REVIEW: Jeff Beck, Who Else! (Epic)
- Linda Scott
Jeff Beck's Who Else, is the latest addition to a discography that goes on for pages, spanning Beck's 40-odd year guitar career.
Beck garnered most attention in rock and roll after he joined The Yardbirds as Clapton's replacement. His groundbreaking use of distortion, feedback and sounds pushed the Yardbirds to the front of the rock band pack. In an astounding move, the Yardbirds brought in Jimmy Page as co-lead guitar, an uneasy situation at best.
Beck walked and soon started his own band, The Jeff Beck Group (with Ron Wood, Rod Stewart, Mick Waller and Nicky Hopkins). Beck controlled this band, and this period led to his becoming the world's leading guitarist. The Group's The Truth is widely regarded as the heavy metal bible. Wood and Waller thunder out the rhythm, Stewart sings in his trademark gravelly voice, and Beck's wailing lead guitar lifts the band up like a tidal wave.
It is said that Jeff Beck has influenced every rock band in the U.S. and the UK, and if you get hold of "I Ain't Superstitious" on Truth, you'll see why. An 18 month layoff after a near-fatal car accident led Beck to less brutal, more introspective music. Moving into instrumental jazz and fusion rock, Beck explored new territory. A blend of rock and his new musical interests, Beck came out with the spectacular Blow By Blow, followed by Wired (with Jon Hammer). Beck continued with Hammer, exploring different musical styles, and Hammer is with Beck on the most recent album, too.
What Else! is a record showcasing where Beck is now in his music, and he certainly has broken out of the rock guitarist mold. The styles hear are all over the place and they show Beck's versatility and knowledge. Show Beck a genre, and he will write and play something magnificent! Who Else! leads off with a techno creation called "What Mama Said," the first single off the album. A metallic, almost cold sound on this piece, but its position on the album shows Beck wants to shake you up a little right away. In contrast comes a bluesy, down home "Brush With The Blues". This one and "Space For The Papa" were recorded live in Germany. "Psycho Sam" comes back with that metallic, techno sound again. The coldness shows Beck's absolute genius in technical issues. "Space For The Papa" might be the best on the album except for an irritating voice over. "THX 138" is a terrific song with a hot rod, ripping vibe (title is Beck's license plate which was copied from a car in American Graffiti). "Even Odds" is for fans that want to hear Jeff Beck rock! And the final two songs on the album are just lovely little jewels, "Declan" and "Another Place". "Declan" has that wonderful Celtic sound and "Another Place" is acoustic. Beck made these two very short, and they deserved a fuller treatment.
If you're a solid Beck fan or just a casual listener, pick up What Else! Jeff Beck is a living guitar legend, and you need to have his most recent album, plus Blow By Blow, Wired, Jeff Beck's Guitar Shop, and The Jeff Beck Group's Truth along with some Beck-era Yardbirds albums. This comprises a good beginning set of Beck albums.
