Album Reviews

Album Reviews: Already Free by Derek Trucks

From child guitar prodigy at nine to official member of The Allman Brothers to founder of his own band at the ripe old age of 15, it would be an understatement to say that Derek Trucks has done alright for himself. The beauty of Trucks' career is that no matter what he did he always sounded accomplished beyond his years, which is why Already Free could be mistaken for an album made by an elder southern rock icon who rediscovered his blues and soul roots.

Already Free features a mix of southern fried blues and R&B with light jazz elements, led by Trucks' signature slide guitar heroics and solid songwriting. From the gospel flavoring of old classic “Sweet Inspiration” to the funky vibes of “Miss me when I’m Gone” to the boogie shuffle of “Get what you deserve” to a hot ‘n moving interpretation of Bob Dylan's "Down in the Flood," Trucks pays respect to his influence without sounding contrived. "Back to Where I Started" even features wife Susan Tedeschi on lead vocals, giving it a vaguely Bonnie Raitt feel. Trucks' slide prowess alone is worth the price of admission. Fortunately, the guy knows how to write a song too.

—Scott Alisoglu
02.06.09