Six albums into their career, the Tedeschi Trucks Band is really good at being the Tedeschi Trucks Band. That might sound like a throwaway statement, but when being the Tedeschi Trucks Band requires balancing countless genres and influences, as well as more than 10 band members, one can only imagine the challenges.
On “Future Soul,” singer-guitarist Susan Tedeschi, her husband, the guitarist Derek Trucks, and their cohorts distill everything that has made the band a hot live act since its 2010 formation into succinct, digestible but exciting bites, where Trucks’ incendiary playing is a feature but not a focus. At is core, “Future Soul” is a songwriters’ album, with pleasing melodies, memorable choruses and poignant themes anchoring the 11 songs.
The band gallops out of the gate with the blues rocker “Crazy Cryin’,” before the country breeze of “I Got You,” Tedeschi singing, “Don’t forget to miss me when I’m gone.” Tinkling piano and strummed guitar give the tune some air; TTB, like its forebears the Allman Brothers Band, can be a clattering freight train when it wants to, but it can also take you on a nice Sunday ride. Trucks plays a nice solo as the song fades out.
“Who Am I” is a gentle ballad with the musical lilt of Van Morrison. “Hero” is a bit of a departure, expanding the band’s palate beyond roots rock into indie: the atmosphere and insistent beat of the verses recalls The National, and the instrumental break owes more to Built To Spill than the Grateful Dead. Tedeschi wails on the chorus: “I’m not your hero/ I’m number zero.”
“What In The World” explores another mood, building on a 6/8-time groove and acoustic guitar, and the title track is bluesy hard rock, with some effects on Trucks’ solo. Mike Mattison takes lead vocals on the New Orleans-y “Under The Knife.” “Devil Be Gone” is powerful, classic TTB: a swampy blues shuffle, with Fender Rhodes swimming atop Trucks’ simmering guitar. The spooky verses give way to triumphant choruses, spiced by gospel-tinged backing vocals.
Equally surprising as “Hero” is “Shout Out,” with bright melodies bringing to mind Burt Bacharach, the horn section helping flesh out the lush pop feel.
Rather than closing with a blistering rocker, TTB go for a gentle send-off with “Ride On,” a short, pleasant tune, with Trucks taking a restrained and tasteful solo.
“Future Soul” is the type of album that should win over new fans, including those that don’t know or don’t care about the group’s lineage, its annual sold-out run at the Beacon Theatre or Trucks’ place among the best guitarists of the past 100 years. But this is not at the cost of disappointing or confusing its diehard listeners. If this is the future of soul, its in good hands.
Rating: 79/81
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