Jeff Beck
Truth
mono edition
 

Jeff Beck’s position in the pantheon of great electric guitarists is indisputable. As visionary a musician as Jimi Hendrix, Beck made his name as the second of three hall of fame stringbenders for the legendary Yardbirds (following in the “Slowhand” shoes of Eric Clapton and preceding the pre-Zep/session gigging Jimmy Page). Known for his blistering leads and the wild chances he took as one of the first axemen to widely employ feedback during a solo, Beck immediately launched his solo career upon leaving the Yardbirds in 1967. Together with vocalist Rod Stewart and multi-instrumentalist Ron Wood on bass, he cut a pair of albums that expanded on the greatness of his previous work.

 

In late 1966, Beck began work on Truth, his solo LP debut. Recording with his core group of Stewart, Wood and drummer Mickey Waller, Beck ventured far beyond the established rock guitar lexicon, forging a unique style which would influence generations of future acolytes. The LP’s grand masterstroke, “Beck’s Bolero,” is recognized as one of the greatest guitar instrumentals of all time. Notably, the session musicians on this track represented the cream of the British rock scene: Jimmy Page on guitar, John Paul Jones on bass, Nicky Hopkins on piano and a “Moon”-lighting drummer from a mega-band who could not be listed in the credits for contractual reasons.  Rumor had it he could see for miles, though.

 

The influence the album inflicted on the current and future rock scene could hardly be overstated.  It showed the way forward toward a heavier, blues-based guitar sound (hello, Led Zeppelin) and provided essential instruction to guitarists from Tom Scholz to Stevie Ray Vaughan. The opening track, “Shapes of Things,” reworked a Yardbirds song and literally built a bridge from Beck’s immediate past to his present.  The album’s cover of the Willie Dixon classic, “You Shook Me,” beat Zep’s version to wax by several months. Throughout the disc, Beck’s razor-sharp fretwork and enormous tonal palette surprises and amazes at every turn. 

 

This benchmark recording is sourced from the original analog mono masters and is proudly pressed on high-definition vinyl. As another rock legend once said, “Just gimme some Truth!”

TRACKS: 1. Shapes of Things / 2. Let Me Love You / 3. Morning Dew / 4. You Shook Me / 5. Ol’ Man River / 6. Greensleeves / 7. Rock My Plimsoul / 8. Beck’s Bolero / 9. Blues De Luxe / 10. I Ain’t Superstitious

 

ITEM IS BRAND NEW, NEVER PLAYED & STILL SEALED.