Back To The River

Performer: Susan Tedeschi
Producer: Derek Trucks; George Drakoulias
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: Personnel: Susan Tedeschi (vocals, guitars, background vocals); Matt Slocum (piano, keyboards); Ted Pecchio (bass guitar); Tyler Greenwell (drums, percussion); Dave Yoke. Additional personnel: Derek Trucks (guitars, slide guitar); Doyle Bramhall II, Gary Louris (guitars, background vocals); Josh Stewart, Brendan O'Brien (guitars); Kyle Newmaster, Jamie Hovorka (trumpet); Jeremy Levy (trombone); Robert Walter (keyboards); George Drakoulias (percussion, background vocals); Julia Waters, Maxine Willard Waters (background vocals); Robert Hardt, Alex Budman. While its predecessor, 2005's HOPE AND DESIRE, found blues-rocker Susan Tedeschi getting on a soul train, BACK TO THE RIVER represents that phrase beloved by hardcore fans of any artist, "a return to form." Tedeschi is back to the hard-hitting, bluesy sound with which she made her name, and her joy at this stylistic homecoming is clearly audible; you can hear it both in the throaty abandon of her vocals and in the unfettered fury with which she digs into her guitar solos. While there's still a soul flavor present in some of the tracks here, it takes a back seat to the visceral, string-bending, blues-belting sound that will forever be identified as Tedeschi's true trademark. With a vibrant, versatile voice (sounding at times like an inspired mix of Janis Joplin and Bonnie Raitt) capable of adding subtle emotional shifts to slow-burning ballads or rocking out with the big boys, Susan Tedeschi burst on the scene at the close of the 1990s like a breath of fresh air in an era of prefab MTV teen idols. Like Raitt, Tedeschi works from a blues base, but she mixes in a strong sense of R&B and gospel, and with Back to the River, her second release for Verve Forecast, she shows that she's really starting to find herself as a songwriter, as well. Tedeschi wrote or co-wrote all but one of the 11 tracks here, and while one could still say these songs are based in her beloved blues, like Raitt, she has branched out from there to become a solid pop artist with a real and accessible vision, and the blues is just the engine under the hood. There are some wonderful moments here, including the big and funky title track, "Back to the River," which Tedeschi co-wrote with swamp pop master Tony Joe White, the sincere and solid "Learning the Hard Way," co-written with Gary Louris of the Jayhawks, and the impressive "Butterfly," which Tedeschi' co-wrote with her husband, Derek Trucks. The lone cover, a marvelous, horn-driven version of Allen Toussaint's "There's a Break in the Road" (originally recorded in 1969 by Betty Harris), fits seamlessly in with the newer material. Then there is Tedeschi's voice, which is a wonderful instrument, strong and hushed by turns, and she carries the full weight of the world's possibilities when she sings, ranging from wounded to determined, delicate to brash, always getting to the emotional center of the song. Tedeschi has already put out some great albums but as she continues to grow as a songwriter, her best work may still be in the future. Meanwhile, Back to the River will serve fans just fine. ~ Steve Leggett

Dirty Linen (p.42) - "[S]he draws from a variety of Southern sounds including blues, gospel, R&B, and swamp rock to create a potent mix that's as hot as the Mississippi sun on an old tar road." Q (Magazine) (p.117) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "BACK TO THE RIVER is never less than a solid showcase..."

Boston-born blues singer/guitarist Susan Tedeschi built up a strong grass-roots following in the '90s with her forward-looking style, which combined classic blues with soul, pop, and a dash of rock. She's as comfortable covering material by Al Green or John Prine as she is tackling a Junior Wells or Big Mama Thornton chestnut. Married to Allman Brothers Band guitarist Derek Trucks (a solo artist in his own right), she's a favorite on the jam-band circuit as well as a blues festival regular.

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