Jeff Beck Albums Ranked
Geoffrey Arnold Beck (born 24 June 1944) is an English rock guitarist. He is one of the three noted guitarists to have played with the Yardbirds (the other two being Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page). Beck also formed The Jeff Beck Group and with Tim Bogert and Carmine Appice, he formed Beck, Bogert & Appice.
Much of Beck’s recorded output has been instrumental, with a focus on innovative sound, and his releases have spanned genres ranging from blues rock, hard rock, and an additional blend of guitar-rock and electronica. Although he recorded two hit albums (in 1975 and 1976) as a solo act, Beck has not established or maintained the sustained commercial success of many of his contemporaries and bandmates. Beck appears on albums by Rod Stewart, Mick Jagger, Tina Turner, Morrissey, Donovan, Diana Ross, Jon Bon Jovi, Malcolm McLaren, Kate Bush, Roger Waters, Stevie Wonder, Les Paul, Zucchero, Cyndi Lauper, Brian May, Roger Taylor, Stanley Clarke, Screaming Lord Sutch, ZZ Top, and Toots and the Maytals.
He was ranked fifth in Rolling Stone’s list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time” and the magazine, upon whose cover Beck has appeared three times, has described him as “one of the most influential lead guitarists in rock”. He is often called a “guitarist’s guitarist”. Beck has earned wide critical praise and received the Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance six times and Best Pop Instrumental Performance once. In 2014 he received the British Academy’s Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music. Beck has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice: as a member of The Yardbirds (1992) and as a solo artist (2009). Here are all of Jeff Beck albums ranked.
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10. Emotion & Commotion (2010)
“Emotion and commotion fairs pretty well on several cuts but does have tracks that could make one think ”what was he thinking” but they are all good.just not as up to Jeff’s par as it could be in my humble opinion.Somewhere over the rainbow is an outstanding tune that shows just how versatile Beck is along with some other cuts that do seem to miss a crescendo if one listens for details.only other issue might be jeff not do the album solo which far and away appeals to my liking,”
9. Loud Hailer (2016)
“This album is what I’ve come to expect from the Master JB – the UNEXPECTED! Strap yourself in for one of his best and most creative albums. A little bit of everything-heavy blues, rock and an incredible funk O.I. L. can be found on this album. This album shows he has not lost a note and is still putting out some of the best music of his career. The odd but great voice of the female singer (Rosie Bones) adds an unusual flavor to this album. “
8. You Had It Coming (2000)
“Almost without exception, this is album is Jeff’s behemoth. Nothing in his past compares to this. While his prowess on the axe is undisputed, here it’s a matter of imagination, and Jeff delivers the goods like seldom before. It’s a stunning onslaught of ideas — in terms of writing, playing, and arrangements — that will leave one floored. The use of tech in shaping the sounds and rhythms only elevates Jeff’s prowess. If you think heavy metal is heavy, after this it will seem like snowflakes.”
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7. Who Else! (1999)
“‘Who Else’. Of course It boasts sensational guitar from Beck,who is at his peak here,playing solos that astound with their audacious leaps around the fretboard and augmented with the most startling use of the whammy bar creating sounds that simply defy description.Compositionally the album scores with some strong riffs,rhythmic vamps and a variety of moods that go from the frenetic to the serene. It works both as a show case for Beck’s wizardry and as an exciting and engaging listening experience in its own right.”
6. Beck-Ola (1969)
“Beck-Ola, was apparently hurriedly put together in a rush to cash in on the success of their debut, The Truth. If it was then it doesn’t show. Featuring the proto heavy metal sound guitarist Beck was developing, with the effortless vocals of a young Rod Stewart, bass of Ronnie Wood, organ of Nicky Hopkins and drums of Tony Newman, this is a classic album.”
5. Jeff Beck’s Guitar Shop (1989)
“f you’re a Jeff Beck fan, you know what you’re in for – guitar mastery that’s a step or two beyond his blues-rock contemporaries. This finds him collaborating with keyboardist Tony Hymas and drummer Terry Bozzio. Jeff seems to prefer having a strong keyboardist to act as a musical catalyst and spur him on. This 1989 recording is not as “fusion-y” as his 70s and early 80s work, but it is forward looking. For straight-up down and dirty rock, check out Big Block! But there’s a lot of melodic loveliness in tunes like Behind the Veil and Two Rivers. While Jeff can deliver guitar hero-style pyrotechnics as well as anyone, his real artistry lies in his unique sense of phrasing and melody, and he’s not afraid to serve the song with them. This is a classic Jeff Beck recording!”
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4. There and Back (1980)
“This album is everything I love about Beck, the surrealness of the tracks that give them a great listening quality, Jeff’s guitar work is amazing, and the quality is very good for each song. I personally love the keyboard riff on “Star Cycle” and the guitar solo of “Too Much To Lose”. The whole album sounds like an salute to space and sci fi despite it being Rock/Jazz Fusion.”
3. Wired (1976)
“The new line-up with Narada Michael Walden and Jan Hammers brings new dimensions to this album The songs are generally calmer than on its predecessor album.I feel that the guitar is less present on this album than before also because the keyboards are sometimes handled by both Hammer and Middleton. Although the compositions are of high-quality, I find here less instrumental magician-ship than on Blow by Blow. Blue wind is the collaboration between Hammer and Beck containing no other musicians. Love is green features the acoustic guitar and is a welcome addition. Overall, this an album worth acquiring and exploring for any proghead or fusion lover that likes the latter calmer 70’s fusion.
2. Truth (1968)
“It’s an album where I just cannot mark my favorite song. All are! Well, if you push me to it, I’d select Blues De Luxe, for it’s length (more the better) and showcasing almost everything about this album. This underrated album will keep growing on listeners as time passes. I’d bet I’m 2050 it’d be more famous than many classic greats today. But one thing, as Jeff says on the remastered edition, play this loud, very very loud.”
1. Blow by Blow (1975)
“This is the peak of the Beck’s fusion era. The songs are well composed, there is enough instrumental prowess and intensity, the album does not necessarily drags on for too long. Thankfully, all the songs are without vocals. The music is dominated by the guitar and keyboard dueling just like on most of any other fusion albums of that era, however the rock side prevails and more jazz influence is apparent in keyboards than the guitar. She’s a woman is an originally executed cover version of the Beatles song. I like hearing it when I hear this album and don’t necessarily like it hear it live again and again. Scatterbrain bears traces of more furious fusion jam with nice fills and tempo changes on the drums. Diamond Dust is a nice mellow and recognizable ballad song. This album is highly recommended to all fans of fusion and Jeff Beck.