Outside Perspectives Can Help Shake Things Up

Tedeschi Trucks Band released their sixth studio album, “Future Soul,” this week via Fantasy Records.

The album includes the previously released singles “I Got You” and “Who Am I,” as well as the album’s title track. All of which were performed this month on TV on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” The Kimmel broadcast in turn was actually a live feed from New York City’s Beacon Theatre, where the ensemble is completing a 10-show, sold-out residency.

“I feel like this is the most unique record we’ve done,” guitarist Derek Trucks said in the Concord Records press release.  “It’s my favorite collection of songs that we’ve ever put on a record. From song to song, there’s just not a weak spot.”

The majority of the songwriting on the 11-track album was done by Trucks with singer, songwriter, and guitarist Susan Tedeschi, and bandmates Mike Mattison, Gabe Dixon, and Tyler Greenwell. With the music, which relies uniquely on 12-piece, full-band collaboration, sonically pulling from a variety of influences including funk, rock ‘n roll, blues, soul, and punk.

In a first for the band, the album was produced by Mike Elizondo (Twenty One Pilots, Eminem, Dr. Dre, Carrie Underwood) and co-produced by Trucks.

“We wanted to shake things up,” said Trucks.

The album is the follow-up to the band’s 2022 conceptual quadruple studio album, “I Am The Moon.” As well as their 2025 live release, “Tedeschi Trucks Band and Leon Russell Present: Mad Dogs & Englishmen Revisited (LIVE AT LOCKN’).”

At Glide Magazine, Jim Hynes says new management and the outside perspective of new producer Elizondo perhaps account for the shift toward more radio-friendly, albeit less exploratory turf.

That said, Hynes remarks, “Future Soul” is also arguably the ensemble’s most fully rounded album to date. Coming close to the cliché of “all killer, no filler.”

While “I Am the Moon” was more inner-directed, Hynes says, “Future Soul” is more outward-directed. Although some fans will miss the lengthy improvisatory solos, the band will still likely bring those to the live shows.

It all seems to show how outside perspectives can help bring both new energy, and consistent quality to creative output.