Tedeschi Trucks Band – Future Soul
Swamp Family Music
11 tracks/42 minutes
Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks and their band are one of the hottest items in the blues rock world. Some write them off as a a rock band, but they are truly more than that.
I’ve watched Trucks expand his repertoire over the years. Adding his wife to the band certainly places a larger emphasis on the blues and roots music in their releases and shows. What I’ve always felt is that Derek grew up in the shadow of the Allman Brothers and internalized the essence of what Duane Allman was doing before his untimely passing. Duane spent years at Muscle Shoals and gained a superb knowledge of so many genres of music. I see what Truck has done as a continuation of where the Allman Brothers might have gone had Duane lived on. The deep ties to the blues, the jazzy and improvisational nature of the jams that are so much more than just a local jam, the R&B infusion into the mix, the expansion of instrumental use in the music, a strong set of vocalists to lead and back the band, and just an amazing depth of knowledge and feeling for what makes music tick.
This album offers us 11 new songs to savor. Susan fronts the band for ten of the cuts and plays guitar on most of them. Mike Mattison is up front for “Under The Knife.” Trucks, of course, is on lead guitar. Mattison sings on all but one track and adds his guitar to many of them. Brandon Boone is primarily on bass; also appearing on bass is Mike Elizondo. Tyler Greenwell and Isaac Eady share the drumming duties. On B3 and keyboards is Gabe Dixon. Adding backing vocals and percussion are Alecia Chakpur and Mark Rivers. Horns are provided by Emmanuel Echem (trumpet), Elizabeth Lea (trombone) and Kebbi Williams (sax). Elizondo also adds keys to a few tracks. Austin Hoke is on cello and Abe rounds is on percussion for “Shout Out.”
“Crazy Cryin’” gets the album started. It’s a cut with a slick groove and features Tedeschi singing of a relationship that has not worked out. It’s funky and cool, and Trucks comes in with an amazing short guitar solo late in the cut that makes it even better. Backing vocals add nicely to the mix.
Next is “I Got You” with some acoustic guitar added to the electric guitar. It’s an up tempo and fun love song. Derek offers an early restrained guitar solo. The organ and horns are sweet in support here as are the backing vocals. Trucks takes us home with a prolonged guitar solo that eventually fades to wrap it up.
“Who Am I” is a pretty ballad that Susan sings with passion as Trucks strums out some equally pretty licks with restrained poignancy until the end when he lets go to again take us home with some vibrant signature guitar to enjoy.
Up next is “Hero” is a passionate and emotional cut where Tedeshi pleads to leave where they are at as she reiterates the theme as she sings, “I’m not your hero, I’m number zero.” The song builds into a dervish of instrumental anguish to conclude, a wild ride that finally comes to resolution.
“What In The World” is another cut with sweet acoustic guitars, some ethereal organ and horns. and Tedeschi testifying with true feeling. Trucks steps in to punctuate the tune with his electric slide guitar. Beautiful stuff here.
The title track is next and picks the pace up significantly. Vibrant guitar, strident vocals and a driving beat make this one a winner. Trucks offers a concluding solo to once again finish things off and it’s in your face and it’s just wickedly cool guitar.
Mattison leads the fray for “Under the Knife,” a song with a very cool groove, great horns and a sweet pacing that makes the song interesting. Derek offers up an echoey guitar solo and Susan backs Mike to add a nice touch to the sound.
“Be Kind” bounces along with the horns and organ helping to drive the song as the electric guitars layer over each other to cool effect. Dixon adds a sweet and distorted piano solo that is quite cool. Overall, it’s a driving and fun number.
Then it’s time for “Devil Be Gone,” as Tedeschi casts our the devil while the guitar rings loud and clear in support of that idea. It’s a driving and vital cut with a heavy beat and the players and the singers give it their all in support. Susan and Derek take us home vocally and on guitar on this one.
“Shout Out” is a lighter track with Tedeschi shouting out to ask the person to return to her for support. It’s got a ton of feeling and the cut builds and builds in vocal and instrumental intensity to hearken the person to return. Nicely done.
The album concludes with “Ride On,” where Tedeschi sings, ”I guess I’m just along for the ride.” The songs is a country/southern rocker that is emotive and quite slick. Slide guitar adds emotion to the sing as Trucks wails his way to the end to add to the tension and feeling.
This is another superb studio album for Tedeschi and Trucks. Every song is crafted well to allow each musician to become part of the continuum they create in every song. I truly loved this album; it is another winner for the band that will garner many an accolade for them. Well done!
