#277: Jeff Beck - Truth (1968)

Zack: My dad is a pretty big Jeff Beck fan (although a bigger fan of Eric Johnson, not that there’s a natural competition between the two), so I’ve been exposed to the virtuosity that is Beck shredding. I’ve also listened to a decent amount of The Yardbirds, especially Beck-era (Jeff’s Boogie, anyone?). So I knew what to expect from Truth, even if I had never listened to this particular album before. And I certainly wasn’t surprised by much of what I heard, except for the fact that there were certainly about infinity times more tracks with vocals than I expected. Apparently, that’s because Rod Stewart was an early member of Jeff Beck Group, something I did not nor really wanted to know. The whole album is filled to the brim with notable cameos, including Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and Keith Moon all on the world-shattering Beck’s Bolero. But more important than all the famous Faces (see what I did there?) are all the genres being blended together to form a beautiful bisque of guitar mastery. Blues, psychedelic, and heavy metal all get stirred together in Beck’s capable hands and nimble fingers in a way that is unique and that lets you know that a master is at work.

Favorite Tracks: Beck’s Bolero; Morning Dew; I Ain’t Superstitious

Emily: I actually listened to Truth a few weeks ago on an early-morning train ride to DC. I was computer-less on my journey, so I couldn't actually write anything at the time. Once I got home later that afternoon, I was tired and couldn't think of anything to write. I told myself that I would get back to it as soon as I could. Well, the end of the semester had gotten in the way so I didn't exactly have the time for leisurely blogging activities. Now, though, I am done with class and in the midst of preparing for finals. Since I'm not one to be able to focus for hours and hours on end, I need a few breaks in between outlines, studying, and practice exams. Forty-five minutes or so does the trick; consequently, many of the albums on our list are about forty-five minutes long. The point of that summary of my life at the moment is this: I foresee much blogging between now and next Thursday. And that (finally) brings me to Jeff Beck. I still don't know much about his guitar virtuosity beyond a cursory skim of Wikipedia and Zack's review, but this album really demonstrated what he's all about. With blues guitar at the core, Beck and his band blend together multiple genres of rock into a sound that's unique for its time and definitely classic today.

Favorite Tracks: Blues de Luxe; Let Me Love You; I Ain't Superstitious