Joyful Noise

The third album from guitar phenom Derek Trucks resounds with joyful noise indeed, and amazingly, it seems as though Trucks and his band run through (at least) 10 distinct genres across these 10 songs. Trucks may venture all over the musical map--blues, soul, jazz, Eastern music, to name a few stops--but he does so with a confidence and assertiveness usually found in much older musicians. Then again, he is the nephew of Butch Trucks (a fellow member of the Allman Brothers Band, Trucks's moonlighting gig) and is married to fellow guitar wiz Susan Tedeschi (who guests on this album), so it's not surprising that he seems experienced beyond his years. Joyful Noise features a host of guest artists--including Qawwali singer Rahat Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and soul legend Solomon Burke--but despite the considerable variety here, the album maintains a unified, if high-flying and eclectic, vision. Even at such a young age, Trucks already plays with skill, invention, and heart. --Genevieve Williams