Musical Thesis: Drive-by Truckers “American Band”
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At the center of every album is a musical thesis. This thesis can be the driving force behind the album, a theme that interweaves songs together, or a feeling you are left with after the very last song plays. With some albums, the thesis is easy to find. On others, it is hidden and requires you to be more than a passive listener. These reviews are not about rating an album. Instead, it is about uncovering a musical thesis.
I’m gonna love you ‘til the big one comes
And shakes my bones and washes us out to sea
Have a blast ‘til the markets crash
And smoke and ash what’s left of these beautiful trees
It was 2018 or 2019. My television overflowed with images from another senseless killing of an unarmed black man. Helpless and hopeless, I went searching for comfort in music. Driving around Los Angeles, I hoped and prayed my favorite streaming service would deliver exactly what I needed in my hour of desperation.
Parked in an empty lot of a generic shopping center, What It Means filled the car. When the song was over, I hit repeat. After a second listen, I repeated the song one more time. After it ended and moved onto the next song in the playlist, I lowered the volume and sat in stunned silence. Someone put to music feelings I had not even named yet.
This served as my introduction to the music of the Drive-by Truckers. I soon discovered I was a little late to the party. Better to arrive late than never arrive at all, right? As I spent time with their catalog, and the album, American Band, in particular, I find myself moved in the same way Rage Against the Machine used to move me. Their brand of protest music does something wildly different for me, though. See, I grew up in Oklahoma. At an early age, I felt the call of progressive politics. In Oklahoma, this always meant I was the odd man out. With friends or total strangers, I often found myself defending my beliefs. At some point, a compounding effect occurred. The weight became too much, and I headed for the west coast. I needed to know that I was not alone in what I hold dear.
In this band’s music, I hear artists who have held onto their southern roots. They even find pride in them, but they have also carved out a space where protest can break through. As I think back on my upbringing and the myriad reasons I left Oklahoma, this gives me something new to consider. I no longer see my home state as a lost cause, and I should do my part to support those still fighting for it.
Be good to each other,
Nathan
