Reviews (page 5 of 8)
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
I dug it.
Exceptional guitar and great vocals but something in this is not for me.
A little before my time so haven’t listened to him much. Solid album.
About as 1968 as you can get.
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"
It's very weird to listen to Rod Stewart and read people equivocate this to "proto-metal." Rod Stewart? The "Do You Think I'm Sexy?" guy? Or the guy we know now, who cornered the soft rock market. And "Old Man River"... yikes. But the album is known the first solo Jeff Beck album, and it's interesting to hear his sound develop. I mean, I first REALLY heard Beck on "What God Wants" by Roger Waters. And that was just... a force of nature. Listening to the ending portion of "I Ain't Superstitious," you see where he's going with it. And it's a good direction. It's just hard to think of Stewart in that light now. But I give it a positive because Beck just kills on this. Top tracks: "I Ain't Superstitious," "Beck's Bolero," "Shape of Things"
some good guitar, nothing too exciting
Just solid without any surprises but would except those from this kind of album
Rod Stewart’s raw, bluesy vocals wrap around Jeff Beck’s fiery guitar work like a perfectly tailored glove. The album is soulful, gritty, and bursting with attitude. I had never listened to this before, and it genuinely took me by surprise — in the good way.
I mostly know Jeff Beck by reputation and as a celebrated guitarist, but haven't really heard his music that much. I wondered about the vocalist, he has a mad rasp to his singing and later find out it is Rod Steward himself. I often find the late 60's blues fad a bit tiresome, but not on this record and for the most part it leans quite a lot towards heavier rock or rockblues. While comparisons are worthless, in my sphere of knowledge this has a lot of crossover with Jimi Hendrix and someone else I can't pinpoint right now. I'm quite enjoying this record and am wondering how I never stumbled onto it back when I was digging the 60's/70's used vinyl crates.
Good one
I should probably like this more. Maybe I would if I was alive then, but it doesn't really stand out. It's fine, Beck is a great guitarist, and I like blues rock quite a bit, but the music itself doesn't really hit home.
Guitar is great. Never was a fan of Rod’s.
Heard of Jeff Beck before but for some reason never got round to listening to his music. The album didn't have any tracks that stood out to me but I appreciate the overall experience 3/5
Decent but short listen.
I'll always think of Jeff Beck with the song "Led Boots" as it's one of the coolest guitar instrumental jams I've ever heard. That being said, hearing his debut solo record showcases his blues/jam abilities but his general sensibility for more complex songwriting. He also had a very solid vocal. Will need to revisit but some good jams on here.
I know get why Jeff Beck was a thing. The best Rod Stewart has ever sounded.
Sonically, some pretty good blues
I like the Blues that follows the whole record. Greensleeves was my grade 2 piano piece so revisiting that was very nostalgic for me. No real bad things to say other than noticeable production issues but that’s to be expected
I thought this was ok but nothing stuck out for me. I thought "wow Jeff Beck sounds a lot like Rod Stewart" but uh right that actually is Rod Stewart. Guitar work is great of course but it just didn't grab me. Overall I thought it was just meh which makes me feel bad for dissing one of the guitar greats.
Pretty good guitar riffs, sounded like an interesting precursor to Led Zeppelin. It kind of felt like Rod Stewart's vocals were out of place on this album.
Interesting
Bien
Good guitar, bad lyrics.
1. jeff beck is such a good player. 2. yeah, "Morning Dew". Nick Cave said on Desert island Discs that he likes the original version. wait... einstürzende neubauten also sang it too. no wonder nick likes the song, because he is still thinking about his good old days with Blixa. 3. the vocal sounds good. oh, rod stewart sang it. 4. YOU MEAN THAT THE RONNIE WOOD WHO PLAYED WITH THE STONES IS THE BASS PLAYER HERE? 5.but i am not too interested in blues rock. so in conclusion, a 3. 3/5
Un álbum interesante que empieza muy bien y se va desinflando según avanza. No es aburrido ni malo, pero no creo que aporte nada nuevo a lo que ya he oído. Canción destacada: Shapes of Things
Not too bad but a bit straightforward by today's standards. Also a bit of a strange album with so many covers (and covers of odd tracks like Old Man River and Greensleeves), although Jeff Beck does a pretty good job with them. This album definitely started down the path that Led Zeppelin would take, but I decided at the start I'm not giving extra stars for influence.
My first thought was that Jeff Beck sounds an awful lot like Rod Stewart, but I eventually realized what was going on. One thing that struck me was that his version of Greensleeves was raw and unpolished compared to today’s standards. If someone today was to record a similar version it would be done to perfection with minimal noise and free of mistakes. I liked the authenticity of this version from 1968. Overall it was pretty good.
Favorite Track: Beck’s Bolero
3.5/5
Good blues
There seems to be a disconnect between Rod Stewart's lyrics and the music. Almost like the two were recorded completely separate from each other, without hearing how it sounded when mixed together. The album is definately back loaded. Once You Shook Me comes on, the rest of the album is so much better. Favourite songs: Rock My Plimsoul, Greensleeves, You Shook Me, Beck's Bolero Least favourite songs: Shapes of Things 3/5
Kind of cool as a time capsule album - you can tell where Led Zeppelin derived their inspiration from.
Good shit, with a lack of complexity
A good blues album, but not much more than that, featuring Jeff Beck on guitar and Rod Stewart on vocals. Expected a bit more from the album, considering the line-up, which includes Ronnie Wood as well. The songs are mostly covers, the style is a slightly harder version of pure blues. Beck doesn't show that much on guitar, with only a couple of good solos. The brightest light for me was Rod Stewart which fit into this album pretty well and sang with nice passion and intensity. The album seems like a proto/demo Led Zeppelin album, but is not as well done as LZ albums were.
3.35
3.25
This album was actually a pleasant surprise because I didn’t think I would like it much at all. It has that late 60’s/early 70’s charm to it, creating a great, easy going vibe that I enjoyed. It’s folksy, smooth and polished without sounding over produced, with hints of psychedelic rock woven throughout. It had some great guitar riffs, there is clearly a lot of skill that went into this album. I thought the vocals seemed familiar at times with scratchy, rustic sounds and it turns out… Rod Stewart. I'm not a huge fan of him and it took me out of it a bit when I realised but I can’t hold it against the album. The Greensleeves cover was interesting, apparently a popular song to cover on the guitar but I had never heard it covered before; and I don’t think this album was a bad way to be introduced. I wouldn’t buy the vinyl new but if I saw it for a good price second hand, I’d consider it.
bluesy old fashioned rock and roll that is above average. 3/5
Bluesy rock music where every song sounded exactly the same. Stand-out: I Ain't Superstitious
solid bread'n'butter rock
own
The guitar work is of course superb, but the rest of it didn't impress me at all. There are better songs on other records by Jeff Beck. The higher ranking is for the guitar only.
не тот Бек! этот слишком гитарный для меня (Род тоже не интересует)
3x 3.0
I listened to this. Last couple tracks pulled me in a little more
Surprisingly I liked this. Especially Greensleves
i hate blues rock... but this album is wild cuz i had NO idea it wasn't beck himself singing and to learn the vocals on this album were done by ROD STEWART of all people... anyways i have affinity for beck and honestly i have no idea why cuz who cares about the yarbirds ... this guy wasn't even in any famous bands ... why do i like him ?
Enjoying the bluesier songs later on in the album. Album seemed pretty incoherent and all over the place though
I know he’s talented and that this is good, but it’s hard for me to get into it. Just blends into muddy-ness and lacks dynamics. The guitar work is great and the vocals are of course tight. Just kinda exists, ya know?
Despite knowing of Jeff Beck as a famous guitar hero for years, I don’t think I’ve actually ever listened to him before this. Everything about this was solid and classic rock staples. I’d have to listen to it a few times more to really hear it bit this sounded like something that was awesome and groundbreaking but that other artists took and perfected. Maybe why he is spoken of so highly but not listened to as much.
Seems like a decent blues-rock album. Reminds me of Led Zeppelin. I didn't know Rod Stewart appeared in all these bands before going solo. I like Rod's voice on this type of music, but my favorite tracks were the instrumentals: Beck's Bolero and Greensleeves.
You know what never gets old? White dudes aping Black musicians. Rod Stewart bemoaning the aches & pains of an overworked riverboat worker on 'Old Man River' is definitely a new ... high? Low? It's something.
Awesome shit. Ron wood did not know u could play bass like that
pretty good!
yes, yes, yes, finally an album that I like. The version of "Morning Dew" is great. Rod Stewart's voice sounds a bit strange at times. "Shapes Of Things" I have to admit that I'm not a big Rod Stewart fan. Overall, I give the album a solid, or even a better 3.
Like the bluesy influence. Recognize a couple songs from other bands covering. Overall a good album. 3/5 Might listen again
I'm not a blues fan, but I was happy that this album was mostly a classic rock album with only a couple true blues songs. Overall, it's still not something I love or would go back to, but I definitely appreciate Beck's playing and songwriting. It doesn't just sound like a "guitar album," but it does have actual songs with well done vocal melodies and song structure.
not bad just not my taste. Probably won't revisit any of the songs besides blues deluxe, hi ho silver or rock my plimsoul.
It was fine to listen to. Interesting that it featured Rod Stewart. I bet it would have been great to hear this live. Overall it made me appreciate Led Zeppelin even more (yes, another Led Zeppelin comparison).
Had not listened to this before...enjoyed it. A lot of similarities to early Led Zeppelin...which makes sense since both Beck and Jimmy Page were in The Yardbirds together.
rod can be a real cornball man…
Good Guitar, Rod Stewart singing and yet pretty bland overall. It gets a solid Meh
I was wondering how I never knew that Jeff Beck sounded so much like Rod Stewart… Anyway, another blues heavy album by a bunch of English white dudes in the late 60s. Nothing remotely interesting here unless you’re really impressed by blues after the invention of a wah pedal.
Jeff Beck being Jeff Beck. White guy playing black music. Not bad, but not my cuppa.
Oh at first I thought this was Jeff Buckley. Then I saw the year, 1968 def not him. I liked the blues sounds for sure! 3 stars.
还行
Day 73- No idea when this was generated Mid. 3/5
A pretty strong start, with 3 great tracks that set the stage with forward riffs and heavy drums. Then comes the string of covers. "Morning Dew" and "You Shook Me" works well, but "Old man river" and "Greensleeves" just sound incredibly tired and dated. My spotify version of this album didn't have "Beck's Bolero" or "Blues Deluxe", and honestly I didn't care enough to hunt them down on other services.
Shape of Things and Morning Dew are incredible but the rest of the album feels like just laying the groundwork for what Led Zep was able to do in a more expansive and interesting way.
I enjoyed the more blues-rock-y songs
I much prefer the instrumental tracks.
I've never heard of him tbh. Apparently it's metal and hard rock and maybe rock and roll too. I'll probably like it, though not all songs are available so I have to listen to the 2005 remaster, I hope it's an actually improved version rather ruined. I have no expectations about anything so I'll just dive in. The album cover itself caught my eye, I honestly thought it was a relatively new artist. First song, I kinda don't like his voice. Sonically it's basic. It's not bad, but I just listened to Doors and this is pain in the ass. Instrumental break didn't flop finee. I'm not vibing with this, it's dumbly chaotic. I can see the talent but I never actually enjoyed this. I've never been this extreme but his vocals are awful. Last part is kinda good with that headphone play. Second song, good start. This song is much better, just his voice is still not voicing. Such a beautiful instrumental break that took me away but ofc ruined by his voice god damn. Headphones play was quite nice. The guitar on the right really scratched my brain. Basically there should only be instruments here or a different voice. Third song, appealing start, with the instruments, but instantly ruined by his vocals like it's extremely irritating atp. Why is he screaming at every possible chance and doing that thing with his throat idek. I am waiting for the part when he's not singing otherwise I'm not gonna talk, is just painful ugh. I have no reason to actually vibe with or like this song because vocals. The end is the best part, how ironical. 4th song, idk what to say and this is quite rare. The sameness of the songs is sooo badd. Idk man I am just deeply unimpressed. It's the same old rock shit that I don't fw, even though I love rock, and as I said I just listened to The Doors and they were on a different level. 5th song, relatively better song, the drums and the dramaticness is actually good, but that's probably it. Otherwise it's too slow and not listening to the lyrics I lost that perspective too. This is by far the most interesting and different from the basic ass fucking rock and roll. There were many paused at the start and at the almost end. He still started singing in the worst way, what a man ughh. 6th song, liked this one tbh. It has a little nostalgic vibe that caught my ears, plus there's no voice of HIM. I really don't wanna listen to the Bside too like leave me alone. I have no mood for writing so ehh. 7th song, just shut up maaan you ain't good at this for me. Ik how this can sound good, and I honestly prefer metal screaming than this scratchy whiny ass voice I cannot. So much time for sonical parts that are not even that good, they must be hard to do, but still. I took out my right headphone and the song is suddenly much better, his voice is far far away like an echo. Ew FUCKING SHIT AM I MAD OR I JUST CAN'T KEEP THE IDEA OFF THAT HIS VOICE FUCKING SUCKS. same happens with The Rush main singer. 8th song, what an instrumental start, I hope he won't appear. Jeff, don't ruin this sonical masterpiece. He screamed like a little pig ugh, fitted the vibe plus the song got progressive. This was more nice at the start, but it's fine atp. 9th song, 7 minutes of this man's voice is torture. I am a viCtim of Jeff and... he started singing and took my trace of thought. It's live? I really wanna skip half of this. I'm doing it. He can fuck off with his Blues. I've never hated a man just because of his voice and maybe I just am obsessed with the idea rather than actually hating it, but no, I stand by it. 10th song, much more upbeat song, but that's it. I love rock and I have no idea what he thought he was doing with adding his voice to this instrumental greatness. There are so many good sonical parts, but it's cruelly balanced with his agitating voice JUST STFU. oh he did. He better not appear anymore, I wanna add these songs so badly but without his voice is that so hard. I love Björk and I have problem with this? This was torture, a pure one. Not gonna listen to more even though there are more on 2005 remaster. I'm gonna be straightforward, if I could rate only the sonical part it's be at least 4, but I'm gonna go with 3 now. I would rate it 1 because I'm just that much of a hater of his voice, but to be objective and low-key forget Jeff's voice exists 3 seems like a normal rate since it is still a part of most songs so. I've never wanted to talk this less and even skip some songs, but ofc there were times when both sonical and lyrical parts were extremely bad, at least for me.
I was thrown off by Rod Stewart on vocals, but the guitar work is definitely great, and made the album worth while to listen to. The songs are decent, but it’s not a total standout, so I’d say it’s a solid 3/5.
Some solid Rock and Roll - Greensleeves got me pumped for the holidays.
Alright. Didn't realize Rod Stewart sang for him at the start
Dit klinkt op zich prima, maar wel heel veel gitaar-gepriegel.
3/5
- Nices Projekt. - Ziemlich packed mit fetten Musikern: Rod Stewart am Gesang, Ronnie Wood am Bass, Jeff Beck selber natürlich an der Gutarre. Dazu Gastbeiträge von Leuten wie John Paul Jones, Keith Moon oder Jimmy Page - Blues Rock par excellence, kannst nicht meckern. - Sehr lässig fand ich den mega souligen „Morning Dew“ - Greensleeves natürlich im wahrsten Sinne ein Klassiker. War schön. - Blues Deluxe kannte ich in der Version von Joe Bonamassa, die ich nen Ticken geiler finde. Trotzdem geiler Blues Track. - Tallyman fandbich den geilsten Track. Hat krasse Beach Boys Vibes. Jeff Beck klingt einfach genau wie Mike Love und der mehrstimmige Backing Gesang und der Beat klingt einfach sehr Beachig. - Und dennoch fehlte mir insgesamt so ein bisschen der Moment, wo das Feuer ganz überspringt. Wie gesagt alles gut gemacht und gefühlvoll, konnte ich gut hören, aber trotzdem wollte sich das Gefühl nicht so 100%ig auf mich übertragen, um höher zu bewerten. Rating: 3,25-3,5/5
Sounds sort of like proto-Led Zeppelin, even sharing versions of Muddy Waters You Shook Me. The most interesting songs are the versions of Ole Man River, which doesn’t work at all as a Blues Rock song, and Greensleeves, which translates pretty well to late 60’s Folk. I think British Blues has been so thoroughly overshadowed by the legacies of Zeppelin, Sabbath and Deep Purple that this early work sounds kinda… quaint. Sean Egan said that the album showed ‘a lack of songwriting base’ which is definitely the main problem. That seems to be a large feature of Rod Stewart’s career in general, I can’t think of a popular song of his that he wrote himself
Incredible instrumentals.
Proper blues ! Classic, nothing fancy but ideal while working or doing something else at the same time !
Good solid enjoyable bluesy rock and roll. Beck's Bolero shows it could have been great as a different, instrumental (or mostly instrumental) album. I do feel it deserves a place on this list, though not really in my personal rotation.
Hard rock blues pivot for Beck that rings your ears well enough.
There's some good blues and rock on here with superb guitar work, but a rather odd choice of material with Bolero, Ole Man River, Greensleeves.....it also feels oddly like a solo album - Rod Stewart is in the band, but doesn't seem very present.
An OK album. I disliked the mastering, but the tunes were decent. 'I Ain't Superstitious' was my fave on this. I liked both instrumentals too.
it was nice, but kinda boring.
Now that I'm learning some of the history with these bands (Yardbirds, Cream, Faces), I can appreciate why it might sound like a plug-and-play. If you subbed in Clapton here, I know exactly what that sound would be. I don't think that I realized that Rod Stewart had these type of credentials though. My favorite parts will probably all bass.
Solid performances, especially Beck’s guitar work. Songs were mostly blues standards covered, and green sleeves randomly? It was solid, would give a 3.5
Good album
I know Rod Stewart was involved in this album, because it sounds like the dirty rock of the Faces sound at the time, not a bad thing, but at the same time pretty derivative.
Not bad but nothing special. Musically it is good, but not enough to excite me.
3/5 I liked it. Good blues.
Nice voice, not super memorable but I liked it
I was really feeling this album. It was overall really solid and I’ve never really listened to Jeff Beck. I dig his style and sound for sure.
I honestly had no idea that Rod Stewart got his start with Jeff Beck, so I was surprised to hear his voice throughout this album. The second half is so much stronger than the first. The blues tracks are what takes this album from a two to a three.
Is this a Jeff Beck or a Rod Stewart album? I've always been a fan of Stewart's voice, so this is like discovering brand new songs of his. Becks guitar is great, but I probably won't be coming back to this.
Not bad. Kinda interesting at times. 3/5
Album was fine.
great guitar and good voice
Well, I at least liked Greensleeves
I like Jeff Beck as a guitarist (particularly with the Yardbirds), less so as a singer. You can hear where Rod Stewart really evolved into his sound over time in his later solo work; some of this seems uneven to me, especially Shapes of Things. No massive stand out hits but the overall sound is great classic rock without the cheesiness or overplayed aspect of some of the other bands of the time. Loved some sneaky Led Zeppelin vibes in Beck’s Bolero! 3 ⭐️
Solid 60's British Blues I guess. Interesting to hear the Led Zep antecedents, but can't see that I would need to go back to it.
Sure I guess
Pretty standard blues rock for the most part. Didn’t love or hate anything, but I liked the Greensleeves cover.
It was alright, didn’t hate anything or love anything massively. Wouldn’t turn off but wouldn’t choose to put on. It gave me Faces vibes
Good. Best - Morning Dew, Beck's Bolero, and I Ain't Superstitious Worst - No bad songs 3.00-3.25/5
Better than expected, but nothing I'd listen to again.
I know JB, but didn't know this album. Rod Stewart's unmistakable voice opens things up on the classic rock track "Shapes Of Things" and continues into the Hendrix-esque "Let Me Love You". Setting the table nicely with this punch, counterpunch intro to Truth. Rod could sing the phonebook and make it sound good so props to JB for adding him without front cover acknowledgement. Remake of "You Shook Me" can't touch Zep's but it's respectable. I did "Rock My Plimsoul" which I didn't know. "Greensleeves" and "Beck's Bolero" are instrumental classics and show his guitar prowess. Amazing piano on "Blues Deluxe"! Wrapped it up nicely with "I Ain't Superstitious". Solid album top to bottom.
A style I would best describe as "discount Led Zeppelin". It has essentially all the blues elements (and one of the songs) of LZ's debut album, but with less of the punchiness, musicianship, or raw energy that shot LZ1 into the musical stratosphere. But then, this did come out one year earlier, so I guess it's technically one year more impressive. Apparently this was a proto-metal cornerstone that inspired the heavy metal of the 70s and 80s, and I definitely see it. Pretty cool. The mixing splits the instruments almost too harshly, giving an odd impression of standing right in front of the band and facing away from them into the audience. (And once you notice it, it's hard to ignore.) Despite this, you can clearly hear the robust, punchy rhythm sections (particularly the bass, which is pretty great), along with Beck's loud and bluesy guitar. I have some qualms with the vocals, which are probably good for their time, but in a broader blues context, incredibly generic. The vocal mannerisms ("oh baby, you shake me, gimme all your lovin' baby...") are ridiculously overdone and it would take a little bit more than that to wow me into giving a 4- or 5-star rating. 3/5 Key tracks: You Shook Me, I Ain't Superstitious, Blues Deluxe
“Beck’s Bolero” is by far the greatest instrumental rock song I know of. Recorded in 1966 with Keith Moon of The Who, Nicky Hopkins of The Rolling Stones (starting in 1967), and Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones who would go on to form Led Zeppelin, it’s probably the greatest group of musicians on a single track that isn’t some kind of charity thing like Band Aid or We Are the World. There’s some disagreement about who wrote the song between Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck, with Page generally receiving writing credit despite the song being called “Beck’s Bolero” and released as a Jeff Beck song. I’m inclined to believe that Page is really the author. The reason for that is because almost everything else that Jeff Beck has written has been garbage. Most of this album consists of covers of blues standards or re-recordings of songs from when Beck was in the Yardbirds. A handful of songs were co-written by Beck and Rod Stewart and they’re terrible. In fact, Rod Stewart is really bad on the whole album. Not that I like his music much to begin with, but his delivery is particularly insufferable here. Jeff Beck is an extremely talented guitarist and it’s a good thing this album is credited to him, and that there are a handful of instrumentals here. Because otherwise if Rod Stewart was leading, the album would probably be total garbage. So yeah, I could go on and on about how “Beck’s Bolero” is one of my favorite songs of all time, but the rest of the album is okay or bad.
Sound album bit nothing stuck with me other than the bonus track ‘I’ve Been Drinking’ which is a song saved to the old playlist. Warrants another listen to be fair
First time listening to this artist. I can say enjoy the distortion effects and piano playing compliment each other real nice
For being released in 1968, you can’t deny that “Truth” is a groundbreaking album that played a significant role in the development of hard rock and heavy metal. This blues rock album has a very unpolished, raw, and hard rock feel to it. Unfortunately, Rod Stewart’s voice was a real stumbling block for me. I just didn’t like the sound of his voice or his vocal style at all. Other than that, the musical elements were pretty impressive, which is why I thought the instrumental tracks were the best and most enjoyable.
Shapes of Things 3.1 Let Me Love You 3.2 Morning Dew 3.2 You Shook Me 3.3 Ol' Man River 3.5 Greensleeves 3.1 Rock My Plimsoul 3.2 Beck's Bolero 3.6 Blues De Luxe 3.4 I Ain't Superstitious 3.5 Score: 3.31
I had always seen Jeff Beck mentioned in the great guitarist conversations but never really spent any time listening to him. Not much I like more than a bluesy guitar and Beck certainly delivers that here. Feels like Led Zeppelin 0 and that’s definitely a compliment.
3.5 Does the Clash's clampdown rip off Shapes of things? Found the stereo mix a bit distracting on the headphones. I think Rod fits in pretty good here, compared as to the Faces ( I prefer non-Rod Faces) and Jeff beck rips,
Okay, this album was just gonna get this response: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ That is, until I heard the last track, which immediately gives this album a minimum of 3/5 just for being on Martin Scorsese's Casino Soundtrack.
Just an average blues album for me
Voice reminds me of Bowie. Another one in the "like but didn't love" column.
Sure. Why not. I've heard the name Jeff Beck before. I was pretty hopeful for this album, but then I found out something that worried me. Jeff Beck didn't do the vocals on this album... Rod Stewart did. I didn't really like his album Gasoline Alley that much when I listened to it back in December, and his voice was a reason for that. However, I feel like his voice is better here. Sure, I still can't get the feeling that he sounds like Chris Rock out of my head, but the vocals on this album feel bluesier than on Gasoline Alley, and I kind of like that. Who knew that 2 years would make your voice more annoying. The writing is also just kind of fine. It's a bit repetitive, but I wouldn't say the writing's bad. Where this album really shines however is in the instrumental work, which is great. Jeff Beck's guitar work is quite good. Dare I say, it's great. The other instruments like the pianos, bass, and drums add to the sound in positive ways as well. Overall, this is a solid album, but not one that I'm super passionate about. High 3/5.
This album was a vital stepping stone for blues rock/Led Zeppelin type stuff. However, it seemed to have slipped under the cracks a tad and isn’t recognized the way Zeppelin is. I understand why. While I can appreciate and recognize the importance of an album like this, I don’t particularly love it. There are certainly tracks here that I thought were great, but when it comes down to it, most of the album consists of covers. Some of those are good, some aren’t that interesting. When I listen to an album with primarily covers, the music has to be interesting enough to make me truly feel like it’s THAT artist’s work. I don’t know how much I feel that with the songs on “Truth,” but what I can say is that Jeff’s performance on here was undeniably important for the progression of blues rock into the ‘70s, as well as for how it laid the groundwork for how is career would shape out in the next few decades.
I love finding out about the rock-n-roll ouroboros of the 60s British Blues Boom. I had no clue that Sir Rod and Sir Ronnie were part of the backing band of Jeff Beck’s “solo” efforts. That said, I enjoyed the tracks that featured Jeff Beck more than the bluesy Rolling Stones-style efforts of the majority of the A side of the album.
A times I thought I was onto something really exciting as he and the band are clearly all fantastic and can really rock out. But then I also found bits of this just odd - lots of it is covers or sort-of covers, including his take on 'Greensleeves' among the blues standards, and it has a weird flow, to me. Doesn't feel like a coherent album. One or two highlights but will have to move on to the next.
Not for me. Goes along alright and I'm sure it's very influential but I get a bit tired of it. Took me a while to recognise Rod Stewart! I find the bluesy songs a bit boring, and while the guitar work is crazy I stop enjoying it after a bit. 3
Nothing really jumped out here but a decent album.
Good album
pretty good bluesy rock. Jeff Beck is one of those names I've heard a million times in reference to best guitarists but I've never listened to his stuff. Or knew his singer was Rod Stewart.
Blues rock, yes, and Big Dick Energy, like a massive bulging blue jeans crotch. Exhaustive delineation of all imaginable euphemisms for fu**ing. I mean not love making or any such romantic notion. Fcuk**g non-metaphorically! Contemporary with Led Zeppelin blues and rich call out to old man river (Elderly Man River for my PC aware Stan Freburg nerds) and to the subsequent SRV Texas Flood version of Superstition. I rate this record 3 Massive Boners.
I appreciate the artistry but I'm not a guitar person. The Shape of Things was driving me crazy because it was so familiar - then it clicked - Sister Christian by Night Ranger. It's fun to discover what inspired songs that came later.
Kind of a vibe but some of the songs mad boring
Had no idea Jeff Beck has built such a supergroup, but the other way around. Songs that stood out for me: Shapes of Things (think I've heard it as a Yardbirds song already) & Morning Dew
Great skill, underwhelming album.
Jeff’s guitars are pretty good, but tbh this sounds about the same to me as Lef Zeppelin, Tom Petty, or any other guitar greats of that era. Didn’t really stand out to me.
It’s fine
Solidos riffs y rock sesentoso como dios manda
#243. Woah, you gotta warn me beforehand if you're gonna be doing that. You can't just be slinging around unsolicited Rod Stewart at someone like that and expect them not to react in a certain kind of way. 3/5: the music is pretty good though.
Really liked Jeff Beck's guitar work. Rod Stewart and the song selection slightly less so, but it's perfectly serviceable.
Jeff Beck is one of the greatest players out there and Rod Stewart isn't a chump, but this album is a horny mess.
Metal blues. Not a genre I've heard of but I kind of dig it. Not a fan of the fact that they did so many covers though.
Again I'm hit with another instance of guessing for an artist. I wasn't terribly off since I knew he was kind of bluesy rock. What I didn't expect was the rod Stewart vibes. In my search for validation in thinking Jeff sounded so much like Rod Stewart, I found out that it was Rod Stewart after all and Jeff is the guitarist. What a mind F. With that finally settled I may have to re-listen without that distraction. As it is, it is a pretty good album, but a lot of covers and live tracks that didn't quite help. Favorite track "Beck's Bolero" (mostly because I was distracted by the vocals until I realized who was actually singing) 3/5
Недалеко мы от Рода Стюарта ушли. Ну, интересные свомп-гитарки такие, мне понравилось. Интересно, что он сюда и переосмысление фолк песни добавил, хотя там будто не так много и изменилось. Короче не до конца я понял, как состав песен на этом альбоме сформировался, но стилёк интересный.
This was good in parts, a bit boring in parts. An enjoyable listen over all.
I enjoyed this a lot more than I expected to because it's a guitar noodler and a vocal noodler together. maybe their noodling cancels out and it's just mostly enjoyable music as a result?
this actually grew on me in the second half which rarely happens
Quite nice.
A bit lazy for my blues rock tastes but hints of Beck's mastery are sprinkled throughout. Rod Stewart's vocals are recognizable, and somewhat restrained. Both artists are better than what this album showcases.
I'll preface by saying that I'm not huge of Rod Stewart in general. The breakdown on Let Me Love You sounds like a far less punchy version of Lemon Song by Led Zeppelin (which came out a year later). High quality blues rock that could benefit from some better mixing. Morning Dew, I know mainly from the Grateful Dead live rendition. I far prefer Dead's spaced out, tender version to this -- mainly because I find Stewart's vocals to be grating. You Shook Me is another cover where I prefer another version (probably because I heard it first). This is fine, but Zeppelin's is more entertaining to my ear. This is fine enough blues rock through and through. The guitar work certainly shines above all else here (particularly on the instrumentals). Wish I enjoyed Stewart more, but alas this is a weak 3 for me.
Some solid guitar work on these songs and then Morning Dew hit. I appreciate it, but it doesn't compare to the Dead's powerful, haunting version of it. Wild, I figured You Shook Me was a cover but didn't realize this version came out before Zeppelins. Greensleeves makes me feel like I'm in the Canterbury Tales. This on some levels feels like Led Zeppelin lite. Not bad in any way, but just not great either. The guitar does slay though. High 3
I was feeling a little bit cynical towards this: more British white guys pretending they're saviours or perfectors of the blues? However, have to say it's excellent, by midway through I was well into it.
3.5 Pretty banging.
Beck's guitar works carried much of the album imo, but of course I wouldn't discredit Rod's vocals here. Together they created quite a noodly yet down-to-earth hard rock project
I have to be in the right mood for this
It's not bad, but it didn't really do much for me
I wasn't able to enjoy this album until I decided to just focus on Jeff Beck's guitar work, treating everything else as supplementary. It's an above average blues rock album that goes extra hard, almost proto-metal at times, and is strongly carried by Beck's guitar. And the bluesy tracks that don't emphasize that, like "Ol Man River" and "Blues Deluxe", were among my least favorites, desperately hoping for some Beck tricks. It's a bit inconsistent. Beck's guitar carries but it's hard to pay attention with Petty's grating vocals. Comparing it to Led Zeppelin, you can see how Jeff Beck is about on equal footing with Jimmy Page, except the other members of LZ all carried their weight. Not here. "Becks Bolero" just shows how much potential there could be in a Beck record, and some other tracks almost reach that bar, but it doesn't come close to what LZ was able to produce from their debut.
bet this blew people away when it came out. guitar is amazing.
What Led Zeppelin would sound like if they had Rod Stewart as lead singer, basically.
Eclectic. Under weak bits are weak. Not sure why he did not stick with the heavier sound.
Honestly. A pretty weird album. I liked it.
Never been a huge fan of Jeff Beck. It's not terrible but not my jam.
Not bad, nothing I’m interested in coming back to though. Also feel a little weird about Rod Stewart singing Old Man River like that.
Jeff beck is a great guitar player but it’s hard for me to get into his stuff for some reason. I’m also going to get roasted for this but I though rod stewarts performance on this record wasn’t as strong as his other stuff. Still enjoyed it, especially the blues songs
A real departure from the pop that made her the cultural icon she’s become. Much more mature, grown up music. Not quite as good as Folklore for me, but credit her for making this shift.
Rod Stewart sings with Cream. Solid but not striking 3.3
Nice and easy blues rock something to listen to. It didn't stand out to me, but I feel like there's a lot of formative stuff in these albums that I just don't realize was at the forefront of music that came after it.
The truth is, it’s not bad indeed.
14 mid songs and 4 great ones
ekki slæmur hvítingjablús. held ég gefi þessari annan séns, 3,5.
I never research an album so I can form my own opinions. Jeff Beck sounds like Rod Stewart and the he does a song with Rod so maybe I knew that? This isn’t bad but it’s not a returnable album for me. There are hints of a Hendrix sound on the album which is cool. The songs don’t really stand out from each other but Jeff Beck released quite a few albums so he has a reason to be where he is in rock history. It’s just not my trajectory. Choice cut: Rock my Plimsoul
Gran guitarrista y con la voz de Rod Stewart hace un gran disco.
Odd that this is just credited to the guitar player? Like, why not give the band a name? Sure the guitar is strong with this one, but I can’t help but hear a lot of Rod Stewart… I never expected I’d be able to compare Rod Stewart to Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin but yeh, I can see how this album is in a similar vein. But it’s nowhere near Jimi and I don’t really like LedZep so I’m not going to be able to go over 3 stars. Sorry Jeff, I’ve kinda ignored your guitar work here.
My first impression was, holy shit Jeff Beck sounds like Rod Stewart! Obviously there is an insane amount to talent in this band. It’s pretty standard bluesy hard rock. Executed extremely well 6.1/10
Niet echt mij muziek
Beetje een boomer album, prima liedjes. Voelt alsof ze dit als intro muziek bij Vandaag Inside zouden draaien.
Opzich wel een nice 60's bluesrock album, beter dan verwacht iig. Dacht altijd dat Rod Stewart een beetje een foute zanger was, maar vind hem hier ook wel vet. Maargoed, toch lang niet zo goed als Led Zeppelin ofzo
Self indulgent and horny.
Maybe I’m way off. It was really good. But the highlight for me was Rod Stewart singing on these tracks. I was a little whelmed by the album, but perhaps it just didn’t hold up like I thought it might.
solid album.
pretty cool but not entirely my thing
I liked the jams but sometimes I’m like how long does a guitar solo really need to be??
An alright album, Jeff has a very similar voice to Rod Stewart Top tracks: Rock My Plimsoul
Ok
Favourite Track: Rock My Plimsoul.
Interested to listen to him. Never listened to an album of his. Just know he is a badass songwriter and guitarist. This is cool but not into it.
Vallan kivaa bluesia brittiamerikkalaismusan kultakaudelta. Kuulostaa mukavalta. Siihenpä jää. Tulee olo, että jätkä on keksinyt tehdä prototyyppibiisejä, mut sentään tunteella, taidolla myös ja ehkä enemmän.
Never listened to him before, but saw him perform once with BB King. Enjoyed this more than I expected.
This is fine. I'm realising that if the album doesn't like up with my current mood then it's not gonna work out well for it. But you know what, it's the album's job to wow me and win me over. I will give this another shot when I'm feeling more mellow though.
In hindsight, this is very average to me. I know Beck inspired so many of the guitarists who represent classic rock, but aside from Beck’s individual playing, the music itself is uninspired.
Roooock! Pretty nice but not LZ good..
Since starting listening in this group all 4/4 albums generated have been from a 5 year period 1960s/early 70s - so this is listened to in the context of it being more of the same. Despite the lyrics being underwhelming at times the album as a whole has the pleasant distinction of not being filled with bloated live versions with excessive harmonica or drum solos. Doesn’t have the the impact of Hendrix but was sufficient for me to enjoy a second play through and who doesn’t enjoy an instrumental rendition of greensleeves snuck into their albums.
It's a bit of a tricky one. I love Jeff Beck, but I'm not just reviewing the artist and his amazing guitar skills, I'm reviewing the album, and it was just OK. I would probably listen to it again, I don't mind the late 60s blues, and Jeff Beck is one of the all-time greats. Not sure what I think of Rod Stewart. I'll give it 3, but I wish I could rate it higher.
Turned out better by the end. A couple tunes I liked, but not really my thing. I could listen to it, but would not seek it out.
I liked it. It's easy and relaxed. Great background music.
Meh. There is certainly talent here, but I don't like the albums composition. It feels like a sampler, going in some weird directions. And IMO Hendrix does this style of blues better.
so Rowdy Roddy Stewart is the standout on this album by a mile (I know nothing of this band and assumed the lead singer just sounded a lot like him for a weird reason) but its interesting to hear him on something a little harder than you usually would. not bad.
Nice to hear Rod Stewart again!
Blues album with a couple of instrumentals.
Some good stuff but not great, nice to listen to a full album by him, but wouldn't be listening to it much again!
Somehow my brain farted & I thought I'd be listening to Jeff Buckley. lol, bit of a difference. Never got into Beck, although I've heard his name frequently in the usual lists of all-time greatest guitarists (and in Coach Beard's press conference squabble in an episode of Ted Lasso XD). Some familiar tunes in here, whether traditional, blues, or "oh hey, Megadeth covered this one, too." Enough variety that it's not all just 12-bar blues straight through (although the "Blues Deluxe" does drag on a bit), and enough nice guitar work to be interesting. Oh, Rod Stewart's on this one, too? Certainly a better listen than the Faces album. :P"
No doubt that Jeff Beck is a rock-blues guitar legend but the problem with much of his recorded music is that the songs become secondary and serve as a vehicle for his playing. As part of the Jeff Beck Group it is great to hear Rod Stewart at his early best on this album (the band also includes Ronnie Wood on bass). The first song on the album is a great cover of the Yardbirds Shapes of Things with Rod Stewart's great vocal. favorite song on the album is Beck's Bolero which has a bit of a different line-up that would be considered a super group - Beck, Page, Moon, JP Jones, Nick Hopkins. You can see the influence on Led Zepplin. This album comes across more like a jam album than an original work. Favorite Songs: Beck's Bolero, Shape of Things
Ok
Amazing guitar work and good songs.
Highlights: Shapes of Things, Beck's Bolero. In a nutshell: straightforward blues rock album full of covers. Wear your good earphones for this one. The bass and drums sometimes get lost in the mix if you're listening to this album on a streaming service. Rod Stewart scene steals and shows off his lyrical prowess on most tracks (he definitely sounds horned up). The Jimmy Page cameo is obviously awesome. The applause mixed in on Blues Deluxe was unnecessary, a little tacky IMHO. Also, isn't there already enough blues rock in the book anyway? P.S. people cite this album as early heavy metal. I don't hear the heavy metal roots on here. Show me where it is. Overall: 5/10
Some good pre Zeppelin heavy rock, but it's patchy too, and loses at least a star for that version of Greensleeves. 3.5 🌟
3.5 A solid album. A little bit too blue eyed soul and plastic blues for me to fully enjoy it.
It was good, nothing to talk about but I liked it
This was fine. Didn't leave much of an impression on me but I didnt not like it. Just felt like very straightforward rock
woah, where are the sounds coming from?
Good album, good blues, I wasn't crazy about it, I haven't really connected with Jeff Beck yet, but I had a good time listening and would happily put it on whenever and so should you. 3/5
First and second song are great. Last 2 songs are good too. Middle is eh. Great guitar and drums. Ez 3.5
cool guitar
Jeff Beck and the rhythm section are great. Love the instrumental "Beck's Bolero," and you can hear a lot of influential stuff in this album. Rod Stewart's voice just annoys me so I probably won't ever listen to this whole album again, which is kind of a shame. I'll still rate it a little higher out of respect for Jeff Beck and I probably will return to some specific songs. 3 - will probably listen again
The lead singer sounds uncannily like Rod Stewart!
Very average album, one day after listening to it I don't remember any song, or even one riff/solo. 40 minutes passed, where I had a pretty mediocre time and then it was gone forever.
It didn't do much for me but parts of it were okay. Spotify only had half of the album so I could only listen to half of it unfortunately. For the sake of kind of liking it, and because I couldn't finish it to give it a full assessment, I'll give it three stars.
Jeff Beck did a year with the Yardbirds, said "fuck this" and started his own band. Rod Stewart sings. But here's the kicker: Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones would both play on Beck's Bolero (with Keith Moon!!!!) and would no doubt hear Jeff Beck's brand of late-60's hard rock. What I'm saying is that Jeff Beck helped lay the groundwork for Led Zeppelin, and that's good enough for me.
It is a bludgeon-y sort of blues. Beck’s axe can seem quite a blunt instrument at times, a blunderbuss even. Rod’s the right vocalist, for all his schmaltztastic tendencies. They sort of deserved each other. "Greensleeves" and "Bolero" are interesting additions, if a bit showy. "Morning Dew" is a fun listen, too, especially for Deadheads (reformed, recovering or otherwise). Later records are better however, when JB seems to have given up wanting so desperately to be a rock star and just played. One wonders what would have happened had Rod been sacrificed for more expansive and exploratory virtuosity -- it's JB's record after all. Ultimately, this record feels a little constrained by the mostly blues format, which must've felt tired even upon its release (though one supposes the kids couldn't quite get enough) and the likely commercial pressures.
Good bit of soul on this album, the processing on the guitars is top notch with some really cool effects and panning. Would listen again
Good album, almost entirely covers though, or songs that are reworkings of older songs. Interesting to hear this metal sound from an album in the 60s. I think I'm more a fan of Jeff's instrumental albums than I am this one. For some reason Greensleeves really strongly reminds me of the Vamo' alla flamenco song from Final Fantasy 9. Solid 3.
Odd assortment. Solid blues, plus Old Man River (dubious choice) and Greensleeves (even dubiouser).
Solid classic rockin’ Bluesy album. I was certainly struck by the similarity to the sound that would be sought by Beck’s old bandmate Jimmy Page in the self-titled debut of Led Zeppelin which would be released the following year (Truth even features a shared cover in You Shook Me and a track credited to Page). This record has a more polished version of that sound, which for me personally doesn’t necessarily make it better. Aside from that, I deduct points for Rod Stewart’s involvement but add them back in for Ronnie Wood being involved. It’s mostly covers and unique arrangements, but certainly rocks hard doing so. I’ve never been particularly impressed by Jeff Beck’s style, but I gotta give some credit here for creating a cool heavier sound and for doing it first. Top tracks: Shapes Of Things, Let Me Love You, Greensleves, I Ain’t Superstitious
“Mom, I want Led Zeppelin” “Sweetie we have Bluesrock at home” *Bluesrock at home* It’s fine, but I feel you can get more enjoyment from a Clapton or Zeppelin. I won’t turn it off, but I’m not craving this album
nice to hear some blues
RIP One of the forgotten legends of the 60s guitar scene(at least by those who didn't live it, like my generation). The blues feel is immediate and though controversial, many future musicians have been thankful for the boom of rock and roll from the 60s. This is a classic and listening to it even today, you can see why. It is some good classic rock and roll.
Sounds in turns like Rod Stewart, BB King, Joe Cocker, Joe Jackson...
I had never really heard any Jeff Neck before. I enjoyed it well enough, but not so that I would seek out more.
Jeff Beck and Rod Stewart...should be awesome and yet feels unfocused.
Classic early Jeff Beck. No big hits.
good listen. had to read up to realize it was Rod Stewart on vocals, because that I recognized immediately. The guitar is distinctive and immediately placeable, so I'm glad i know now it's jeff beck. Enjoyable listen with some cool songs on here that aren't the mainstream rock of the era. cool guitar licks unlike others ive heard on records.
nicer than i expected actually
B- Shapes of Things 3 Let Me Love You 3 Morning Dew 3 You Shook Me 3 Ol' Man River 3 Greensleeves 3 Rock My Plimsoul 3 Beck's Bolero 3 Blues De Luxe 3 I Ain't Superstitious 3 This somehow fumbles having Rod Stewart and half of Led Zeppelin as side pieces. I'm not saying Jeff Beck wouldn't be a good main chick, but he'd probably have you going through a midlife crisis by age 42, the kind where you go buy a Porsche with matching hair plugs.
Crazy guitar god.
One day ago, the album was Electric Ladyland, which I think affected my experience listening for this one, or at least my review. I do still like this, though, it’s got a lot of interesting stuff going on. Beck’s Bolero is especially rad.
Very enjoyable blues rock with flashes of excellence. The piano playing on "Blues Deluxe" (around the 4 minute mark) is fantastic! And great guitar throughout. Rod Stewart on lead vocals brings a fun energy too. I was already thinking that the band reminded me of Led Zeppelin (fwiw Jeff Beck put out this album a year before Zep's first) and then "You Shook Me" came on. The Jeff Beck version of course pales in comparison but that's hardly Jeff Beck's fault. Overall, this scratched the same itch for me as Led Zeppelin so it was easy listening for me.
Jeff Beck is a true guitar player's guitar player (if that means what I think it means). He's got such a nice voice on the instrument that goes beyond just playing well. The only downside for me with his playing is that he lived in the time of classic rock, which right now is one of the more dated sounds out there. And unfortunately I really feel it while listening to this album. I'm just not "wowed" by much. I do recognize his greatness and his legend and influence, and this wasn't necessarily hard to listen to or anything. It just kind of went by.
This is decent. A bit of its time, a bit dated, but still a good listen. Shades of Led Zeppelin in places (after reading about it this is unsurprising given the people he worked with!), blues-y rock. But, it's really hard to give an album of pretty much all covers a particularly high rating. The Bolero is probably my favourite, and the cover of Hi Ho Silver Lining also fun. 3/5.
This is excellent music. I wish I could appreciate it more, but I just don't feel Blues and Hard Rock that much. Three stars when just taking into account how much I enjoyed listening, but I think this might deserve better 3.5/5.
petit mélange rock et passage de blues. pas désagréable à l'oreille 6.5/10
It’s a lot of elements I don’t like - the Clapton-esque school of white man blues, and Deep Purple style hard rock. It’s not a terrible album - but not something I am into.
doesn't get me
great guitar playing and some Rod vibes.
like the late 60's bluesy feel. The guitar solos drag on a little too long however. Beck clearly has a delicate touch with his playing. I didn't know about Rod's involvement. It's a shame that Beck didn't push himself forward as a frontman.
Liked this now
Liked it more than i thought I would
3/5. It's a decent album but mostly some okay songs surrounded by Beck flexing his guitar skills. For sure a necessary listen among guitar heavy albums but just focusing on the guitar will provide the most enjoyment. A decent blues album but mostly a guitar album with backing instruments.
Shape of Things // Let Me Love You // Rock My Plimsoul // Beck’s Bolero // I’ve Been Drinking // 2.5-3/5
Great voice, but band’s sound was all over the place
Really enjoyable Blues Rock album
I would like to give this one another full listen as I think there is some potential. The songs were very hit or miss whether I enjoyed them or not. Overall not bad.
This record (and its ridiculous list of contributors) is at its best when it strays from blues tradition and wanders toward weirder, heavier sounds.
It was okay. But I’ve heard better blues rock records. Maybe I will give it another chance
Good blues rock. Rambly, but never really felt like it dragged
Dad rock without the excitement or mystery of some its peers.
This felt like an album that was clearly Important and Influential, but it didn’t really stand out to me as I listened. All love and respect to Jeff but it’s a three for me, had a decent time but probably wouldn’t choose it again.
Decent classic rock. I think Jeff Beck is a case of a musician who was so influential that his music just sounds pretty standard now. He is foundational for most guitarists who came after him and I respect that.
Heavy classic blues rock. The distorted guitar and rock vocals make this almost hard rock / early heavy metal. Steward grew on me, then annoyed me. Somewhat random seeming collection of covers and originals, sometimes wanky.
When it’s good it’s great. The rest of the time it’s okay.
My mate Dave will be pleased to see this album pop up, he being a big fan of Jeff Beck. I read a lot about this being a seminal text in the formation of heavy metal, but I think that is drawing a very long bow. I mean, the recording of this was influential in the formation of Led Zeppelin, but this is a British heavy blues album, not really metal at all. The reliance on covers points to the lack of song-writing strength. Some of the covers are... questionable choices (Greensleeves and Ol' Man River, I'm looking at you two) or only very thinly veiled re-writes of existing blue numbers (Rock My Plimsoul is an original? Really?). But You Shook Me and I Ain't Superstitious really set the scene for British heavy blues. Playing is generally great (although Nicky Hopkins has a tendency to noodle, in my opinion) and Rod Stewart has never been in finer form. Beck is pushing what a guitar can do at the time, but he's not unique in this. It's not quite as pyrotechnic as Jimi Hendrix and the songs are not as strong as Jimi or Cream, and the arrangements aren't as tight as what Led Zep would later do. It's listenable, but really the only track I would go back to is I Ain't Superstitious.
back half is better
Funkar väl.
I think just not in the mood?
I liked the riffs and vocal performances, but wish a remastered edition existed. The mixing and sound was an issue.
Good variety of styles and approaches. I can really feel the influence of the same currents that Led Zeppelin channeled. Not my favorite, but not bad. Greensleeves is quite good in this.
I liked it more than I thought I would. At least it’s not Eric Clapton. And Rod Stewart isn’t especially annoying here either.
Strange listen. Jeff's voice sounded like Janice Joplin at times. The piano was left field but the guitar was as expected.
The truth is that the album didn't stand out much to me: I enjoyed the guitar and it sounded nice with good production but at the end of the day I didn't find any songs which stood out to me as being a banger. In a way it was disappointing but then again I wasn't expecting a master piece.
A pretty mixed bag of tracks. Some very good songs others just background. Nevertheless the talent is there and there are some great riffs. Probably stunning live.
Yeah I liked this more than I thought I would.
Ok, nice and happy
Yeah, I liked it but at the same time I failed to be blown away. It was just kinda ok.
Better than I expected
Jeff Beck is highly ranked and respected by all the people that love "guitar rock". He is a wizard. I am still calling this one 3 stars. It didn't speak to me in any way. It made me feel like I was stuck in a shitty bar, waiting for my friends to finish doing to coke in the bathroom, so we could finally leave before cat scratch fever comes on for the 5th time.
Meh. Fairly standard blues rock with Rod bloody Stewart singing and a random cover of Greensleves
An amazing start to the album unmistakeable vocals of Rod Stewart. The end of side 1 and start of side 2 ruined the groove that was gained by an amazing start to the album and hamstrung with what could have been a fantastic blues rock album. Still a great album without those two tracks.
It was definitely a weird album.
not bad
The guitar work was cool. I actually didn’t like the vocals as much. I like Rod, but felt like it was a less well done attempt at some led zepplin.
3/5 This felt like a low rent version of something I couldn't quite put my finger on. It gave me all the 60s vibes and sounded good enough but just wasn't my thing.
Truth is I don't like "widdle widdle widdle" guitar music or Rod Stewart that much... Technically sound but just not my jam. Apparently this is a foundation of heavy metal? Meh.
I like this uneven record; I can hear they had fun making it. Beck’s Bolero has the comic origin myth that Jimmy Page made it to pause Beck’s whinging about the Yardbirds. The version of Shapes… is great, though not better than the original. My ears glaze over interminable blues noodles, but there’s usually some zany noise or guitar ejaculation to draw me back in, albeit briefly. Hi Lo Silver Lining is a fine drunk novelty song. It’s no Roger The Engineer, but what is?
Good
Never listed to Beck very much, but classic rock through and through. Enjoyable, but no standout songs that would make the rotation. Good easy listening for the background, may grow on me over time.
Likably eclectic mix of songs. But the Hot Rod + JB feel combo feels a little less than the sum of their parts. One likes the artier-contoured and his more outre explorations of JB's soloing and finds later (but even less commercially successful) records more interesting and enjoyable. The vocals are optional, as far as one's concerned, since this all about the virtuosity. Thus, more noodling is what's wanted here, and less conventional song structures and less RS (of whom one's certainly a fan) distracting attention and clowning (as winsome as that can be occasionally). ere, he does work over the blues convincingly and blistering (though somewhat predictably). The classic (and classical-inflected) cuts are fun enough and one's All for Magritte covers, but it's only a slight boost here. Overall, not just quite as good as one might expect or hope for.
Some fun moments, but it feels a bit forgettable at times
Not bad, not exactly my cup of tea
Favorite song - Rock My Plimsoul, Greensleeves, Beck's Bolero
Interesting rock album for 1968. Decent, not afraid to do good guitar solos. Definitely a stark difference from later albums.
Interesting debut album from JB with some OTT vocals from Rod S. Flamboyant heavy blues from JB which shows his expertise but the album lacks some focus.
C'est pas trop le mood là mais bon c'est pas mal quand même
ca ressemble un peu à led zeppelin mais sans sel
Meh. I liked the instrumental better than anything with lyrics, which is unusual for me. Beck’s Bolero SLAPPED.
Average White Blues. Well, I suppose there are a few surprises along the way though: the extended breakdown on Shapes of Things, the subtle bagpipe intro to Morning Dew, and then it's all Merry Christmas with Greensleeves smack in the middle? WTF? All that, in combination with the inclusion of live tracks, kept making think the album was over and Spotify had moved onto something else. Very much has the feel of a compilation.
Jeff Beck is an artist I know nothing of except the name, so I can't say I've heard any of his material in earnest so glad to start with the first album. Impressive guitar-work... but that is to be expected from a guitarist from The Yardbirds. Vocals remind me of some other artist but not sure, still pretty good though. Clearly blues influenced (especially with You Shook Me cover), kind of interesting people consider this influential to "Heavy Metal". The Greensleeves instrumental seems quite random though, I thought some other album came on shuffle. Also the clapping on "Blues Deluxe"... why? It's all good but nothing singular that really grabbed me. 3.5 down to 3.
my nama jeff
Very unique type of blues rock.
Pretty good & atmospheric
3.5