Truth

Лучшая песня: Beck's Bolero Худшая песня: ? Отличный альбом, под который хотя бы не хочется спать (в отличие от большинства включённых в этот топ).

Solid blue guitarist and great guitar album!

Gostei muito da juncão de blues, jazz e rock. Vou voltar a este álbum com certeza.

Monster of a rock album. Absolutely beautiful

A real classic, Jeff's first solo album post Yardbirds, heavily featuring Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood, this is a great heavy blues-rock album. I've got the expanded CD reissue to listen to today, lots of bonus tracks.

Fun - reminds me of Paolo Nutini's newer stuff

This has to be one of the finest discoveries of the project for me. All I really knew of Jeff Beck was "Hi Ho Silver Lining" due to it's obligatory appearance at ever Xmas disco I ever attended. I never knew that he played amazing blues rock, backed by the likes of Rod Stewart (who's voice I have always liked, even though so many seem not to), and Ronnie Wood (also from Rolling Stones, one of my favourite bands), John Paul Jones (also from Led Zeppelin, another favourite), and the amazing late Keith Moon. And this album has everything that I like and expect from such a stellar line-up, so it's a ten-star for me and going straight into my Tidal library. Thank you 1001 Albums.

Great album. Jeff Beck’s guitar sound is unique and Rod Steward was great before he sold out.

This was great! I didn't really know a lot about Jeff Beck before diving into this. I think Rod Stewart's vocals caught me off guard (in a good way), but the true driving force of this record is Jeff's guitar. Its simultaneously grounding and ethereal. It takes you place, but its also the bread and butter of every song. One of my favorite things about late 60s / early 70s music is the homage to old timey songs. Rock, country and blues artists were all about the classics of their youth and those classics were some of the first recorded tracks in contemporary music. So the Morning Dew, Ol Man River and Greensleave covers were all so cool. Such a great take and direction with all of them. I really enjoyed this!

джеф бек охуенен, а альбом крышеснос, опередил свое время

Jeff is truly amongst the greatest guitarists ever. While this album may not have been the commercial success as those of his peers, it is a world class listen

# Album Name: Truth # Artist: Jeff Beck # Rating: 5/5 # Comments: Really enjoyed the feel and listen of this album. Quality throughout. # Top Tunes: Enjoyed the whole thing # Would I listen to it again? Yes

I really enjoy the energy and the emotion of the music and the emotion in his voice. I love the blues themes. Ol' Man River is a favorite of mine. Overall, great album.

This was quite the album for 1968 — it didn’t seem like there were albums like this at the time. Featuring one of easily the top 10 rock guitarists of all time, this featured a young, raw Rod Stewart on vocals, the ever-reliable Nicky Hopkins on keyboards, Led Zep’s own John Paul Jones and Jimmy Page, Ron Wood on bass, and even Keith Moon on one track. Great 60’s stereo production, songs by Beck and Stewart, blues legend Willie Dixon, Ol’ Man River from the 1927 musical Show Boat, the traditional ballad Greensleeves, a Jimmy Page track, and the Yardbirds gem Shapes of Things. I didn’t discover the album when it came out, probably more like mid-70’s after I got into Rod Stewart’s solo stuff. A fine album all around.

Pretty great

Genial, pero a la versión que escuché, que es a la que manda la página de 1001albumsgenerator, le hacen falta dos canciones. Así que me puse a buscar y hay una versión extendida no solo con esas dos canciones, trae muchas más, así que por supuesto le voy a dar una vuelta porque el ritmo y la guitarra de Beck son una locura. No estaba para nada familiarizado con su música y me encantó. Es de esos álbumes de los sesenta y setenta que uno escucha y sabe que está ante uno de los discos que le dieron una nueva cara al rock y cambiaron la historia de la música.

Perfect album!

As I was reading the article from Wikipedia about Jeff beck's "Truth". I found out that the album is one of the greatest examples of heavy metal influence. The overall album was excellent and probably one of the best one by far during my album generator run. Despite its easy and repetitive 12-bar-blues chord progression. The way Jeff Beck introduces unique guitar effects and melodic solo in his album is phenomenal. The ensemble itself is also entertaining, this is also evident through track 5 and the majority of the instrumental ensemble. Track 5 introduces a timpani like that adds a thunderstruck-like effect to add rhythmic interest. Moreover their instrumental tracks are also one of the most unique within the album. Track 6 features a very calming music with a bright and mellow guitar along with track 8 which contains a style of hard rock with overdriven guitar along with another piano that plays both the accompaniment and a melody. Undoubtedly, this is by far one of my favourite album so far due to its style which is blues-rock and hard-rock. And also the fact that Jeff Beck uses his guitar effects effectively to build interest and variety within the album.

Truthfull

Wow I don’t know what I was expecting but this exceeded it in every way. Feels like there’s no way this could have come out in ‘68. The whole album absolutely shreds and Beck’s Bolero is one of the best rock instrumentals I’ve heard. I was not familiar with Jeff Becks game, and I am now converted. Everything about this early hard rock album is perfect. Standout tracks: Beck’s Bolero and Morning Dew

A message from a different era. Rod’s pipes sounding great, a blues swamp and a great guitar sound.

This man actually assembled the Avengers for Beck’s Bolero. Incredible album. Very clear how this influenced the likes of Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin (bit of stretch since half the band is here). He’s a great guitar player and Rod Stewart’s vocals really work here.

This kicked ass

Love me some Jeff Beck

Hard to find fault with some good old fashioned blues. A lot of raw talent here. Rod Stewart is much better as part of a blues band with equal collaborators than he is as a solo artist.

Very nice. It reminds me of Led Zeppelin, guitar and piano. Would def listen to more of his stuff!

This was a sneaky album. I, foolishly, thought I was getting Beck. Oh no. No no no. This is so much better. And... You get Rod Stewart as a bonus! Rod Stewart touches something and it goes mega. The Scot has magic to him. It's not fair. My rating: 5/5

a Rock music master work... Jeff Beck... the guy who made sounds on the guitar like no other... long before he got bored with Rock and went jazzy... "Let Me Love You" is a great example of that... "Shapes of Things" opens the record up... and both songs feature the great vocalizations of Rod Stewart... the cover of "Morning Dew" is next... and then, if you thought this record "reminded" you of Led Zeppelin, "You Shook Me" comes on... and you remember that this album PRE-DATES Zep!!! "Rock My Plimsoul"... "Beck's Bolero"... and it all closes with "I Ain't Superstitious" a Rock standard... Five Stars... all day long...

That was tiiiiiiight, start to finish bangers. Elements of metal and psychedelia and staaaaanky guitars. Will be injecting directly into my eardrums

I had saved a detailed review before but I just lost it as I refreshed on my way for work, so here it is condensed. Great album, the guitar is the major standout with more expression than I have noted in the past. With no expectations, the technical skill was impressive but muddied with passion which I now view as a bigger boon than I would have just a few years ago. Two instrumentals on a debut album is bold, a cover of Greensleeves is even bolder, and for that bravery I have to give the utmost respect

Jeff Beck is an undisputed guitar prodigy. This is a great debut album. I've never liked Rod Stewart, but just like the albums from Faces, he's tolerable in this. Guitar work is outstanding, naturally. Blues Deluxe is one of my favourites, especially as it allowed for Joe Bonamassa to cover it (which I actually prefer)

I’ve overlooked this album in the past, but wow, just wow!

Guitar on this album is so great that it overcomes the Rod Stewart-esque vocals

I've always thought I should like Jeff Beck more than I do. His stuff is always good. His playing is always excellent. Lots of solid blues rock on this album. Rod sounds great. I think most of the albums I've heard with Nicky Hopkins, his piano playing has made them better.

This is the 96th album I’m rating. I only know him from the Yardbirds. I don’t like the Yardbirds. Honestly, I thought he was in Cream too but I just searched it up and that’s Jack Bruce. Adding to my Playlist - Shapes of Things, Let Me Love You, Morning Dew, You Shook Me, Ol’ Man River, Beck’s Bolero, and I Ain’t Superstitious. Not Adding to my Playlist - Greensleeves, Rock my Plimsoul, and Blues Deluxe. All in all I liked 7/10 songs. Pretty good and I’ve decided to be a little more strict on my 5 star ratings now so sorry Jeff Beck.

Is better than a falsehood.

Amazing musician with a mix of rock, blues and jazz.

Classic album, don't even need to listen to it. Definitely see where zeppelin got some early influences. Plus page and beck were friends

Rod loves to say ‘oh baby’

Fantastic. Great early 70s rock. Stewart's vocals are great. (5 known / 8 new)

I had heard this album before and appreciated it then. After reading more about it I have officially moved from appreciation to full on admiration. Rod Stewart’s vocals on here are epic, bluesy, nothing like the swaggering drunk romantic pop star of the 1980s. Ronnie Wood’s bass playing could only be better if it was John Paul Jones, which also happened on Bolero, along with Jimmy Paul on 12-string and pre-horse tranquilizer Keith Moon on drums. … it cannot be disputed the star of the show is Jeff Beck himself fresh off the Yardbirds and stretching his versatility as one of the best gunslingers out there. What I love about it is he isn’t a frontman, but a member of a group of musicians who love music, and the Dixon cover Ain’t Superstitious is a perfect example. I don’t know if this album is his best, but it was definite coming out party. This is a commit to vinyl kind of album for me…

What a star studded album!

Was für ein power-Album. Das ist sowas von abwechslungsreicher Rock, Bluesrock mir gigantischen Arrangements. Man weiß gar nicht, wann welches Instrument durch die Kopfhörer saust, man staunt einfach über die unglaublich kreative Hand der Macher, das aber so mitreißend ist, dass einem die Sprache ausbleibt vor Staunen. Für mich war das so erfrischend, dass es ab jetzt zu einen meiner besten Alben gehört.

Very nice!

My second favorite blues artist and he doesn't even strickly fall into the genre. Wears his influences on his sleeves and is better for it!

I'm surprised I liked this as much as I did

Great blues rock here, just top notch

Hit

This is Jeff Beck's masterclass on why he's one of the greatest guitar players ever. Totally transforming this album which would have been a good, if forgettable blues record into a must hear and memorable blues record. I don't like Rod Stewart's voice but I actually didn't mind it on this record

Beck’s guitar and Rod’s vocals are a match made in heaven. I like this so much more than I thought I would.

Verrukkelijk!

Jeff Beck doing his thing with great vox by Rod Stewart

DK // God damn. I don't know what was better on this album, the amazing beautiful vocals, the great guitar work, or the groovy piano on literally every track. I can't even pick a favourite song because they all bang so absolutely hard but to be honest, if I had to pick one right now it would be blues deluxe which is super super frustrating because it is not on streaming. The only real miss to me is the greensleeves instrumental track, especially when compared to the only other instrumental on the album. Rating - 5/5

Rod Stewards voice is unmistakable and Jeffs guitar work ground breaking. The album that shaped the hard blues - rock sound to come.

Pretty straightforward blues rock from the beginning, of course with excellent playing from Beck - one of the Old Masters of the mid-century white blues revival. The surprise if you're into guitar-based blues or rock music with the guitar player as the headliner is that Beck leaves tons of space for his collaborators, here. So much the better: the band (a young Rod Stewart singing, Ron Wood on bass and Micky Waller on drums) sounds as cohesive as you'd expect of three guys who had already been in bands together in various combinations. Stewart is an excellent choice, rasping and wailing to great effect. Ron Wood on bass (soon to return to guitar when he joins The Faces alongside Stewart) is a surprise standout, playing a very riffy four-string style reminiscent of Zeppelin's John Paul Jones (who shows up later on Beck's Bolero), but keeps lovely, groovy time. I'd never heard of Waller before this but it's clear why he featured prominently in so many bands of this genre - he's an ace. A note before I continue: I often identify music like this as "white blues"; it's not a put-down, but an acknowledgement that this is a branch of a musical family that was founded almost entirely by black musicians in the American South. Their work (hastily or scantly recorded, often) was not widely available or heavily promoted to mainstream (in its time, that means white) audiences, especially in the UK where Beck (and Clapton, Zeppelin, the Stones, Deep Purple, etc) was working. Players like Beck made important and valid contributions to the tradition, as well as helping within their means to popularize artists like Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf. Most knew their place in the scene and revered the originals but I feel it important to implicitly call out one of the things that helped Beck and his contemporaries break through to the mainstream: they were white, and so perceived as more marketable by record companies. Little Richard and Hendrix and others did break through, but Beck and Clapton et al had an unquestionable leg up. Mind you, Beck was a supreme talent. Naturally gifted, relentless in practice and a highly creative blues disciple, he continued arrangements, techniques, recording ideas and much more to the blues, to popular music and to the culture of guitar playing, writ large. This album features creative use of guitar effects, a spectacular sound from Beck's famous Stratocaster and wonderful arrangements of old and/or traditional tunes ("You Shook Me", "Old Man River", "Bolero"). Beck's Bolero is the first real departure from the blues roots (an adaptation of Ravel's famous composition). Everything works. And if you've listened to guitar-based music for more than a few years, pay attention on Truth -- you'll hear when more than a couple things you take for granted were invented. Innovative, engrossing, immensely listenable and *maybe* under the radar in 2023 as I write. Give this a few spins, as soon as you can.

Nice album, un bon album blues rock par un master de guitare. Pas si mal pour un premier album solo après yardbirds. 4.90

Com seu incrível talento na guitarra, Beck combina sem esforço os tons emocionantes do blues com a energia imponente do rock neste álbum. Temas clássicos de cada gênero são trazidos à vida de uma forma singular.

An outstanding album with a lot of superstars

JFC This is good. Never heard it before. Page, Stewart, Beck. My god.!

Enjoyed

This album was a big one for me. It showed me just how great a player Beck was, and it was within a song context. Great sound, and great band with Rod Stewart and Ron Wood sounding fantastic.

This band in general has always lived in the shadow of Led Zeppelin, who released their debut a few months later with a similar sound. It's sad this album while critically hailed never got popularity that Led Zeppelins albums did. It's a great album and it never get's much play. I love the this version of You Shook me, especially with contribution of Nicky Hopkins piano (who should be a household name but is not). Great versions of Morning Dew, Shape of Things and an awesome I ain't Superstitious. Plus the great Beck's Bolero instrumental, written by Page and also used in How Many times.

Excellent album, still holds up well.

Has a voice that reminds me a bit of Rod Stewart mixed with Led Zeppelin's lead. Guitar was definitely elite

Classic blues rock

Yes! This one ROCKS! I'd heard of Jeff Beck before but never listened to him much. Has those 60s Jimi Hendrix vibes but hits a little different.

Really good bruh, blues, rock, lyrics all on point

Loved it

Twisty, bendy, bluesy, trippy, surprisingly heavy. There really isn't anything Jeff Beck can't do with a guitar. What I love about a Jeff Beck album besides his innate awesomeness is that in the early stuff, we also get to hear Rod Stewart. These two sound so perfect together and their work together is really some of their finest. Beck elevates the quality of Stewart's singing while Stewart's presence keeps Beck from stylistically wandering too far into the weeds. Beck is a guitar nerd's guitarist. In some ways he's not as listenable as some of his peers who are less talented than he is. He's off searching for new ways to bend a note while others could teach him a thing about editing and how to use a hook. It's still pretty brilliant, next level playing and exhilarating to hear. For any small flaw I might find, this is still a 5. "Beck's Bolero" and "I Ain't Superstitious" are worth the price of admission all on their own. Oh and would you look at that supporting list of players? Ronnie Wood and Micky Waller give a necessary backbone and counterweight to Beck's guitar, and Nicky Hopkins on piano is brilliant. I also love how artists supported each other's work and would show up on each other's albums back in the day. I mean, John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page AND Keith Moon? Come the freak on. This is great. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): I Ain't Superstitious, Beck's Bolero, Let Me Love You, Shapes of Things, Rock My Plimsoul, You Shook Me, Blues Deluxe, Ol' Man River, Greensleeves, Morning Dew

Jeff Beck is every bit as good of a guitarist as Eric Clapton in my opinion and this bluesy English rock is excellent. Some of the best on the list so far.

Great mix of rock and blues.

What a great playing style. If Jeff could sing at all, he'd have been as big as Clapton. But when Rod Stewart is doing all your vocals, and Rod isn't available to go on tour with you, then.....

p152, 1968. 5 stars Classic Brit blues rock. Beck and Stewart on absolutely top form - the interplay between guitar and vocals is fantastic. Most of the tracks are stone cold classics - they even manage to cover Ol' Man River and get away with it. A couple of weak tracks - Shape of Things doesn't add anything to the original other than Beck's guitar work, and Blues Deluxe outstays its welcome, complete with the overdubbed "live" audience applause - but they are still worth listening to just for Jeff Beck. This still sounds great nearly 50 years on.

Jeff Beck é único. Disco impecável, solos memoráveis, letras marcantes.

LOVEDDD

WOW. Favourite album so far. Great vocals from Rod Stewart, band sounding brilliant. 2005 remaster is sublime. In a great mood with this album.

nice

Already own this one

Meh

Está buenisisisisimoooo, de los mejores álbumes de rock que he escuchado, vale la pena cada canción.

Genialt album! Rod Stewart på vokal og fede blues numre med Hard Rock islæt. Wow

This was great. Great blues rock. 4/5

I generally don’t have great things to say about Rod Stewart but the addition of vocals were a nice touch here. Also Jeff Beck’s approach to guitar playing was so unique. It felt like he was getting interesting songs out of his instrument before other were. This is a great album.

Decent album! Never listened to a lot of jeff beck but it's pretty good 👍

I don't normally like Rod Stewart's voice on his own albums or with the Faces. Here it's not quite so grating though on some tracks which was a nice surprise. Would be good to hear the whole album with a different vocalist though, someone like Peter Green from early Fleetwood Mac would suit this. Or why not just have Jeff himself sing them all? Nevertheless I enjoyed the album as another one I'd missed in my youth. (I bought and still have the Hi Ho Silver Lining single of course but that wasn't on the original album). A fairly laid back bluesy sound which always goes down well together some more heavier rockers.

- just a buncha head bangers back to back to back by just a buncha dudes

The passionate vocals push this from being just some more blues to being a good listen even today

Enjoyed much more than expected, I don't tend to go for "I'm good at guitar" as a genre, but this was more blues :)

I had never heard of Jeff Beck before this but after searching him up I can see how huge of a name he was in accordance with rock history. Didn't know he was in the Yardbirds! I have come to realize I am not a huge fan of the blues sound, but this album is undeniably good and he has such amazing talent as is evident in this album. I really liked the song Morning Dew!

Nice

7.4/10

Guitar work on this had me making the stank face. This rules. Didn't know the singer was Rod Stewart until today.

très bon 4/5

When I think Jeff Beck, I think of his time in The Yardbirds and his virtuosity at Jazz Rock and Fusion guitar playing. Naturally, before he would transition into that style he had to bust out of his Blues-based rock music. I always preferred Jeff's more boundary-pushing guitar playing personally, but I get why; especially for musicians, his blues material would be looked at so fondly. This album is a tight 40 minutes worth of Beck and Rod Stewart with several other session musicians (including Ron Wood and Keith Moon) banging out some decent classic blues rock. Stewart sounds great on this record, his signature smoky rasp works wonderfully over this raw tracks, especially on the barn-burner "Blues Deluxe". Jeff's presence on this album is actually quite overshadowed by Stewart IMO. Sure his solos rip, but Rod just commands such attention whenever he sings. All in all though, this is a fine record if you like British Blues and the like. It's not something I would actively seek out as much but it was a nice listen.

Great blues rock!

Lacking standouts but he can really make that guitar sound good. 7/10

Lots of star power on this one. Endless names and of course, cheaters' justice!

Very cool overall, little to no complaints here. Beck is a fantastic player, and the bluesy-hard rock works very, very well. Some truly outstanding musicianship going on, and the influence is easy to see. Rod Stewart jumpscare and also Greensleeves jumpscare. Oh well.

Good surprise, gritty blues

Should not have taken me this long to discover Jeff Beck

He got better, but even this early on, his chops were evident.

gooooood

Strong 3.5. Acaba ficando um pouco repetitivo no final, mas ainda é um ótimo take em um blues rock com leves experimentações, o vocal é bom

some fun songs, hit n miss. hi ho silver lining played, thats fun

Jeff Beck is an amazing blues guitar player, and he should feature more prominently in conversations about guitar legend. But the truth is, it's mostly Rod Stewart here. That should turn me off much more than it actually does, but young Rod Stewart singing the blues could be my favorite version of Rod Stewart. The vocal performances sound incredibly similar to Robert Plant on [choose any future Led Zeppelin classic], even if the instrumentation doesn't quite climb to the same sonic heights as Zeppelin would. For me, Zeppelin were always at their best when they leaned hard into the blues, so this 'proto-Zeppelin' sound is a very easy sell. Every Led Zeppelin fan should also own this record. Ok, but it's supposed to be a Jeff Beck album, right? I think what Jeff is doing here just comes off as too subtle by modern standards. The guitar playing is top notch, but it's not the kind of bombastic virtuoso performance that we grew to expect from namesake frontmen like Eddie Van Halen, or (Jeff Beck contemporary) Jimi Hendrix. This kind of restraint is valuable in a band leader, but underserves his personal myth building. As an whole, this is very good album but I think it's missing that one big hit that would keep more people coming back over and over again. That's a shame. It's also a shame that "Blues Deluxe" only has 770K streams on Spotify? What an absolute blues-rock heater.

601/1001 2026.04.27 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑

This took me a while but loved it by end. From ol man river loved the variability

Really enjoyed this one, more than I thought I would.

Guitar god. Love it.

No. 169 I can say enjoy the distortion effects and piano playing compliment each other real nice.

Slow rocky jazz. Nice piano and guitar solos

Classic rock sounds, not the biggest fan of Rod's voice, but the rest of the talent here makes up for it.

Day834 - i thought i have never heard a jeff beck album but i didnt know it was really a rod stewart / small faces album. he’s was such an amazing guitarist

Now that is some good rock and roll.

This is a bit of a tough one to rate. On one hand it rocks pretty hard and has great musicianship including, of course, guitar. I particularly appreciate how restrained some of the guitar parts are. Beck's Bolero was a particular highlight for me, and subsequently reading the musicians involved it's no surprise why. On the other hand it's all covers or songs based on other songs, and the vocals aren't even Jeff Beck's. The inclusion of Greensleeves is a mis-steps that really breaks the flow of the album. It's great, but I struggle to give it a 5/5 for those reasons.

TIL that Jeff Beck and Beck are two completely different artist that I thought was the same the guy forever. This was a fun listen, like Led Zeppelin before Led Zeppelin. Really great guitar work by Jeff Beck. Super ahead of it's time, this album does not sound like it was made in 1968. Not all the tracks hit, but the ones that do really hit. Favorite Track - Morning Dew Least Favorite Track - Old Man River ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Don't know that I'd ever listened to Jeff Beck or the Jeff Beck Group. I dig the Yardbirds, and knew his rep, but damn! This was good! It's worth remembering what a great rock singer Rod Stewart is. I hope that new Faces album (!) is good.

Heavy debut from JB with some rocking re-workings of some classic tunes. Stewarts vocals on I Aint Superstitious are some if his best and that's probably the best version of the Willie Dixon song out there. Really good listen for an album from '68.

Shape of things was really cool. Rod Stewart’s voice is great. I would have wanted more rocking songs like this. Most the rest of the album is like the one straight blues song on a Zeppelin record. Well done but the British blues thing in the 60’s doesn’t always hold my attention after a few while. Like Jeff Becks jazzier 70’s stuff. It’s crazy how different records sound from late 60’s to early- mid 70’s. The style and production evolved so much.

jeff and rod are legends so cant really go wrong, but also this record seems so random and not thought out at all lol. Like old man river straight into greensleeves was wild, and the rest is just straightahead blues.

I really like Rod’s voice.

Brilliant record. Super influential, great musicians, great voice

What a guitarist Jeff Beck was. He may not be the first name on most lists but he is one of the all-time greats and this shows off all his ability. An absolute extra is Rod Stewart on most of the lead vocals. That voice ... Great stuff!

My understanding based on what anyone who knew and/or played with Jeff Beck is that he was one of if not the greatest guitarist. While he is definitely good, I’m not sure this album showcases that to the right degree. With the exception of Beck’s Bolero, which is the best track on here. Much of the rest had too much Rod Stewart for my taste, which is actually almost any amount of Rod Stewart. So, great album, kinda, might deserve more than the four stars I’m giving, but since I can’t see listening to much of it again, that’s as high as I can go.

4 out of 5. This was some good stuff, didn't even mind Rod Stewart here.

in my brain some of these songs are about Janis Joplin ??? overall enjoyed the record

Me cansó un poco y no lo pude seguir escuchando. Edit. Lo escuché otra vez, muy bueno.

At first I wasn't vining at all with this album but then I got more and more hooked into it. By the time I reached "Rock My Plimsoul" I was certain this was a very, very good album.

# In-Depth Review: *Truth* by Jeff Beck (1968) Released on July 29, 1968, *Truth* stands as one of the most consequential debut albums in rock history. Recorded in just four days with a band featuring a then-unknown Rod Stewart on vocals, Ronnie Wood on bass, and Mickey Waller on drums, the album essentially blueprinted the sound of 1970s hard rock and heavy metal—beating Led Zeppelin's debut by six months . --- ## The Music: Genre-Busting Heavy Blues *Truth* occupies a fascinating transitional space between British blues revivalism and the emerging heavy rock sound. The album opens with a radically reimagined version of The Yardbirds' "Shapes of Things," stripping away the psychedelic pop elements of the original and injecting it with raw power and steroids-like heaviness . This sets the tone for what follows: blues standards transformed through aggressive guitar tones and muscular arrangements. The core of the album's sound lies in Beck's guitar work. He deploys an arsenal of effects—fuzztone, wah-wah, feedback, tremolo, and previously unheard distortion textures—that push the instrument into new territories . On tracks like Willie Dixon's "You Shook Me" and Howlin' Wolf's "I Ain't Superstitious," Beck's wah-wah pyrotechnics rival anything Jimi Hendrix was producing at the time . "Blues Deluxe" features seven-and-a-half minutes of live-in-the-studio improvisation with canned applause, showcasing Beck's edgy speed licks and string-bending mastery alongside Nicky Hopkins' piano work . The instrumental "Beck's Bolero" (written by Jimmy Page and recorded in 1966 with Page on 12-string electric guitar, John Paul Jones on bass, and Keith Moon on drums) serves as the album's centerpiece. This Ravel-inspired piece with its Spanish dance rhythm and monstrous middle break essentially previewed Led Zeppelin before the band existed . Beck's use of slide guitar to emulate pedal steel here was incredibly forward-thinking—Joe Walsh would later adapt this section for James Gang's "The Bomber" in 1970 . The band stretches into folk with "Morning Dew" (featuring Scottish bagpipes) and a 16th-century traditional "Greensleeves" rendered in acoustic arpeggios, while "Ol' Man River" brings in Broadway show tune material—all evidence of Beck's refusal to be categorized . --- ## Lyrics and Vocals: The Rod Stewart Factor The album's vocal identity rests entirely on Rod Stewart, whose raspy, soulful voice provides the human counterpoint to Beck's guitar pyrotechnics. Stewart was unemployed when Beck discovered him, and producer Mickie Most initially opposed his inclusion . This would prove to be a historic miscalculation by Most. Stewart's lyrics on the three original tracks ("Let Me Love You," "Rock My Plimsoul," and the album's material) work within standard blues-rock tropes—romantic pursuit, swagger, and emotional intensity. "Let Me Love You" features the classic sentiment "When I'm with you woman, my whole life seems so hazy" . While some modern critics find the lyrics generic or overly reliant on "baby" as a term of address , Stewart's vocal delivery—passionate, gritty, and technically strong—elevates the material. However, Stewart's approach to covering established blues songs occasionally drew criticism. Even supporters note his "sloppy attention to the lyrics of great songs" on tracks like "I Ain't Superstitious" . The tension between Stewart's interpretive style and the sanctity of blues traditions would continue throughout his career. --- ## Production: A Beautiful Mess The production of *Truth* remains controversial and inconsistent. Producer Mickie Most, known for pop acts like Herman's Hermits and Donovan, seemed an odd choice for this heavy blues material . The album spans recordings from 1966 ("Beck's Bolero") through May 1968, resulting in what mastering engineer Steve Hoffman described as sounding "like ten different songs recorded over a period of ten years by ten different engineers" . Some tracks feature the polished, production-savvy values of Most's pop background—particularly "Shapes of Things," "Beck's Bolero," and "Greensleeves"—while the remaining material appears more self-produced with engineer Ken Scott . The inconsistency manifests in odd mixing choices, clunky drop-ins, and varying frequency responses—some tracks lacking midrange with piercing top end, others lacking treble with overbearing midbands . The 1968 sessions capture a band playing largely live in the studio, with Beck adding overdubbed flourishes later. This approach creates both raw energy and occasional technical imperfections—dubbed additions sometimes "hang there like a fart in a cathedral," as one reviewer memorably put it . The 2005 Peter Mew transfer from Abbey Road and the 2017 Audio Fidelity remaster by Steve Hoffman have improved the album's sonic coherence, though the fundamental inconsistency remains part of its character . --- ## Themes: Authenticity and Transformation At its core, *Truth* explores the tension between blues authenticity and rock innovation. Beck treats the blues not as a museum piece to be preserved but as raw material for transformation. The album's very title suggests a search for something genuine—whether in the emotional directness of the blues, the technical mastery of the playing, or the raw power of the new heavy sound. The cover songs (Willie Dixon, Howlin' Wolf, Bonnie Dobson, Broadway standards) juxtaposed with originals under the pseudonym "Jeffrey Rod" (Beck/Stewart) create a dialogue between tradition and invention. The canned applause on "Blues Deluxe" adds a layer of irony—a tongue-in-cheek acknowledgment of the performative nature of blues authenticity . --- ## Influence and Legacy: The Blueprint for Hard Rock *Truth*'s impact cannot be overstated. The album arrived in a watershed year for rock (1968 also saw *Electric Ladyland*, *Wheels of Fire*, *Beggars Banquet*, and The White Album) and immediately established a template that would dominate the 1970s . The influence on Led Zeppelin is particularly direct. Jimmy Page's presence on "Beck's Bolero" alongside John Paul Jones essentially created the Zeppelin prototype six months before the band formed . When Zeppelin's debut appeared in January 1969, it covered two songs from *Truth* ("You Shook Me" and "I Ain't Superstitious") and employed a nearly identical sonic approach—heavy blues with folk touches and explosive dynamics. Page's early billing of his group as "the New Yardbirds" acknowledged the debt . Beyond Zeppelin, *Truth* influenced the entire trajectory of hard rock and heavy metal. Tom Scholz of Boston cited it as his favorite album, stating he "knew Jeff Beck's *Truth* album inside out" . Blues guitarist Joe Bonamassa recorded multiple versions of "Blues Deluxe" and performed "Beck's Bolero" and other tracks from the album during his Salute to the British Blues Explosion tour . Rolling Stone's Al Kooper, in his 1968 review, called *Truth* a "classic" and "the current equivalent" of the Clapton-Mayall *Blues Breakers* album, noting the band "swing like mad on this record" . The album has since been regarded as a seminal work of heavy metal, though critics note it actually "leaned more towards a heavy brand of blues rock" . Classic Rock magazine ranked it eighth on its list of the 30 greatest British blues rock albums . --- ## Pros | Strength | Details | |----------|---------| | **Groundbreaking Guitar Work** | Beck's innovative use of fuzz, wah-wah, feedback, and Eastern scales pushed electric guitar into new territories | | **Rod Stewart's Vocals** | His raspy, soulful delivery provides the perfect counterpoint to Beck's guitar and established him as a major vocal talent | | **Historical Significance** | Effectively launched 1970s rock two years early; blueprint for Led Zeppelin and hard rock/metal | | **"Beck's Bolero"** | The instrumental centerpiece featuring Page, Jones, and Moon essentially created Led Zeppelin before the band existed | | **Versatility** | Range from heavy blues to folk ("Morning Dew"), classical ("Greensleeves"), and Broadway ("Ol' Man River") demonstrates Beck's refusal to be categorized | | **Raw Energy** | The live-in-studio approach captures genuine band chemistry and improvisational excitement | | **Influence on Heavy Metal** | Cited as a primary influence by countless guitarists and bands; "the first metal album" according to some historians | --- ## Cons | Weakness | Details | |----------|---------| | **Inconsistent Production** | Sounds like "ten different songs recorded by ten different engineers" due to spanning 1966-1968 with different approaches | | **Heavy Reliance on Covers** | Only three original compositions (credited to "Jeffrey Rod"); majority are blues standards, folk songs, and show tunes | | **Lyrics Can Feel Generic** | Some modern critics find the blues-rock lyrics formulaic and overly reliant on clichés | | **Technical Imperfections** | Clunky drop-ins, odd mixing choices, and occasional harsh frequencies (particularly drum tones around 1k Hz) | | **"Greensleeves" Placement** | The acoustic instrumental can feel like a momentum killer in the album's flow | | **Rod Stewart's Lyric Sloppiness** | Even fans note his occasionally careless approach to lyrics on cover songs | | **Canned Applause** | The artificial crowd noise on "Blues Deluxe" strikes some listeners as dated or distracting | --- ## Verdict *Truth* remains a paradox: an album of covers that sounds utterly original, a hastily recorded project that became a cornerstone of rock history, and a commercially inconsistent release that influenced millions. Its flaws—inconsistent production, reliance on outside material, technical imperfections—are inseparable from its character. The album captures a moment when British musicians were transforming American blues into something heavier, louder, and more aggressive, accidentally inventing hard rock in the process. For guitarists, it remains essential listening—a masterclass in tone, technique, and taste. For historians, it represents the true beginning of the 1970s rock sound, beating Led Zeppelin to the punch with many of the same personnel and approaches. And for listeners, it offers the thrill of hearing a band discovering its power in real-time, warts and all. As one reviewer summarized: "If you like ye old rock 'n roll, you'll love it. If you like blues, you'll love it. If you like MUSIC, YOU'LL LOVE IT" .

I liked this

I always saw Jeff Beck albums when looking for Jason Becker as a kid but never listened to him. Wish I would have, quite enjoyed this one.

Here's another artist that I'm told is great & I should like, but I just never got around to. This album is exactly what I expected (70s blues-inspired rock&roll) and in that context it's really good. He's got a reputation for a reason & that reason checks out in my book. On the other hand... Ol' Man River? Fkn Greensleeves?! What the hell are you doing?? I did like the Morning Dew. I do love the GD & will always associate that tune with them first, but they always do it so slow I generally check out until the jam. Back to JB. The blues rock seems great & good for him. However I understand he branches out a little later and can be more experimental and adventurous. I'm more interested in that at this point. But this was good. The good bits are worthy of a 4. But there has to be a penalty for Greensleeves. Just... *sigh*... what the fuk were you thinking? Old fkn Man River. Cheezus Crust. I'mma allow a 4 on account of Nicky Hopkins on the pie-anner. But I'm watching you Mr Beck. Best keep straight.

Good introduction to a bluey, heavy album. Some really good songs, but a couple of duds. Would really have put it as a 3.5 but rounded up to 4 stars

This was quite good fun to listen to. I liked a lot of what was going on, and I will be back for some more of this.

My 300th album and feels a bit of an underwhelming choice! Hardly listened to Jeff Beck, but always been familiar with the name. I’m imagining dad rock with some fret wanking and solos? Let’s see… Ronnie Wood on bass, hey? And Rod Stewart too. Quite the collection. Can almost feel like a Rod Stewart album with the vox but then a really nice weighting to the guitar and instruments that differentiates it, and is more welcome. Really liking the focus on and skill of the backing. Feels much more prog rock at times and then why not just chuck in a cover of Greensleeves in the middle?! And the mind bend of the ‘Rick My Plimsoul’ rhythm. I’m really pleasantly surprised by this album and keen for second a listen as soon as it finished.

I will have a constant battle with this project because Classic rock is dearly loved by the author (and majority of the population) but not something I am too fond of. That said, there were parts that I enjoyed because the guitar work was varied and he crossed a few genres. it made songs like Rock My Plimsoul stand out a bit more. It still had that classic rock tempo, but i enjoyed his guitar work on it. Beck's Bolero was fantastic...until it got all wanky and was not. There was something funky about blues de luxe that I liked. all in all I actually enjoyed this album and it surprised me. the first 4 songs were pretty average, but then it really took off. Ol Man River was by far the standout track closely followed by I aint superstitious. The second half of this album pushed it from a 3 to a 4. 4 stars

Pretty solid 4 star rock, could have done with a bit less Rod Stewart on there but of all the Rod Stewart I've heard, this is the least annoying Rod Stewart for sure.

This is probably the best I've ever heard Rod Stewart. This is not Jeff Beck's best album, but it's a fantastic debut. Hard rock blues executed near perfectly. 4 stars.

Great guitar, have to relisten.

Only because it's not as consistent as Zep 1, but it came out a year ahead of it and Beck's Bolero is as hard as anything that came out of the Clapton/Page/Beck era.

His album Jeff was stuck in my CD player for a long time. This is not as good. Rod Stewart vocals are distracting

New artist for me. Nice blues-y album with a lot of spirit. Doesn't sound like it's from the 60s. Highlights: greensleeves cover

Interesting Brit pop/rock.

Really enjoyed this.

Beck certainly had his own style and has continued to build on it through the years.

Enjoyable! Loved the more bluesy tracks.

Loved to discover the older Jeff Beck. Quite accessible. Great times

Perfectly fine 60s dad rock blues

This was a surprisingly good album. The only Jeff Beck song I was familiar with going in to this album is "Cause We've Ended as Lovers", so I was vaguely familiar with Beck and his incredible guitar playing. Besides some strange mixing choices where some of the guitar playing is quieter than it should be, this album is absolutely carried by Jeff Beck on guitar and Ronnie Wood on bass. While I still enjoyed Rod Stewart and his vocals, they took a little getting used to, and I wouldn't say they blew me away. What did blow me away were the solos. Every time Jeff got to shine, that was instantly the best part of every song with a solo. For that reason, the song "Beck's Bolero" was my second favorite song on the album, because it explicitly lets him shine. It was a tad repetitive though, so my favorite song on the album is going to go to "You Shook Me", which actually has the PERFEFCT blend of Blues, Rock, killer guitar riffs, an aggressive piano, and the best vocals on the album. I love albums like this because Blues Rock is just so cool and different. Yet another album that I enjoyed because of the unique blend of genres. I do really wish the mixing was better though, I don't know if it's just because this album is old or if that was a creative decision, but it's rather strange to make the literal lead guitarist and front man of the band the quietest of the group. I don't often comment on the mixing of albums, but it's notably strange here. Other than that, this is a very solid, consistently good album with a perfect playtime. Having a cover of "Ol' Man River" is also pretty funny. While I think it's the low point of the album, I still enjoyed it for what it was. Going to give this one a 4.2/5. Legendary set of artists on this one. A lot of people call it Proto Led Zeppelin, some people even call it Metal, but at the end of the day, all that matters is that it's extremely enjoyable, and I thank them for that.

classic

Jeff Beck is a fantastic guitarist and that’s the Truth. This is an excellent Blues Rock album and that’s all I really got to say about it. 4 stars

The guitar riffs on this thing are very tasty. Rod's voice is a little unique but it only took maybe half of the first song to vibe with it. I must say that the mix is unfortunate on this thing. It's not consistently very well centered, I actually went in and turned up the right speaker in spots to even it out and enjoyed it better. Unfortunately that's just not how it's presented. There are moments where a guitar or a piano part are just so much louder than is necessary. It's also a little frustrating that the drums are hard panned left so often when you get to the final track and they have a proper stereo presence making it seem like they could have done that the whole time, but only did it for one song. While there is a lot I could say about the mix, it really isn't horrible, it's still definitely enjoyable for the most part. It is simply what drags this album down more than any other thing. It seems a lot of people question the song choices, but I think it's cool to hear these different takes on something like Ol' Man River. The tones and arrangements are great - they're diverse and engaging, intelligent, fun, and have personality. I really enjoyed the musicianship on this record. 3.8/5

Настолько делулу в душном роке эпохи палеолита, что первый раз вчера увидела это имя. Ожидания были низкие, но на деле оказался приятный Род Стюарт под валиумом. Гитарные соло даже не бесили, обложка красивая. Залезла на Википедию и офигела от количества людей в графе writers (включая Рода Стюарта лол). Не всем дано конечно в соло написать повторяющийся текст на три минуты. Особенно гитаристам. Но ничего, простим человеку. Много было песен с классик бритиш мотивом. За это 4. Ураааа, первый пошел. Скорее бы уже кому-то влепить двойку.

Absolutely loved it, such a vibe

Enjoyed this one more than expected. There are a couple of odd choices ("Old Man River", "Greensleeves"), but otherwise a really good classic blues rock album.

I like the opening (the only thing i've listened so far). Reminds me of Led Zepp even? Hmm.

199/1001 Jeff Beck - Truth Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ✅ I had a lot of fun with this, this morning. I had this preconceived notion that this could be a bit show-offy with his guitar playing, but this had the tunes and really leant into blues territory with enough variety to keep me engaged throughout.

it's so guitar? album with good instrumental music and for me as guitarist it's really cool thing

Nice album

Good

Good sound.

Rod Stewart fucks, Jeff Beck fucks, let's fuckin go baby.

Thought he sounded like Rod Stewart, turns out it was Rod Stewart.

This is some really nice kind of classic blues rock. Maybe I just don't know the dredges of blues rock all that well, but it doesn't seem exceptional, just really good. The Greensleeves instrumental feels really out of place. The piano solo, however, on "Blues Deluxe" is disgustingly ridiculous (good). Yeah, it doesn't seem that exceptional. It is really good, don't get me wrong. I do think any blues-head would listen to this album without complaint though. Really solid floor, even with the odd Greensleeves in the middle of the album. Favorite Song(s): Morning Dew, You Shook Me

Sensational guitar work and backing, although the Greensleeves in the middle threw me.

This is one of the 1001 that has surprised me. Rod’s vocals are awesome and the production keeps it really fresh. Would listen again.

Yeah this is a good album! Didn't know Rod Stewart would be on it. Very Yardbird-y/Led Zep-y, obviously.

It's too bad Rod Stewart turned to easy living, he has a good voice for blues rock. Ol' Man River is an interesting choice. Greensleeves? Jeff Beck has unique musical tastes. Beck's Bolero is another interesting choice, but I like it.

What a great musician, he makes the eletric guitar sings with him.

This was pretty good, bluesy, heavy, great energy from Rod Stewart on vocals (which was a pleasant surprise). Nothing really blew me away, but I think on the right day it could have

Solid. Love Ronnie Wood on bass

Errittäin korkealaatuinen rocklevy! En ollutkaan kuullut aikaisemmin. 4/5

considering this is one of those white british blues albums, its nice that the harshest criticism i can give it is that its a bit haphazardly sequenced. beck's bolero brings the album to a rousing climax with two whole songs left to go, and in general i feel like the non-blues songs could have been placed a bit more thoughtfully. the major exception is the just-after-halfway breather of the greensleves cover, a placement so effective that led zepp more or less copied it for the similarly effective placement of black mountain side on their debut. this album is a bit more adherent to traditional blues forms than led zepp, but somehow i dont think it ever rly makes a fool of itself...the biggest stumbling block might be the vocals of a young rod stewart, but u could do worse, his grit and gusto seems sincere. and compared to fellow yardbirds alumni jimmy page and ESPECIALLY eric clapton, beck is a really cool guitarist....clearly enamored with the blues as a form but a bit more adventurous with the timbres (esp considering at least some of this was recorded before the first hendrix album), and for all his techy ability he actually leaves a ton of room for the other band members too, which is refreshing! a very solid listen imo. even tho rod stewart probably shouldnt be singing ol man river.

One of the best things about completing this project is that I’m getting to experience some albums and artists that I had always meant to check out, but never got around to. Today’s entry in that category is Jeff Beck, who I know of through his reputation as one of the best guitar players of all time. I see that this album’s personnel includes Ronnie Wood, and one of my favorite singers of all time, Rod Stewart, so that’s a good omen in my book. I see that Keith Moon is briefly on this album as well, which is another great sign. All signs point to this album being right up my alley, so the only thing left to do is give it a listen. I really enjoyed Jeff Beck’s Truth. This album was full of some really great guitar playing, and I can see why Jeff Beck has a reputation as such a great guitarist. I’m usually not a big fan of blues rock, but this album was pretty entertaining from start to finish. I love Rod Stewart, but I have to admit, I don’t think that his vocals were really suited for this particular type of blues rock, and I thought that overall, his vocals dragged this album down a bit. As great as the guitar playing was on this album, it could only carry things so far, and some songs on the second side of the album felt like I’d already ‘been there, done that’ when I was listening to them. Still, this album had some really good songs on it. Speaking of, I have some notes on the songs themselves: “Shapes of Things” was a great way to kick off this album. The bluesy guitar playing was great, along with some great bass playing, and I really enjoyed the musical break at the end. However, right off the bat, I felt like Rod Stewart’s voice just wasn’t a good match for the mood of this song. “Let Me Love You” had an excellent guitar riff on the verses, and the overall sound of this song was fun and bluesy. I loved the vibe of “Morning Dew” with the subtle bagpipe playing, and the distorted and soft guitar playing. I really loved it when the drums really kicked off. This version of “You Shook Me” was really interesting. Once again, the guitar playing really carried everything, but I feel like this is a song that has so much to say in the vocals, and I just didn’t get that from this version. “Ol’ Man River” was the first song that I felt really suited Rod Stewart’s signing style. Rod really knows how to convey a tortured longing in his voice, and he really nailed it on this show tune cover. “Beck’s Bolero” was really fun. I loved that main guitar riff, because it just sounded awesome. Keith Moon’s drumming provided a really fun chaos to this number. Rod Stewart’s vocals were perfect for “Blues Deluxe” too. I feel like his voice is better suited for a slower blues, and this song was great for him. The piano playing was excellent too, but I really hated the applause that was scattered throughout this song. Overall, the guitar playing on this album was great, and so was the bass, but I just wanted more from the vocals and more variety in the instrumentation. Truth feels a bit like a one-trick-pony, but it’s a pretty great trick nonetheless.

My girlfriend said she needs a cigarette after listening to this album and goddammit I may start smoking too. It’s so cool how music gets you into new things, like drugs. Drugs are cool. Anyway, great album with a lotta attitude.

My grandmother famously loved Rod Stewart (there was one year where the Christmas special was on when we were together and she did not move from in front of the TV), but she also famously hated any variation of rock and roll. I’d love to ask her if she knew this was part of his origin story prior to his solo career. Jeff Beck has always been up there among my list of revered guitar players, and many of these songs/covers are some of my favorites. His version of “You Shook Me” always reels me in. I think Jeff was a much better live performer, like most blues guitarists, and that energy is really lost on studio recordings. Even the overdubbed audience reactions on “Blues Deluxe” don’t quite do it. Bless this album for showing us Rod and Ronnie Wood.

8/10 classic 80s rock album not my fave but definitely a good consistent album

Decent enough white-guy blues.

balls out blues rock with an array of guest musicians on various songs; a veritable “who’s who” of all time greats. this one goes pretty hard.

3.5

This is definitely proto-Zepp. And if I had to say why this does not reach the level of Zeppelin is two things. One, Rod ain't Robert. Don't get me wrong, I love me some Stewart, but he doesn't soar with the same gritty passion. (not to mention The Rutles were bigger than Rod) And two, Jeff ain't no Jimmy. I lobe be some Beck too, but when it comes to heavy music, he's too polite. Where Page will play with reckless abandon, Beck stays a bit safer on side of electric blues. (also three, no drummer like Bonzo) But that doesn't mean that this album isn't exciting in fact I think the core trio Stewart, Beck, and Ronnie really do perform their asses off. And special note for Ron Wood on bass who gave it an exciting melodic bottom end. But mainly this points the way to what Zeppelin would become in less than 6 months, and for the most part this does not contain the fierce raw energy of Zepp's debut. There are a couple of exceptions. Most notably of course is "Beck's Bolero" which sees half of Zeppelin in its production + Keith Moon (who definitely gives the power of a John Bonham performance) and Nicky Hopkins probably the best rock and roll session piano player in the history of Rock (also scattered through out the album as well). My other exception will be the closing track "I Ain't Superstitious" which I don't think is so much proto-Zepp as it is proto-Faces. That almost shows off the musical magic that Stewart and Wood would carry on into the 70s 9.2 ★★★★½

Pretty fun

I liked this album more than I expected to - Blues Deluxe was a real standout for me. Would listen again.

I liked this, fun bluesy-guitar stuff. Kind of weird hearing Rod Stewart singing, but not the lead.

This was a little long so didn’t get as many plays but I could see this being a 5. Instrumental focused bluesy guitar with elements of jazz too

strange choice of songs

Pretty good, will listen again

This album is nearly 60 years old, but it doesn't really come across as dated. I enjoyed it

Liked this one more than I thought I would. I think thats down mostly to Jeff Beck, unlike his contemporaries like Clapton , recognising he cant sing for shit and recruiting Rod Stewart. Stewart's pipes are perfect for the British white boy blues style and elevate most of the songs here. But also the musicianship is pretty insane, Beck's Bolero alone proves that. More like a 3.5 rounded

Last time I heard Rod Stewart was at Glastonbury this year and he did NOT sound like this Only other time I’ve heard Jeff Beck was on Hi Ho Silver Lining and he didn’t sound like this either What a fantastic blues rock album this is

Blues rock... Greensleeves... Blues Rock. I had a good time

Rod stewart/jeff beck/ronnie wood Let me love you You shook me Superstitious

Heard a lot of Led Zeppelin sounds in there. Not sure who influenced who.

reminds me of the outlaw radio in Marfa and makes me a bit nostalgic for this time! lots of soul but not my typical cup of tea

Whoa - so good. Why have I never really listened to Jeff Beck?

Guitar gymnastics with Rod Stewart on vocals

rockin. groovin. cool. jam.

Quite enjoyable blues rock.

Heavy blues from the 60s. Some say it's the roots of heavy metal. Maybe? I was surprised to hear Rod Stewart on vocals. I think that elevated this album a bit for me. I'll give it a 3.5 (rounded to 4). 3.5/5 #209

Hard rock perfection! The vocals aren't really anything special (though they do fit the music well), but Jeff Beck's guitar playing is absolutely where it's at. This basically set the bar for all bluesy hard rock going forward.

4.5

Favorite Track: Blues Deluxe

Like a lot of people I have somehow avoided listening to much Jeff Beck over all these years. I certainly knew who he was and the big role he played in middle of the British rock era, but I had no introduction or no obvious entry point into appreciating him as an artist. So, I came into this album with apprehension and low expectations. It didn't help the vocals on this were provided by rod steward , whose voice and legacy I have never quite counted myself a fan of, but by the end of the album I was won over. I didn't hear anything on the guitar paying that I would consider revolutionary, so I might still.be missing something but I did hear some very solid blues / rock jams. By the end of the album I do feel like I appreciate Jeff Beck, And certainly understand the lore around his name and legend just a little bit more but I'm not ready to give him his place on the Mount Rushmore of guitar gods just yet.

Good fun blues rock, amazing cast of backing band

-really good, chill rock -seemed a little ahead of its time (70s instead of 60s??)

4.25/5

I can't believe I got catfished into Rod Stewart. Despite that, I enjoyed the bluesy nature of the album

weird to hear actual singing on a Beck album

Very good rocking blues album. Not a huge fan of Rod Stewart's vocals, but he's much better here than later in his career.

A blues singer’s soul trapped in a rock star’s life

Rawk

Not my fav, but not bad This album proved to me that most famous rock songs are in fact covers. 8.1/10 4/5

Hit after hit. Rock and blues in synchrony, the album reminded of Led Zeppelin, guitar and voice both working towards a sweet and groovy sound.

А ниче так

Groovy and head bangy. Cool guitar effects

Nice

Considering how distinct his voice is, Rod Stewart was an interesting choice for a Jeff Beck’s solo debut. Otherwise a lot better than I thought it would be.

nice sounds from one of the original supergroups.

Back then this must have been groundbreaking but in today's climate it is just good rock/metal hybrid music. Others would build greater things on this. But it wasn't bad or overstayed at all.

Rod Stewart is so dominant on this record that it feels like it should be his name on the door. Otherwise, this is a really good bluesy, hard-driving rock record. Ol’ Man River and Greensleeves could go and get in the bin and the quality overall would be better, but this is otherwise really good.

Fantastic blues

Another one that I already know I love. I have this one on vinyl and it got so much play in high school. I love it, no notes. RIP Jeff.

Not as consistently interesting as I'd like it to be, but Jeff is pretty much always killer and Rod sounds great. 3.5/5

Favorites (nearly the whole album): Let Me Love You Morning Dew You Shook Me Ol' Man River Greensleeves Rock My Plimsoul Beck's Bolero Blues Deluxe I Ain't Superstitious Deliciously bluesy. Lots of greats contributed.

Didnt see this being good and blew my mind

I know that this is essential to classic rock fans. It's one of the "Bluesier" blues rock albums out there, as Jeff Beck draws from roots and propels them with electric sound. Blues Rock isn't my thing, but this is a solid album of it.

What a powerful album… beck is brilliant on guitar, and I knew I heard Rod Stewart! Really enjoyed

🗯 Before Led Zeppelin there was Truth — and if you think Jimmy Page wasn’t taking notes, you’re kidding yourself. Fresh out of the Yardbirds, Jeff Beck assembled a young Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood, and a rhythm section ready to burn, then dropped one of the heaviest, most swaggering records of ’68. The blueprint for British hard rock is right here — blues stretched, electrified, and snarling. The overlaps with early Zep are almost comical: You Shook Me and Shapes of Things are practically dry runs for what Page and Plant would do months later. Rod’s unpolished howl foreshadows Robert Plant’s banshee wail, and Beck’s filthy, restless tone could go toe-to-toe with anyone. It’s raw, imperfect, and very much of its time — but the DNA is undeniable. Without Truth, Led Zeppelin don’t sound the way they do. Full stop. Verdict: Respect the Hustle (the missing link between the Yardbirds and Zeppelin, a record hiding in plain sight) For fans of: Led Zeppelin, The Yardbirds, Cream, Rod Stewart before the satin jackets

I am surprised by how much I liked it, especially considering my general lack of love for Rod Stewart's vocals. But Jeff Beck's guitar work and compositions here really caught me. The instruments on the album sound gorgeous and clear. Somehow, Truth hits the perfect mix of blues and hard rock for my taste.

I've heard bits and pieces from this album, but never the full thing. It's amazing. I really enjoyed it. Jeff Beck was an amazing guitarist and to hear Rod Stewart belting out the blues, it almost makes me forgive him for his disco years. 3.85 / 5 stars

Some incredibly blues and hard rock with the vocal talents of Rod Stewart, some fantastic bass work from Ronnie Wood, and of course the sublime guitar from jeff beck. A rather enjoyable album, but I feel there is something missing that prevents it from getting that fifth star. Can't quite put my finger on it

sometimes an album is just deeply cool. a bunch of instrumentals, morning dew and ol man river covers. just inarguably cool

Rather enjoyed. a rocky version of Sir Rod

Work of art. Brilliant blues rock, melodic guitar. Just not a big blues guy, but its definitely some of the best blues rock tracks I've ever heard.

Muy bueno

3.7 Very interesting. First time I've heard Rod Stewart and not immediately got the ick. He sounds less Rod Stewarty in the early days by the sounds of it. Or it goes better with Becks blues infused rock. Anyway, good but not great album. Loved Becks Bolero, but for some reason the sound quality seemed way worse than the rest of the album, which is unfortunate. Music was pretty good, similar but nowhere near Zeppelin levels, although they admittedly did come first.

bluesy rock socks

I Ain’t Superstitious, but if you don’t give this album a listen, Ol’ Man River may come for you.

Mediocre, average, and decent-sounding rock almost identical to everything else of its genre and time period. Just like the other Beck!

Pretty great.

It's too bad Rod Stewart turned to easy living, he has a good voice for blues rock. Ol' Man River is an interesting choice. Greensleeves? Jeff Beck has unique musical tastes. Beck's Bolero is another interesting choice, but I like it.

Got this right after Roger the Engineer which is pretty funny. It almost has that generic 60's/70's guitar rock sound to it but I'm saying that in 2025. A really solid all around album.

Ah, Jeff Beck. Your favorite guitarist's favorite guitarist. And sure enough the guitar work on this album is awesome. So many inventive riffs and very well played chords. I just wish the rest of the songwriting stood out more. It feels like a modern rock album, which is good, and it's understandable for the guitar to take front and center stage. But the overall songs could be catchier.

Jeff beck is really good

Solid Blues Rock, and I enjoyed the unexpected Greensleeves.

Enjoyed, I think it’s really good and holds up

Álbum muito bom! QoA Vesper

Absolutely crazy stuff. Like the music you might expect to hear in a cartoon about a psychedelic rock guitarist from outer space. Every line he draws out is huge and filled with insane detail. These days you’d expect to see an encyclopedia of effects pedals in the liner notes but this shit is all for real(!). Only gripe for me is the nasty Rod Stewart type vocal. That was about a star’s worth of unpleasant.

When I was kid, some people would say "Clapton is God". But a few people said that Jeff Beck was better. As time passes, it's clear that the first group was trying to sound cool, and the second actually was.

i liked some songs off this one, jeff beck rocky blues vibes are nice

Sick

4-

++*: I Ain't Superstitious ++: Shapes of Things, Let Me Love You, You Shook Me, Ol' Man River, Rock My Plimsoul, Beck's Bolero, Blues De Luxe +: Morning Dew, Greensleeves 9,1/10

nice stuff - sometimes little too much guitar

Amazing album my new favorite of his. Experimental blues. Awesome

6/11/25. First time venturing into Jeff Beck and his guitar work is fantastic. The rest of the band and songwriting is great as well. I look forward to hearing more Beck!

Solid rock and that is the truth

Funky, groovy, bluesy, rock n roll. I may have liked it more because of how pleasantly surprised I was. I had never heard of Jeff Beck before.

The truth is...this album

Happened to be listening to this just last week. The streaming version of this adds a lot of fluff, but the album itself is a fun listen. Rod Stewart is at his best here and Jeff Beck shows some excellent blues playing. I don't consider Jeff Beck to be one of the guitar greats, but his playing is nice to listen to regardless. Nice variety of songs here with some favorites like Ol' Man River and You Shook Me.

This felt very classic American.

Liked this. I haven't heard much Jeff Beck before but I was captivated by the bluesy guitar playing here. It's very reminiscent of Led Zeppelin, with some of these tracks sounding a bit like later LZ's epic style of song. It must have been very influential. Rod Stewart's vocals are great as well, he has a perfect voice for heavy rock

3.5* 86%

Jeff Beck is a fantastic guitarist. I wasn't surprised that I liked this one.

Loves me some blues and metal. Great sound, but not quite a banger. Would add this to my rotation for vibin' or driving around town.

👍

Heavy but I should listen to it more

pretty good. I don't know why I didn't really hear much of this growing up but I should have

Enjoyable, kind of innovative (seemingly) for its time

Was hearing some Zeppelin style before you shook me which solidified it. Recorded one year before zep

Nice discovery, 8/10

Feels very 60s blues supergroup-ish - Steward, Wood, Page, JPJ and Beck plays so well and so expressively. It's no wonder JB is revered as a guitarists guitarist despite not having the same level of super stardom as LZ - who arguably borrowed so much of their sound for the first few albums from JB.

Wow, I forgot how great this album is. This was on constant repeat for me in the early 90’s and as a guitarist was the type of band I wanted to be in. What strikes me now listening to it thirty years later is the R&B and soul coming through, and the groove. Perhaps I was too focused on the guitar playing and Rod’s vocals not to appreciate the whole. A definite addition to the vinyl collection.

Rod Stewart as almost always better when he's covering someone else's songs. It's a shame that Jeff Beck seems to have been lost in the Late-60's-Guitar-God conversation. Now he's only remembered by a few Classic Rock die-hards. Beck was clearly an inspiration for Spinal Tap's Nigel Tufnel, and that's gotta be worth at least half a star.

Wow, Zeppelin much? Rod Stewart on vocals, actually liked. Guitar playing outstanding!

A proto-genre album in one of if not my fav genres … really enjoyed the middle parts , there’s def a lot of bits I like here and rod Stewart seems to be perfectly cast here , the guitar is just the way i like

Enjoyed this mix of blues/hard rock and the more mellow moments. Did not know Rod Stewart started out as a rock singer. Decent.

3.8

I was going to say “wow Jeff beck sounds a lot like rod stewart.” Lo and behold. You learn something new every day.

Jeff tried to join Houmous & Chutney numerous times! He just wouldn’t quit! He always thought we were avoiding him and that one day he’d know the truth. No idea what he was on about. We just thought he was rubbish! 4.1

liked songs: Let Me Love You, Ol' Man River, Greensleeves, Beck's Bolero, I Ain't Superstitious Good originals. Good covers. 3.75

I'm a fan of hard rock and Led Zeppelin and this album almost led to a different version of Led Zeppelin. I'm glad we got what we got, though I appreciate this album for being some of the first hard blues rocking albums. Jeff Beck is a fantastic guitarist - just listen to Beck's Bolero. Shapes of Things, Let Me Love You, Rock My Plimsoul, and I Ain't Superstitious are also pretty crunchy and hard rocking thanks to him. But Mickey Waller is also great on the drums throughout this album (and Keith Moon on Beck's Bolero). As good as he is, I thought Rod Stewart doesn't sound exactly right for the music. Better when they slowed it down like on You Shook Me or Ol Man River, but those were a couple of my least favorite songs. Feels like a 3.5, gonna give it a slight uptick. But could have gone either way.

Headline: British guitarist puts together outstanding cover band. Even though Let Me Love You, Rock my Plimsoul, and Blues De Luxe are all credited to Jeff Beck and Rod Stewart, each are fundamentally basic blues turned up to 11, which is even more evident on the Willie Dixon covers. They also play some non-basic blues covers (e.g., Shapes of Things, Morning Dew, and Greensleeves), which I tend to appreciate more because they lead to a more original sound. You can hear how this is an essential album in the history of hard rock. In fact, it's clear Jimmy Page was "inspired" by Jeff Beck (Page is legendary for ripping off others), so that would make this a stepping stone to Led Zeppelin (you can even hear similarities between Rod Stewart and Robert Plant). It lacks that certain something that makes an album a true classic, but it's definitely a good listen and there's no question Jeff Beck was a great guitarist and highly influential (RIP). Favorite tracks: Shapes of Things (unique approach to a great song - Beck was the guitarist on the original Yardbirds version), Morning Dew, Beck's Bolero (read about the backstory - fascinating), I Ain't Superstitious (my favorite of the straightforward blues tracks on the album - fantastic guitar work).

"Truth" ist das Debütalbum des britischen Gitarristen Jeff Beck und wurde 1968 veröffentlicht. Die Aufnahmen fanden in den Abbey Road Studios in London statt. Stilistisch bewegt sich das Album zwischen Bluesrock und Hardrock, wobei es als ein frühes Beispiel für die Entwicklung des Hardrock-Genres gilt. Die Jeff Beck Group bestand zu dieser Zeit aus Sänger Rod Stewart, Bassist Ronnie Wood und Schlagzeuger Micky Waller. Ergänzt wurde die Besetzung durch Gastmusiker wie Nicky Hopkins am Klavier. Das Album enthält sowohl Eigenkompositionen als auch Coverversionen bekannter Blues- und Rockstücke. Herausragende Songs sind unter anderem „Shapes of Things“, eine Neuinterpretation eines Yardbirds-Titels, das atmosphärische „Beck’s Bolero“ sowie die bluesige Version von „You Shook Me“. Auch „Morning Dew“ und „Let Me Love You“ gehören zu den prägnanten Stücken des Albums. "Truth" fand besonders in den USA großen Anklang und beeinflusste viele spätere Rockbands. Die Kombination aus Becks innovativem Gitarrenspiel und Stewarts markanter Stimme macht das Album zu einem wichtigen Werk des späten 60er-Jahre-Rock.

Classic rock. Pretty darn good. I’m surprised some of these tracks weren’t on constant rotation on classic rock stations. A few irritating things like the high piano notes that bothered my ears and a tad too much repetition hold it back from full marks.

Great guitars. And I do like Rod Stewart's voice.

I see this album described as early metal, but it didn’t sound like that to me? It’s blues rock. And it’s excellent.

The seeds of Led Zeppelin. You can really hear where a lot of the influence that this album had on Zeppelin I.

It's entertaining this is called Heave Metal. I have trouble hearing Rod Stewart's voice and thinking Heavy Metal. Is it just me? Guest appearances by John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page and Keith Moon. Solid blues-rock album with some clean guitar and quality licks throughout.

Álbum muito bom, mas escutar em uma tacada só é cansativo, tende a parecer o mesmo sem inovação.

Great old school brit rock

Enjoyed it, lots of skill on display here.

Solo explosions Just enough scratchy vocals And blues via shred

It’s a solid blues album featuring Rod Stewart on vocals. Can’t really see how groundbreaking this album is though

I did not expect to like this as much as I did. Figured it'd by showier and more wankery, but no. A delightful romp that doesn't overstay its welcome.

seemingly overlooked these days, this album is full of dudes everyone knows - ron wood, jimmy page, rod stewart. A real harbinger of the "british dudes stealing the blues" late 60's era. Whereas Jimmy Page had a bit more of a raw edge, Beck, even within the typical blues guitar tropes, has a more classical guitar and polished feel to it.

Working space was not the right place to enjoy this album. A train back from London at 11 pm seemed much more appropriate to enjoy, the blues, the guitar and some classics. The album itself is not smooth but flows quite well

Bello, interessante, particolare.

This was pretty great

Another really good album that I haven't heard before. Got some proto metal going on here.