Jeff Beck - Truth (1968/2006)

One of the long-lost classics of blues-rock music, Jeff Beck's Truth (and its follow-up, Beck-Ola) received the deluxe reissue treatment in 2006. State-of-the-art 24-bit remastering and provided dynamics appropriate to the digital age, the songs on Truth sound every bit as dirty and grungy as they did back in 1968.

Six-string wizard Jeff Beck had been unceremoniously sacked from the Yardbirds and living in the shadows of Eric Clapton’s international acclaim when he pieced together this short-lived ensemble that included Rod Stewart on vocals, Ron Wood on bass and Micky Waller on drums (replacing original drummer Aynsley Dunbar).

Jeff Beck's Truth

Truth would become one of the cornerstones for both 1970s heavy metal (blues roots, big vocals, heavy percussion, screaming guitar solos) as well as the blueprint for dozens of British blooze-rock bands to follow in the wake of Cream. Along the way, however, Truth has been overlooked for its mastery of form and the range of the individual performances.

Stewart’s vocals are never less than superlative, no matter what direction Beck takes the band, and the album’s mix of hard rock, blues, Motown soul, and jazzy flourishes make for an intoxicating elixir. An impromptu studio performance of the folk standard “Greensleeves” surprisingly became an audience favorite, and “Beck’s Bolero” has become known as one of Beck’s signature songs. Covers of Willie Dixon blues classics like "I Ain't Superstitious" and "You Shook Me" are revved-up and rockin' the house.

The Reverend's Bottom Line

This 2006 reissue of Truth includes extensive liner notes by noted writer Charles Shaar Murray, and features eight additional tracks, including a couple of rare early Beck singles and a handful of alternative mixes. Highly recommended for classic rock fans, guitar aficionados, blues fans, Rod Stewart fans, Jeff Beck fans, and just about everybody else. It’s just that damn good.... (Sony Legacy Recordings, released October 10, 2006)