Despite being the premiere of heavy metal, Jeff Beck's Truth has never quite carried its reputation the way the early albums by Led Zeppelin did, or even Cream's two most popular LPs, mostly as a result of the erratic nature of the guitarist's subsequent work.
Time has muted some of its daring, radical nature, elements of which were appropriated by practically every metal band (and most arena rock bands) that followed. Truth was almost as groundbreaking and influential a record as the first Beatles, Rolling Stones, or Who albums. Its attributes weren't all new -- Cream and Jimi Hendrix had been moving in similar directions -- but the combination was: the wailing, heart-stoppingly dramatic vocalizing by Rod Stewart, the thunderous rhythm section of Ron Wood's bass and Mickey Waller's drums, and Beck's blistering lead guitar, which sounds like his amp is turned up to 13 and ready to short out. Beck opens the proceedings in a strikingly bold manner, using his old Yardbirds hit "Shapes of Things" as a jumping-off point, deliberately rebuilding the song from the ground up so it sounds closer to Howlin' Wolf.
There are lots of unexpected moments on this record: a bone-pounding version of Willie Dixon's "You Shook Me"; a version of Jerome Kern's "Ol' Man River" done as a slow electric blues; a brief plunge into folk territory with a solo acoustic guitar version of "Greensleeves" (which was intended as filler but audiences loved); the progressive blues of "Beck's Bolero"; the extended live "Blues Deluxe"; and "I Ain't Superstitious," a blazing reworking of another Willie Dixon song. It was a triumph -- a number 15 album in America, astoundingly good for a band that had been utterly unknown in the U.S. just six months earlier -- and a very improbable success.
by Bruce Eder
1. Shapes Of Things (Jim Mccarty, Keith Relf, Paul Samwell-Smith) - 3:22
2. Let Me Love You (Beck, Stewart) - 4:44
3. Morning Dew (Bonnie Dobson) - 4:40
4. You Shook Me (Willie Dixon, J. B. Lenoir) - 2:33
5. Ol' Man River (Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II) - 4:01
6. Greensleeves (Traditional) - 1:50
7. Rock My Plimsoul (Beck, Stewart) - 4:13
8. Beck's Bolero (Jimmy Page) - 2:54
9. Blues Deluxe (Beck, Stewart) - 7:33
10.I Ain't Superstitious (Willie Dixon) - 4:53
11.I've Been Drinking (Stereo Mix) (Beck, Stewart) - 3:25
12.You Shook Me (Take 1) (Willie Dixon, J. B. Lenoir) - 2:31
13.Rock My Plimsoul (Stereo Mix Of Single Version) (Beck, Stewart) - 3:42
14.Beck's Bolero (Mono Single Mix) (Jimmy Page) - 3:11
15.Blues Deluxe (Take 1) (Beck, Stewart) - 7:31
16.Tallyman (Graham Gouldman) - 2:46
17.Love Is Blue (André Popp, Pierre Cour, Brian Blackburn) - 2:57
18.Hi Ho Silver Lining (Stereo Mix) (Scott English, Laurence Weiss) - 3:46
Personnel
*Jeff Beck - Electric Guitars, Acoustic Guitar, Pedal Steel Guitar, Bass, Vocals
*Rod Stewart - Lead Vocals
*Ronnie Wood - Bass Guitar
*Micky Waller - Drums
*Madeline Bell - Backing Vocals
*John Carter And Ken Lewis - Backing Vocals
*Clem Cattini - Drums
*Aynsley Dunbar - Drums
*Nicky Hopkins - Piano
*John Paul Jones - Bass Guitar, Hammond Organ
*Keith Moon - Drums, Timpani
*Jimmy Page - 12-String Electric Guitar
1969 Jeff Beck Group - Beck-Ola (2006 remaster and expanded)
1970 Jeff Beck - Rough And Ready (Japan remaster)
with The Yardbirds
1963-68 Glimpses (five disc box set)
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