick for a DbT album instead. It makes sense they've released so many live albums, as this is really a band you have to see to believe.

lynerd skynerd kinda sound big shrugs

Southern Rock Opera by Drive-By Truckers is an ambitious album that merges southern influences with a rock spirit. Released in 2001, it's a sprawling narrative about the South's complexities. Tracks like "Ronnie and Neil" and "Let There Be Rock" capture the band's fusion of storytelling and rock energy. However, the album's pacing occasionally falters, leading to moments that feel sluggish. The marriage of southern drawl with rock attitude is compelling, but this blend doesn't consistently maintain momentum. While some tracks shine, the album's slower moments can test one's patience. Southern Rock Opera is a mixed bag, with high points in its southern charm-meets-rock fusion, but it's hindered by its uneven pacing.

Decent music, but this is too much of a "good" thing. Lost interest pretty quickly and there were still 12 more songs.

Hmmmm. Not as dreadful as some of the reviews indicated but not that special to listen to either. Somewhat bland southern-fried rock I guess.

Solid