Tedeschi Trucks Band – I Am The Moon: II. Ascension (LP Vinyl)

Learn more about this release in the Tedeschi Trucks Band's I Am The Moon: II announcement from July 2022 on jambands.com.

I Am The Moon: II. Ascension on black vinyl captures the second chapter of Tedeschi Trucks Band's four-album exploration of the 12th-century Persian poem Layla and Majnun. If the first chapter (Crescent) established the love story and the third (The Fall) documented its devastation, Ascension represents the journey toward transcendence—the spiritual and emotional climbing that happens when earthly love becomes impossible. Released in 2022 as part of TTB's most ambitious project, Ascension balances hope and longing, featuring some of the band's most uplifting and spiritually-searching material.

Ascension's songs emphasize movement and progression, both musically and lyrically. The arrangements build gradually, with TTB's 12-piece ensemble layering instruments and vocals to create ascending dynamics that mirror the album's thematic content. Derek Trucks' slide guitar work soars throughout, finding melodic lines that suggest reaching toward something beyond grasp, while Susan Tedeschi's vocals convey determination alongside vulnerability. The three-piece horn section (saxophone, trumpet, trombone) provides uplift and power, and the dual drummers create forward momentum that pushes the songs toward their emotional peaks.

What makes Ascension significant within the I Am The Moon suite is how it provides necessary uplift between the introduction (Crescent) and the devastation (The Fall), creating an emotional arc across the four albums. TTB's commitment to the narrative structure shows ambition rarely seen in contemporary rock and soul music. This black vinyl pressing preserves the dynamic range that makes Ascension work—the gradual builds from quiet introspection to full-band transcendence.

Single LP black vinyl. Part of four-album I Am The Moon suite. Released 2022. Produced by Bobby Tis. Uplifting chapter of a larger narrative.