Between the years 2004 and 2007 the Drive-By Truckers maintained the same line-up for the first time in their nearly ten-year existence. While guitarists and vocalists Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley remain the core of the band based in Athens, Geor., drummers, bassists and others have come and gone and returned.

Brad Morgan has been a constant behind the drums since 2001, while bassist Shonna Tucker joined the group before 2004’s The Dirty South. Guitarist and singer Jason Isbell recorded three albums with the group, starting with 2003’s Decoration Day.

But in April 2006 Hood announced that Isbell would be leaving the Truckers to pursue a solo career. After three years and two albums the line-up would change again.

They wasted no time getting back into action. Bringing back original member John Neff and adding the legendary keyboardist Spooner Oldham (who appears on classics by Aretha Franklin and Neil Young, among others), they spent most of 2007 touring. Between time on the road they recorded their eighth album, Brighter Than Creation’s Dark.

“It’s a rock record,” Hood says. “It’s a continuation of our regular sound, but it puts the slant in some different places, is a little more subtle in some places.”

Oldham stuck around to record on a few tracks on the new album. Tucker contributed songs and lead vocals for the first time as a member of the group. While the Truckers are best known for their “wall of guitar” sound, Neff is by no means simply filling the role of Isbell.

“John is an incredible guitar player, but he also plays lap and pedal steel,” Hood says. “We can utilize him in all sorts of ways, and he is all about servicing the song.”

During all this, the band also found time to collaborate with Bettye LaVette on the Grammy-nominated album Scene of the Crime. They jumped at the chance to back LaVette, who has been recording since the early-1960s.

“It was extremely hard and she didn’t necessarily trust us. She thought we were going to bury her singing under a wall of guitars,” Hood says. “She came in armed and ready to fight.”

Lavette has had a long career of high hopes and disappointments. In 1972 her first LP was set to be released by Atlantic, but was dropped. She did not record again until 1982. Scene of the Crime helped to solidify her recent comeback.

“We spent 10 days in the studio with her yelling at us,” Hood says. “Sometimes we had to pull ourselves together and say she’s this way for a reason. And I couldn’t be prouder of the record we made.”

Brighter Than Creation’s Dark, released Jan. 22, features a whopping 19 songs. Long-time collaborator David Barbe, who played with Bob Mould’s Sugar and produced Lavette again acts as producer for the band.

An acoustic summer tour in 2007 let the group road test about half the songs before entering the studio. Cooley and Hood provided most of the material, but bassist Tucker provided three songs.

“Shonna has been writing music as long as I have known her,” Hood says. “This has been the first album that she has had time to take on new roles in the band. We’re glad to have her doing it, breaking up the boy’s club aspect of the group.”

Most of the time in the studio was spent on lead and harmony vocals. The band records most of their songs live, then goes back and makes sure the vocals are just right. They record relatively fast, which Hood attributes to drummer Morgan’s “first-take ability” and each members good taste and bent for minimalism.

“We’re all conscientious about serving the song,” he says. “John will be the first one to say ‘this song doesn’t need a solo here.’ I try to surround myself with folks who can kick my ass as a player.”

The Drive-By Truckers will be on tour for almost all of 2008 in support of the new album. Brighter Than Creation’s Dark is available on CD and vinyl and is in stores now.