Patterson Hood
developed such a strong lyrical and musical voice in his work with the
Drive-By Truckers
that it's surprising how much it differs from the tone and approach of his solo work. 2004's
Killers and Stars
and 2009's
Murdering Oscar (And Other Love Songs)
were assembled from songs that clearly wouldn't fit the
DBT
's, both musically and thematically, and 2012's
Heat Lightning Rumbles in the Distance
was an ambitious effort to create a song cycle that existed in a separate (though not unrelated) musical universe from his band.
Hood
's fourth solo album, 2025's
Exploding Trees and Airplane Screams
, in many respects picks up where
left off. While
Heat Lightning
's songs were informed by an uncompleted novel he penned about the chaos of his life in the '90s,
Exploding Trees
looks back even further. Most of the tracks were inspired by memories from
's childhood, from his Godmother's ridiculously large car and the Christmas parties where he first learned to sneak drinks from the punchbowl to bittersweet recollections of his high school girlfriend and the ways his obsession with
Walt Disney
's
Pinocchio
would follow him into adulthood. These stories feel personal, almost confessional, in a way that's very different from
's storytelling in the
's, and the music is even more of a departure.
was produced by
Chris Funk
of
the Decemberists
, and the sound of the album is cooler and more self-consciously artful than
's previous solo work.
played piano rather than guitar on a number of tracks, and the sturdy, eloquent tone of his keyboard work gives the arrangements a reflective undertow that's a far cry from the
's enlightened Southern rock. The album also features an impressive team of guest stars, including
Lydia Loveless
,
Wednesday
Katie Crutchfield
Waxahatchee
, and
Steve Berlin
Los Lobos
, and it's the most carefully crafted and cohesive solo effort
has released to date. It isn't quite the unexpected triumph that
was, but it confirms
is capable of more than he's created with the
, great as they are, and it's a pleasure to hear him challenge himself with such impressive results. ~ Mark Deming