The Big To Do
Encyclopedia
The Big To-Do is the eighth studio album (tenth total) by the alternative country
band Drive-By Truckers
, released on March 16, 2010. It is their first album released on ATO Records
, which they signed to after completing their four album deal with New West Records
. The Big To-Do marks the seventh Drive-By Truckers album produced by David Barbe. The addition of keyboardist Jay Gonzalez to the band's line-up (though he played on the band's second live album) further differentiates this album from its predecessors, and showcases the influence Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
(specifically Benmont Tench
) have had on the band.
The Big To-Do was recorded over three blocks of sessions in 2009 (ten days in January, five days in March, and ten days in May) resulting in 25 songs. The band decided to split these tracks between The Big To-Do and its follow-up Go-Go Boots. The album had been mixed, mastered, and completely done before Cooley wrote "Birthday Boy," which was quickly recorded, mixed, and inserted into The Big To-Do.
Bandmember Patterson Hood said that The Big To-Do is "very much a rock album. Very melodic and more rocking than anything since disc 2 of Southern Rock Opera
." Hood also states in the album's liner notes that The Big To-Do was not written or recorded with a specific concept in mind (unlike many of the band's earlier albums). The recurring images of the circus, Hood explains, are analogous to "rock shows." While most of the Drive-By Trucker's albums have chronicled the Southern past, The Big To-Do is written entirely about the present. Hood and Cooley's respective songs "This Fucking Job" and "Get Downtown," describe from different points of view the current floundering economy (and are argued by Grant Alden to be the bands most political songs since "The Living Bubba").
Guitarist Mike Cooley commented on the development of the album, explaining that because he didn't have many songs to contribute when the band started working on the album he decided to focus on "being a player on everybody else's songs while still trying to come up with my own thing." Cooley's hook of a riff in "That Wig He Made Her Wear," exemplifies this statement. He continued by saying that for him, the turning points in creating the album were working on the songs "You Got Another" and "The Flying Wallendas."
Alternative country
Alternative country is a loosely defined sub-genre of country music, which includes acts that differ significantly in style from mainstream or pop country music...
band Drive-By Truckers
Drive-By Truckers
Drive-By Truckers are an alternative country/Southern rock band based in Athens, Georgia, though three out of six members are originally from The Shoals region of Northern Alabama, and the band strongly identifies with Alabama. Their music uses three guitars as well as bass, drums, and now...
, released on March 16, 2010. It is their first album released on ATO Records
ATO Records
According to Our Records was founded in early 2000 by Dave Matthews , Coran Capshaw, Chris Tetzeli, and Michael McDonald as a division of RCA Records...
, which they signed to after completing their four album deal with New West Records
New West Records
New West Records is a record label based in Los Angeles, California, Austin, Texas, and Athens, Georgia. It was established in 1998, and has been home to several indie rock and alternative country bands as well as representing the PBS show Austin City Limits...
. The Big To-Do marks the seventh Drive-By Truckers album produced by David Barbe. The addition of keyboardist Jay Gonzalez to the band's line-up (though he played on the band's second live album) further differentiates this album from its predecessors, and showcases the influence Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers are an American rock band from Gainesville, Florida. They were formed in 1976 by Tom Petty , Mike Campbell , Benmont Tench , , Ron Blair and Stan Lynch...
(specifically Benmont Tench
Benmont Tench
Benjamin Montmorency Tench, III is an American keyboardist best known as a founding member of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.-Early years:...
) have had on the band.
The Big To-Do was recorded over three blocks of sessions in 2009 (ten days in January, five days in March, and ten days in May) resulting in 25 songs. The band decided to split these tracks between The Big To-Do and its follow-up Go-Go Boots. The album had been mixed, mastered, and completely done before Cooley wrote "Birthday Boy," which was quickly recorded, mixed, and inserted into The Big To-Do.
Bandmember Patterson Hood said that The Big To-Do is "very much a rock album. Very melodic and more rocking than anything since disc 2 of Southern Rock Opera
Southern Rock Opera
Southern Rock Opera is the third studio album by the alt country band Drive-By Truckers. It was a double album and released in 2001. Covering an ambitious range of subject matter from the politics of race to 70s stadium rock, Southern Rock Opera either imagines, or filters, every topic through the...
." Hood also states in the album's liner notes that The Big To-Do was not written or recorded with a specific concept in mind (unlike many of the band's earlier albums). The recurring images of the circus, Hood explains, are analogous to "rock shows." While most of the Drive-By Trucker's albums have chronicled the Southern past, The Big To-Do is written entirely about the present. Hood and Cooley's respective songs "This Fucking Job" and "Get Downtown," describe from different points of view the current floundering economy (and are argued by Grant Alden to be the bands most political songs since "The Living Bubba").
Guitarist Mike Cooley commented on the development of the album, explaining that because he didn't have many songs to contribute when the band started working on the album he decided to focus on "being a player on everybody else's songs while still trying to come up with my own thing." Cooley's hook of a riff in "That Wig He Made Her Wear," exemplifies this statement. He continued by saying that for him, the turning points in creating the album were working on the songs "You Got Another" and "The Flying Wallendas."
Track Listing
- "Daddy Learned to Fly" - 4:44 (Hood)
- "The Fourth Night of My Drinking" - 4:45 (Hood)
- "Birthday Boy" - 3:36 (Cooley)
- "Drag the Lake Charlie" - 3:17 (Hood)
- "The Wig He Made Her Wear" - 5:47 (Hood)
- "You Got Another" - 5:18 (Tucker)
- "This Fucking Job" - 4:58 (Hood)
- "Get Downtown" - 3:13 (Cooley)
- "After the Scene Dies" - 4:07 (Hood)
- "(It's Gonna Be) I Told You So" - 2:03 (Tucker)
- "Santa Fe" - 3:26 (Hood)
- "The Flying Wallendas" - 5:16 (Hood)
- "Eyes Like Glue" - 3:16 (Cooley)
- "Girls Who Smoke" (Hood) (bonus track - vinyl only)
Personnel
- Patterson Hood - guitar, vocals
- Mike Cooley - guitar, vocals
- Brad Morgan - drums
- Shonna Tucker - bass, vocals
- John Neff - guitar, pedal steel
- Jay Gonzalez - keyboards, backing vocals
- David Barbe - guitar, keyboards
Chart performance
| Chart | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| Swedish Albums Chart | 31 |
| US Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
22 |
| US Independent Albums | 1 |
| US Rock Albums | 6 |