Soulful Truckers

The term “three-axe attack” is only scary when it isn’t referring to music. Southern rock band Drive-By Truckers specializes in this attack (a term that describes the arrangement of three guitars alongside bass and drums) and is scheduled to roll into Eugene for a show at the McDonald Theatre. 

Formed in 1996 by childhood friends Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley, DBT has suffered through the rock band cliché of a revolving-door list of musicians, recorded a Southern rock opera (the aptly named Southern Rock Opera, an album that uses the rise and fall of Lynyrd Skynyrd as a means of analyzing the cultural deterioration of the South during the 1970s), and earned a reputation for witty, hard-rocking tunes. 

The Truckers are on tour to promote an 11th studio album. Go-Go Boots relies on the strengths of songwriters Hood, Cooley and former bassist Shonna Tucker to create dark, narrative-driven pieces surging with a special blend of country and soul. 

As Hood writes on the DBT website: “It’s the album where we finally fully embrace the music of our original hometown area of Muscle Shoals, exploring the waters of country/soul and that mystical intersection between two dominant poles of our shared musical heritage.”

In addition to its heavier emphasis on country roots, the album features two covers — a rarity in DBT’s large and diverse catalog. Both tunes were originated by fellow Muscle Shoals artist Eddie Hinton and mesh beautifully.

As for the show, long-time Truckers fans are used to the changing lineup though Tucker’s spark is sure to be missed. Matt Patton (bassist for the Alabama-based rock group the Dexateens) will be filling in and slapping along in what’s sure to be a soulful and engaging evening. 

Drive-By Truckers play 8 pm Sunday, March 18, at the McDonald Theatre; $20 adv., $25 door.