Bob When The Pin Hits The Shell Cottonseed Drive By Truckers

Bob Album: Brighter Than Creation's Dark (2008)
When The Pin Hits The Shell Album: Decoration Day (2003)
Cottonseed Album: The Dirty South (2008)
by Drive By Truckers

For a Memorial Day...

Brighter Than Creation's Dark is the seventh studio album released on January 22, 2008 in the United States.

Recorded during and after the acoustic Dirt Underneath Tour, the album features a more stripped down, and country based sound not seen since their second release Pizza Deliverance. The album's title is taken from a line in a Mike Cooley song entitled "Checkout Time in Vegas". Wes Freed once again provided the album artwork. According to guitarist Patterson Hood, the band's decision on the name of the album was greatly influenced by the Freed's artwork. Hood also said that the album was recorded with much ease and did not require compromises. The album was released as both a compact disc as well as a double vinyl. The band embarked on a worldwide tour entitled "The Home Front Tour" throughout the entirety of 2008 in support of Brighter Than Creation's Dark.

In Sweden, the album charted at #37 on the official albums chart. The album also peaked at #37 on the Billboard 200 album chart in the United States. According to Hood's letters to fans, the Drive-By Truckers are exceptionally well received in Scandinavia.

Decoration Day was recorded mostly live over two weeks at Chase Park Transduction Studios in Athens, Georgia, in 2003 and was produced by noted producer and former Sugar bassist David Barbe. The album is the Truckers' fifth, including their live album Alabama Ass Whuppin', following the critically acclaimed Southern Rock Opera. The album features a more mellow, stripped down, and reserved sound compared to Southern Rock Opera's heavy hitting southern rock.

Decoration Day is the first album to feature Jason Isbell on guitar; he would record two more albums with the band before leaving to pursue a solo career in 2007.

Guitarist and songwriter Patterson Hood describes Decoration Day as being lyrically a "pretty dark" record, though he notes that the band "had so much fun making it, and I think that kind of comes through".

Having been brought to the attention of many critics through the success of Southern Rock Opera, Decoration Day was eagerly anticipated and, upon its arrival, very well received. The album garnered excellent reviews from critics like Robert Christgau of The Village Voice as well as publications such as SPIN Magazine, Pitchfork Media and Rolling Stone. Decoration Day would go on to place on many publications' "Best of 2003" lists, including the Village Voice's influential Pazz & Jop poll, No Depression's "40 Best Alt. Country Albums of 2003", Rolling Stone's "Critics' Top 10 of 2003" and Amazon.com's "Top 100 Editors' Picks of 2003". The album also appeared at #27 on Paste Magazine's "The Best 50 Albums of the Decade" list.

The Dirty South is the fifth album released in 2004. It is Drive-By Truckers' second concept album. Like its predecessor, Southern Rock Opera, the album examines the state of the South, and unveils the hypocrisy, irony, and tragedy that continues to exist.

"The Dirty South" contains a three-song suite ("The Boys From Alabama," "Cottonseed" and "The Buford Stick") all about Sheriff Buford Pusser.

As of February 2008, The Dirty South is Drive-By Truckers' best-selling album. The Dirty South was recorded at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.

In June 2023, the album was re-released as The Complete Dirty South. This new version included three tracks not included on the original album.