SaltWire E-Edition

New recording packs big punch

Ascension from the Tedeschi Trucks Band part of an ongoing series

DOUG GALLANT dpagallant@gmail.com @Peiguardian

In an industry where so much emphasis is placed on coming up with snappy singles for radio, it’s always encouraging to see there are still acts out there that are far more interested in producing works of substance, works that will play in your head long after the lights go down and the crowd goes home.

And there are few better examples of that than the Tedeschi Trucks Band, the Grammy Award-winning rock and soul act headed by Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi.

They’ve just released I Am The Moon: Episode II. Ascension, the second of four instalments in their ambitious I Am The Moon album series, as well as the album-length companion video that goes with it.

Emotionally driven by the isolation and disconnection of the pandemic era, this series, which will include corresponding films for every record and 24 original songs, was inspired by the epic poem, Layla and Majnun, a mythic tale of star-crossed lovers written by 12thcentury Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi. That same poem inspired Eric Clapton’s Layla.

I Am The Moon was written collectively and collaboratively, with all 12 band members contributing their perspectives on the poem. The first instalment in the series I Am The Moon: Episode I. Crescent was hailed by Rolling Stone as “one of the strongest pieces of music they’ve ever done”. In that review, they went on to marvel at the ambitious scope of the album’s material.

“Who even dares to do anything like this anymore?”

This second instalment is no less inspirational and deserves no less attention. The focus of the material on Ascension is the relationship between love and pain, a relationship that at one time or another has affected us all. Here, it is seen from a number of different perspectives because, as previously indicated, every band member was encouraged to contribute his thoughts.

Musically, the seven songs draw more from southern soul and R&B than the first record did, and the overall feel is a little more laid back. Even so, there’s much to get excited about in terms of what they’re churning out here, and the vibe is irresistible.

The Tedeschi Trucks Band is one of the most exciting acts to see on stage and they never disappoint. I could listen to Tedeschi’s soulful vocals all day, and Trucks is a brilliant guitarist. But then everyone here is solid. The depth of the talent in this band is so overwhelming it’s almost embarrassing.

If at all possible, you should listen to the album while watching the album-length video produced to accompany it. The videos produced for I Am The Moon feature a deep array of psychedelic imagery, vibrant colours and sculptures.

Many of those scenes were shot at Pasaquan, the internationally renowned arts site in Buena Vista, Ga.

These immersive films offer fans the chance to experience the music as the band intended, in an unbroken, communal setting.

The next two releases in this series will be released as follows: I Am The Moon: III.

The Fall - film premiere on July 26 and album release on July 29; I Am The Moon: IV. Farewell - film premiere on Aug. 23 and album release on Aug. 26.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Doug Gallant is a freelance writer and well-known connoisseur of a wide variety of music. His On Track column will appear in The Guardian every second Thursday. To comment on what he has to say or to offer suggestions for future reviews, email him at dpagallant@gmail.com.

FRONT PAGE

en-ca

2022-07-07T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-07-07T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://saltwire.pressreader.com/article/281741273125179

SaltWire Network