A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE PATTERSON HOOD

Patterson Hood is good at writing pretty songs about not-so-pretty things.

Drug addiction, rural desperation, postwar PTSD, blue-collar oppression, the death of music scenes, and American dreams—for more than 30 years, Hood has deftly paired everyday devastations with twangy melodies and snarling guitars. He’s expanded the compendium of Southern rock with Drive-By Truckers and as a solo artist.