Patterson Hood, bearded rock troubadour and frontman for the legendary Drive-By Truckers, recently played a solo show in Charleston and opened up to the local press about the follow-up to Killers and Stars, his 2001 solo album. Apparently, Murdering Oscar is in the can, but remains in limbo due to "discussions" with New West, the label that recently lost the services of the DBT:

"It's still on hold. It got all tied up when we parted ways with New West. I had a clause in the contract giving me the right to do a solo record, and for them to have the right of first refusal on it. We never could come to a deal, though. I ended up sitting on it for three years. Now that our deal is over, I'm wanting to walk with it. I own it. It's mine altogether, and yet they still kind of have a weird claim to it. We haven't been able to hash it out. I'd really like to put it out early next year when there's a break with the band stuff."

Though Murdering Oscar is not likely to see the light of day anytime soon, Hood and the other Drive-By Truckers have a series of upcoming dates scheduled with The Hold Steady. [Charleston City Paper]