Drive-By Truckers’ Long Haul

American Band is the new album from Drive-By Truckers, due Sept. 30 via ATO records.  Today’s announcement includes a taste of the new LP waiting for you at NPR.org. 

The band’s Patterson Hood issued a statement describing the album.

“These are crazy times and we have made a record steeped in this moment of history that we’re all trying to live through,” Hood said.  “We’ve always considered ourselves a political band, even when that aspect seemed to be concealed by some type of narrative device i.e. dealing with issues of race by telling a story set in the time of George Wallace or class struggles by setting ‘Putting People On The Moon’ in the age of Reagan.

“This time out, there are no such diversions as these songs are mostly set front and center in the current political arena with songs dealing with our racial and cultural divisions, gun violence, mass shootings and political assholery.  Once again, there is a nearly even split between the songs of Cooley and myself, with both of us bringing in songs that seem to almost  imply a conversation between us about our current place in time.

“American Band is a rock and roll call to arms as well as a musical reset button for our band and the country we live in.  Most of all, we look at it as the beginnings of some conversations that we, as a people, very much need to begin having.  If we ever hope to break through the divisions that are threatening to tear us apart.”

American Band is available for pre-orders via this link.

While Drive-By Truckers has a few gigs scheduled for July and mid-August, the band’s tour officially kicks off Aug. 20.  Here’s the schedule for the “Darkened Flags” tour:

Aug. 20 – Morrison, Colo., Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Aug. 27 – Lexington, Ky., Masterson Station Park (Moontower Music Festival)
Sept. 16 – Toronto, Ontario, Various Venues (Toronto Urban Roots Festival)
Sept. 17 – Fredericton, N.B., Various Venues (Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival)
Sept. 23 – Kansas City, Mo., Crossroads-KC
Sept. 24 – Minneapolis, Minn., First Avenue
Sept. 25 – Sioux Falls, S.D., The District
Sept. 28 – Missoula, Mont., The Wilma
Sept., 29 – Seattle, Wash., The Showbox
Sept. 30 – Portland, Ore., Wonder Ballroom
Oct. 1 – Portland, Ore., Wonder Ballroom
Oct. 2 – Vancouver, British Columbia, The Rickshaw Theatre
Oct. 5 – Sacramento, Calif., Ace Of Spades
Oct. 6 – San Francisco, Calif., The Fillmore
Oct. 7 – San Francisco, Calif., The Fillmore
Oct. 8 – Lake Tahoe, Nev., Montbleu Outdoor Event Center
Oct. 11 – Los Angeles, Calif., Teragram Ballroom
Oct. 12 – Los Angeles, Calif., Teragram Ballroom
Oct. 13 – Solana Beach, Calif., Belly Up Tavern
Oct. 14 – San Luis Obispo, Calif., Fremont Theatre
Oct. 15 – Scottsdale, Ariz., Livewire

Appearing with Yonder Mountain String Band Aug. 20.  Appearing with Son Volt (Trio) Sept. 23.  Special guest Lydia Loveless appears Sept. 24-Oct. 15.

Many shows go on sale June 24.  Follow this link for more information.