In a way, The Fine Print (A Collection Of Oddities and Rarities 2003-2008), perfectly encompasses the “duality” the Drive-By Truckers have made a career of writing about. On one hand, it's the best album they've released in years. On the other, the bulk was recorded years ago. The Fine Print features that classic sound DBT fans grew to love. But most of the album is played by a lineup long gone. That said, The Fine Print is also the last album DBT was required to produce for New West Records, a label the band had grown increasingly un-infatuated with over the years. Its release finally enables DBT to move forward on their own label, Ruth Street Records.
The Fine Print is largely culled from sessions that gave birth to DBT’s 2004 album, The Dirty South. None of the tracks are especially new to any DBT enthusiast — two are by ex-Trucker Jason Isbell and surprisingly none are Shonna-fronted. (I say "surprisingly" because she's currently a "singer" in the band.)
This article appears in Dec 2-8, 2000.