These days, it’s hard to argue that alt-country isn’t the toughest style of music around. With blaring guitars, prominent keyboards, tight rhythm sections and better rock’n’roll songs than rock’n’rollers can produce, the genre has remained a righteous boot in the ass to music big on attitude, but short on songwriting.

Perhaps the best alt-country band today is the long-running Drive-By Truckers. Combining the best of both country and rock with their hard-hitting albums, the band recently delivered its seventh full-length disc, “Brighter Than Creation’s Dark,” which draws from the vast well of the group’s strengths.

The band is anchored by Mike Cooley and Patterson Hood, who both sing and play rhythm guitar. John Neff rounds out the triple axe assault with a nasty lead and pedal steal that bleeds emotion in “Home Field Advantage” and “Daddy Needs A Drink.” Rounding out the back end are bassist / vocalist Shonna Tucker and drummer Brad Morgan, who skillfully hold the massive operation together.

Given that vocal and songwriting duties are split among more than half of the quintet, Drive-By Truckers’ canon of work explores a variety of feels and influences. “The Righteous Path” recalls classic, country-fried Tom Petty; opener “Two Daughters and a Beautiful Wife” expertly blend male and female vocals to evoke Dixie Chicks at its darkest; and  the feedback-heavy “That Man I Shot” is a contender for heaviest song of 2008. This experimentation could sink lesser groups, but Drive-By Truckers make every track its own.

One of songwriting’s modern wonders is the group’s lyrics, which recall the uneasy nature of alt-country forefathers such as Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson. Like the album’s cover — a blend of atmospheric colors swirling around

a menacing bird of prey — even the lushest moments on the album are tinged with a feeling of dread. Lyrically, the Truckers recall a hearty blend of Johnny Paycheck’s lower-class paranoia with Johnny Cash’s complex relationship with God. All of the characters in the Truckers’ story songs live on the edge, and the group captures the moments immediately before these souls unravel.

Generally, an album such as the 19-track “Dark” would be criticized for being too long. But the songwriting triple-threat of Cooley, Hood and Tucker deliver the goods, and it is clear the band thrives on sprawl. The album is not flawless, however. “Check Out Time In Vegas” and “Perfect Timing” are among the group’s least thrilling.  

In all, “Dark” is a perfect place to start for those intrigued by alt-country and a thrilling continuation for fans of the Truckers’ work.

"Brighter Than Creation's Dark" by Drive-By Truckers recieved three and a half out of four stars.