The Derek Trucks Band – Already Free Review

2009 March 30

by Terry Godier

Derek Trucks - Already Free

Derek Trucks returns home to create what is destined to be one of the years finest albums.

Beginning his celebrated career at the impressive age of 9 years old, Derek Trucks no longer needs an introduction. Standing tall amidst the likes of Dwayne Allman, Eric Clapton and the blues greats of yesteryear, Trucks is renowned for his fluidity and sheer technical ability when unleashing staggering slide licks. Today, we take a look at The Derek Trucks Band’s most recent and finest effort to date: “Already Free”.

The album opens with a down home rendition of Dylan’s Down In The Flood, a track that has been covered by a handful of others (none so well as Truck’s soon-to-be definitive version). Mike Mattison’s smoky vocals perfectly compliment Truck’s rusty slide playing to establish one of the albums finest tracks.

Riding on the steam of the opening track, Trucks is back with a cover of Paul Pena’s Something to Make You Happy – a stomping, jazzy number that sounds as expansive as it does funky.

Near the middle of the album, we’re once again left in awe at another classic cut - Don’t Miss Me - one of the albums best tracks, a bluesy, gritty jam with a great slide guitar chorus.

For a slight departure from the raw, bluesy tracks that thus far have made up the album, guest star Doyle Bramhall II joins up for the soul tinged ballad, Our Love. This begins a series of thoughtful, laid back tunes that climaxes with the beautiful Back Where I Started, an acoustic track that pairs husband and wife Derek with Susan Tedeschi.

The diversity of the albums speaks volumes about Truck’s vast influences. Historically drawing on the sounds of world music, Already Free is a trip back home for the DTB in more ways than one. Interestingly enough, the album was recorded and engineered by Trucks himself in his newly built home studio. Never short on creativity, Trucks finds a way to grab a handful of genres and blend them into a cohesive mixture that’s gritty, airy, smoky and swampy all at the same time.

The bottom line: Derek Trucks is proving himself time and time again, and more aggressively with each successive album. This is undeniably one of 2009’s standout albums. It smells like summer air, feels like a party, and it sounds like home.

Standout Tracks: Down in the Flood, Don’t Miss Me, Our Love, Back Where I Started, Already Free