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© St. Petersburg Times, published June 27, 2002
These Jets have a sweet sound
Indie rock "supergroup" Jets to Brazil features former members of hardcore/emo acts Jawbreaker, Handsome and Texas Is The Reason, but the sound is nothing like any of those groups. Led by Blake Schwarzenbach -- he of the latent pop sensibilities -- the Jets have gone in a more listener-friendly direction, crafting intelligent, catchy ditties with big hooks and riffs, and thoughtful lyrics. The impeccable, poppy Four Cornered Night (2000) has the evidence: songs such as the deceptively bouncy You're Having The Time Of My Life and the bittersweet In The Summer's When You Really Know do everything right.
If the band's live show is anywhere near as energetic and emotional -- and we hear good things -- fans are in for something special.
Jets to Brazil performs with Pilot to Gunner at 9 p.m. Saturday at the Orpheum, 1902 Avenida Republica de Cuba, Tampa. $10 advance, $12 day of show. (813) 248-9500.
This Truckers stop is familiar
Alabama's Drive-By Truckers are most famous for their epic Southern Rock Opera (2001), a two-disc coming-of-age concept piece based on the music of Lynyrd Skynyrd.
The "opera" is about a Southern boy in the 1970s who plays guitar, moves North, dabbles in punk rock and ultimately comes back to embrace his roots. Autobiographical? Ask Trucker Patterson Hood, a former punk rocker with Southern music in his blood; his pa was Muscle Shoales session bassist David Hood, who played that fancy bass line on the Staples Singers' I'll Take You There.
The album explores the South in the 1970s in all its glory: racism, George Wallace, long-haired rednecks, preacher's wild daughters, scorn for Yankees and, of course, mythical Southern rock. (If you know your Skynyrd lore, some tracks -- Shut Up And Get On The Plane -- will give you chills.)
Live, the Truckers are said to be raucous, meaty and full of sweaty Southern charm. If a brief in-store set I saw at the South By Southwest music conference last year is an indication, the Truckers deliver.
Drive-By Truckers perform at 8 tonight at the State Theatre, 687 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. Free. (727) 895-3045.