[rating=4.00]
It seems like everybody has been talking about the, now, Grammy Award-winning Tedeschi Trucks Band since its original formation in the late 2008 early 2009 timeframe. In fact, each of the last three years has been especially stellar for the ensemble, and the days have seemed to only get better and better. Revelator captured audiences across the globe when it debuted in June of last year, taking home the Grammy this year for Best Blues Album, and since, the band has continued touring heavily in support. The live atmosphere is what truly defines the power behind the 11-piece group that formulates the Tedeschi Trucks Band, and now that energy has translated itself into a 2-disc live album titled, Everybody’s Talkin’.
Throughout the recording, a vibrant sense of musical imagery is instilled. It’s as if the musicians’ thought pattern is projected directly, and more openly, and the blend of sounds is so natural. Try listening closely to each of the individual layers that build the foundation. The opportunity for extensive solos in the live setting gives the listener a closer look into the expansive talent of the band. Onstage, Derek Trucks unleashes during climaxes of the arrangements, when the definitive heightened notes are reached his slide playing taking on a voice of its own. Trucks’ ability to switch gears so effectively from controlled band leader to full throttle is based around patience and momentum. In “Bound For Glory,” the idea of building the song back up injects more energy to the performance, and as all other elements are pulled together, Trucks’ unrestraint truly comes alive.
The soulful thrust of Susan Tedeschi is what gives life to the physical expressionism of the Tedeschi Trucks Band the most. Her dynamic voice has the ability to create soothing melodies on “Midnight In Harlem” and Joe Cocker’s “Darling Be Home Soon,” while providing incredible force on “Learn How To Love” and “Love Has Something Else To Say.”
The fact is that right now there is simply nothing stopping the Tedeschi Trucks Band. If the current state of this band describes its immediate outlook for the future, the unit may be headed back to Swamp Raga to spend some time in the near future. The Tedeschi Trucks Band is in a separate class of professionalism, and Everybody’s Talkin’ depicts that representation most effectively.
