Search - Drivin N Cryin :: Whisper Tames the Lion

Whisper Tames the Lion ROARS AND WHISPERS

K. Caldwell | Harpers Ferry, WV | 06/28/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I was stunned to just read a review stating Whisper Tames the Lion is "ok". Its dated from 2002, so that might justify the reviewer coming in post-D&C heyday in the Southeast where I was fortunate to see them in the early days. Any D&C listener from the start knows that Scarred but Smarter (preceding Whisper) was great and that Whisper Tames the Lion is magnificent, more mature, full bodied and thick - like a fine evening sitting on the cabin porch, sun about to set, feeling fine and your friends playing good music and singing. When Mystery Road hit, most D&C people I know wondered what was going on. Then Fly Me came along we realized what the big labels can make a good band do on record - homogenize and fizzle. Sounded like a ballon slowly loosing air. Whisper Tames the Lion is rich with melodic, smooth, pensive, rich, and rough and thoughtful...steel guitar, great chords and major hooks - its been one of my favorite recordings for almost 13 years. From the opening to closing notes - maybe its because I'm from the Blue Ridge (blue ridge ways, song 13), this is one of the few recordings I have that I cherish each and every song. This is one of the original, pre-whiskeytown / tupelo / blue mountain y'all-ternative recordings of all time. Get it."

The older stuff does it

Ben Hodges | Atlanta | 10/21/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This marks the last of the Drivin' n' Cryin' "old sound" that managed to peek out a few times in Mystery Road. When it's rocking, it's a bit more raw. When it's country, it's a bit more authentic.



This is a terrific Southern rock album, and it's easily D'n'C''s second best record. After this, their sound branched out into more commercial areas. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but the real sound stopped after this record. I still love all their records, but they never recovered the energy and sweetness of their first two records.



So you must get Scarred but Smarter and Whisper Tames the Lion!"

Before the Drive-By Truckers, there was DNC...

Avenell Road | GA, United States | 11/05/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"It irks the heck out of me how Drivin'n'Cryin' has been written out of music history. Their combination of eloquent folk/bluegrass stylings alternating with screaming loud Southern metal leveled an entire generation down here where I live.



DNC's basic premise was pure genius: that there was nothing inherently wrong with the *concept* of Southern Rock; it simply failed in execution because the lyrics were at best cretinous and at worst racist. So DNC put literate, empathetic lyrics to it and voila: the blueprint of Americana, y'all.



"Whisper Tames the Lion" is a good starting point to get to know DNC. "Powerhouse" is one of their legendary showstoppers to this day, and "On A Clear Daze" and "The Friend Song" usually feature in singer Kevn Kinney's solo performances.



Eclectic, dramatic, exciting stuff, and no Americana fan should even think about missing this."