Patterson Hood is a musician best known for his work with the band “Drive By Truckers.” On Feb. 21, 2025, Hood released his fourth solo album, “Exploding Trees & Airplane Screams.” The album has features from artists, such as Wednesday, Waxahatchee, and Lydia Loveless.
As no shock to his fans, Hood’s lyrical and musical ability was highlighted in this album. All ten tracks tell a story and truly make the listener feel. His songs feel like a cold wind cutting through a sweater, sometimes comforting and cooling, sometimes a little eerie depending on how the wind blows. Just Hood and his guitar could wake the dead.
One of the singles released prior to the album, “The Forks of Cypress,” has such longing laced into the lyrics; the mixture of Waxahatchee and Hood’s vocals sound like a memory. The song tells the story of a hidden, forbidden love. “Something so forbidden I’ll carry it to hell / of a love that burned as hot as my secret shame.”
The following track, “Miss Coldiron’s Oldsmobile,” tells the story of a woman who is taken away to a mental institution only to be met with medicine and shock treatment. The song, more specifically Hood’s lyricsm, paints this picture of a vibrant woman weighed down by the things in her mind and in her life. It takes a certain kind of lyricist not only to draw inspiration from their own life but also to completely submerge the listener in another world and/or story. “Cowering in the closet, she’d leave bound and tied / Shock treatments to make the dead birds subside.”
“The Pool House” tells the story of a man who takes his own life, depicting his last moments. In an achingly sad song, accompanied by a very soft melody, Hood describes a tragic end. Hood details how, despite it being such a tragic end, most people in that moment see it as the only escape, as release and relief.
The sixth track on the album is called, “The Van Pelt Parties.” The song tells the story of Hood as a young boy, growing up over the years alongside annual Christmas parties and all he had recognized around him. The song features the band Wednesday, who toured with Hood’s band in 2022. The song ends with lyrics about growing up and how a person can look back and miss what they had despite any flaws. Hood has the uncanny ability to tell the listener a story and make you feel it and live it.
“Last Hope” shares the themes of growing up but is centered around Hood and “Leroy.” A really impactful lyric from this song is “so stick around friend, it only ends if we let it.” The song has the sentiment of just keep going; this meaning can be a motivator for people, finding hope within the lyric. Despite life’s hardships, despite the changes and mistakes, just keep going.
“At Safe Distance” is haunting. The lyric “Your father’s eyes are now cold and tired his face so deeply lined / his warm embrace has a darker hue as the end comes into view what was once pure through your childish eyes is complicated by truth” brings to light the saddening reality of mortality and that everything that start must come to an end.
The track titled “Airplane Screams” practically screams “I’m not dead yet!” The lyrics tell the story of a man, after his girl’s passing, and him continuing to live on. The lyrics tell the story of a man who isn’t ready to die yet, intent on living, wanting to live his life and push till he can’t anymore.“I don’t want it, I don’t need it, put your shovel down, you ain’t caught me yet.”
The last song on this album, titled “Pinocchio,” is the perfect goodbye for this beautifully written album. The lyrics represent how life doesn’t stop for you when you need a break, and you are constantly moving and overcoming the challenges of life. “Life’s a hard lesson, but it keeps on teaching” is the perfect way to put it, that people have to learn from their mistakes, triumphs, memories and experiences.
The entire album shares harsh truths and realities about life, experience and time. Time is a thief, and it’s important that nobody takes for granted what time gifts them and how easily it is taken away.
Hood’s lyrics cut through the noise and demand your attention, almost like a hand coming out to lead you through the fog. His talent is unwaveringly brilliant and the work of the featured artists on this album, all aided in making this album what it is: nothing short of beautiful.
