lizard said:
Hmmmm I own Southern Rock Opera and wasn't that impressed...is it just that album, the difference between live and studio, help a brotha out
Southern Rock Opera was the first of theirs I bought back whenever it came out, and it took me a few listens to really get into their sound, but I soon developed a great appreciation for what they are trying to do with that album, in spite of whatever flaws it might possess. Plus a few of my favorite DBT songs come off of that album. After that, I had a much easier time getting into both Decoration Day and The Dirty South when each of those albums came out. SRO is a very interesting and ambitious album with several really catchy songs and a few that take some work to get used to, but I'd say that you might enjoy Decoration Day a bit more, and certainly The Dirty South, which is their best-realized attempt so far.
I think it's important to mention that they experienced a slight but significant transformation between SRO and DD, mainly due to the addition of 3rd guitarist/vocalist Jason Isbell to the lineup, of whom I have nothing but great things to say and whose contribution to the band is unquestionably beneficial, having written and sung some of the best songs on the past two albums. Not to mention that his presence in the band's live show is nothing short of phenomenal.
Which brings me to the question of studio vs. live. As someone who enjoys the studio albums quite a bit, it's difficult for me to say whether somebody who isn't as much of a fan of the albums might enjoy the live show more, but I'd guess that it's likely. Their performance is so intense and engrossing and they manage to make such a connection to the audience that I'd have a hard time believing that somebody with even a passing interest in the whole southern-rock thing wouldn't find at least some aspect of the show moving.
And watching them play in a small old gym at a very traditional southern college in the middle of nowhere while surrounded by good-ol'-boys in the making definitely didn't hurt the atmosphere. I can imagine that their appeal beyond just their music and aesthetic approach (their typical thematic elements, back-stories, allusions, and overall tone - basically the substance beneath the surface image) might not be so strong in settings less sympathetic or accustomed to these topics. But to me, the sheer power and authenticity in the stories revealed in some of their songs affect me on a personal level. For instance the song "Sinkhole" from Decoration Day hits me harder than most, as it captures the sickening fear and disgust at the idea of losing the family farm better than I could probably do myself, and "Zip City" from SRO (disc 1) is possibly the most accurate portrayal of the adolescent mind of a small-town southern male I've ever heard. Any band that can write witty, clever, and thoughtful songs about the trials and tribulations of life growing up in the rural south with one eye toward the past and one toward modernity, all the while maintaining a distinctly self-conscious view of all of its inherent absurdity yet still coming off as an entirely serious artistic endeavor (and throw in some rock-solid riffs, triple-guitar attack soloing, and deep-fried southern melodic sensibility for good measure), is a band for me.
And then I was like this guy. 
And thinking back on it now, I'm kind of like this guy. 
