Since their inception in 1996, Drive-By Truckers have carved out a unique niche in the music scene with their raw, unflinching storytelling, heavy-hitting guitar riffs, and blend of Alternative and Southern rock. Founded by Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley, Drive-By Truckers have released 14 studio albums and played more than 2,500 shows in the last three decades. Notable members include long-time drummer Brad Morgan and current members Jay Gonzalez and Matt Patton, who have helped define the band’s evolving sound. The band’s work has often reflected the state of American society, particularly through their celebrated trilogy of albums: American Band (ATO, 2016), The Unraveling (ATO, 2020), and The New OK (ATO, 2020). This series marked a bold foray into politically charged and topical songwriting, earning acclaim for its insightful commentary and fearless expression.
Emotional Contracts, the latest full-length album from Deer Tick, catalogs all the existential casualties that accompany the passing of time, instilling each song with the irresistibly reckless spirit that’s defined the band for nearly two decades. Before heading into the studio with producer Dave Fridmann (The Flaming Lips, Spoon, Sleater-Kinney), the Providence-bred four-piece spent months working on demos in a perpetually flooded warehouse space in their hometown, enduring the busted heating system and massive holes in the roof as they carved out the album’s 10 raggedly eloquent tracks. Emotional Contracts fully echoes the unruly energy of its creation, ultimately making for a heavy-hearted yet wildly life-affirming portrait of growing older without losing heart.
Founded by McCauley in 2004, with the lineup solidified in 2009, Deer Tick partly attribute their unfaltering chemistry to a shared sense of humor. To that end, the album takes its title from an inside joke regarding potential aliases for the band. “We were saying that if we had to play a secret show under a fake name, we could be The Hitmen and dress in pinstripe suits like Prohibition-era gangsters. Then we decided, ‘Let’s just release an album as The Hitmen—we’ll call it Emotional Contracts, like contract-killing on an emotional level,” says McCauley. “But the title connects here with each song somehow–every song is about a deal you’ve made with yourself at some level.” But as a phenomenally rowdy live act who once averaged 250 shows a year, Deer Tick mainly credit their deep-rooted connection to a mutual love for the unpredictability of the musical impulse. “I feel very lucky that we all ran into each other at some point pretty early on in our lives,” says McCauley. “From the start, I just wanted to find other musicians that would somehow all stick together, which definitely isn’t easy. But we all have a real fascination with music, and that desire to never limit ourselves or repeat ourselves is something that we all very much continue to share.”
In 2022, they released Welcome 2 Club XIII (ATO), an introspective look back at their early days, juxtaposed with the realities of adult life and parenting. This album highlights the band’s continued ability to blend personal reflection with broader societal observations. In July 2024, the band released the deluxe edition of their influential third studio album, Southern Rock Opera. Alongside the reissue, the band has been touring across North America on their “Southern Rock Opera Revisited 2024 Tour”, featuring a full performance of the album that solidified their legacy in the annals of rock history. As they continue to push boundaries and explore new musical territories, Drive-By Truckers remain a vital and dynamic force in the rock genre, celebrated for their powerful narratives and unwavering dedication to their craft.
