Caught in a bipolar whiplash

On the fourth night of my drinking (possibly fifth), a friend of mine introduced me to Drive-By Truckers. The ’90s band has released 10 albums, but the track “Two Daughters and a Beautiful Wife” was my first listen.

It’s important to keep in mind the majority of songs on “The Big To-Do” are based on or actually are true stories. Essentially that is all they are, stories with a beginning, middle and end. As a journalist first and a critic last, this is something I respect. Hidden gems will surface as the album becomes worn and scratched in my car console, but “The Fourth Night Of My Drinking,” “You Got Another” and “Sante Fe” stand out first.

I hold “The Big To-Do” in the same regard as Dinosaur Jr.’s “Farm,” which came out last summer. Not just because both bands have Bloomington ties, but I actually feel like I am listening to rock ‘n’ roll. This is rock ‘n’ roll with a simple purpose — to tell you a story. Reach the point in your life where you do not care about what anybody has to say to you unless it is a story. Just tell me a story, maybe I will understand.