Jeff Beck new album - Loud hailer

ToneControl

I just got this - the playing is very good

richardhomer

ToneControl said:

I just got this - the playing is very good

Saw it on vinyl in HMV the other day - didn't know he had a new album due out.

I suppose the playing being good is a given; what about the music?

xSkarloey

I think it's mixed.

He obviously sparks very well off his younger collaborators.

However, I do find the vocalist's mannerisms- faux (or genuine for all I know) Cock-er-nay glottal stops etc- get on my nerves after too long.

Incidentally, said vocalist is Bill Oddie's daughter no less, or so I've read.

I think the whole package works best on 'Scared for the Children' which lyrically and musically is very affecting.

But yes, I think in general Beck's chops are in fine fettle and aged 72 I think it's completely to his credit that here is a musician who couldn't care less about where he's been but who is looking to push himself.  Very best of luck to him.

richardhomer

^ Cheers @Skarloey - I've just checked its on Tidal. I'll give it a listen.

EricTheWeary

Watched the lead video on YouTube, read a couple of Amazon reviews. I liked what I heard but the reviews saying it's not a typical Beck album, it's more of a collaborative thing - guitar supporting the vocals more. I might get a copy but I'm guessing it won't suit all of his fans. My normal apathy towards much of his work meaning my endorsement is also an indictment.

benmurray85

Skarloey said: 

However, I do find the vocalist's mannerisms- faux (or genuine for all I know) Cock-er-nay glottal stops etc- get on my nerves after too long.

Yep, completely agree. Whether its natural or not it comes across as completely forced. One minute its cockerneee the next its american tinged. 

Just listening to it now for first time and musically its great but I want to turn it off completely because of the vocals

xSkarloey

@EricTheWeary I do think he's a very good sideman- he's got the comping/ fills skills of a jazzer which hardly any rock players have.

dindude

Ooh, how did I not know about this, time to explore.......

EricTheWeary

Skarloey said:

@EricTheWeary I do think he's a very good sideman- he's got the comping/ fills skills of a jazzer which hardly any rock players have.

It's the context in which I prefer him.  I'm not that keen on a lot of his purely instrumental stuff but this may not be the album all Beck fans want. Although may be he never really does that anyway. 

ToneControl

I like it
the playing is very expressive
album is an album, less  like a compilation of collaborations like his recent ones have been
the vocalist has a modern, aggressive style. not everyone will like that
I think the vocal stylings will make this sound dated in a short number of years, same as some of his 70s and 80s stuff

on the whole, it's good, but I'd prefer a second copy with the vocals removed 

Much more of a real album

I'd prefer a full album with  Joss Stone though

richardhomer

Listened to it using someone's Tidal log in....

Unconvinced by it tbh. Some of his more lyrical playing on it is Claptonesque pentatonics (which from EC I like - but a bit 'safe' from Beck). The angry nature of much of the rest of it kind of grated - it sounds like an excuse to add some heavy guitar, rather than an album which needed it.

Making a truly satisfying record as a gifted instrumentalist is not easy - Roy Buchanan's career suffered in the same way.

On balance, I'd rather hear the late period JB playing expressive instrumentals a la Cause We've Ended as Lovers, than trying to be 'relavent'. It all rings a bit hollow to these ears....

boogieman

richardhomer said:

Listened to it using someone's Tidal log in....

Unconvinced by it tbh. Some of his more lyrical playing on it is Claptonesque pentatonics (which from EC I like - but a bit 'safe' from Beck). The angry nature of much of the rest of it kind of grated - it sounds like an excuse to add some heavy guitar, rather than an album which needed it.

Making a truly satisfying record as a gifted instrumentalist is not easy - Roy Buchanan's career suffered in the same way.

On balance, I'd rather hear the late period JB playing expressive instrumentals a la Cause We've Ended as Lovers, than trying to be 'relavent'. It all rings a bit hollow to these ears....

Interesting review Richard. I haven't heard the new album yet and on the strength of various things I've read about it, I probably won't buy it.

Tbh I find JB quite frustrating at times; he's immensely talented and yet sometimes he just doesn't deliver. One minute he's  capable of doing something sublime like Lovers or Where Were You, which are spine tingling tracks. The next he's gone all Hank Marvin with Nessun Dorma. 

Gassage

Keith Richards is bringing out his album as a mark of resepct to Beck

"Proud Inhaler".

thomasross20

Listened to the first two tracks. Meh - I didn't mind some of that on his other recent albums but there seems to be a lack of guitar melody.

Hootsmon

Gassage said:

Keith Richards is bringing out his album as a mark of resepct to Beck

"Proud Inhaler".

after all those fags Keef's album should be called Ventolin inhaler

Moe_Zambeek

Listening to this a bit now. The guitar work is great; some nice heavy stuff (in a 70s way). Good to hear Jeff giving it some stick, it's a change from the more polite stuff. He can certainly wrangle a strat.

Lodious

I'm listening to Wired right now.....jesus, he's on fire on that album. Every line he plays has a little touch which makes it better than you think it could possibly be. He is such a fantastic player.

richardhomer

Moe_Zambeek said:

Listening to this a bit now. The guitar work is great

Allow me to beat @Skarloey to congratulating you on your excellent use of the phrase 'guitar work'. Highly commendable!

xSkarloey

@richardhomer @Moe_Zambeek ;A really classy show, slipping the old phrase in there old boy. Well played.

stratman3142

Lodious said:

I'm listening to Wired right now.....jesus, he's on fire on that album. Every line he plays has a little touch which makes it better than you think it could possibly be. He is such a fantastic player.

When it first came out, after Blow By Blow, I didn't like it, but eventually Wired became one of my favourite Jeff Beck albums. He was on fire on that album and also on There And Back.