Customer Reviews

Joyful Noise

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Some of the reviews here are quite funny. Some folks don't like this album because it dares to be different. It doesn't sound like the Allman Brothers or Albert King or Howlin Wolf or B.B. King or Freddie King or any other blues legend. What these other reviewers apparently fail to understand is that the Derek Trucks Band is trying to create ORIGINAL music here. Not just make an easy buck by covering songs already done by other people. Just because DT has a side gig playing in the Allman Brother's Band doesn't mean he's trying to be Duane Allman. He's trying to be Derek Trucks and I think they succeed marvelously. I love this album.

I've seen the Derek Trucks Band perform live. In fact, I stood about 15 feet in front of him recently in a small club while he played for 2 hours. You truly cannot appreciate this young man's talent until you've seen him play live. The speed and precision with which he plays slide guitar are dizzying. And his ability to switch back and forth between playing with and without the slide in the same song is amazing. One of the best measures of a musician's true talent is how well they can perform live on stage the great sounds you hear on the album. Derek Trucks live tone is every bit as wonderful as it is on the album.

No, this is not a traditional blues rock album. It's a mixture of blues, jazz, Indian, and African rhythms combined with awesome guitar playing and I think it's absolutely terrific.

Each track on this CD is of a different musical style-Blues, Rock, Jazz, Soul, Jazz-Fusion, Eastern and Latin. There are many guests artists from the various musical styles. But, it all has a commonality in sound, being built around Derek Truck's slide guitar and the continuity of the rest of the band. The CD is around 55 minutes long and the sound quality is excellent.

It is great to hear an artist experiment with styles. Doing it all on one CD prevents the CD from getting boring. However, doing too much can make an album very uneven. There is a little of that on this CD. And the band is not totally successful in all music styles.

There are some great tracks on this CD. The Blues, Rock and Soul songs are all excellent. The Jazz-Fusion track, Look-Out 31 may be the best thing on the CD. It is better than much of the lastest work from fusion superstars like Chick Corea and Al DiMeola.

There are some lesser tracks that pull this down from a five star rating. Every Good Boy is a silly keyboard solo. It sounds like a cross between Don't Sit Under the Apple, and the theme song to Sugar Crisp cereal (Can't Get Enough of Sugar Crisp, Sugar Crisp, Sugar Crisp). Maki Mandi, is an interesting Indian tune, but at over 8 minutes it gets repetitive and goes on a little bit too long. Kam-Ma-Lay is a very nice Latin tune, along the lines of Santana, but doesn't compare witht the best of Santana. It reminds me of Santana wannabe's from the seventies (like Malo, which feature Carlos Santana's brother).

This is a very good CD. Some complain because it explores new areas and is not just Southern boogie or blues. If that is all you want, then you shouldn't buy this CD. If you like new and different, played very well, then this is a small treasure.

Once again Derek displays varied influences and awsome ability. A great improvement over his second album, Joyful Noise returns to a more jazz-world music arena, but still provides some good blues and soul tracks. He has yet to stretch and scream as much as his intial release, a blazing set of grinding licks, smooth amazing slide work and classic jazz. But at least he is not boxed into the blues setlist that dominated the second record. The song selection on Joyful Noise is widespread and the guests are many, which can distract the listener. But the Joyful Noise makes for a Joyful trip.

For starters, I am a little disapointed in this album, but that does not mean that it is not a good record. Personally, I enjoyed "out of the Madness" a lot more because I like the blues. However, on this album Derek runs the gauntlet with a diverse set ranging from blues, soul, jazz, and what sounds egyptian, not sure but it is cool. This kid is a great player, no doubt about it, but this set is to diverse for me to get into it. However, you have to give Derek credit for making an album that is so diverse because most artist never change or evolve, he is great talent, but I will stick to the blues.

Trucks has a wonderful slide style. He's so smooth. This CD has a type of worldbeat quality to it. I love that stuff! The first track has such a great groove to it (you can hear that Allman Brothers influence) but then you hear Ruben Blades on Kam-mo-lay and there's a hint of Santana. However, Derek's own personal style is definitely not lost on any of the tracks. If you love slide guitar players and especially if you are a musician , you will definitely appreciate the "Joyful Noise" in The Derek Trucks Band!

Derek Trucks has one of the greatest guitar tones i've ever heard, and his choice of songs is perfect. This is one of my most played cds, especially the tracks with Solomon Burke. Joyful Noise, the first track, sounds like Robert Randolph. The variety of the cd keeps it fresh throughout, and Trucks' command of his guitar is phenomenal. If you like slide guitar, buy this cd right now. Also recommended for Allman Bros. fans, this guy is the next Duane

I am a big Allman Brothers fan, and I must say, Derek has done an incredible job of "replacing" both Dickey and Duane.

This CD is so diverse in musical styles! I just love the Qawwali song. It is so hypnotic. It is like Derek is matching Rahat Fateh Ali Khan's voice note for note. Very cool.

This album is a lot like Santana's Supernatural, but without so much pop appeal, which is what I like.

If you are looking for an Allman Bros./Gov't Mule album, get his first album. If you want to hear some fresh, creative music, get this album.

This is an amazing album. I am a steel guitarist playing in the Sacred Steel tradition, and Derek's playing completely floors me in his touch, his tone, his control, his feel. Without a doubt the best slide player I have ever heard. I simply had not known that the slide guitar was capable of so much sensitivity and complexity. What is most impressive is Derek's artistic judgement ... and play with feeling. My only criticism is that the album displays so many facits of his playing that it doesn't seem to have a unifying theme, but that it minor indeed. What an amazing musician.

After being a bit dissapointed by previous 'CHILD PHENOMS' I approched this with caution. No need, TRUCKS delivers. This is a very ecclectic mix of musical styles, ranging from 'WORLD MUSIK' to BLUES and almost 'NEW AGE'. I can't recall another predominantly slide guitarists using his instrument in such varied ways. From the haunting arabic MAKI MAANI to the SALSA feel of KAM-MA-LAY and the BLUES/SOUL featuring SOLOMON BURKE on 3 tracks, everything is absloutely first class. Even TRACKS foray into JAZZ / IMPROV on the 2nd last track is nothing short of brilliant. If he gets any better, it will be scary. Being AUSTRALIEN I always thought DAVE HOLE is one of the best SLIDE players out there, but compared to someone like TRUCKS, DAVE HOLES limitations become obvious. No BLUES cliche's here and no pidgeon hole that could hold DEREK TRUCKS.

As a fan of blues, classic rock, and guitar I have to love this album. I cannot say that I am even a Derek Trucks fan either. This is the only album I've heard of his, and it has gone a long way to winning me as a fan. I normally am not keen on istramentalists, finding that without singing I become bored fast, and that is the main reason I probably stayed away from Trucks past outings, even though I had read positive reviews. This one though has a few numbers with guest vocalists and so I picked it up. In the end, though, it is Trucks and his tight band that are the stars. Most of the song lyrics are instantly forgetable, but I dare you to try and get the goove of the song out of your head after a listen.