You know, I guess I think I've always been a professional critic, you know, or some sort of professional

appreciator or something. So, Now this is serious business here man.

Putting on a great show is the most important thing you can do.

One great rock show can change the world.

The latest album by the drive byBy Truckers is full of defiance, protest, and rebellion.

I'm Jim De Regattis.

And I'm Greg Kot.

Mike Cooley and Patterson Hood of Drive-By Truckers join us to perform in front of an audience.

And we review the latest record from rapper Kendrick Lamar.

That's all coming up on Sound Opinions.

This is Sound Opinions.

I'm Greg Kott, my partner's Jim Deeregatus, and this week we're talking with Drive-By Truckers. And that's a band that's a band that's been together for 20 years now, Jim.

The band has got roots in the South, Georgia, but also Alabama, and proudly so.

Their breakthrough album was their third album in 2001, Southern Rock Opera.

You talk about Opus.

I must insert.

I've rarely seen you more excited about any record ever than you were about that one.

Well that was a real breakthrough for them.

I think, you know, prior to that, they were sort of regarded as this sort of

southern novelty band in some ways.

But that was the real deal, sort of getting at the conflictedness of being a southerner,

you know, paying homage to Leonard and at the same time looking askance at some of the culture and the politics of the Great American South.

...