Reviews (page 4 of 8)
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.
Really enjoyed a lot of this. Jeff Beck is obviously a wizard on the guitar, and I loved a lot of the piano too. Super crisp on all the instruments. Like from a pure production standpoint, this was awesome, especially for 1968. Unfortunately, Rod Stewart
It only took 2 songs for the shtick to get old. But Greensleeves was cool. Standout: Greensleeves
There's some shredding on here for sure, but I was disappointed how often it was pushed into the background. I didn't really feel like this album was a showcase for Jeff Beck and it didn't hold my attention much.
Pretty great
4.5
Favorite Track: Blues Deluxe
Not for me.
Prior to listening to this album as part of this list, the only songs I had heard before were Beck’s Bolero, and I Ain’t Superstitious. I do remember the Yardbirds version of Shapes of Things from my childhood, but I like Jeff Beck’s version better. For the most part, I liked this album, particularly the bluesy numbers which really are most of them. Some of the songs hold up pretty well, while others sound quite dated. I am not sure why the covers of Old Man River and Greensleeves were on this album. And although I liked the Greensleves cover, just about any one could have done that. Now, since Rod Stewart’s vocals are on most of the tracks, this feels more like an early Rod Stewart album since vocals tend to dominate my listening experience generally. This one is between a 3 and a 4 for me, but it is closer to three stars.
The songs are not that bad, but are also pretty boring
A name I know, but that's about it. Rod Stewart I do know. I like the sound of the album, classic 60s. But then some of the originals are so standard they bore. The covers are better, and as an album seems cobbled together. 3 Heard before? No Owned: No: 22/1001, 22/89 (24%) Will I get? No
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.
I originally had this album generated on day 11 before I joined a group and stand by my review from back then. Had I known about this album back in high school, I would have loved it. Some solid blues guitar driven classic rock. Unfortunately, I’ve become a bit burnt out on the whole genre and I don’t love Rod Stewart’s singing. He kind of sounds like a budget Robert Plant.
Good fun blues rock, amazing cast of backing band
Litt for rocka og for mange coverlåta
More like a 2.5, didn’t know Rod Stewart was associated with this project, I liked how ramshackle it was and the Morning Dew cover sent me down a rabbit hole of the origins of the song, now I want to here them all. However the blues covers were not my cup of tea
-really good, chill rock -seemed a little ahead of its time (70s instead of 60s??)
4.25/5
I expected the whole album to consist of the boring white blues that begins You Shook Me, so I was really surprised when the album started with three songs of pretty decent psych-rock. It's like Disraeli Gears, if it came in 'plain' flavour. I enjoy the style of playing, but the songwriting is not particularly memorable and the lyrics are just floating lyrics from old blues songs. It quickly falls apart; while You Shook Me becomes more interesting, Ol' Man River is a drag and Greensleeves is still the sound of a thuggish monarch telling his next conquest "I'm in a band." 'Rock My Plimsoul'? Fuck me. I like how the unusual time signature sounds like they keep falling out of time, but that's about all I like. Beck's Bolero is pretty cool, though, and it helps by providing a break from Rod Stewart's smoky voice. This album is better than that Public Enemy one, though probably not as good as Lynyrd Skynyrd. That's the level we're operating on. As live takes on studio albums go, Blues Deluxe is far less jarring than Bye Bye Love on Bridge Over Troubled Water; the crowd noise is less intrusive and the sound of the band more consistent with the songs around it. However, like the inclusion of a traditional instrumental at the start of side one, a 7:30 live track is clearly filler to hit the 40 minute mark.
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
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.
This blues rock album is like a muscle car revving endlessly in neutral—noisy, flashy, and full of power, but ultimately going nowhere.
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
Nice guitar work, too many cover versions.
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
Listened to it twice, doesn't remember anything.
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.
Is listening to a whole album worth the wait for hi-ho silver lining? Probably not. I don't know what it is, but years ago I'd have more love for the kind of, show offy, soloy blues you hear on this record. But these days it's lost on me. The last few tracks are good. Again, I look for a bit of a pop angle to these records as well, because the solos themselves just don't feel so memorable or impressive.
А ниче так
Boring
Best Track - "Shapes Of Things"
This is the second album I've heard with Jeff Beck playing a key role. Sometimes I wonder if he'd be better suited to an instrumental album because he seems to have poor choice in vocalists.
I get this is good but not for me.
First thought: Jeff Beck sure sounds a lot like Rod Stewart! Second thought: Oh.
Groovy and head bangy. Cool guitar effects
I didn't mind this, mainly I think because I find Rod the Mod to be a fairly compelling rock vocalist. Some of it was a bit run-of-the-mill blues, but there were moments I liked a fair bit. Lowish three.
Nice
Not every song is a banger, but none of them are snoozers either. The one thing they all seem to have is a strong sense of groove
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.
Weird hearing Rod Stewart on a rock album, as opposed to the more radio-friendly tracks I've heard over the years.
nice sounds from one of the original supergroups.
Hmm. It's quite alright and I did enjoy a fair share of it, but nothing really stood out to me.
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.
Pretty good. JB can play the heck out of a guitar, but for whatever reason his music has never really grabbed me.
Better than I anticipated, though your mileage may vary if you’re not a fan of Rod Stewart’s voice. For me, it was too many watered down blues riffs, but the stuff I liked was really good.
Some cool guitar playing and tones. Otherwise, pretty run of the mill 60s white boy blues.
oooOOOOhhHHHH baaaaaaaAAbbyYYYyyyyy
Perfect album!
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.
Debut solo album that introduced Jeff Beck, Rod Stewart, and Ronnie Wood to a larger world. Pitchfork: n/a Rolling Stone: n/a Best Songs Let Me Love You Rock My Plimsoul Blues Deluxe I Ain't Superstitious
Rod Stewart bringing his bluesy, hard rock was a joy to listen to
Rod Stewart went blues. Nothing amazing but solid enough.
Decent
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.
Good album, some great tracks, vocals by Rod Stewart and, obviously, guitar work from Jeff Beck. Something like 68/100, more inclined to three stars out of five.
Not my genre of music. I know he is supposed to be a great guitarist, but this just wasn’t for me.
Why has Rod always sounded old? Should have retired before he even started.
Truthfull
Fantastic blues
Jeff Beck is new to me. It’s ok. Rod Stewart isn’t new to me. That wasn’t great. Didn’t really sound like something from the 60s. Overall, not something I’d listen to again.
cool guitar but forgettable
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
Favorite tracks: Shapes of Things, Let Me Love You, I Ain't Superstitious This album opened really strong with a couple fast paced rock songs, but the switch to blues caught me by surprise. It lost momentum and it never really came back, even with some of the other rock songs sprinkled in. It's clear that Jeff Beck is an excellent musician and I do enjoy when someone can transcend styles, but this one felt a little disjointed to me. Also, I've always thought of Rod Stewart as mediocre at best so having him on every track was a disappointment. I would have loved to get some other voices in there!
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
Really enjoyed this! Morning dew! Rod Stewart! Turns out I like Jeff Beck. Who knew?
Meh… I can respect that Beck was extremely talented and innovative but to me he is still boomer blues. The first few tracks are pretty good but as it when on I just got super bored with it. I’d much rather listen to some classic blues. Also, it loses points for Rod Stewart. Never cared for his vocal style or vibes. 4/10
A message from a different era. Rod’s pipes sounding great, a blues swamp and a great guitar sound.
1/5 - I could not get into this album at all, I really didn't enjoy it. Spent most of the time listening to it just wishing it'd end. Not a good album in my opinion.
In a lot of ways this is the album Bluesbreakers wishes it could have been - wankery, but with enough zest and flourish to make things listenable. The Jeff Beck Group itself is titanic, with Faces cohorts and legendary artists Ron Wood and Rod Stewart upping the ante on skills. Not to mention the star studded cast of “Beck’s Bolero” that would essentially become the nucleus of Led Zeppelin. In fact, most of this sounds like an early undiscovered Zeppelin album, albeit without the same production polish. It’s not mind blowing but it is good and has far more style than Clapton could ever muster.
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Ruined by Rod.
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.
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.
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.
Bored to tears
2.5
way more rock than i thought it would be.
What a powerful album… beck is brilliant on guitar, and I knew I heard Rod Stewart! Really enjoyed
This kicked ass
A solid late 60's blues rock album. I think I would have loved this as a teenager, when I was musically voracious for this genre, mood and the guitar solos. "Ol' Man River" was the standout for me.
Well, I'm not the biggest guitar rock/blues fan, but I can recognize Jeff Beck's talent. The Greensleeves cover was kind of unexpectedly cool.
🗯 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.
Amazing musician.
Love me some Jeff Beck
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
Jeff Beck is an absolute guitar legend, and it's well deserved. I could have done with more instrumental tracks on this album though and significantly less Rod Stewart (I get it, he was huge in the 60s and 70s, but less Stewart is always better). Listening to this album, you really need to put yourself in the mindset that this was of a certain time in rock music. Listening with more modern ears will leave you feeling a little meh about the record, but for late 60's blues rock, this thing goes pretty hard.
*1968. English rock. *Sounded just like generic brand Rod Stewart. *Soul-type music from white people is weird. *It was fine, but there are better options for the same music style. RATING - 6.5/10
Another classic rock, perfectly serviceable
Smokey dive bar music. I feel like I should be getting hustled by a pool shark while sucking down a couple Bud Lights. Jeff Beck is definitely one of the greatest guitarists of the 20th century, though.
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.
Bluesy rock. Super bluesy vocal singing style makes it sound very American. Jeff Beck is ahead of the classic rock players of the time with his fast triplet pentatonic phrases, bends and vibrato. But songs don’t feel well arranged to me. All these blues forms, u could swamp between each other the middle parts of the songs and no one would know. There are some exceptions, but nothing that I am dying to rrlisteb it remember. Cool call and response vocal and guitar type solos. Got bored, left out last two songs. Mb they are masterpieces, idk
Definitely hear some Zepplin esq stuff here, think Beck as a guitarist is very under rated
Very nice. It reminds me of Led Zeppelin, guitar and piano. Would def listen to more of his stuff!
Yeah, nice.
3⭐️
Just because you may be regarded as one of, if not the greatest guitarist of all time, doesn’t guarantee a great album. Nothing on this album stands out a calls for repeat listening. I can’t fault it for being Led Zeppelin Lite, but this album reaches its full potential less than a couple years later recorded with its proper lineup. Even Keith Moon sounds restrained on this album! 3/5
Hm… trochę nie lubię płyt, które mają po prostu na celu pokazać “hej, umiem grać na gitarze”! Wolę projekty w pełni artystyczne, z oryginalnymi kompozycjami, autorskimi tekstami i poczuciem kreatywnej i artystycznej sprawczości. Tu tego nie ma. Za to jest Rod Stewart, który nie jest, nie był i nie będzie moim ulubionym wokalistą, więc żadna to dla mnie wartość dodana. 5/10 chociaż poważnie się zastanawiałam czy nie dać mniej.
Falls a little flat for me. Jeff Beck was a great technical guitarist that didn't click with me in contrast to other great guitarists, like Jimi Hendrix, Pete Townsend, Mark Knofler, David Gilmore or even Eddie Van Halen.
Loved the rock-y sound!
Come Tomorrow, Will I Be Older? 1001 Albums Generator 101 (08/21/2025) Jeff Beck is one of those names in the classic rock canon that I have just never listened to. Truth is his debut, and I have to say that I was amazed at the credits on this thing. Rod Stewart, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, Keith Moon, and more are all on this album. This was also clearly a huge inspiration to Led Zeppelin, who would take the blues rock that Beck is exploring on here and turn it from good to great. The rockin' songs are really cool, especially the 1-2 punch of Shapes Of Things into Let Me Love You. The only song penned by Page, Beck's Bolero is by far the coolest song here and is a bit experimental to be honest. I also love Ol' Man River for its strangeness and the fact that Rod Stewart sounds exactly like the singer of Van Der Graaf Generator. However, not everything here is worthwhile, with the 7 and a half minute jam of Blues Deluxe being the worst thing here. Morning Dew and You Shook Me are also quite boring. Overall, it's a decent 3/5. Favs: Shapes Of Things Ol' Man River Beck's Bolero Least Fav: I Ain't Superstitious
Guitar noodling 101 by JB.
Nah
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
Considering this was a debut album for most of the artists involved it was a really nice album. Rod Stewart's vice was very flaky on the first track, but sounded great after that. There were quite varied styles on the album, but it flowed quite well regardless. I'm going with 3 stars.
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.
Nicht schlecht und sicher wegweisend, aber Rock ist einfach nicht so meins.
Decent album by an important man.
Dit had zoveel beter geweest als het instrumentaal was. Hemelse gitaar, helse zang. 3.4
Generic; not overly annoying. I tried to appreciate for what it is, but couldn’t get too enthused about it. Standard bluesy classic rock. The inclusion of “Greensleeves” was an interesting choice (I liked the rendition, but is it really the best fit for the rest of the album??). Favorite: Old Man River
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
Hate guitar solos. But this had its merits
When I was a kid I didn't realize Jeff Beck and Beck were different.
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!
I didn't really make it past the first couple of songs.
60’s rock
Great classic rock
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
Pretty great.
Great background music for bbqs
I feel tied in to a weird rating funk due to a potentially dodge last 3 rating. Enjoyable guitar and unexpected (and unknown 😂) Rod on vocals actually turned out to be an ok combo for me. I’m not sure it worked 100%, at times I thought I would have just preferred a Jeff Beck jam minus the vocals. But all in all reasonable to listen to.
When I was listening to this I was thinking this sounds like a Rod Stuart album. When I googled the album it was him on vocals! I had no idea Jeff Beck and him did anything together. I should not really have done this as I have beef with Rod Stuart (not all bad) so may effect my review. Its astonishing this comes from the late 60's. Did they basically do everything in the 60's for which we are all now grateful for their contribution. Did humanity just wake up in the 60s!!! By my own admission I prefer Rod's cancerous throat in a more rock centric context which is handy! The highlight of which is Becks guitair work which I can see why this pair worked as a collaboration. I would say its Rods luck to be part of this not the other way around mind. Undoubtable blues theme comes in and out which works well for the most part. I did find it wafting on a bit long on some songs but the guitair was so good I didnt mind the less interesting vocals at times. The lyrics feel lazy and uninspired. They're just a wash of clichés that I've heard a thousand times before. Sadly once you hear the usual love ones over and over and even repeated on literally the next song you cant stop hearing the bloody things! I will give them both their due this is great musical content for the 60's and would happily have gone to see this live had I the opportunity and not been 15 years prior to my birth!
I went in blind and immediately disliked the vocal performance. Unusually, I was moved to immediately jump to the reviews where I discovered it was another stealth dose of Rod Stewart. On the plus side, it shows my dislike of Rod Stewart's voice is a visceral reaction and not based on prejudice. I quite liked the rock-blues vibes but the slower songs, for example "Ol' Man River", were horrendous due to Stewarts throat cancerous vocals. Interesting to hear "Hi Ho Silver Lining" at the end which seemed an incongruous addition. Overall, good but not great music ruined by the addition of Rod Stewart.
Guitar playing is great. The rest is fine. Not a huge fan of his vocals and I am starting to notice I am not a huge fan of blues outside of seeing it live.
I was about 0:05 into "Truth" when I realized it is a Rod Stewart album disguised under the name of Jeff Beck. I'm scathingly disappointed. In my humble opinion, Stewart is probably the most obnoxious vocalist in rock 'n' roll music history. His singing is just awful. Even the guitar work on here is incongruous, and Jeff Beck is supposedly the best of the best. Expectantly, the most pleasant track was "Greensleeves," an instrumental cover song of the old English Christmas carol. "Beck's Bolero" had impressive musical arrangements, and it's the other strong song of the album. Allegedly Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin wrote it. That checks. I'm convinced the author of 1001 Albums was conceived to a Rod Stewart album. Either that, or he thrives in mediocrity. Otherwise, there is no way he'd have included four Rod Stewart albums!
Nothing to hook me. Despite the prominent rock staff. Because of "Beck's Bolero" I give it the two stars. 1,5
Before I hit play, I expected Jeff Beck's signature guitar tone to dominate, but Rod Stewart's vocals immediately grabbed my attention — and there's a reason for that. Stewart's well-known voice upstages Beck to a degree, though Jeff holds his own with masterful playing that might benefit from a less democratic mix. Full disclosure: growing up on electric blues thanks to my POP has had the side effect that I find American and British white guys playing the blues (especially from the late 60s – mid 70s) a bit tiresome, but this is such a pure expression of classic British blues rock that it's hard to fault outside of my own weariness with it. Three stars — better than expected, but constrained by its historical moment. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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.
These are solid songs. Reminds me a bit too much of the yard birds, not that I hate it but I like jeff beck's instrumental fusion work a lot better
I freely admit that when I hear of Jeff Beck I admonish myself for not knowing more about his music. I know his hits but little beyond that, and this inadequacy is highlighted by the inclusion of this album on the list. For example I’d no idea that he worked with all the would be superstars featured on this album. Secondly when halfway through the album I realised that I knew a lot of the tracks but had been given the Jeff Beck treatment. Not in a bad way but giving new life to old Blues standards. A very enjoyable listen to which I thank the 1001 Gods for picking. It truly might have been an album I would have missed before my demise. 3/5 2/8/25
It's ok, calling it Metal is a bit loose, but I can see what they mean I guess Will I listen to again: 29%
Interesting...
Jeff Beck's playing is great, Rod Stewart's singing isn't.
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.
The guitar work on this album is really great, often overwhelming the other aspects of the tracks (for better and for worse). Unfortunately this album jumps around so much that there isn't really any throughline to grab onto other than that. I do always appreciate a good "Greensleeves" cover, though. Favorite tracks: "Morning Dew," "Beck's Bolero"
Decent. Definitely not the usual sound for a british guy in the 60s so good for him. 5/10
Jeff beck is really good
The UK blues Rock scene of the 60s was a very incestuous thing. People would start bands, split up, go off on solo projects and then reunite for super groups. Jeff Beck was originally part of the Yardbirds but then fired in the middle of a tour. This was his solo album featuring Rod Stewart on vocals, who, it has to be said, is not really the best fit for this sort of blues music. In fact there’s a good argument to be made that white blokes from England shouldn’t be really appropriating black American music like this. Weirdly enough this album also includes a version of Greensleeves which at least is authentically English. but doesn’t really fit with anything else. The best track for me was the bouncy singalong Hi Ho Silver Lining (included on the bonus track version) which I remember from many a school disco back in the day.
So it turns out I enjoy more the young Beck than the older one. This kind of albums is part the bridges between blues and hard rock. I usually don't like Beck's voice, but here it's Stewart. Is it better? Not really sure, it feels like is singing at 150% all the time, and adding way too much tremolo and such.
# 529 : Truth A milestone in rock guitar and blues-rock fusion. Beck’s playing is top-tier, but aside from “Rock My Plimsoul”, most tracks blur together. It’s good, just not one I’d revisit often. Worth a listen for the history, not the replay value. Favourite track: Rock My Plimsoul Listened: 22/07/2025
Solid Blues Rock, and I enjoyed the unexpected Greensleeves.
Interesting
Enjoyed, I think it’s really good and holds up
Didnt enjoy it as much as I thought I would. Guitar was good, very bluesy overall but lacking something. Standout songs: Beck's Bolero I Aint Superstitious
Very early rock, it is what it is.
Okay early rock album. Rather pleasant.
There are parts of this I like but also parts I find boring. 3 stars or C-.
Some of the songs were okay but others not to my liking
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...
It was ok but pretty forgettable.
Good album, but not a great album.
Good 👍
Blues rock? How unexpected!
Not a fan of Rod Stewart's vocals. The guitarwork is pretty solid though. It would be cooler as all instrumental.
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 have no strong thoughts about this one, honestly. the three-est of threes.
bruh... i just don't see it. in what world is this "metal"? this is just another white dude covering or ripping off black blues musicians that will stand the test of time. this? not so much. is there nothing the brits won't colonize????? favorites: greensleeves, i ain't superstitious. two songs i already knew. the rest is just led zeppelin lite starring rod stewart
Best track-Beck's Bolero
i liked some songs off this one, jeff beck rocky blues vibes are nice
Damn, that was boring... Genuinely one the least fun hard rock albums I've heard. Beck's Bolero was the only song I liked. The rest were not unlistenable but just not fun. Lacks energy, lacks passion. Didn’t particularly like this one.
Langweilig, es nimmt mich nicht mit.
A perfectly fine record, and if you like your blues heavy, you’ll get along with it fine, but it’s simply been outclassed, not only by what was yet to come, but equally by its peers, not to mention what came before. As mean as his guitar is here, I still prefer Beck elsewhere, and the truth is, the same goes for most of these songs, versions of which I’d rather hear by Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, or hell, Led Zeppelin. Top Tracks: Beck’s Bolero, I Ain’t Superstitious
A little disappointed by this album. It's an okay enough blues rock album, but I feel calling it one of the first metal albums is a bit of a stretch, especially considering the other proto-metal albums released around the same time. Fine enough, but unremarkable. Top tracks: Rock My Plimsoul, I Ain't Superstitious
Shapes of Things is an excellent opener, quality drumming and solid riffs, Rod Stewart's voice sounds great. Beck's playing is obviously fantastic, bluesy but far more creative with his phrasing and melodies than most standard bluesy players. Some beautiful acoustic playing. Beck's Bolero is a magical piece of music. It did sort of merge in to one on first listen though, will give 3/5 for now, could grow in future.
Sick
That was tiiiiiiight, start to finish bangers. Elements of metal and psychedelia and staaaaanky guitars. Will be injecting directly into my eardrums
Soft dad rock
After an unpromising start, where the opening couple of tracks seemed to sprawl and threaten to veer out of control as Jeff tried to fit as many riffs in as humanly possible, things got back on an even keel as he and the band allowed the songs to breathe at their own pace. Like most rock guitarists, Jeff owes a lot to the blues, and he acknowledges his influences with a few bluesy numbers, which are nicely done, particularly Blues Deluxe and You Shook Me. The album ends with the song that Jeff is perhaps best known for, Hi Ho Silver Lining, and let's be honest it's a real toe-tapper, shambolic middle eight notwithstanding. I did eventually have a good time with this album, but I'm not sure I'll be going back to it soon. If I do, the blues tracks will be cued up first.
Can’t get past the fact that Rod provides vocals to all these tracks. The exception being Greensleeves which really should have been vetoed. For the finale, “I Ain’t Superstitious”, and for the citing of this record in the birth of heavy metal, I up my rating to give two stars.
Old White Guy music barely saved by Rod Stewart
Didn’t really excite me to be honest. I think it also suffered from being right behind are you experienced
Managed to get three stars from an album of Rod Stewart singing, which is more than I thought I’d ever give. So there’s that. But British blues just ain’t my jam.
4-
Jeff Beck pairs perfectly with Rod Stewart. Something about Rod’s rasp and Jeff’s virtuosity gives the songs the right kick. I don’t like all the track choices (Old Man River and Greensleeves?), and there should be more Beck just shredding. But a solid album!
British guy pretending to be American. He did a pretty decent job.
Jeff Beck sounds like Rod Stewart.
A fitting album given Rod Stewart's Glastonbury performance a few days from now. "Truth" is considered by some to be the original heavy metal album. I'd call it Hard Blues but it definitely does illustrate an important step from blues to metal. It's not a bad album but in my mind it's flaked by The Yardbirds and Led Zeppelin on either side. I'd pick either of those over this one personally. No disrespect to Rod Stewart but there's a reason it's the Jeff Beck Group and not the Rod Stewart Group. There are definitely some highlights here though, especially the cover of "Morning Dew".
Guitar heavy, 60s rock. Bluesy I do not dislike it but I wouldn't listen to it.
ass
Büro, Heidenheim, Deutschland Generell gut, aber zieht sich viel zu lange.
++*: 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
Ordentlicher Rock der 60er mit schönen Riffs. Insgesamt aber doch zu durchschnittlich.
Song #1 right when he started singing I was sad it wasn’t Rod Stewart. Lol song #2 made me think I could be a professional singer if this guy made it. Lol. But I liked it.
Love the guitar work on Iain't superstitious and Bolero
Bluesy rock. I’m not really into it, but if you are you’ll probably like it. I had no idea Rod Stewart was part of this, so that was a surprise when it started up.
🥱
I love some of Beck's later work (Wired, Blow by Blow etc) but this one just did not do it for me.
It's definitely a change from most of the British 60's blues albums on this list. But it still didn't really hit for me. It started strong but then fell off.
nice stuff - sometimes little too much guitar
Amazing album my new favorite of his. Experimental blues. Awesome
3.5
Nah. I'd have fallen asleep to this in 196-whatever as well. It's actually ok, but it *feels* (ie., in a subjective way) a bit pompous.
Bluest, a bit trippy. But all a bit similar
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.
Ok, pretty much my whole thoughts on this
The truth is...this album
It’s ok. There’s no denying what a talent Jeff Beck was. However, the songs are just ok. I feel Beck’s work loses the comparison to Led Zeppelin for post-Yardbirds music.
Irgendwie prototypisch und in der Zeit runzlig und muffig geworden.
He's got talent. I was just a smidge bored.
Eh
Very meh
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.
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
This felt very classic American.
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 guess it’s an extra star for Greensleeves
Pretty classic, though there’s too much blues and not enough rocking out. Best song: Beck’s Bolero
This was fine. Smooth. Nothing really stood out to me in particular. I didn’t mind listening. I was surprised how old it was- it felt much more modern.
Decent. Would enjoy sitting in a bar and listening to this as background music, but I can't see myself revisiting this album.
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
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
3.5* 86%
Solid blues piano on that one track but the Old Man River cover was embarrassing. Just another white dude playing blues guitar in the late 60s
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.
Þetta er fínt svo langt sem það nær, en ég hefði fílað þetta betur árið 1992. Ekki leiðinlegt, en lögin eru frekar keimlík öll Gítarsnilldin dofnar með árunum og Rod Stewart verður aldrei mitt uppáhald, þótt hann sé ágætur.
Good Guitar playing from Beck and charismatic vocals from Rod Stewart, but the songwriting left a little to be desired. Still nowhere near an unpleasant listen, it's getting a 3.
Rod Stewart vocals are great, Jeff Beck's guitar sounds are innovative. Big musicians on this blues based record.
Doesn’t seem to be many English rock bands not represented on this album. I still think I prefer Blow by Blow though
jeff beck ur album was okay im gonna need to relisten tho
Good, not great.
Some good musicianship and notable vocals from Rod Stewart. Not entirely sure it’s a classic
Okay so this is the first album that has come up that i’ve actually heard before! I already had his Greensleves cover liked on my spotify account! I life Jeff Beck — especially his instrumental stuff. After listening to it all, i don’t love it all but some of it was cool ig
What a mid-ass waste of time. Didn't even finish it.
👍
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.
Bit noodly and unfocused. Some of the latter tracks were pretty good.
Green sleeves was nice but all around just another mid soft rock album.
Great voice and guitar playing! I really like the vibes of the entire album.
That's a great album for a debut, but too regular to carry the Jeff Beck's name. 3 stars is fair enough.
It's alright. Nothing really engaging about it. Rod Stewart gets it to a 3
Heavy but I should listen to it more
This is brilliant. Transcendent talents teaming up on vocals and guitars here, and it shows
Zeppelin ripped this guy off
que hombre
I know that this is an important album for what it portended for rock.music moving forward. But to me it just sounds like blues karaoke. The piano playing on the 2d to last song save it from being a 1. 2/5
☀︎j’aime pas le blues ☀︎what the heck Greensleeves 2.5
okay cool now ask me if i give a fuck
Very nice album, but not quite a 4 for me.
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
Beck is clearly a talented guitarist.
Nice discovery, 8/10
Kinda boring.
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.
This album is very forgettable to me, while I don’t remember necessarily disliking anything on this project. Nothing I would go back to. If someone feels real strongly about me relistening to this album I could give it a go, but for now I’m leaving it as an unexciting and inoffensive listen
This is #day261 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… it's kind of weird listening to a band called Jeff Beck with not-Jeff-Beck behind the mic. Overall, it feels like I suddenly caught a classic rock radio station. Typical late-'60s hard rock and blues rock, with wah-wahs galore. Also, it just so happens I'm not a fan of Rod Stewart's vocals. I gave his solo album a 2 a couple of months ago, and I can't go higher than that here either. Looking forward to #day262.
I always associate Jeff Beck with instrumental music. “Shape of things” is a great opening track. If the rest of the album is this good, I’m a fan. Second track “let me love you”. What a sick groove. I wasn’t sure about the song at first and the. It hooks you. Morning dew, what a track. Geez this album is amazing. How have I never heard this before. Ol’ man river was a great track. Green sleeves is the most boring thing on here so far. And it’s a good track, I’m just tired of here that song. Rock my plum soul. What a track. Each track just gets better. This album is amazing. Now I appreciate “Bolero” more hearing the rest of this album. Listening to “I ain’t superstitious” I now understand the Megadeth version. I don’t realize they cover this version. Love this album.
на любителя.
Excellent!
a bunch of great musicians
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.
White British guy blues is one of my least favorite genres heavily represented on this list. Never does anything for me.
Great guitar, but his voice reminds me too much of Rod Stewart. He loses a whole star for that
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.
not really my style
Rod Stewart's big breakthrough I believe. A young Stewart on vocals, paired with Jeff Beck's (formerly of the Yardbirds) crisp licks on guitar makes for a pretty entertaining record. This is definitely more blues than heavy metal, as about half of the record is blues covers. Although I guess that's what most of late 60's hard rock produced (if not psychedelic rock). Perhaps a little generic at points in that case, but the instrumentalism is still impressive nonetheless.
Ehh... middle of the road 60's UK blues rock album. Not very memorable. I also have no idea why this album is tagged as metal. Mid 3.
This joins the group of "wild this is a debut album". Instrumental work is unreal and you can hear how this influenced a lot of bands over the years. It's more of a showcase vs an album. Really inventive stuff but it doesn't feel like something I'd want to put on over and over. I just realized I didn't pay attention to anything besides just the instruments on this one. I relistened to a couple songs and think maybe this should be an instrumental album.
Okay, I'm feeling this opening track. It's not perfect but it has some nice layers. Good blues vibes. Some odd noodling. Decent stereo mixing. Pretty crisp sound. Hmm quite a few cover songs. Um Greensleeves. Is this a seed for prog rock? The musicianship is solid, but the compositions are sloppy. There are good ideas here, and I can see why this could be inspiring, but it ultimately misses the mark.
Pretty boring.
Rock history keeps slipping Rod Stewart into my drinks. I had to skip the first track because I just couldn’t do it. From there, the music is amazing - I can fully appreciate why Jeff Beck is a legend. But whenever Rod Stewart’s voice is introduced I’m pulled out of the music…I am not saying his voice is bad, it’s not that. But I just have him associated with inauthenticity and a lack of depth that doesn’t pair well with the music for me. Sigh. I want to fully enjoy this but can’t.
Jeff Beck, like many members of the Yarbirds, is insanely talented. And the band he assembles for his solo effort is also fantastic. Even Rod Stewart shines at times. Still, despite all the positives, it doesn't sustain. This is a good album, and I am glad it is on the list, but even listening to it, you know it won't hold. I think even Jeff Beck knows it won't hold up. It is almost like these songs are just excuses for Jeff Beck's guitar solos.
Wow, Zeppelin much? Rod Stewart on vocals, actually liked. Guitar playing outstanding!
Well that was horney. No wonder Rod ended up with 8 kids.
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
I wish I knew of this album in high school so I could have been an even more insufferable classic rock nerd Favourite tracks: Shape of Things, You Shook Me, Ol’ Man River, Blues Deluxe, I Ain’t Superstitious
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.
Its a no from me.
I dug it.
Exceptional guitar and great vocals but something in this is not for me.
He's obviously enormously respected, but I don't get it.
Is better than a falsehood.
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
A little before my time so haven’t listened to him much. Solid album.
About as 1968 as you can get.
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
Proto hard rock that's basically blues with fuzz and wah wah. This was released alongside Cream's Wheels of Fire and Hendrix's Electric Ladyland, the year before Led Zeppelin I and 2 years before Black Sabbath's debut. All these bands are basically doing the same thing - a hard charging rock trio with a great bass player and a guitar dude shredding over top + some sort of vocalist that's kind of an afterthought even though it takes up a ton of the album. Jeff Beck's leads are great, but not especially original here. Rod Steward is tolerable. Ronnie Wood's basslines really kick it on. It's one of the ultimate dad-core albums, I'd have picked the wierder and more original Blow By Blow instead.
Good album. Guitar was sick. Maybe not my favorite
This was a fun listen. His version of "Greensleeves" was cool. I liked it a lot. The album didn't absolutely blow my mind...but I definitely enjoyed it. I get why people regard Jeff Beck so highly now. I enjoyed the singing a lot too. I'd say it's probably a 3.5. Liked Songs: "Shapes of Things" , "Morning Dew" , "Greensleeves" , "Rock My Plimsoul" , "Beck's Bolero"
liked songs: Let Me Love You, Ol' Man River, Greensleeves, Beck's Bolero, I Ain't Superstitious Good originals. Good covers. 3.75